River users reminded to take care

As the Waikato and Waipa rivers continue to cope with high flows, Environment Waikato is reminding river users to be particularly careful.

Kayakers and others boaties in particular are urged to be wary of the fact that river levels have cut the distance between tree branches and the surface.

“We advise people to stay well away from the banks to avoid being injured by low-hanging branches,” said one of EW’s Waikato River harbourmasters Kim McKenzie.

Also, people are advised to stay away from bridge supports as the strong currents mean people can be sucked against these and get stuck.

Mr McKenzie said the EW navigation safety team on 0800 800 401 was happy to provide further advice on coping with the current conditions.

“The rivers are going to be high for some time. River users do need to be very cautious to ensure they don’t suffer any harm in these conditions.”