From TheDenverChannel.com (Mark Belcher):
Rivers are raging in Colorado now due to snow melt and a wet spring…
Deputies and first responders have been forced to make several water rescues already this year, leading to rafting restrictions across Jefferson County that will last until water levels decrease.
Authorities in Larimer County also expect the high water levels to persist as temperatures continue to rise. They anticipate tens of thousands of people to visit county waterways through the summer alone.
Follow these tips to stay safe while out on the waterways:
·Tell someone where you are going, when you expect to return and where and who to call if you don’t. If your plans change while you are traveling, put a note in your car on the driver’s side dashboard with the new plans.
·Wear a life jacket. Wear a properly fitting personal floatation device for all river activities. Don’t assume you have the swimming skills to keep afloat, even the strongest swimmers can drown.
·Keep a close watch on children, even if they are far from the water. Water safety for children is especially important as they can quickly enter the water and get in trouble when your attention is diverted for only a moment.
·Never walk, play or climb on slippery rocks and logs near rivers and streams.
·Stay away from riverbanks during times of high flowing water. The banks may have become unstable and give way underneath you.
From The Denver Post:
Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Shrader and the Golden Police Department will limit access to Clear Creek both within Golden, including at Vanover Park, and in unincorporated Jefferson County.
The order prohibits water activities including belly boats, inner tubes and single chambered rafts, as well as “body-surfers” and swimming.
People who use kayaks, paddle boards, whitewater canoes and multi-chambered professionally guided rafts and river boards can still access the river, but law enforcement officials urge people to use extreme caution due to safety concerns about swift moving water and floating debris. Anyone who gets on the river must use a Coast Guard-approved paddling life jacket and wear a water-use designed helmet…
Water across the state is running high and fast, but that’s normal for this time of year, when snowmelt and rain make the rivers swell, National Weather Service hydrologist Tony Anderson said.
