Despite the warmer weather, Oregon boaters are being cautioned about shallow and cold waters.
This summer is expected to be a record-breaking drought season for Oregon, and waterways will have lower than normal water levels due to this year’s limited snowpack.
Erin Zysett, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, encouraged people to monitor water levels and use a depth finder when boating.
“Even if it's an area that you've boated all your life, the water may be lower than you are accustomed to,” says Zysett.
Low water levels cause navigation hazards like collisions with fixed objects in waterways, groundings, and more people concentrated in popular bodies of water.
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management also cautioned that even when the air temperature is warm, water can still be cold, and hypothermia can quickly set in.
More information about safe boating practices can be found at Boat.Oregon.gov.
