Podcast: Swimmers Stay Out!

Logan Finney, Idaho Reports: It’s the first full week of June, which means summer is on its way across the state of Idaho. Here to discuss some summer safety tips when it comes to staying cool and staying out of canals, I’m joined by Paul Arrington from the Idaho Water Users Association. Paul, thanks for joining us.

Paul Arrington, Idaho Water Users Association: Hey, thank you for having me.

IR: So, Paul, irrigation season began, or begins depending on where you live in the state, mid-to-late April until here in June. What is the state of Idaho’s water storage system right now?

Arrington: Well, I mean, that’s a great question. You know, if you go back, turn the page back to the history of Idaho. This state really started, and still is in much of the state, as largely an agricultural state. We have farms and ranches all throughout the state. And in order to make them thrive, our early pioneers here in the state had to develop a fairly robust systems of canals and reservoirs. You see Lucky Peak, or Island Park, or American Falls. These reservoirs are all throughout the river system that store water, and then through these canals and laterals and ditches deliver that water out into the desert landscape. What’s interesting, though, is as our state has developed over the years – if you look, go to Treasure Valley, for example, – you have the scenario where these canals literally are winding through neighborhoods, as we’ve just built up society around these water delivery facilities. And so we do talk every year at this time throughout the summer. We really try to raise awareness of the safety concerns associated with canals. And so, thanks again for having me on here to talk about it a little bit.

IR: Definitely, yeah. Tell me a bit more about that safety campaign that you guys do this time of year. Why are canals in someone’s backyard the wrong place to cool off in the summer?

Arrington: Right. Well, first of all, let me just say I get it. I’m a father of four. I get how when in the summer, when it’s hot, you’re just looking for someplace to cool down. And I get that the canal running through your property may look like an enticing and just welcome place to go swim or to cool off. I get it.

The reality, though, that we have found is that with more and more people moving into Idaho, more and more people moving just don’t have a history, don’t understand some of the challenges and dangers associated with canals, for example.

One, it’s very cold water. Very cold water, too. You’ve got an undercurrent in many of these canals that you can’t see. The top of the water sometimes looks very calm and looks like an easy place to swim. And then you jump in, and an undercurrent can just suck you right under and can be quite dangerous.

And then perhaps even more dangerous is these canals really are, in effect, a piece of equipment. They are an operating piece of equipment that folks use to get water from point A to point B, and so under the water throughout their systems there are a lot of structures. Cement boxes to divert water away, or gates or weed racks, and other things that are under the water that at times you can’t see, but also create and pose a risk.

And unfortunately, Idaho had the title of the state with the most canals deaths for children at one point in time. This isn’t just something we talk about for the good of our health, so to speak. It is for the good of the safety of the communities around our system. We operate these things safely. We operate these things as they’re supposed to be operated, but they’re not built, operated, or intended to be used for recreational purposes.

IR: Sure. The canal running through the field is much closer to a power transmission line than to a creek, I would say.

Arrington: I would say that’s a fair way to put it. It really is just a piece of equipment.

IR: You referenced the Idaho’s had deaths occur here. Do you know how often these sorts of incidents occur from year to year?

Arrington: Well, thankfully, they are the exception. They don’t happen all of the time. But for example, I got on the on the news wire today about a small child that fell into a canal near Meridian, Idaho, and the fire department had to be called to come and to rescue this the child. He was about a half a mile, if I recall correctly, from where he fell in. The water was quick. It took him away quick. And so, thankfully, deaths have become not all terribly too often. I won’t say there’s- I’ll just leave it at that. But there’s often times where folks have to be rescued because they’re playing, they’re recreating near those canals or in those canals.

IR: We’ve acknowledged some of the risks that come with just the inherent infrastructure of the canals, these structures. You might not see the fact that the water is cold and moving quickly. What about some of the less obvious risks that people might not think of off the top of their head? Like, I’m thinking of stories of canals becoming electrified if there are issues with equipment.

Arrington: Right. I mean, in fact, I recall in eastern Idaho here a few years ago, someone was walking along a canal and their dog jumped into the canal to cool down. Something had happened with the wire on the pump, and it had created an electric current in the water. And so, the dog jumped in and was immediately electrified. And the owner, wanting to be a good owner, jumped in to try and save the dog and ended up getting electrocuted themselves. And that’s definitely not common, that’s an odd occurrence. But still, I mean, these are just – I keep saying it, I apologize for repeating myself – but this is equipment, and you don’t know. It’s obvious, the cold water, the undercurrent, the facilities buried in it. But then you never know when you have something like this, just a random circumstance with a wire that created that electrical current in the canal. So, yeah, it was unfortunate. Very unfortunate.

IR: What sort of safety tips do you share with people? Obviously, you know, the number one is don’t go into a canal. But beyond that, what sort of advice do you give to folks?

Arrington: I would say we have really four points of canal safety that we like to get out as part of what we call our “ag water safety program.” Number one is stay out, stay out of the canals. These are not built for recreation. They’re not intended for recreation. They’re intended to get water from the river to the fields and other areas. So, one, stay out.

Number two, do not go into the canals to retrieve anything. Toys, clothing, pets, other humans. Contact your local fire department or police to come and rescue or recover those things.

Number three, watch your children at all times. Keep an eye on them. Children are drawn to water. We all remember that. Many adults are drawn to water too, but children are in particular, and children may not understand as well as the adults the risks inherent in these facilities.

And then the fourth point – and this is not so much a safety point, just a general recognition – is canals are generally on private property. These canals are on the property as pursuant to an easement, but the land actually belongs to the underlying landowner. And so, when you go and you recreate and you play and you walk and you’re out on these canals, you’re actually trespassing on private property.

So, for one, stay out. Two, don’t go in to retrieve anything. Three, watch your children at all times. And four, remember that these facilities are on private property.

IR: Okay. If you do see somebody, one of your neighbors or just a random person in your community recreating in a canal or, heaven forbid, unresponsive in a canal, what should the average person do to help? Is it as simple as calling the fire department and making note of where the accident happened?

Arrington: So, number one, don’t go in. Two, if you can reach the person, do it. Don’t just stand idly by – I mean if there’s a way. But if recovery requires getting into the canal, then call the police or the fire department as quickly as possible. Keep an eye on the situation and do your best to help draw folks, you know, to help guide where the recovery folks need to be. But don’t go in there.

I will say as a side note, last year we were able to participate – and by participate, I mean observe – in Canyon County, the fire department do some drills in a canal. They went in and they put people in the canal and then rescued them. And they ran these recovery drills so that when these situations arise, they would know what to do, they’d understand the risks, they’d understand how that impacts folks.

So, yeah, don’t go in. If you can reach in, pull them out, do it. If not, then get the authorities involved.

IR: All right. Well, Paul, is there anything else you think our audience needs to know about the irrigation system as summer gets going?

Arrington: The only thing I would say is for a resource, you can see some videos and some of these tips on our website if you go to www.iwua.org, and under the IWUA Resources tab you’ll see a canal safety link and you can go there and you’ll see these four points. You’ll also see several videos that we have prepared, including a video with the Nampa Fire and Rescue going in and running those drills, and also a discussion with the fire chief who unfortunately was called to recover and was able to talk a little bit about that experience for him and also for the family who lost their child several years ago. So, some good videos, some good resources and some good reminders about the need to be safe and to act safe when you’re around these canal systems.

IR: Excellent. Well, thanks for helping us stay safe, and thanks for getting the water to the field so we can have food to eat.

Arrington: Thank you very much.

IR: Paul Arrington, executive director with the Idaho Water Users Association. Thanks for your time this week.

Arrington: Thank you.