High Waters Bring Danger On Mississippi River

Full-grown trees are floating down the Mississippi right now. The DNR warns, even big things like that can remain mostly hidden, that is, until it hits you in your boat canoe, or kayak. One boater was killed last week south of the Twin Cities when his canoe tipped and he became trapped in debris. He was wearing a life jacket. "Cold water is not important until you fall in," said Kim Elverum, of the DNR. "It can take away your body heat 25 times faster than the air at the same temperature. So the advice we have is to make sure you are wearing your life jacket and know the river you are on." Sandy Zack and the gang down at St. Paul's Watergate Marina are watching the river closely right now. "We'll be getting the water that comes down from the north and we will get a lot of trees and anything else that is floating," Zak said. The DNR expects the high water and the hazard that goes along with that to last a few more weeks. Most of the snow has melted up north. Spring rains could alter that schedule just a bit. Andy Bex can't wait to get his boat into the river. "If it is up four or five feet, it draws stuff off the shore so the danger and the current is there. It is dicey out there you have got to watch what you are doing," Bex said. It seems enjoying the rivers from the dock or shoreline is your best bet for a few more weeks.Debris On The Mississippi River