Heavy rains creating dangerous conditions for local creeks

Brandywine Creek has been the scene of two incidents over the past week, two kayakers were killed and a troop of boy scouts were stranded because of high water.

Brandywine Creek has been the scene of two incidents over the past week, two kayakers were killed and a troop of boy scouts were stranded because of high water.
Caption: A Northbrook canoe rental on the Brandywine Creek
Credit: Photo by B. Krist for GPTMC

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The U.S. Geological Survey is one of the groups that monitors bodies of water such as the Brandywine Creek. U.S.G.S. Hydrologist Kirk White says people who rent canoes and kayaks have a good rule of thumb in deciding when to venture out.

White: When the water beings to turn chocolate brown they shut things down and that is an indication that the water has more energy and more force and capable of moving.

The additional rain this month has turned normally tame rivers and streams into deep-fast moving potentially hazardous waterways. Richard Rasmussen runs Brandywine Outfitters. He says inexperienced canoers and kayakers need to be careful. He says outfitters can shut down, but that doesn’t prevent people putting their own boats into the water.