The St. Mary River Irrigation District has three licenses that divert water from the St. Mary, Waterton, and Belly rivers.Our licenses not only allow water for irrigation but for other uses (newest license) such as municipal, industrial, agricultural, recreational, and environmental.
Almost all the reservoirs within the SMRID system are used for recreational purposes, including boating and fishing. These include Stafford, Chin, Forty Mile, and Sauder (Rattlesnake) reservoirs that are popular recreation sites and have both public camping and boat launch facilities. Other District reservoirs allow fishing as well.
It is important to note the following before accessing any of our canals.
- The water in the canal can be very cold and fast-moving. This means that if someone or a pet was to fall in the canal., they would be recovered quite a distance from the point where they fell in. Do not jump in the canals to rescue pets or retrieve toys. Call 911 for help.
- Canals can have deep waters, strong undercurrents, and turbulence that could be a challenge and prove fatal even for the strongest swimmer.
- Canal banks can be slick and steep making it difficult for someone to climb out.
- Swimming, tubing, canoeing, kayaking, and jumping from bridges is prohibited.
- Infrastructure in the canals such as gates, and culverts can cause injury or fatalities if someone fell in the canal and came into contact with them. There is also debris in the canals, some of which could cause injury.
- It is trespassing if any form of infrastructure is on SMRID Right of Way without written approval from SMRID.
- The draw from the pipeline and lateral outlets could pull someone in.
- Canals are periodically treated with chemicals. Swimming in freshly treated waters poses a number of health risks.
- Driving along canal banks is not allowed.
- Walking/jogging along our canal banks is allowed.
FAQs
We do not allow any swimming, fishing, playing, or other recreational activities in or around our canals. Debris (trash and garbage) and other dangerous things can be found in canals. Dry canals are not safe because there is no way to know when water may be released and you may be trapped by a surge of water.
Are canals safe to swim in? ›
Canals can be very dangerous, so please follow these canal safety tips to avoid drowning or injury: Don't swim in canals — ever! Keep a safe distance from the edges of the canals. Canal sides are extremely slick, making it difficult to get out.
Is canal water safe? ›
Canal water is untreated water and so may contain pollution, biological or chemical contaminants. Please bear this in mind when you come into contact with the water and follow basic hygiene measures.
Is Canal a hazard? ›
Canals present hidden dangers
Canals have hidden and slippery edges which can be dangerous. Plants can hide the edge and even where you can see it, it's easy to slip into the water. The currents of water can be strong even in canals and can drag one under.
How deep are canals in California? ›
California Aqueduct Overview
Varying in bottom width from 12 feet to 85 feet and an average of 30 feet deep, the concrete channel Aqueduct uses check structures with an innovative “controlled volume flow” system to move water through an open canal much as a pipeline would.
Who owns the canals in California? ›
The Bureau of Reclamation owns the canal, but the Imperial Irrigation District operates it. Water for the canal is diverted at the Imperial Diversion Dam. The All-American Canal feeds, from east to west, the Yuma Main Canal, the Coachella Canal, East Highline Canal, Central Main Canal, and the Westside Main Canal.
Do canals have undercurrents? ›
Canals can have deep waters, strong undercurrents, and turbulence that could be a challenge and prove fatal even for the strongest swimmer.
What are the negatives of canals? ›
Canals draw water from the surrounding wetlands. In combination with reduced water deliveries, this results in completely dry land during the dry season, diminished aquatic habitat during the wet season, soil loss, and flattening of the peat surface.
Can you drink water from a canal? ›
Chemicals, microbials, and contaminants, oh my!
The water is raw, so it has many microbials and containments in it. It's also treated with several chemicals by KID, making it unsafe for human or animal consumption. “Please do not drink the canal water,” Burglund said.
Do canals carry water? ›
Canals are also used to transport water for irrigation and other human uses. While the advent of more efficient forms of transportation has reduced the need for canals, they still play a vital role as conduits for transportation and fostering global commerce. There are two types of canals: waterways and aqueducts.
Canal construction
In all these civil engineering projects, geomembranes are welded waterproof to protect against water loss into the subsoil or to protect against flooding by heavy rain.
What happens if you fall into a canal? ›
Canals contain water that is quickly moving. Fast-moving water in a narrow channel can knock a person off their feet. Even water that is only a foot deep, if it is moving fast enough, would cause you to lose your balance and be carried away. Debris (trash and garbage) and dangerous things can be found in canals.
Are canals polluted? ›
The best canals are true wildlife jewels but the overwhelming majority, like most of Britain freshwaters, are damaged by water pollution.
Is a canal a river or lake? ›
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow under atmospheric pressure, and can be thought of as artificial rivers.
Can you swim in the Venice Canals, California? ›
But as inviting as they may seem, you must resist the urge to take a dip, as swimming in the canals is prohibited. Here's why you can't swim in the Venice canals. There are two main reasons why swimming in the canals is a bad idea. For one, it's dangerous because of all the gondolas and motorboats.
Why can't you swim in California reservoirs? ›
Swimming has been prohibited for decades in four of South County's larger lakes – Anderson Lake, Coyote Lake, Calero Reservoir and Chesbro Reservoir – by the California Department of Public Health to protect the public's drinking water supply from contaminates.
Where did it used to be illegal to swim? ›
Already in the 1530s, the German university town of Ingolstadt on the Danube had banned swimming, and in 1571, so did the University of Cambridge. By 1599, the Pope had banned swimming in Rome's Tiber river.
Is it illegal to swim in the LA River? ›
As a reminder, swimming is not allowed in the L.A. River. Before every visit, visitors are encouraged to check the L.A. River water quality and conditions at the LASAN website: https://lacitysan.org/waterquality.
The St. Mary River Irrigation District has three licenses that divert water from the St. Mary, Waterton, and Belly rivers.Our licenses not only allow water for irrigation but for other uses (newest license) such as municipal, industrial, agricultural, recreational, and environmental.