Bike Trail, safety

Metro Fire crew comes to aid of woman stuck on bluff above American River

A woman was rescued Thursday morning from a precarious perch 25 feet down the American River bluffs near Ravina Court in Fair Oaks.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District crews responded to the call about 10:30 a.m.

A firefighter rappelled down the bluff, secured the woman in a harness, then continued down 80 feet to the American River’s edge, according to a Metro Fire news release.

The woman, whose name was not released, was placed in a Metro Fire boat and taken to the south side of the river for medical attention.

More at ModBee.com >>>

 

Bike Trail, Fish, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

State eyes east Sacramento sites for possible new railyard, maintenance facility

Sacramento has spent decades cleaning up and finding new uses for two historic city railyards. Now the state of California wants to build a new one in the urban core.

State transportation planners are looking at sites in east Sacramento and at Sutter’s Landing Regional Park along the American River, as places to build a major new railyard and maintenance facility for Amtrak trains.

Word of the state Department of Transportation’s plans spread in the last few days and surprised city officials and developers hoping to build hundreds of homes on the east Sacramento site.

“We just learned about it this week,” said Megan Norris, vice president of Riverview Capital Investments. The firm, headed by former state Treasurer Phil Angelides, has been promoting plans to build McKinley Village, a 328-home development, on the vacant swath of land by the Capital City Freeway. The property is commonly known as Centrage, after one of several failed projects there.

Sacramento City Councilman Steve Cohn, whose district contains both areas under consideration, said the revelation that Caltrans was looking at the sites to service Amtrak trains “came as news to me.”

He said any plans to put a railyard at Sutter’s Landing Park, built atop a former landfill, would be unacceptable. A map of the proposal suggests the railyard could impinge on city parkland. Even if it didn’t, Cohn said the city is planning to expand the park by acquiring acreage now in private hands. “We spent a lot of time and effort to convert an industrial facility into a park,” he said.

Caltrans spokesman Mark Dinger said the department’s plans are preliminary, with the two Sacramento locations being evaluated.

More at SacBee.com >>>

 

Bike Trail, Events, Rafting, safety, Video

Law Enforcement Gears Up For Fourth of July On River

 

Sacramento County Park Rangers and the Sacramento County Marine Unit cruised the lower American River today to get ready for a crowded July Fourth weekend.

Flows are nearly triple what they were a month ago and they want to prepare for swifter currents and hidden hazards that might affect rescues.  They also need to warn rafters and swimmers about danger areas.

The biggest concern is still illegal alcohol use on the river, which is banned on the four-day holiday. Alcohol can contribute to violent fights.

“With deadly weapons, cobbles, sticks, whatever they can get their hands on,” said Ranger Randy Lewis.

But there are more families on the river since the holiday alcohol ban took effect several years ago. Jose Vasquez makes sure his son Gabriel uses on at Discovery Park where he knows about the history of drownings.

More at Fox40.com >>>
Bike Trail, Events, Rafting, Water

Holiday rate raises fees at parks this weekend

Entrance fees to Sacramento County regional parks will increase during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

The fee increases will apply Thursday through Sunday, and are intended to help offset the higher costs to patrol and maintain the park system during holiday weekends, according to a county news release.

Vehicle entrance fees at all county parks will increase to $8 for single vehicles, and to $13 for oversized vehicles and vehicles with trailers. The increase will not affect annual pass holders.

In addition to the higher entrance fees, the county’s customary restriction on alcohol on the American River Parkway will be enforced Thursday through Sunday. Consumption of alcohol and possession of open containers will be prohibited on the shore and the river within the parkway between Watt and Hazel avenues. Violations of the restriction may result in a citation or arrest, and parks officials warn that the restriction will be strictly enforced.

More at SacBee.com >>>

safety, Water

Coroner identifies Roseville man as Lake Natoma drowning victim

A man whose body was recovered from Lake Natoma early Saturday has been identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office as 19-year-old Guillermo Fabian Contreras of Roseville.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District crews and members of the Drowning and Accident Rescue Team responded to the lake about 8:10 p.m. Friday. Capt. Bryan Thomson said a group of young men were at the lake when Contreras swam out to retrieve a ball in the channel.

He began having difficulties and another member of the group tried to come to his aid as he went under water, but was unable to rescue him.

The second man also began having trouble but was rescued.

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Rafting, safety, Water

Drowning reported in American River near Howe Avenue

A man drowned Sunday evening in the American River near Howe Avenue, the fourth case in the city of Sacramento this summer, officials said.

The Sacramento Fire Department received a call at 5:40 p.m. reporting a possible drowning, according to Battalion Chief Shawn Perry. Up to a dozen firefighters searched the river, while a helicopter scanned from above, Perry said.

After an hour, the fire department ended its search without finding the victim. Perry said crews would return when a sighting of the victim is reported.

“We’ve exhausted the survivability of the victim,” Perry said. He explained that the man could not have survived the frigid water past the time they searched.

Perry said the man had little swimming background and went into the river with a friend. The current pulled him in, and witnesses said they spotted the man one to two times about 100 feet offshore, according to Perry.

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Bike Trail, safety, Water

American River bluff search ended; no victims found

The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District has concluded that it could find no evidence that a person was injured or killed where a hillside collapsed along the American River bluffs east of the Fair Oaks Bridge.

At noon, Sac Metro fire officials said that “based on neither of the two human remains dogs finding anything” the department’s responders “have terminated command and concluded search operations.”

The agency had sent about 20 firefighters back to check the area Sunday morning after a half dozen people reported seeing a shirtless man in black short who was hiking in the area Saturday evening disappear.

He was walking on the north side of the American River when the hillside collapsed.

Based on those reports, Sac Metro Fire reported deploying about 60 people, using search dogs, boats and helicopers on Saturday night.

More at SacBee.com >>>

Bike Trail, Fish, safety, Water, Wildlife

Rules are tricky for spearfishing in American River

If you want to try spearfishing in the American River, don’t start by purchasing a spear gun, or investigating where to dive for the biggest bass. Instead, you may want to call your attorney first.

New regulations approved by the California Fish and Game Commission in 2012 opened the American River to spearfishing for striped bass for the first time, and only downstream of Harrington Way, near Sacramento’s William Pond Recreation Area. The new rule took effect May 1 this year.

Trouble is, the commission didn’t consult Sacramento County, which manages the American River Parkway as part of the county parks system.

It classifies spears and spear guns as weapons, which are banned in the American River Parkway just like guns, and bows and arrows.

In other words, if you drive to the parkway, pull your spear gun out of the trunk and walk over to the river, a county park ranger or a state game warden could cite you for a misdemeanor and confiscate your weapon.

More at SacBee.com >>>
Bike Trail, safety, Water

Multiple Fire Agencies Searching For Man Following Ground Slide

Rescue crews are searching the waters of the American River after the ground slid underneath a man walking along the river Saturday night.

Fire crews from Sacramento Metro Fire, the Sacramento Fire Department, and the Folsom Fire Department are searching the waters for the man. The slide is reported to be about 20 to 30 feet wide and 5 to 6 feet deep.

Six witnesses reportedly saw the man fall into the water as a result of that slide.

More at CBSLocal.com >>>