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(Iowa) -- State parks and campgrounds are expected to be busy this Memorial Day weekend, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says it's important to take safety precautions if you plan to get out on the water this weekend.
While most of Iowa saw a warmer than usual start to spring this year, Todd Robertson with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says temperatures haven't been consistently warm enough to raise water temperatures to comfortable levels:
"It's not that the water's freezing right now, but if someone finds themselves in a lake or in a river, and it takes them a while to self-rescue or be rescued, you can still get hypothermia in water temperatures like this."
Robertson says it's important for swimmers to take safety precautions, including wearing a life jacket, especially if they plan to swim in a river. Robertson says that since rivers are moving water, undercurrents can unexpectedly pull swimmers under the water. The DNR also recommends staying weather aware if you're out on the water and to keep an eye on children at all times.