Category Archives: safety

Rafting, safety

Parks Dept. Asks for More River Alcohol Bans, Policy Clarification

County parks officials want to have the authority to ban alcohol along a portion of the American River on more days during the summer than just holidays, and to also prohibit drinking in rafts.

The move comes weeks after the second “rafters gone wild” event, where hundreds of people rafted, boated and hung out along the American River, many of them drinking.

During this year’s event back in July, deputies arrested 23 people, and many more were picked up for being intoxicated but were turned away by medical staff at the jail.

Last year, the first year of the social-media-driven event, 12 people were arrested for alcohol-related violations, and dozens of others were given citations for unlawful possession of booze.

The Department of Regional Parks is recommending two things; one, authorizing the Director of Regional Parks to prohibit alcohol consumption on Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day, and any other day during the summer which the Director believes drinking on the river will result in public safety issues.

More at Fox40.com >>>

Bike Trail, safety, Water, Wildlife

American River levee work closes some bike trail access

Access points along the American River Bike Trail are closed during a project to reinforce and raise more than 4,000 feet of levee along the American River in Sacramento.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that work on the Howe Avenue Levee Raise project that officially began July 25 is in full swing.

The levee, running east from Howe Avenue along the American River’s north bank, is being raised an average of 1 foot to allow for more water coming from Folsom Dam and its auxiliary spillway, which is under construction and scheduled for completion in 2017, an Army Corps of Engineers news release states. The levee project is to be completed this October.

More at SacBee.com >>>

safety

Missing Foresthill hiker found after 5 days


A California Highway Patrol helicopter pilot located a Foresthill hiker in a canyon bed on the North Fork of the American River Friday afternoon.  He had been missing since Sunday.

Ryan Petifer, 31, has poison oak and cuts on his face and hands but is otherwise healthy after spending five full days trying to find a trail back to his car all week.

The avid hiker drove his car three miles into the woods, then hiked two miles down the steep and rugged Green Valley trail Sunday afternoon to go fishing.

“By the time it started to get dark and I couldn’t find a good trail to get back up to where I needed to be,” said Petifer. “I started realizing that I was going to miss work the next day and I needed to stay the night and just keep working on it the next day.”

More at News10.net >>>

safety

Copper thefts plague Auburn, Folsom Lake state recreation areas

Copper thieves have repetitively struck at the Auburn and Folsom Lake state recreation areas recently causing more than $40,000 in damage.

Last week the most recent copper theft occurred in the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area when a bathroom had to be completely shut down.

The copper was stripped from the water lines in the bathroom in that instance, costing around $4,000 in damage, according to Brian Moses, district maintenance chief.

“It’s nonstop. Nothing this big ever really hits us, but lately it’s been something every week,” Moses said.

That same bathroom had four Sloan Royal Flush Valves stolen from it at $200 each. Thieves have even resorted to stealing the drain covers from showers because they’re made of brass.

“It’s never ending,” Moses said.

Those are just a few of the random copper thefts that have taken place in the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area in the past few weeks.

More at AuburnJournal.com >>>

Bike Trail, Events, Fire, Fish, Rafting, safety, Water, Wildlife

Surprise $54M won’t impact Auburn recreation areas

Auburn and Folsom state recreation areas won’t benefit from $54 million recently found stashed in California State Parks’ budget.

Local recreation officials said the 25-year partnership between the two recreation areas and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation that was signed last January prevents any of the newly found money from potentially being allocated to Auburn or Folsom Lake by the governor.

“No, that money will go to the governor to be appropriated, but it should have no impact on Auburn Recreation Area or any of the units associated with the agreement,” said Matt Green, superintendent of the Gold Fields District of State Parks.

That means the recreation areas will continue to be, in Green’s words, “self-sustaining” through revenue it generates partially through fees and supplemental funding it gets from the Bureau of Reclamation. On July 1, new fees were added to parking areas in the Auburn and Folsom Lake state recreation areas or existing fees were increased.

