Life Depends on Water- what can I do- staying safe

Staying Safe

Here are a few rules to live by when monitoring the water or playing next to or in a stream. Not sure why it's a rule? Click on the "why" link after the rule to find out.

1. Avoid streams for 2-3 days after a rain storm.			Why?
2. If you have a cut or a scrape, don’t ever play in a stream until the cut or scrape has healed.			Why?
3. Never drink stream water, even if it looks crystal clear.			Why?
4. If someone becomes ill within two or three days after contact with stream water, it is important to let a doctor know.			Why?
5. Avoid being around streams during, and right after, heavy rainstorms.			Why?
6. Don’t wade in any stream where the water is not clear enough to see the bottom.			Why?
7. Wear old shoes when in a stream.			Why?
8. Avoid culverts at all times.			Why?

	_____________________________________________________________________________________ should I avoid streams for 2-3 days after a rain storm? Contact with stream water polluted by harmful microorganisms can make you sick. Go back to rules.
	should I never drink stream water? Stomach and intestinal illnesses can be caused by swallowing polluted water while swimming. Skin, eye, and ear infections may also occur from contact with polluted water filled with microorganisms. Go back to rules.
	shouldn't I go into a stream with a cut or abrasion? Harmful microorganisms may enter the body through open cuts, sores and abrasions Go back to rules.
	*should I let a doctor know if someone becomes ill two or three days after contact with stream water?* Contaminated water could be a possible cause of the illness. Go back to rules.

should I avoid being around streams during, and right after, heavy rainstorms?

The rapid flow of water with its extra force caused by heavy rains can create unexpected and dangerous flash floods in streams that are normally safe.

Flash flooding occurs when heavy rains cause streams and small rivers to swell beyond their banks. This can happen suddenly and without warning, increasing the depth of the stream and the speed at which the water travels.

In cities and suburbs, rainwater flows very quickly from paved surface areas to storm sewers. Rushing water then travels through storm sewers into nearby streams. This happens far more quickly and with more force than if the water is flowing across a grassy area or through a wooded lot.

The rapid flow of water with its extra force caused by heavy rains can create unexpected and dangerous flash floods in streams that are normally safe.

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shouldn't I wade in any stream where the water is not clear enough to see the bottom? Water in streams is often murky because of the sediment it carries so stream drop-offs can be very hard to see.

So,what are stream drop offs?

Stream drop-offs are areas where a sudden change in the depth of the stream bed occurs. They can be formed by natural rock ledges in the stream bed, where the force of the flowing water has eroded a softer layer out or result when the stream flow washes out an area around a manmade structure.

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should I wear shoes in the stream?

Trash and sharp objects may be present in any stream. Even sharp rocks can hurt your feet. Slippery rocks may cause you to fall or twist an ankle.
Removing trash, if possible, helps to make a stream safe for all to enjoy.

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should I avoid culverts?

Sometimes streams run through tunnels or large pipes called culverts. These are usually located where a stream flows under a roadway. Culverts are dark and can be hard to escape from in the event of an injury or a flash flood. In addition, the environment inside these dark and enclosed spaces are very different from that of the open air. Invisible hazardous gases can collect or oxygen levels can be low, making safe breathing impossible.

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