Preparing for Water!

March 24, 2022 | Riley Sherman

Spring is here! Spring is a great time to have fun in the woods, but it also creates some new obstacles to be aware of. One of the biggest examples is water! Water is everywhere in springtime. It puddles on the ground, flows through creeks, and falls from the sky! But where does all this water come from? And how can I prepare so I can enjoy my time outside?

Why so much water?

The main sources of water in the spring are falling rain and melting snow. Lots of rain falls in the spring season, which gets water everywhere and on everything. Melting snow creates big, deep puddles and pools all over the ground. Eventually almost all of this water drains down into creeks, rivers, ponds, and other bodies of water that have started flowing again. This causes water to flow very fast and very high, which can flood onto the ground even more.

Why does this happen?

The rain, melting, puddling, and thawing that creates so much water in the spring is caused by a big, worldwide chain reaction. As Rotates around the sun, the seasons around the world change to. In the winter, Canada is facing away form the sun more than its facing towards it and nights are longer. As spring arrives, Canada slowly begins to face the sun for more and more time. Because of this, we start to get longer days and shorter night. Longer days means that we have more time where the sun is out and shining. And as we get more sunshine, temperatures get warmer and warmer. Snow and ice melts off the ground, clouds begin to drop rain instead of snow, and rivers begin to flow again!

How can I prepare?

Now what can you do to prepare for the wet conditions you are bound to encounter?

The most important thing is to have rubber boots, or another kind of waterproof footwear. You will encounter puddles in your path more than anything, and waterproof footwear will keep your feet dry and happy.

Next, waterproof layers are super useful. This could be a raincoat, splash pants, or a full body rain suit! Always pull the leg of your pants over the top of your boot, as this will help ensure your feet stay dry. Always also bring extra clothes! Wet clothes can be uncomfortable and a real bummer, so you should always make sure to have extra clothes just in case you need to change! This should include socks, shirts, pants, underwear, and hats on cooler days.

Finally, it can be super handy to waterproof your bag! Some backpacks come with a rain cover, but if you don’t have one you can cover your pack using an empty garbage bag to keep the water off. Waterproofing your entire backpack might only be needed if its rainy, but it’s always a good idea to waterproof the contents inside! Store anything that could get wet, like extra clothes, books, or snack items, inside of their own smaller plastic bags or waterproof containers before adding them to your pack. This will keep everything dry and ready to go even if your backpack itself gets wet.