Category Archives: safety

Boating, Fish, Rafting, safety, Wildlife

Folsom Lake clean up continues

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Over the Memorial Day holiday, a large population of boats were visible on Folsom Lake, enjoying the high temperatures during the three-day weekend. But it wasn’t just colorful vessels dotting the scape of the lake. Currently, a tremendous amount of debris continues to hamper many areas of the lake as boating season is well underway.

The large amount of debris is driftwood of all sizes, from big to small. Many of which can damage the hull or prop of a boat easily and could surely have detrimental results if struck by a personal watercraft at any speed. It’s the results of a record rainfall winter and officials are working as fast as they can to collect the debris and make the waters safe again.

“Fortunately, there haven’t been any major boat accidents as a result of the driftwood,” said Ryan Steele, peace officer supervisor of the California Department of Parks and Recreation. “There have been a few boats that have had their props removed or damaged. For those vessels that have a jet system, they can get a twig stuck in there that disables their vessel.”

More at FolsomTelegraph.com >>>

Rafting, safety, Water

Body recovered from American River could be missing area teen

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Authorities recovered a body Monday afternoon from the American River that they believe could be a young man who went missing earlier this month after jumping into the icy waterway.

A runner near the Robie Point hiking area called around 3 p.m. Monday to report something unusual floating in the river near a Placer County Water Agency pump station. A California Highway Patrol helicopter was able to confirm the object was a body. California State Parks rangers and El Dorado County deputies used an inflatable boat to reach the location and pull the body from the river.

“The body that was recovered today was consistent with a body that had been submerged in the water for some time. It was obvious that this body did not enter the water in the last 24 hours,” said Scott Liske, the supervising ranger for the Auburn State Recreation Area.

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Bike Trail, Boating, Rafting, safety, Water, Wildlife

Discovery Park will open this weekend after four months of being underwater

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After being flooded for months, Discovery Park will open its gates Saturday for Memorial Day weekend, Sacramento County Regional Parks announced Wednesday.

The 302-acre park closed in January during winter storms as heavy rains and high releases from Folsom Lake left it underwater. The popular summer destination sits at the confluence of the American and Sacramento rivers.

Tiscornia Beach and much of the park will remain closed, but the boat launch, some parking lots and picnic areas overlooking the confluence will be open. The Jibboom Bridge will open and the American River bike trail will be available through the closed areas.

More at SacBee.com >>>

Boating, Fish, safety, Water

Folsom Lake Winter Debris Still Clogging Boat Ramps For Memorial Day

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Boaters trying to get an early start on the holiday weekend are facing problems on Folsom Lake ahead of Memorial Day.

The lake’s boat ramps are clogged with wood and debris washed downstream from a storm winter.

Park rangers will be patrolling the area, but they are concerned about going out on the lake themselves. What looks like a twig from the top of the lake could carry a bigger hazard underneath.

Tony Tonso and his daughter Tiffany tried to get an early start on the upcoming Memorial Day weekend but were faced with a logjam. They had to move around a mass of sticks and larger branches in the pathway.

From above, the enormity of the mess is clear, with debris piled along the shore, washed down by a record winter of rain. Workers are trying to clear it, but there’s only so much a tugboat can do.

More at CBSLocal.com >>>

Bike Trail, Rafting, safety, Water

Cold reality for swimmers: Be cautious around waterways this warm weekend

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With temperatures expected to warm into the mid-90s this weekend, parks and rescue personnel say that if you must enter the water do so with caution – and perhaps a water preserver.

Already this year, a teen has drowned in the cold water of the American River at Negro Bar and rafters have been forced against the pilings of a bike and pedestrian bridge, requiring a fire boat rescue.

The big snowpack means twice the amount of water in the river than was seen in spring during the drought. Increased flows translate into a high and fast American River from Folsom Lake to the confluence with the Sacramento River at Discovery Park.

More at SacBee.com >>>

safety, Water

19-year-old missing after jumping into American River last week

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Searchers continued looking Monday for a 19-year-old man that went missing last week after jumping into the American River, officials said.

