MOLINE, Ill. — An unusually warm end to winter and start to spring has left Quad City area lakes and rivers ice-free and seemingly ready for paddling season. However, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says you might want to think twice before hitting the water just yet.
Water temperatures around Scott and Rock Island Counties remain in the low to mid-40s. Paddling in cold water can be deadly. Falling in water that cool can quickly lead to cold water shock and hypothermia.
Typically, the DNR suggests waiting until the end of April or beginning of May to break out the kayaks and canoes.
"The problem is we haven't had enough consistently warm days," said Todd Robertson, outreach coordinator for river programs at the Iowa DNR. "We have to be dressed for the water, not for the air."
If you're thinking about getting out on the water, there are some safety tips to keep in mind.
Wearing the right clothing can help minimize the danger of cold water. Right now, paddlers should be wearing a wetsuit at least two millimeters thick.
If you do fall into the water, it's important to get to land as quickly as possible.
"[A wetsuit] keeps water in between the suit and your skin so your body naturally heats that up and it buys you time to get out of the water," Robertson said. "That's the whole purpose. It's not so you can just bob up and down in the water all day."
Experienced paddlers might still be wearing dry suits this time of year. Those keep you completely dry. They're typically worn in the dead of winter.
"We always recommend having a dry suit on, but that wet suit, I mean that's bare minimum right now as far as clothing," Robertson said.
It's also critically important to be wearing a life jacket. Not only will it keep you buoyant if you fall into the water, but it also works to keep your core organs warm as you make your way to shore.
When heading out, make sure you have a sealed bag of dry clothing you can change into.
Robertson also says it's vital to tell have a 'float plan' in place. In other words, make sure you tell someone when and where you're going to be paddling.
"So they know that if you don't show up, well maybe I need to call emergency personnel and tell them where to go look for you," Robertson said. "If people don't have any idea where you're at, then finding you out on some of these remote rivers out in the woods in very difficult."
The Iowa DNR sends out a weekly fishing report every Thursday that breaks down the latest water temperatures in individual rivers and lakes. You can sign up for the emailed report here.
Robertson joined The Current on News 8 to discuss cold weather paddling tips. You can catch the full interview in the above video.
Tune into The Current from 4 to 5 p.m. on weekdays to catch even more live interviews impacting you, your family and your hometown as well as all of the biggest headlines of the day.
Watch more news, weather and sports on News 8's YouTube channel