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- A Nolin River Lake park ranger is sharing kayak safety tips after Hart County Emergency Management rescued five stranded kayakers on the Green River last weekend, ahead of an expected busy Labor Day weekend on the water.
Why It Matters
- More kayakers are expected on the water this holiday weekend, increasing the risk of situations like the one that led to last weekend’s rescue.
What Happens Next
- Nolin River Lake will increase its water flow to 200 CFS this weekend, which Watt says will affect paddle times and conditions for those heading out.
For Context
- Hart County Emergency Management rescued five stranded kayakers on the Green River last weekend, ahead of an expected busy Labor Day weekend on the water.
NOLIN LAKE STATE PARK, Ky. (WBKO) – Hart County Emergency Management rescued five kayakers who were stranded on the Green River after dark last weekend
With many people expected to hit the water this Labor Day weekend, a park ranger at Nolin River Lake is offering tips on how kayakers can stay safe
Rangers at Nolin River Lake are expecting a busy Labor Day weekend on the water. Rangers say they see a lot of mistakes made by kayakers that jeopardize their day and their fun
Rangers recommend that kayakers wear a life jacket, among other things, to make sure their day on the water is not ruined
Libby Watt, a park ranger with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Nolin River, said paddlers should plan ahead of time and look at where they want to paddle
“Plan ahead on time. Look at where you want to paddle. Look at it on the map. Use your reSo if the paddle trip that you decided you want to go on is too long, that there’s actually a location that you can turn out and call for someone,” Watt said
Watt said kayakers planning to hit the water this holiday weekend should be aware of cubic feet per second, or CFS. She said higher water flow can slow down a paddle trip by hours
“This weekend, Nolin River Lake will be increasing their flows to 200 CFS, which is for a nicer, brisker paddle, rather than right now, if you go out and look at it, it’s low flow, only 50 CFS, which is not even really a current, which means a paddle might take you four hours instead of two,” Watt said
Paddlers in smaller boats should also be aware of larger boats on the lake. Watt said it can sometimes be a challenge for bigger boats to see smaller watercraft
“Safe things that paddlers can do on the lake is to stay in quiet coves, stay along the shoreline. If you are crossing through a navigation lane where there’s a lot of boat traffic, make sure you’re visible with a flag and you have a whistle or sounding device to let those boaters know that you’re there,” Watt said
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