Why You Shouldn’t Swim in the Yakima River … Yet

So the temperatures are heating up, which means it seems like a really great idea to head over the river for a little dip, right? Wrong! It could actually be pretty dangerous, and the Yakima County Sheriff's Office is warning you to stay away, at least for a little while. According to KIMA, the YCSO says the water in the river is still snow melt, which means the temperature could be below 50 degrees!!

The temperature isn't the only thing you should be worried about, Deputy Scot Swallow told KIMA:

"The water's running too swift to even think about jumping in the Yakima River to go swimming. It's running fast enough you’re gonna be swept downstream, you’re not gonna be able to swim against it.”

So what happens if you accidentally fall in? Stay calm (I know, easier said than done, right?). According to KIMA, "you have one minute to get your breathing under control, and 10 minutes before you lose muscle coordination."