How Venture Outdoors decides when to venture outdoors.  

Should we go out today? That is the question. Throughout the summer, the Venture Outdoors paddlesports team navigates Pittsburgh’s unpredictable weather. Using experience, data, and best practices to guide their choices, the team ensures that paddlers of all skill levels can have a fun time on the water. It might mean not opening on a sunny 80-degree day in June, but participant safety always comes first.  

Weather and water conditions can change quickly. On lakes and rivers, Venture Outdoors’ guidelines can give people some tools to answer “should we go out today?”  

Lightning  

Most people choose to kayak as the sun shines, but there is plenty of good paddling on overcast or rainy days. Cooler temperatures and less chance of sunburn are part of the appeal. Venture Outdoors trips and rentals operate rain or shine because, lets face it, the weather is rarely ideal for long around here. However, when the light drizzle turns into thunder and lightning, paddlers need to head towards land.  

A lightning strike on water can be deadly. Paddlers should return to the launch if lightning is detected within 10 miles or is imminent. The WeatherBug Spark Alert can deliver real time lightning data to your phone. In addition to using radar, our hubs utilize the lightning tracker to accurately monitor any changes in paddling conditions. 

After a detected lightning strike within 10 miles, a lightning delay will be issued. No paddlers will be allowed on the water during that time. Each subsequent strike will continue the delay until there has not been a strike for half an hour. Normal operations can proceed after that. 

Tip: If you are too far away from your launch point, you still need to get off the water if lightning is in the area. Find a safe place to exit the water and seek shelter immediately. If no shelter is nearby, crouch low to the ground and spread out from other members of your party to reduce the risk of a strike. Crouch with your feet on your PFD on the ground, this helps minimize ground current.  

Flow Rates on the Rivers 

With three rivers in the city, a lot of water flows through Pittsburgh. Heavy rains combined with runoff can increase the speed at which that water flows. A high flow rate is the most common reason a rental hub may be closed on a sunny day.  

To track flow rates, Venture Outdoors monitors multiple river gauges set up by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) along all local rivers. Gauges like these are avaialble on waterways all around the country to measure how much water is flowing over a certain point of the river per second.  

With many of our river-based programs occurring along the Allegheny, we frequently use this gauge at the Highland Park Dam. When the flow rate is above 27kcfs (thousands of cubic feet per second), we send paddlers upriver only in order to prevent struggling against the current to get back to the launch. When the flow rate is above 30kcfs, we cease all operations. If river operations have ceased due to a high flow rate you may be able to still head out at North Park Lake. The lake is, how should we say, less affected by current. By that it is not affected at all.  

A “normal” flow rate will vary depending on the size of the waterway. The Allegheny usually flows between 5-15kcfs throughout the summer. While 10kcfs on that river might be a leisurely paddle, that flow rate on a smaller creek could be much faster. Paddlers should understand the baseline flow rate on waterways they plan to use.  

Tip: Flow rates are not only affected by local weather. If an area upstream from your launch recently experienced heavy rains or snow melt, the river in your area may see an increase in flow rate a few days later. When planning a paddle, make sure to check the weather upstream and the projected flow rate in addition to any live data.  

Water Temperatures

The temperature of the water could also lead to a closure or cancellation on a sunny day. In colder water, the chance of both hypothermia or cold-water shock increases drastically. Without proper clothing, a capsized paddler can lose dexterity in half the time in water ≤50 degrees compared to water above 60 degrees. 

Venture Outdoors tracks water temperatures through gauges on the Allegheny and thermometers at North Park. For all programs and rentals, the water temperature needs to be at least 60 degrees.  

It is important to dress for the water temperature and the air temperature. If you are only wearing one layer on a 75-degree day in early spring where the water temperature is only around 50 degrees, an unplanned entry into the water could be catastrophic. Cold water shock and eventual hypothermia are the primary challenges that will develop from a dip in cold water. To help mitigate that drysuits should be worn in any water below 50 degrees and wetsuits should be worn in water 50-60+ degrees.  

Tip: In Pittsburgh water temperatures rise above 60 degrees in middle May and typically do not fall consistently below 60 degrees until the end of October. Paddlers should dress for the water temps and ALWAYS wear a life jacket! 

Water Quality

CSO (Combined Sewage Overflow) – The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority issues CSO advisories when heavy rains overwhelm the sewage treatment system. This can cause some to flow into the rivers. Recreational users of the waterways should exercise caution when these are in effect. Sign up for ALCOSAN’s SOAK Alerts to keep track of advisories. Paddlesport rentals and programs are cancelled if a CSO is in affect.  

River Traffic

Debris – Debris can be more challenging in a small watercraft. Heavy rainfall can turn the water more muddy colored and hide obstructions and debris below the water. Debris can also wash into the waterways from the rain entering storm sewers, running down streets and banks. You could see anything from disposable bowls to full sized trees floating by in a heavier rain event.

Water traffic – Kayaks and other nonmotorized watercraft share the larger rivers with motorboat and commercial barge traffic. The rivers are popular boating destinations so paddlers should be alert for wakes from motorized boats. To best cross a wake do so head on. If you are unable to do that (for example you would be paddling into the mid-river channel) just slowly keep paddling as the wake crosses. You will find some added stability from the paddle while crossing the wake.

Paddlers should always keep to the sides of the river and stay out of the channel; the sides are shallower and generally larger faster boats will not go there. When crossing look both ways and cross quickly (like crossing the street).  

Air Quality

Air quality – Pittsburgh’s summer air quality can be affected by local industry or wildfire smoke moving through the area. In some cases, this causes modifications to our operations. Venture Outdoors alters programming once the AQI enters the red zone. Sensitive groups should begin to take precautions if the AQI falls in the unhealthy (orange) zone.  

Western Pennsylvania has a plethora of waterways kayakers can enjoy, but proper preparedness is key. Many of the resources used by the Venture Outdoors team are not specific to the Pittsburgh region. Flow rates, temperature gauges, and other data can be found for waterways all around the county. The Paddlesports team tracks these extensively, and paddlers hitting the water on their own can do the same.  

So, should we go out today?