County officials urge extra care and caution around lakes and rivers after heavy winter snow

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - El Dorado County officials are advising residents and visitors to take extra precautions this year to prevent drowning in the area's rivers and lakes. They are moving faster and are much higher than normal and pose a great risk, and two men have already died in rapids this year, one in the American River and the other in the Truckee River.

As the weather warms up and more families head to rivers, lakes, and swimming pools, El Dorado County Public Health Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams, is advising residents to take extra precautions.

"No one wants to lose a loved one to drowning," said Dr. Williams. "Fortunately, drowning incidents are preventable, and taking simple actions can absolutely save lives."

According to Dr. Williams, El Dorado County officials are especially concerned about getting the word out this year on water safety due to higher-than-normal water levels on local rivers and lakes.

"Winter brought remarkable snowfall to the Sierra Nevada, and warm temperatures are quickly melting that snow, sending high volumes of very cold, fast-moving water down El Dorado County's rivers," said Dr. Williams. "River and lake-related deaths typically increase in numbers during high-water years. Hot weather will be here soon, increasing the temptation to escape to rivers and lakes to cool off. However, recreating in these bodies of water poses greater danger than usual this year. Uneven or slippery footing, waves, and forceful waterflow can result in people falling into water, exposing them to extreme cold, and possibly sweeping them away.

Suddenly falling into very cold water can cause shock take one's breath away, and quickly lead to drowning, even for good swimmers," explained Williams.

These dangers aren't limited to rivers. Lake Tahoe and other mountain lakes can be very cold, too Although swimming in shallow water near shorelines is generally safe for people who can swim, falling off a boat into the deep cold water can quickly lead to hypothermia, even when a person is wearing a personal floatation device.

"These risks are real, both for adults and for children," said Dr. Williams who emphasized the importance of parents and youth being especially cautious this year to prevent drowning deaths of children.

El Dorado County has a child death review team that reviews the deaths of children that occur in the county and deaths where children from El Dorado County died outside of the county. Drowning deaths are included in those reviews.

Kathryn Jeanfreau, El Dorado County Public Health Epidemiologist and member of the child death review team noted that, "over the past ten years
(2013-2022), a total of nine child drowning incidents occurred in El Dorado County, and all of them involved a natural body of water such as a river or lake."

In addition to being careful around natural bodies of water, Dr. Williams noted that precautions should be taken with children near swimming pools.

"Child drownings are often associated with unfenced swimming pools and lack of adult supervision," said Dr. Williams. "Any drowning death is tragic and that's why we want to remind everyone to be especially careful this year."

- General water safety tips include the following:
- Keep a safe distance from fast-moving or high-volume rivers.
- Wear a Personal Floatation Device whenever boating in water that is deeper than where you can stand.
- Know how to get back onto your watercraft if you fall off.
- Enjoy water sports with other people, not while alone.
- Consult weather and boating forecasts for wind and wave conditions before boating on lakes. Do not go out if there is a small-craft warning.
- Avoid recreating in and around water after consuming alcohol or prescription or nonprescription drugs.
- If you have a swimming pool, install perimeter fencing.
Constantly supervise any children around water until they are competent swimmers
- Teach children to swim while they are young.
- Do not leave even shallow amounts of water or liquid in bathtubs or containers like buckets that very young children could fall in and not be able to get out of.

For more information:
National Center for Cold Water Safety (https://www.coldwatersafety.org/cold-water)
El Dorado County Parks, Trails, & River Management (https://edcgov.us/Government/Parks)
California Division of Boating & Waterways / Boating and water safety, drowning statistics (https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/?page id=29475
California Division of Boating & Waterways / Cold water boating safety tips (https://tinyurl.com/4v8cu79)