Here in Dallas, TX we have a relatively new feature on the Trinity River; The Standing Wave Park. I was down there doing some Stream Team testing and saw two young men using the park although they only had one boat, so one at a time. I spoke with them briefly about the quality of the water. Their first reaction was to the flow rate not what was in the water. This section of the Trinity River has a 303d listing. There is no signs warning the public about it. They thought it was probably dirty with “something” but really they had no idea as to what.
Similarly many of us walk or play in and around our neighborhoods without knowing what hazardous things are all around us.
http://content.usatoday.com/news/nation/smelting-lead-contamination
I thought I should share this with you. It also brings to mind that when you go paddling, you should check into not only the flow rates as an indication of the safety of your trip, but also look into the quality of the water from a health stand point.
