Water Safety at Hagg Lake

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Safety Enhancements at Henry Hagg Lake and Scoggins Valley Park

In the coming months, visitors to Henry Hagg Lake and Scoggins Valley Park will note several safety enhancements, some of which have already taken place and others which will continue as swim season approaches.

In late summer, 2014, a devastating tragedy resulted in the drowning deaths of four members of a close-knit Hillsboro family. In light of this heart-breaking loss, Washington County intensified efforts to enhance water safety through collaboration with several community partners, including SafeKids Washington County, a coalition of public agencies and private businesses who work to prevent childhood injuries and promote community-wide safety initiatives.

As a result of this collaboration, numerous safety improvements have either been implemented at the park over the last several months or are planned for the summer of 2015.

• A total of nine kiosks are now in place around the lake which can accommodate up to 170 PFDs. Visitors may use PFDs on the honor system and return them at the end of the day.
• Of the nine kiosks, three are permanently placed and six are moveable. The moveable kiosks allow for relocation at the shore line as they are positioned up or down the bank when water levels change over the summer.
• Emergency throw rings are stored on each kiosk.
• "Swim Watch" wrist bands with whistles will be available at the park entrance for adults to monitor their children's water activities from shore.
• Warning signs and pictographs have been installed in some areas, urging the use of PFDs and to alert visitors to uneven drop-offs.
• On Saturday, May 23, 2015, free parking will be offered to all lake visitors who donate a US Coast Guard-approved PFD as they enter the park. New or gently used PFDs in all sizes are needed but especially those for infants, children and older youth. The PFD drive is in cooperation with SafeKids Washington County and donations will also be accepted any time at any fire station in Washington County or at the Scoggins Valley Park Ranger Station throughout the summer season.
• A free water safety fair will be held at the lake by SafeKids partners in conjunction with the annual "I'm Hooked" free fishing event, June 6-7, 2015.

Henry Hagg Lake and Scoggins Valley Park are owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BoR) and maintained by Washington County Facilities and Parks Services. In keeping with a shared commitment with BoR to make the park user-friendly to every visitor, the County will continue to evaluate and prioritize specific safety upgrades focused on water-related uses, as well as other recreation sites along hiking trails, roadways and parking lots.

Like many public parks in rural locations, Hagg Lake is a natural area with inherent dangers common to natural settings and bodies of water. Washington County strongly urges all visitors to wear US Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices whenever they are in, on or near the water. Parents or other responsible adults must monitor their children's water activities at all times and ensure that children wear properly sized PFDs, regardless of swimming ability.

In an effort to increase access to swim lessons for children and families across Washington County, SafeKids will pilot a low or no-cost family swim program over the summer. Swim lessons and water safety instruction will be offered at pre-identified apartment complexes with swimming pools. If successful, this program may be replicated at other locations around the county. Additional water safety instruction will also be provided at various locations by SafeKids partners including Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation, Hillsboro's Shute Park Aquatic & Recreation Center (SHARC), Forest Grove Aquatic Center, and the Washington County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol.

Additional water safety information can be found on our website at http://www.co.washington.or.us/Support_Services/Facilities/Parks/Hagglake/hagg-lake-water-safety.cfm.

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