Folsom Lake water managers will begin increasing water releases from the dam beginning this afternoon due to late June rain, said the Bureau of Reclamation. Dam operators will begin increasing downstream release from 8000 cubic feet per second to 11,000 cfs beginning at 1 p.m. The increases will likely cause a rise downstream on the American River.
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Sacramento Metro Fire crews rescued 23 people who were stuck on a sandbar in the American River around 7:15 p.m. Monday.
Crews responded behind a home at 2500 Tiffany Lane after a group of rafts, tied together, got stuck on the sandbar at River Bend Park, Asst. Chief Dale Turner said.
A helicopter was also on scene to help with the rescue.
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Fire rescue crews are worried about river safety on the upcoming 4th of July weekend.
With thousands of rafters, kayakers and swimmers expected to flood Valley rivers, fire and rescue workers are concerned over how many people are still not prepared for this year’s high, fast water.
“I’ve had so many people tell me, if the raft flips over I can take care of my son or I can take care of my child,” said Sacramento Metro Fire Battalion Chief Charles Jenkins, “when you put them in 58 degree water that water takes the air out of you, you can’t breathe, panic sets in and now you’ve got to worry about yourself.”
Even as he spoke, a trio of rafters prepared to put in just a few feet away near the Sunrise walking bridge on the American River.
When Alex Strouse of Sacramento was asked if the three had life jackets, he just laughed, adding he is a good swimmer.
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On the first day of summer, standing in the sparse shade of trees lining the American River, Patrick Ellis eyed a group of rafters as they swept toward a bike/pedestrian bridge near Sunrise Boulevard.
“These guys, their rafts are tied together, they’re not wearing life preservers, not even attempting to paddle,” Ellis said Tuesday.
Ellis, a battalion chief with the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, knew that hours before, the current had caught a similar group and smacked a raft against a pylon as they tried to pass under the bridge. Two rafters fell into the river and swam to shore. Two others clung to the pylon until a rescue boat picked them up.
Now, Ellis saw the makings of yet another water rescue – potentially the sixth on the river in 24 hours.
As he tracked their progress from shore, the two rafts disappeared for a moment under the bridge. Then they came rushing through, untouched, and resumed their drift downriver.
“They’re lucky,” Ellis said.
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The Sacramento Fire Department’s two boat patrols are set to be eliminated due to budget cuts in mid-July.
That announcement comes a day after Sacramento City, Sacramento Metro and the Folsom Fire Departments made nearly two dozen rescues on the water during “Operation River Safe”.”
In the past five days, we’ve rescued 53 people and two dogs on the American River,” said Sac Metro spokesman Dale Turner. Due to heavy winter snow, the American River is running unusually high and fast for this time of year.
Emergency crews are warning that the conditions are dangerous even for experienced swimmers. Sacramento City Fire officials confirm that the boat patrol program will be eliminated on July 16.
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High, cold water on the American River brought several more rescues Wednesday, including one group of 20 rafters who had to be rescued when their rafts foundered near Riverbend Park.
“We got hung up right in the middle between a really big current and I don’t know, but the raft popped and it flipped over,” Benjamin Gabriel of Lincoln said.
As fire rescue boats raced to pull people out, Gabriel said he was barely able to make out of the freezing, fast water.
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Sacramento Metro Firefighters on the swift water rescue team have been very busy. Firefighters said they made 28 rescues between Monday and Tuesday along the American River alone.
Because of he recent activity, Sac Metro, Sacramento City, and the Folsom Fire Department are all teaming up for “Operation River Safe”.”We are putting six boats and more than twenty trained firefighters on the American River to be in position to respond to water emergencies.
With the conditions, it’s a matter of if, not when,” said Sacramento Metro Fire’s Pat Ellis.Triple-digit heat and abnormally high water flows have combined for a very dangerous situation.
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Nearly two dozen students were the subject of a massive rescue effort on the American River after their rafts became tangled on a portion of the Howe Avenue bridge. Five fire engines, 3 boats, 4 medics and 2 helicopters assisted in getting the group to shore safely.
Crews were able to save everyone in the group.
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Sacramento Metropolitan firefighters rescued nearly 30 stranded rafters along the American River in just the past three days. The reason? The fast flowing American River is shoving rafts into trees, now under water, and popping the rafts like party balloons.
Sacramento County Park Ranger Steve Ingall describes the rafts as “modified pool toys.”
“People are just blatantly running the risk of killing themselves,” said Ingall.
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