Each summer, hundreds of thousands of people visit our water storages to enjoy a range of activities, from high-speed boating and jet skiing to canoeing and fishing.
We want everyone who visits our storages to have a great time, but most of all, we want everyone to return safely.
For people heading out on the water, a lot of the most crucial steps to ensuring safety take place before the trip has even begun.
Visitors should familiarise themselves with the waterway rules at the storage they plan to visit, as well as the weather forecast for when they plan to be there.
Likewise, people should ensure they have all the necessary safety equipment on hand, and that their boat has its battery charged and is free of leaks and faults.
Before heading off, people should also check the G-MW website for up-to-date blue-green algae warnings, and make alterations to the plans where required.
The drier weather along with high irrigation demand has meant that many people may find the water levels at our storages much lower than in their previous visits.
It is therefore important boaters are particularly alert to the unseen hazards that hide beneath the waterline.
Other hazards lie in plain sight but are not acknowledged because people do not recognise the risks they pose.
This is often the case with weirs and other regulators along creeks and rivers. When water is flowing through these structures, a powerful current is created that can drag people under and that can be almost impossible to escape.
Boating or swimming near weirs and regulators is simply a risk not worth taking.
This is also the case for channels.
There are various reasons for this, including the risks posed by regulators that control water levels throughout our delivery network.
Many of these regulators are now automated flume gates, meaning they are not operated and can suddenly open and close without warning, causing sudden changes to the current.
Channels are not designed for people to swim in and can be difficult for people to get out of, due to channel banks often being slippery and prone to crumbling.
Furthermore, channels often contain many hazards beneath the surface. Broken glass, pipes, drains, rocks, trees and other debris can often lie in channels, meaning even when a channel seems calm, it is never safe to swim in one.
By taking these simple precautions, there is no reason that everyone visiting one of our storages in the coming months will not have a safe and enjoyable time.
More information on water safety can be found on our website: https://www.g-mwater.com.au/recreation
– Charmaine Quick is the G-MW managing director.
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