After 2 rescues this week, Sacramento officials urge safety on the American River
Planning a day out on the American River to cool off as temperatures climb?
Be sure to wear a personal flotation device and familiarize yourself with the waters, or you might wind up stuck on an island or in an eddy requiring rescue — just like two individuals who were aided by crews during two separate rescue incidents along the waterway this past week.
The American River, which runs from the Sierra Nevada and converges with the Sacramento River near downtown Sacramento, was the site of two rescues on Tuesday and Wednesday, involving individuals who fell from their recreational watercraft and became stranded on small islands or logs along the river.
Both rescues were conducted without incident or injuries, Capt. Mark Nunez, a spokesperson for Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, said, adding they were emblematic of the type of call they receive with increasing frequency during the summer.
“The vast majority of calls along the American River are things of that nature — they missed their take-out, got stuck in an eddy,” Nunez said in an interview. “It’s not uncommon for us, especially on a Saturday or Sunday, to respond to this type of incident once or twice a day.”
While generally minor emergencies, Nunez warned that every incident carries the “potential for drowning” and he stressed the importance of anyone recreating on the river being familiar with its geography and dynamics before heading out.
George Tzikas, a Sacramento County Regional Parks ranger, explained that the river’s currents can change, and that its underwater topography is often a contributing factor in many rescues. Though much of the American River, particularly the lower section of near Sacramento, is made up of Class 1 rapids — gentler waters ideal for floating and tubing — several areas have much stronger currents that can pose more of a danger and that individuals could be unprepared to handle.
Tzikas pointed to the San Juan Rapids, Clay Banks and Sailor Bar areas as those with stronger currents and eddies that can throw individuals from their rafts and paddleboards or submerge them before shooting them rapidly downstream. Along with Nunez, he emphasized the importance of wearing a life vest to minimize risk to those venturing out on the river.
“Wear a life jacket. No matter what your what kind of raft you’re on — it doesn’t matter,” Tzikas said. “Even if they don’t know how to swim, the life jacket will give us enough time to get to them before they get tired out, and it’ll keep them from going under.”
Individuals can borrow life vests for free at several stations along the American River Parkway.
Ed Igoe, a spokesperson for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and a member of the department’s dive team, cautioned that even “strong swimmers” should wear personal flotation devices when out on the water.
Nunez recommended that people use watercraft appropriate to the river’s conditions. While store-bought paddleboards and rafts can suffice, they can become snagged on branches and rocks, Nunez said, with companies by the river — specifically American River Raft Rentals — offering watercraft with thicker materials that can manage the waterway’s geography and currents.
Nevertheless, nearly every Saturday during the summer, the Regional Parks boat team will be patrolling the river, providing immediate support to those who might become stranded, Tzikas said. Along with Metro Fire, Regional Parks rangers typically deploy two boats — one downstream and the other upstream — with additional engine crews and a helicopter to aid victims during a rescue if necessary.
Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Marine Division may also assist with rescues during special events — such as the Fourth of July — when people tend to flock to the river to enjoy the holiday, Igoe said.
Rescues during holidays have declined in recent years, owing to the prohibition of alcohol on Memorial Day, Labor Day, and the Fourth of July, along with the banning of diving along the Clay Banks, Nunez said.
Still, officials advocated caution and risk prevention on the water the river becomes an enticing way to cool off.
