<span id="E124"><img class="size-medium wp-image-10030 alignright" src="https://henrycountyenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/09/high-water-123196_1280-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></span> <p id="E123" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E124">The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) </span><span id="E125">is </span><span id="E126">advis</span><span id="E127">ing</span><span id="E128"> recreational boaters to use </span><span id="E129">extreme caution</span><span id="E130"> </span><span id="E131">this </span><span id="E132">weekend</span><span id="E133">.</span></p> <p id="E134" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E135">H</span><span id="E136">urricane Sally has produced significant rainfall</span><span id="E137">,</span><span id="E138"> which has caused flooding and extremely high water levels on area rivers and lakes. There are a number of fishing tournaments this weekend so please take extra precaution while on t</span><span id="E139">he water and always remember to wear </span><span id="E140">a</span><span id="E141"> life jacket. </span></p> <p id="E142" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E143">The National Weather Service </span><span id="E144">issued</span><span id="E145"> a warning about tropical systems that are currently impacting the north Atlantic. </span></p> <p id="E146" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E147">Another system off of the coast of Africa has a 70 percent chance of d</span><span id="E148">evelopment over the next five days.</span></p> <p id="E149" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E150">Ensure routing for your voyage considers the impacts from any tropical system. </span><span id="E151">Those impacts, to include swell, could extend well away from the storm.</span></p> <p id="E152" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E153">Low pressure, remnants of Sally, should move along a front</span><span id="E154">, </span><span id="E155">off of th</span><span id="E156">e East Coast by the weekend and help bring the likelihood of gales to a large part of the offshore waters from the mid-Atlantic south from late Friday night through Sunday night. </span></p> <p id="E157" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E158">The track of Hurricane Teddy will need to be followed over the weekend and n</span><span id="E159">ext week. </span></p> <p id="E160" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E161">DWR Conservation Police Officers (CPOs) have responded to and worked several boating incidents that have resulted in fatalities and injuries to boaters who have attempted to navigate waters</span><span id="E162"> </span><span id="E163">that</span><span id="E164"> </span><span id="E165">were</span><span id="E166"> </span><span id="E167">affected</span><span id="E168"> </span><span id="E169">by</span><span id="E170"> </span><span id="E171">heavy</span><span id="E172"> </span><span id="E173">rains</span><span id="E174"> </span><span id="E175">creating </span><span id="E176">significantly</span><span id="E177"> </span><span id="E178">higher than normal water levels, dangerously swift current and trash and other debris that could be floating on the surface or just below the</span><span id="E179"> </span><span id="E180">waterline</span><span id="E181">.</span></p> <p id="E182" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E183">"Disregarding safety messages and attempting to boat on rising or flooded waters not on</span><span id="E184">ly puts the boaters at risk, but also our CPOs and other first responders that are called to rescue them," said Major Scott Naff with DWR's Conservation Police. Major Naff also urges the boating public to heed safety warnings and check conditions before th</span><span id="E185">ey attempt to</span><span id="E186"> </span><span id="E187">launch.</span></p> <p id="E188" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E189">If you are a canoer, kayaker or other recreational boater and chose to launch on any river, DWR makes the following recommendations:</span></p> <p id="E190" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E191">We strongly urge you to think before you go. Always check local river conditions. A resource for </span><span id="E192">this is the American</span><span id="E193"> </span><span id="E194">Whitewater</span></p> <p id="E195" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E196">website: </span><a id="E197" href="https://www.americanwhitewater.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span id="E198" class="qowt-stl-Hyperlink">https://www.americanwhitewater.org</span></a></p> <p id="E199" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E200">Check your local forecast.</span><span id="E201"> </span><span id="E202">Pop-up storms can cause flash flooding and water levels can change drastically and</span><span id="E203"> </span><span id="E204">quickly.</span></p> <p id="E205" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E206">Check the </span><span id="E207">River and Lake conditions with the National Weather Service (Wakefield office: </span><a id="E208" href="https://www.weather.gov/akq/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span id="E209" class="qowt-stl-Hyperlink">https://www.weather.gov/akq/</span></a><span id="E210">; Blacksburg office: </span><a id="E211" href="https://www.weather.gov/rnk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span id="E212" class="qowt-stl-Hyperlink">https://www.weather.gov/rnk/</span></a><span id="E213">)</span></p> <p id="E214" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E215">Be</span><span id="E216"> </span><span id="E217">aware</span><span id="E218"> </span><span id="E219">that</span><span id="E220"> </span><span id="E221">it is</span><span id="E222"> </span><span id="E223">possible</span><span id="E224"> </span><span id="E225">that</span><span id="E226"> </span><span id="E227">high</span><span id="E228"> </span><span id="E229">water</span><span id="E230"> </span><span id="E231">will</span><span id="E232"> </span><span id="E233">force</span><span id="E234"> </span><span id="E235">the</span><span id="E236"> </span><span id="E237">temporary</span><span id="E238"> </span><span id="E239">closing</span><span id="E240"> </span><span id="E241">of</span><span id="E242"> </span><span id="E243">some</span><span id="E244"> </span><span id="E245">boat ramps.</span></p> <p id="E246" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E247">Have</span><span id="E248"> </span><span id="E249">a</span><span id="E250"> </span><span id="E251">good plan</span><span id="E252"> </span><span id="E253">and</span><span id="E254"> </span><span id="E255">share your</span><span id="E256"> </span><span id="E257">plan</span><span id="E258"> </span><span id="E259">with</span><span id="E260"> </span><span id="E261">someone</span><span id="E262"> </span><span id="E263">who</span><span id="E264"> </span><span id="E265">knows</span><span id="E266"> </span><span id="E267">where</span><span id="E268"> </span><span id="E269">you</span><span id="E270"> </span><span id="E271">will</span><span id="E272"> </span><span id="E273">be</span><span id="E274"> </span><span id="E275">and when to expect you to return.</span></p> <p id="E276" class="qowt-stl-NoSpacing"><span id="E277">Finally,</span><span id="E278"> </span><span id="E279">make</span><span id="E280"> </span><span id="E281">sure</span><span id="E282"> </span><span id="E283">you</span><span id="E284"> </span><span id="E285">have</span><span id="E286"> </span><span id="E287">the</span><span id="E288"> </span><span id="E289">proper</span><span id="E290"> </span><span id="E291">equipment</span><span id="E292"> </span><span id="E293">onboard</span><span id="E294"> </span><span id="E295">and</span><span id="E296"> </span><span id="E297">that</span><span id="E298"> </span><span id="E299">you</span><span id="E300"> </span><span id="E301">wear</span><span id="E302"> </span><span id="E303">a</span><span id="E304"> </span><span id="E305">properly sized and fitted life jacket. </span><span id="E306">Remember that life jackets do save</span><span id="E307"> </span><span id="E308">lives</span><span id="E309">.</span></p>
