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Water recreation can be deadly Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Jackson County Marine Division deputy Wally Ramsey motors slowly by rocks exposed by low water at Emigrant Lake. Rocks like these could be lurking just under the surface, posing a deadly hazard to boaters. Icy waters, hidden obstacles can get you By JILL BRISKEY This spring, education is the key to keeping boaters and swimmers safe in Jackson County�s chilly rivers and lakes. It�s a message various agencies hope will put a dent in boating accidents in shallow waters and cold-water drownings this year. Tragedy struck May 20, when 17-year-old Sams Valley resident Larry Duane Perigo suffered an asthma attack while swimming in Willow Lake and drowned. Six days later, 15-year-old Mario Sauceva drowned while trying to swim to a floating platform in Applegate Lake during an unofficial Crater High School "skip" day. Springtime precautions In spring, many local lakes and streams remain cold, despite the warming weather. According to the Oregon Health Department, teenagers are most likely to drown in cold lakes and streams because they overestimate their ability and underestimate the toll cold water takes on the human body. Water can kill in three ways � cold shock, drowning and severe hypothermia. To avoid very real dangers, swimmers and boaters are urged to use caution. Always wear a lifejacket in a boat or while swimming in potentially treacherous or cold water. Ask somebody to accompany you when swimming in an unsupervised area. Consider your swimming ability before taking the plunge. Make sure the water is deep enough before jumping or diving. If in cold water, keep movements to a minimum and tread water slowly to reduce heat loss. Never mix drugs or alcohol with swimming or boating. While drowning in cold water can happen to people of all ages, the Oregon Department of Health reports drowning victims are predominately teenage boys. ODH reports that 70 percent of fatal drownings among teens take place in lakes, rivers and streams. Jackson County Chief Deputy District Attorney Beth Heckert hopes that educating others to the dangers of cold water will help eliminate the threat. Heckert is a member of the Jackson County Fatality Review Committee, an agency comprised of individuals from different organizations who meet and examine the cause of death for all county residents under 18. "With the warm spring days, people don�t realize how cold with water really is, and how much damage it can do," Heckert said. According to assistant operations manager Steve Watkins of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, swimming isn�t recommended in Applegate Lake or Lost Creek Lake until at least June. Tuesday, Applegate Lake�s temperature at the surface measured 50.7 degrees. Wally Ramsey of the Jackson County Marine Division estimated that Emigrant Lake�s temperature this time of year fluctuates between 48 to 51 degrees. AccuWeather.com, a national weather information service, reported that the Rogue River was 43 degrees Tuesday. Medical experts say that immersion in cold water � any water under 70 degrees � can result in hypothermia, numbness, disorientation, unconsciousness, difficulty in breathing, accelerated heart rate and hyperventilation, which can lead to shock. Water also cools a person�s body temperature 20 to 30 times faster than air, according to a New York safety report on cold-water recreation. "People think that if the weather�s warm, it�s OK to go swimming and that�s not always the case," Heckert said. "Hypothermia can set in. A person�s body temperature can lower quickly in cold water. Many times, kids underestimate their ability to swim that far out." Swimmers aren�t the only ones who should be cautious in lakes and streams. According to Ramsey, low water levels are presenting new challenges to boaters. As water levels retreat, boulders, rock formations, tree snags and debris pose new threats to boaters. Unaware, many boaters may speed over these dangerous spots that are covered by just enough water to make them all but invisible. This season, boaters are urged to check their speed when traveling between 50 and 100 feet from the shoreline. "The key is to just use caution," Ramsey said. "If you�re speeding over there and the boat runs up onto those rocks, then wham, you�re stuck." The boat could be damaged and its occupants could be flung from the craft and injured, Ramsey said. The county Marine Division�s Sgt. Ken Curtis agrees. "Some of the lakes are low enough that you are going to see some different terrain," he said. "It will be incumbent upon boaters this season to look out for that and take care." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.