Ontario Power Generation has issued a water safety bulletin advising the Brock community stay away from the dams on Twelve Mile Creek.

Water levels change without warning on the creek, which is a short distance from Brock’s campus. They change depending on the outflow of the Decew Generation Stations located upstream.

There are four small overflow dams along the creek that control water flow and minimize erosion, the bulletin says. The low-head overflow dams have water flowing constantly over them. The dams look harmless because they’re small, especially when viewed from the upstream side.

But they’re not. The water flowing through the damns recirculates in a rolling motion that causes objects to be trapped against the downstream side of the dam. A person caught in that re-circulating current would likely drown.

“These dams are not safe to wade or walk out onto or to go over in anything like a boat, canoe or floating tube or raft,” the advisory says. “Signs have been installed on the banks of the creek to identify the location of these dams and their hazards.

“Obey all warning signs, fences, buoys, booms and barriers. They are put there to protect you, so stay clear and stay safe.”