TREASURE VALLEY — Since it now looks like the kids are going to be home until the next school year begins, that likely means a lot more time outside. In early April, the Nampa and Meridian Irrigation District began filling up their canal system. That means it is time to remind everyone that irrigation canals can be dangerous.
It takes around two weeks for canals in the Treasure Valley to fill and irrigation districts plan to test 500 miles of waterways. Parents who live near canals are encouraged to educate kids about canal safety. The cold, fast-moving waters are dangerous any time of year but especially at the beginning of the season.
Canals can reach a depth of eight feet and although they look calm on the surface, that much water creates undertows. On average, three children drown in Idaho canals every year.
