Merced River
Credit: Merced County Sheriff's Office file photo

July 2, 2023 - With the Fourth of July just a few days away, Merced Irrigation District is reminding the public to remain water safe as the temperatures dramatically heat up across the San Joaquin Valley.

“Personal and water safety is always important – but even more so right now with significant snowmelt across the state and high-flowing rivers,” said MID Public and Government Relations Manager Mike Jensen.

The amount of water flowing through the Merced River may fluctuate but will remain high for most of the summer. For example, flows on the Merced River below New Exchequer Dam have increased to 1,300 cubic feet per second (CFS). In the last week, flows on the river had fluctuated between 840 and 370 CFS. 

In addition, MID reminds parents to talk to kids about staying away from canals, rivers, streams and moving water. 

For information about water and canal safety, please visit www.MIDWaterSafe.com
Source: MID