Raymond Cabalfin Jr. went to Lake Clementine Trail in Auburn on Thursday with friends. He tried to cool off shortly before noon by jumping off a rock into the river, about three-quarters of a mile upstream from a popular swimming hole known as Clark’s Pool.

Cabalfin was swept away instantly, and by the time his friends called 911 and ran further downstream to intercept him, he was no longer in sight, Cabalfin’s family said. Park rangers at Auburn State Recreation Area responded immediately and searched the area for seven hours but were unable to locate Cabalfin.

Park rangers at the Auburn State Recreation Area are working closely with Placer County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol in the search. State Parks has ruled Cabalfin’s disappearance as a drowning and is no longer coordinating an active search effort.

“It’s not likely that he is alive,” said Auburn State Recreation Area Superintendent Mike Howard. “We had enough number of people search the area, and if he was alive, we would have found him.”

More at SacBee.com  >>>

Boating, safety, Water, Wildlife

Wet Winter Leaves Sea Of Debris On Folsom Lake

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You might want to think twice about bringing your watercraft to Folsom Lake as debris is blocking most launches.

State Parks officials say they’re aware of the problem and are contracting with a company to remove the debris as quickly as possible.

“It’s a total disaster, absolutely a total disaster; I was shocked, disappointed.”

That was Steven Gelenich’s reaction when he drove up to a launch Tuesday morning, expecting to see a full and clear lake.

“The main launch ramp over there is a total disaster, it’s full of thousands of pieces of wood, absolutely no way to launch,” Steven said.

But the debris wasn’t going to stop Steven.

“I’ll tell you right now I’m gonna find a way to launch today,” Steven said.

He was determined to cruise the lake on his jet ski. Steven drove to different launches and Oak Beach, but he wasn’t having any luck finding a clear spot to launch.

“I feel like I’m going to cry right now, I’m so disappointed,” said Steven.

According to State Parks officials, years of drought led to a build-up of debris as far up as the Sierra. Heavy winter rains washed the debris into rivers, reservoirs and ultimately here, into Folsom Lake.

“It probably started coming in back in January, or February,” said Superintendent Richard Preston.

It’s now May, and with Memorial Day just around the corner, CBS13 wanted to know why wasn’t the debris cleaned up right away?

“We had this up and down of the water which pushed debris back and forth, and we couldn’t get to it effectively,” Preston said.

Crews began removing debris at the end of last week. They have 75 miles of shoreline to clean up.

“If we don’t get it cleaned up it’s definitely going to impact revenues for the park,” added Preston.

More at CBSLocal.com >>>

Rafting, safety, Water

Search now a recovery mission for teen last seen jumping into American River

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Crews continued to search Wednesday for the missing teen who was last seen jumping off rocks Monday evening near Folsom’s Rainbow Bridge.

The search, which was relaunched at 8 a.m Wednesday, is officially considered as a recovery mission, said Rich Preston, California State Park superintendent.

“We are still actively looking for him,” Preston said.

A Yolo County Sheriff’s Department boat equipped with side-scanning sonar that can provide images of the lake bottom was brought in to aid the search efforts. Two State Park boats and a Sacramento Drowning Accident Rescue Team were also on the water near the Negro Bar State Park beach.

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Rafting, safety, Water

Two rafters are plucked from pilings of American River Bridge after spill into water

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Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District crews rescued two rafters from pilings of an American River pedestrian bridge after they fell into the swift-moving water.

Five people were aboard when the raft hit the PCA pedestrian bridge at Sacramento Bar near Sunrise Boulevard. Three rafters made it to shore but two grabbed onto the pilings of the old gravel company bridge.

Firefighters responded at about 11:45 a.m., according to fire Capt. Chris Vestal. The river is running fairly high and swift. The water, fed by Sierra snowmelt, is cold.

Metro Fire firefighters in a rescue boat reached the two and brought them safely to shore. Vestal said the raft was too small for the high volume of water flowing down the river.

“We have water flows that are historically high for this time of the season,” Vestal said. He added that none of the rafters were wearing life preservers.

More at SacBee.com >>>