How to stay safe in California’s roaring rivers this summer
It’s officially summer, and for many Californians — especially those who live many miles inland from the beach — that usually means it’s river season: a time to seek relief from the heat in cool water, wade in shallow water, or float in inner tubes.
But as I reported last week, the succession of epic winter storms that have transformed the state has also turned the rivers fed by snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada into deadly, raging streams.
And while people can get swept up in California’s rivers even in normal years, this year’s fast-moving currents are considered so dangerous that some local officials have restricted access to the water, except that commercial rafting companies can access the water.
“There’s a historic amount of water right now: faster, colder and deadlier than we’ve seen in recent years,” Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, told me. “There is no amount of training or exercise that prepares a human body.”
According to a count by The Mercury NewsAt least 18 people have been killed or lost in rivers so far this year.
I visited the banks of the Kern River, northeast of Bakersfield. Locals know the beauty and dangers of the river well, but many campers seeking an affordable escape from Los Angeles or other Southern California cities are unprepared for the powerful currents beneath its often shimmering surface. (At least this year, campers told me that seeing foamy whitewater rapids on the way to their campsite was a deterrent to those considering swimming.)
Local public safety agencies and other groups have been evicted public service announcements on social media and posted signs in English and Spanish to warn visitors before they get to the water, which can be tempting on a hot day.
Once people are swept along by the current, they can quickly be swept out of reach of even the most experienced rescuers. Their bodies can get caught in thickets of tree branches and underwater debris called sieves, which can make it difficult to find them until the water recedes.
So what do firefighters and rapid water rescue experts tell visitors about how to stay safe? Here are a few tips:
No matter how strong a swimmer you are, try not to swim in Sierra-fed rivers this summer. Imagine the power of relentlessly speeding traffic. Now imagine that it consists of water cold enough to numb a human body in seconds. Such are the rivers now, as the snow melts and flows down from the mountains. As the weather warms, currents are likely to increase.
Wear a life jacket – and make sure your kids wear them too – anywhere near the river. Rescuers say they’ve often been called to rescue people from the Kern River who never intended to get in — people who lost their footing while climbing the giant granite boulders, polished smooth by rushing currents along the riverbank. If you do fall in, a life jacket can help prevent you from getting sucked under.
Never tie yourself or a pool toy to trees or other fixed objects on the bank. It may seem like a good plan, but if you get dragged along, a chain could pull you underwater or get caught in debris in the river.
Keep a close eye on children and do not allow them to wade in the water. Children can be carried away in an instant.
Know where to get a mobile signal. Many campgrounds and river beaches are in remote areas where cell service is patchy or nonexistent. If something goes wrong, you’ll want to call for help as soon as possible, so spend some time at the start of your journey figuring out where to go if you need to place an emergency call.
Do you still want to cool down? Think of a lake. The record-breaking snowpack in the Sierra Nevada has not only transformed rivers, but also replenished lakes and reservoirs that had fallen from drought to low, often unhealthy levels during recent years. For example, Lake Isabella, a reservoir on the Kern River, was almost a stagnant dead pool last summer. But in October, the Army Corps of Engineers completed a dam repair project at the lake, allowing the reservoir to refill just in time for winter storms. Now the water level is higher than it has been in 15 years – perfect for fishing or swimming.
For more:
Jill Cowan is a Los Angeles-based reporter covering California for The Times.
Where we travel
Today’s tip comes from Don Wise, who lives in Villapark:
“My favorite tourist destination in California, where I have lived for almost 36 years, is the Palm Springs cable car. You’ll head from the ground station just north of Palm Springs to the top of Mount San Jacinto, which is nearly 11,000 feet above sea level. The ride is breathtaking and the view at the top is spectacular.”
Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your suggestions to CAtoday@nytimes.com. We will share more in upcoming editions of the newsletter.
Tell us
We are almost half way through 2023! What are the best things that have happened to you this year so far? What have your victories been? Or your unexpected joys, big or small?
Let me know at CAToday@nytimes.com. Please include your full name and the city where you live.
And before you go, good news
The San Francisco Gay Softball League, which has provided generations of queer athletes with a nice safe haven, is celebrates its 50th birthdayreports The San Francisco Chronicle.
“They kind of started gay sports back in the day,” Sherry Schneider, a board member in the league, told the news outlet. “Now you have gay kickball, gay dodgeball, other sports. Gay softball in San Francisco was the beginning of the LGBTQ community being able to come out and say, ‘I’m gay, and I can play sports, and I have a safe place to play.’”
Thank you for reading. We’ll be back tomorrow.
PS Here it is today’s mini crossword.
Soumya Karlamangla and Briana Scalia contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at CAtoday@nytimes.com.
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