Cold, fast-moving water of Sacramento rivers can be dangerous this Memorial Day weekend
The calm water of Tiscornia Beach, where the Sacramento and American rivers meet, could be deceiving for many swimmers and boaters and lead to drownings.
Even during a drought, the water in these rivers and others throughout the Sacramento area is still cold and fast. The water can easily catch anyone off guard. Sacramento city officials on Tuesday reminded everyone heading to the water for Memorial Day weekend that wearing a life jacket is crucial to keeping them safe.
After more than a year of coronavirus restrictions intended to keep people safely distanced from each other and home as much as possible, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and a declining number of infections in California has led to further loosening of those restrictions. Expect to see a lot of people out this weekend.
“I think we’re going to see exceptionally large crowds,” said Daniel Bowers, director of the Sacramento Office of Emergency Management. “I think all across the state, if you already look at a lot of hospitality sectors, they’re filling up and booking their rooms and lodges. I think campgrounds are going to be very full, beaches are going to be very crowded.”
The high temperature in the Sacramento area is expected to be in the high 80s at the start of the weekend and reach up to 93 degrees Sunday and 98 degrees on Memorial Day, according to the National Weather Service forecast. Warmer weather could mean more people getting into the water to avoid the hot beach sand.
Bowers also expects to see a lot more inexperienced swimmers who didn’t have access to swimming lessons or community pools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A lot of children didn’t have that opportunity to get out and exercise and swim, nor did a lot of adults,” Bowers said. “Understandably, those skills may have atrophied. ... What we don’t want them to forget about is their young children who may not be as good as the swimmers they were a couple of years ago.”
Additionally, California has had some of the worst drought conditions as the state continues to experience one of the driest years on record.
“A couple of years ago, some of those really nice swimming holes you may gone to, some of the rock jumping you may have done, those water levels are a lot lower this year,” Bowers said.
He said lower water levels can lead to exposed debris, which can cause a lot of trouble for swimmers and boats. He urged swimmers this summer to check the water’s depth before jumping in and to wear a life jacket.
Sacramento free life jacket rental program
Already this year, a 17-year-old boy drowned in the American River in Rancho Cordova and a 22-year-old Oakland man drowned in the Delta after falling in the water near the Mokelumne River Bridge.
The Sacramento Fire Department has a free life jacket rental program. Bowers said those need one can pick it up at a fire station or where they’re being offered at a popular beach, quickly write their names in a sign-in sheet and return it when they’re done.
“It’s going to be warm, and people are gonna choose to come down to the waterways,” Sacramento Fire Department Capt. Keith Wade said. “We want them come down. We want them to enjoy the water, but they need to do it safely.”
Wade said parents with small children must keep them within an arm’s reach so they can grab them if they get into trouble. He said jumping in cold water can quickly lead to hypothermia, preventing the brain and muscles from functioning properly making really difficult to get out of trouble.
“The other thing that people aren’t aware of when they get into this water, and it seems very calm right now, this water is moving, especially underneath. There’s a stronger current and it only takes several inches of water that’s moving kind of fast to knock someone off their balance,” Wade said.
Fire officials expect to get a lot of calls for water rescues over Memorial Day weekend as larger crowds head out to rivers and other waterways to celebrate the unofficial start of the summer. The Sacramento Fire Department had firefighters training on one of its rescue boats in the water off Tiscornia Beach in preparation for the weekend.
These types of water conditions can lead to death, especially if life jackets aren’t worn. Wade said anyone near the water, in the water or on a boat should be wearing one because they’re proven to save lives.
“We’ve never pulled anyone out of the water who was in trouble and had a life safety jacket on,” Wade said. “It’s always that they’re not wearing it and usually they’re not the greatest of swimmers.”
How alcohol can add to the danger
The volunteers with the Sacramento Fire Department Community Emergency Response Team will be out a Tiscornia Beach and other popular spots, handing out life jackets to those who need it, Wade said. They’re also going to be offering tips to safe in the water and warning those participating in risky behavior.
Drinking alcohol around water in the current conditions can become very dangerous as a result of impaired judgment and poor decisions, Wade said.
“Everyone likes to have a drink here and there, but to have a drink when you’re down here ... this water can kill,” Wade said. “We know if they’re drinking alcohol and getting in this water in the afternoon because it’s hot, it can lead to poor decision-making and can have poor outcomes.”
Robert Ross had been volunteer with Sacramento Fire CERT for 13 years. He said the water at Tiscornia Beach can be deceptive since water near the shore can be warm but drops 10 to 20 degrees further away from shore.
“What people don’t realize it’s kind of a flat shelf, then it drops off,” Ross said. “It’s a lot more dangerous than it looks like. It looks really calm and peaceful, but once you get into that dark section of the water, things get really tricky.”