For example, parking along the road in the Auburn State Recreation Area was free before, but on July 1 a $10-per-day fee was imposed in the confluence area and in the Lake Clementine area boat launching fees were also increased to $10.

California State Parks recently found $54 million of unspent money in its budget due to underreporting of funds to the state Department of Finance for the last 12 years, according to a press release by the state Natural Resources Agency.

Roughly $20.3 million of recreation funds and more than $33.4 million off-highway vehicle funds were unused by State Parks, the release stated.

Katy Veling, of Auburn, was enjoying the confluence area near Auburn on Wednesday and said she wishes the $54 million could be used to either lessen or do away with the fees. She even said the new parking fee has kept her away from her favorite swimming spot on the American River.

 More at ColfaxRecord.com >>>
Rafting, safety, Water

Man rescued from American River

A man was rescued from the American River after being pinned against a bridge pillar Monday afternoon.

Sacramento Metro crews responded to 8661 La Riviera Drive around 4:40 p.m. to find the victim finding to keep his head above water, Capt. Forrest Rowell said.

Two to three inner tubes were tied together as they floated down the river. The victim got off one of the inner tubes, but his leg got wrapped in a rope and he was stuck. The strong current pushed him against a pillar on a bridge. Powell said the man kept fighting to keep his head above water until rescue crews arrived.

More at News10.net >>>

Rafting, safety, Water

Marine Drowns In American River After Current Pulls Him Under

 

There was tragedy along the American River Saturday afternoon when four military buddies were hoping to cool off.

Three made it across the river but one didn’t.

“I tried to swim and catch him and he went under,” said Chris Crotte, the victim’s friend.

Crotte did all he could to save his friend, Michael Berry.

“It was pretty dramatic,” said one witness.

As hundreds of people were enjoying the afternoon sun along the American River near Hagan Park, four buddies decided to cool off and swim across.

“Three made it but one didn’t,” said Walt White, Sacramento Metro Fire.

More at CBSLocal.com >>>

Rafting, safety, Water

Missing swimmer recovered from American River

A reported missing swimmer was recovered today from the American River, said Walter White, assistant chief of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.

Four people attempted to swim across the American River this afternoon near Hagan Community Park in Rancho Cordova, White said. Three made it across, and about 4:30 p.m. the district received a call.

A helicopter was sent out and an adult male was found, White said. He said witnesses gave conflicting accounts of how long the swimmer had been underwater – ranging from five to 30 minutes.

More at SacBee.com >>>

Events, Rafting, safety, Water

Expansion of American River alcohol ban considered

Sacramento officials are mulling whether to expand a holiday ban on alcohol on the American River after a recent event was marred by violence and arrests.

The Sacrament Bee reported ( http://bit.ly/OE7CPc) that the county Board of Supervisors would discuss extending the ban after last weekend’s “Rafters Gone Wild,” an event that drew more than 3,000 revelers to the river.

Authorities said rocks and bottles were thrown at officers and paramedics during Saturday’s event, as they tried to break up brawls and provide aid.

More ate MercuryNews.com >>>

Events, Rafting, safety, Water

Drunken brawls erupt on sunny American River raft route

Even the most serene setting can turn ugly, given enough time and alcohol.

That truism was proved Saturday on the American River during the second annual Rafters Gone Wild. Luring more than 3,000 people onto the water for a peaceful float, the event eventually degenerated into a series of brawls and rock-throwing incidents.

For much of the day, law enforcement and fire rescue officials busied themselves keeping watch over rafters having trouble with rapids or falling out of their boats.

By 5 p.m., however, dozens were fighting on the shores of Ancil Hoffman Park, beating each other with paddles or rocks and hurling stones at fire and rescue boats, officials said.

“It started out fairly reasonable, but as they day went on, the drunkenness and the fights increased with them,” said Sgt. Randy Lewis, a Sacramento County park ranger. He added that law enforcement officials were dealing with fights constantly after 5 p.m.

More at SacBee.com >>>