Playing in Spillways

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Many people mistakenly see dams as safe and fun areas to swim or slide. In many cases, low-head dams and the structures surrounding them are tragically treated as water park rides. While some of these dams may look like slides or waterfalls to ride over, they should never be used as an attraction. They are attractive nuisances and are very dangerous. Swimming near them or over them presents many kinds of dangers, such as getting stuck in a hydraulic, colliding with structures at high velocity, getting trapped in the dam structures, having difficulty getting out and much, much more.

Entering the water around a dam also puts you at risk of hypothermia. In certain water conditions, it takes only a few minutes of exposure to cold temperatures before the body begins to suffer severe effects, such as a loss of motor functions, poor coordination, and slower mental functions. In many instances, you have five to ten minutes in cold water before you start to drown or cease to even care. Without appropriate rescue or treatment, the effects of this exposure can be fatal or result in lifelong damage.

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Revision ID: 4431
Revision Date: 11/18/2022