LANE COUNTY, Ore. — 19 Oregon counties are currently under drought emergency status including Coos and Douglas counties, and lower water levels could pose a threat to a holiday weekend filled with boaters and floaters.
We hit the water with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol to learn about the hazards – and if you’re thinking about being on the Oregon waterways this Fourth of July weekend, think again.
“The temperature right now is 56 degrees, according to the thermometer,” said LCSO’s Levi McKenny Thursday. “And at 56 degrees – we’re meant to operate at 98.6 – you hit that water and it can be shockingly cold. It can absolutely cause people to have an adverse reaction that they aren’t prepared for. So we just want everybody to be cognizant of that. If you’re going to be in the water, I wouldn’t just jump into a deep section right out of the gate; you need to acclimate and make sure that you’re not in that for too long also.”…