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The Water Around Us

Can I swim here today? Can I fish?Ask the water.

From the sources

Latest from the water

Fish

Trout stocked in Virginia

3waters stocked on Oct 28

Rainbow, brown and tiger trout

22 stockings in the 7 days to Oct 28. By day: Oct 22, 5; Oct 23, 4; Oct 24, 0; Oct 25, 2; Oct 26, 4; Oct 27, 4; Oct 28, 3.
Back Creek fishing check Every stocking, last 30 days 

Virginia DWR stocking report.

Fish

Salmon up the Bonneville Dam ladder

513salmon on Oct 27

37% below the 10-year average for that day.

340 Coho · 119 Chinook · 32 Coho jacksFall Chinook run

Last 7 counted days counted 10-year average. By day: Oct 21, 767 salmon against a 10-year average of 1,409; Oct 22, 1,168 salmon against a 10-year average of 1,741; Oct 23, 512 salmon against a 10-year average of 1,062; Oct 24, 367 salmon against a 10-year average of 730; Oct 25, 321 salmon against a 10-year average of 847; Oct 26, 355 salmon against a 10-year average of 742; Oct 27, 513 salmon against a 10-year average of 819.
Daily counts and the year so far 

Army Corps fish-ladder counts, via Columbia Basin Research (DART).

IceRecords 1994–2023

When does Minnesota’s ice go out?

Apr 7typical ice-out

The middle date for Bde Maka Ska over 30 winters on record, 1994–2023.

Across hundreds of lakes, typical dates run from Mar 23 (Martin County) to May 9 (Cook County).

A record of past springs. Never judge ice safety from a website.

Typical ice-out for every lake 

Minnesota DNR State Climatology Office records.

Fish

Safe to eat? Virginia’s fish advisories

99advisories on Virginia waters

One of them, in VDH’s words

Water
Dragon Run Swamp/Piankatank River · from near Rt. 620 downstream 46 miles
Fish
Largemouth Bass
Advice
≤ 2 meals/month

Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children are advised not to eat any fish listed in a fish consumption advisory.

Dragon Run Swamp/Piankatank River: Safe to eat? The full list at the Virginia Department of Health (opens in a new tab)
Swim · this week

Where the swimming is good this week

Well-loved beaches where the water reads comfortable, ranked by visitor ratings and checked against live buoy readings. Any beach under an active warning is left out. Every Thursday the swim report adds the warmest water and active hazards in each state.

Best places to swim this week This week’s swim report 

Ask on the map

Places you can ask about

Each pin opens its swim check: the nearest sensor’s reading when one is close enough, official alerts where a feed exists, and a plain-English verdict.

Swim checks across the US

  • Swim check
  • Pick a pin to ask · pick a state to browse it

Every live sensor on one map →This week’s swim report →

Beaches

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Waterfalls

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Lakes

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Rivers & streams

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Trout stocked since Sep 29 · Virginia

All stockings →

+29 more waters on the stocking report

Keep asking

Bigger questions, each with its own page and the data behind it.

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Every Thursday: the warmest water in every state, active water hazards, and where to swim this weekend. No spam — unsubscribe anytime.

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Sponsored gear checklist

Pack for the water

Start with practical categories that fit many water trips. These are Amazon search links, not fixed product endorsements.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Water Shoes

A reliable default for rocky entries, docks, creeks, and hot pavement.

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Dry Bag

Keeps towels, keys, and layers together around splash, sand, and rain.

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Reef-Safe Sunscreen

Small enough to pack, easy to forget, and useful on most exposed water days.

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Waterproof Phone Pouch

A low-cost way to protect your phone near boats, beaches, falls, and pools.

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What kind of water?

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Read before you go

Original guides to swimming, paddling, fishing and staying safe at the water.

Guides

The Best Time to Visit Beaches, Waterfalls, and Lakes: A Season-by-Season Guide

Each kind of water peaks at a different time of year. Here's when to go, and why.

6 min read

Guides

Freshwater vs. Saltwater Swimming: What to Know

Lakes and oceans aren't just different scenery — they swim differently, and demand different know-how.

5 min read

Safety

Cliff Jumping and Swimming Hole Safety: Know Before You Leap

Cliff jumping looks carefree in the videos. The reality demands checks that the videos never show.

5 min read

View all guides →

Where in the US?

Every state’s beaches, waterfalls, lakes and rivers.

Outside the US? United Kingdom and Ireland are mapped too.

Can’t find it? Advanced search