Extreme Sports

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People enjoy risky activities because they like the adrenaline rush it brings and showing off for their friends. There are many design features of dams and spillways that people believe they can take advantage of to get a thrill, without truly knowing the dangers involved. Unfortunately, the development of social media has only made the issue worse. Many major companies have used their prominent social media presence to share and promote unsafe activities around dams.

Whether it is white water kayaking over dams, biking along dam crests, skate-boarding, boogie-boarding or body-surfing through spillways, there are many thrill-seeking activities that have had tragic ends. These activities aren't only dangerous for the person involved, but if something goes wrong it can be a huge risk for first responders who are expected to go help in the event of an emergency. Additionally, misuse of these structures can lead to serious damage to the physical dam itself, with potentially catastrophic consequences. There is no thrill worth endangering yourself and certainly not worth risking the lives of our nation's first responders.

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Revision ID: 4430
Revision Date: 11/18/2022