Sunday, July 3, 2011

Safety Announcement from the National Weather Service

AREA WATERWAYS WILL CONTINUE TO RUN FAST AND COLD THROUGH THE
HOLIDAY WEEKEND AS A RESULT OF INCREASED SNOW MELT...

TEMPERATURES AROUND THE CENTURY MARK ARE EXPECTED IN THE VALLEY THIS
HOLIDAY WEEKEND BUT AREA WATERWAYS CONTINUE TO RUN COLD AND VERY
FAST.


THE WATER IN OUR RIVERS... STREAMS... AND RESERVOIRS IS FED
DIRECTLY FROM THE MELTING SNOW PACK.  OUR RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE
RUNNING HIGH WITH SWIFT MOVING CURRENTS AND COLD WATER
TEMPERATURES FROM LARGE AMOUNTS OF SNOW MELTING.  RIVER FLOWS ARE
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO BE HIGH AND RUNNING VERY FAST FOR THE NEXT
FEW WEEKS. THIS RESULTS IN SEVERAL WAYS A PERSON CAN GET INTO
TROUBLE QUICKLY ON AREA WATERWAYS.

WATER TEMPERATURES IN THE VALLEY RANGE FROM THE 50S TO 70S AND
ARE IN THE 40S TO 50S ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS.
EXPOSURE TO COLD WATER CAN LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA QUICKLY AND
AFFECTS EVEN STRONG SWIMMERS. IT CAN BE FATAL. WARNING SIGNS
INCLUDE UNCONTROLLED SHIVERING... DISORIENTATION... SLURRED
SPEECH... DROWSINESS AND APPARENT EXHAUSTION.  MONITOR CHILDREN
CLOSELY FOR SYMPTOMS AND HAVE THEM WEAR A LIFE JACKET... EVEN IF
WADING IN SHALLOW WATER.

THE FAST MOVING WATER CAN RESULT IN UNCONTROLLED NAVIGATION OF
WATERWAYS BY KAYAKS... INNER TUBES... AND EVEN BOATS.  ALWAYS WEAR
YOUR LIFE JACKET WHEN ON THE WATER. CHECK THE WATERWAY FOR
OBSTACLES BEFORE YOU GO OUT. PAY ATTENTION TO OTHERS ON THE WATER
TO SEE IF THEY NEED HELP OR IF THE WATER IS TOO FAST TO GO OUT.

PLEASE REMEMBER CHILDREN TWELVE AND UNDER ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO
WEAR LIFE JACKETS WHEN RECREATING IN AND NEAR AREA WATERWAYS. BUT
EVERYONE SHOULD WEAR A LIFE JACKET! PLEASE STAY SAFE!

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