Jerry McAward, owner of Lehighton Outdoor Center, has been noticing that area streams and creeks are dryer than usual.

Even so, the lack of rain shouldn’t affect upcoming weekend recreational opportunities on the Lehigh River, where his business organizes rafting trips.

“But the public perception will be affected,” McAward said of the dry conditions. “People will be standing around the water cooler at their work and say, ‘I’m going rafting this weekend.’ And someone will say, ‘What are you stupid? It’s really dry.’”

According to the National Weather Service, the area received just 0.24 inches of rain in the entire month of May. June has also been dry, with the exception of the brief rain that messed with graduations last Friday.

McAward and Andy Fogal, vice president of Pocono Whitewater near Jim Thorpe, explained that the Lehigh River gets an assist through planned weekend recreational water releases from the Francis E. Walter Dam, just as it has for the last 15 years.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which owns and operates the dams, has four scheduled whitewater releases in June.

“They have the water for most of the season in place at the dam,” McAward said.

At any give time, water is released from the dam to help keep the river habitable for fish and other aquatic life.

More significant water releases are held on certain weekends - including this upcoming one - for rafters and boaters to enjoy.

“Obviously, we haven’t had as much rain as a normal spring. That being said though, the dam is almost completely full at the moment. So the releases for the summer should be quite good,” Fogal said.

At Pocono Whitewater, Fogal said many are signed up for rafting trips this weekend. He hasn’t heard many concerns from customers about the river levels, he said. For the most part, he said, would-be rafters make their reservations based on temperatures.

If a drought watch or emergency is declared, the recreational releases would be put on hold.

“I’m told that the water table is not that low yet,” McAward said. “I think that’s a little ways away, they’re not really talking about it yet.”

Fogal noted that up to an inch of rain is predicted for Monday.

“Overall conditions aren’t terribly dry. They haven’t said anything about droughts yet,” Fogal said. “We are one good rainstorm from going back to normal.”