Weather Guidelines

While participant comfort and safety are always top priority, not every day outdoors is sunny, dry or warm — that’s just the way things are here in Alberta!

• On inclement days, participants are kept as warm as possible by using a combination of physical activity, raincoats, life jackets and heated shelters for lunch.
• Trips may be modified or shortened in the event of light rain, some cold or some wind but usually not cancelled.

Forecasts can change or be inaccurate, so as often as possible, it’s best to make cancellation decisions right up until early morning of the trip day. Considerations that can modify, shorten or cancel a trip include:

• Morning temperatures at 10 a.m. below 1 ºC or below 7 ºC on rainy days
• Afternoon temperatures not reaching 5 ºC
• Steady rain, significant on-the-ground snow or strong winds

River Hazards

RiverWatch participants are not required to be comfortable swimmers – the safest place to be is seated inside a raft or standing on-shore while always wearing a life jacket.

• Life jackets are worn at all times on-river and along shorelines.
• A safety briefing is given prior to boarding rafts.
• There is a qualified and experienced guide in each raft who is certified to Transport Canada commercial rafting standards.

RiverWatch raft trips use the easiest Grade I rivers with clear navigation and three main river hazards.

• Rocks – mid-river rocks and bridge pillars
• Wood – fallen and/or submerged shoreline trees
• Falling Overboard – not likely, but possible

River hazards are controlled in the following manner:

• Rocks and Wood – participants listen to the guide’s commands and paddle as asked
• Falling Overboard – participants grab the raft lifeline or an extended paddle and do not stand-up

RiverWatch Safety Equipment

Large professional-sized rafts are used for a stable platform from which to view the river. Additionally, RiverWatch provides:

• Type V personal flotation devices (life jackets) as mandated by Transport Canada and the Coast Guard.
• Approved and properly-fitted life jackets worn at all times on or near the water.
• A pre-trip safety briefing on how to fit a life jacket, prevent incidents and handle emergencies.
• School program chemistry safety for water quality testing is the same as required in any laboratory – safety glasses, garbage containers, liquid waste collection bottles, broken glass container, first-aid kit and eyewash.
• School programs provide rubber boots and raincoats for student use in cool or wet weather.

Informed Consent

For all RiverWatch programs, detailed pre-trip information is provided describing “who, what, where, when and how”.

• Participants and/or parents acknowledge that all water activities are associated with some risk and grant permission to participant based on informed consent.
• All our programs include a pre-trip on-site safety briefing to explain trip logistics, hazards and safety response.

RiverWatch Guides

RiverWatch guides are trained to Transport Canada Commercial Rafting Standards.

• Guides have Standard First Aid certification and/or may also have Wilderness First Aid, National Lifeguard Society, Swift Water Rescue or Emergency Medical Responder training.
• All river guides have lifetime experience with paddling canoes or kayaks and receive pre-season raft training to Transport Canada commercial rafting standards.
• All guides have experience and multiple trips on the river routes used in each program.

Emergency Response Plans

After more than 800,000 participant hours and more than a million participant kilometers in rafts, there has never been a RiverWatch safety incident requiring EMS 911 emergency medical services.

• RiverWatch guides carry an emergency response plan, first aid kit, rescue rope, dry spare clothing and a cell phone.
• RiverWatch operates within urban areas that have calling access to EMS 911.