The tragic death of a young man at the Waimakariri River this week has led to the call for more signs warning of the river’s danger.

Environment Canterbury’s North Canterbury Cr Jo Kane said although more signs may be helpful, people still have to take extreme care and weigh up the risks around any water body – rivers, beaches, streams, swimming pools.

“People need to be aware that calm patches on a river or beach are not necessarily safe places to swim and rivers like the Waimakariri may have concealed hazards. We have to keep pushing these messages if we are to prevent more drownings.”

Large bridges and their piers will always pose a potential hazard which may lead to strong currents and unexpected eddies, which swimmers may not see from the bank.

“Given the dynamic, ever-shifting nature of braided rivers, it is not practical to put up signs at all potentially dangerous river sites in Canterbury, or even to predict where they all are,” said Environment Canterbury parks manager Ross Campbell.

“Environment Canterbury works with both the Water Safety Council and the Coastguard to review swimming signage and interpretation. We place a lot of importance upon the need for water safety education because we know that every summer people overlook or miss the no swimming signs.

“Environment Canterbury was active following the previous drowning in 2008, working with NZ Coastguard which paid for a large warning sign up on the bridge pier where swimmers on the river bank were more likely to see it. Any sign placed near the river on the bank is at risk of being washed away by the next flood.

“As well as signs on each entrance road and at the pier on the road bridge, Environment Canterbury has also installed signs at boat ramps along the river upstream of the State Highway bridge. There is helpful information supplied by the Water Safety Council at the Kaiapoi Island regional park kiosk.

“Environment Canterbury makes a point of encouraging people to swim upstream of the road bridges, at the Otukaikino confluence and also in the much safer Ashley River/Rakahuri. Swimming holes are created along the Ashley each summer and advertised in local papers and through the media.”

 It was a matter of education and encouraging people to seek out local knowledge of safe places to swim in rivers first, he said.
For further information: Ross Campbell Environment Canterbury Property, Parks and Forests Manager, 027 438 4488 or Cr Jo Kane, Environment Canterbury Cr North Canterbury 027 323 2326.