King County requires life vests on major rivers
Summer is prime time for river recreation in King County, as people seek to beat the heat in boats, canoes, kayaks, inner tubes and more.
Just before summer started, King County Council members adopted legislation June 20 to require personal flotation devices on major King County rivers starting July 1. The life-vest requirement is due to expire Oct. 31.
The measure requires people to wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device on portions of the Raging, Snoqualmie, Tolt, Cedar, Green, Skykomish and White rivers in unincorporated areas.
The initial infraction carries only a warning. However, subsequent violations carry $86 fines. Enforcement is the responsibility of the King County Sheriff’s Office.
The legislation passed in a split decision. Issaquah-area representatives Councilwoman Kathy Lambert and Councilman Reagan Dunn joined other Republicans to vote against the measure.
(Though voters made the council nonpartisan in 2008, members continue to caucus along partisan lines on many issues.)
“I voted no because I believe educating the public about these dangers is more responsible than fining citizens,” Lambert said in a statement.
Eastside Fire & Rescue board members endorsed the measure in early June. County Executive Dow Constantine, Sheriff Sue Rahr, and other public health and safety officials, also backed the requirement.
The ordinance calls for the county to post signs at primary access points to major rivers, and to join regional organizations focused on drowning to prevent to promote life vest use.
Throughout the summer, health and safety officials plan to evaluate the rule and — relying on feedback from emergency responders and residents — determine whether changes should be made to the program or whether the requirement should be made permanent.
“Our rivers are beautiful and inviting this summer, but they are also deadly due to exceptionally high flows, cold temperatures and rechannelization from winter floods,” Councilman Larry Phillips, sponsor and Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee chairman, said in a statement. “Requiring personal floatation devices will allow people to enjoy King County rivers while saving lives and life safety resources.”
Warren Kagarise: 392-6434, ext. 234, or wkagarise@isspress.com. Comment at www.issaquahpress.com.
Recreational Inner Tubes - News
Summer is prime time for river recreation in King County, as people seek to beat the heat in boats, canoes, kayaks, inner tubes and more. Just before summer started, King County Council members adopted legislation June 20 to require
Do not use air-filled or foam toys, such as “water wings,” “noodles,” or inner-tubes, in place of life jackets (personal flotation devices). These toys are not designed to keep swimmers safe. • Avoid alcohol. Avoid drinking alcohol before or during
A sailor from Lemoore Naval Air Station remains missing and is presumed drowned more than a week after he and friends got caught in a weir, or small overflow dam, while floating on inner-tubes on the Kings River near Laton-Kingston Park.
west of Fort Collins of drowning and complications of heart disease. Officials restricted some recreational access to the Poudre because of the flows. Inner tubes, air mattresses and small inflatable rafts have been banned until the waters calm down.
The sheriff's office cautioned in the news release that the section is still challenging and dangerous to people without the proper flotation devices and who are ill-prepared, especially to those trying to float the rivers on inner tubes or float toys.
Runoff news: Elk River expected to peak (again) Thursday « Coyote ...
The National Weather Service is predicting that the higher temperatures forecast for Steamboat Springs this week will cause rivers to rise again, bringing the Elk River near Milner above flood stage during its peak later in the week. The Elk was running at just under its flood stage of 7.5 feet at about noon Sunday, and it briefly rose above it to 7.64 feet early Saturday. Hydrologists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association have forecast the river to peak at about 8 feet early Thursday. Their forecast is weather dependent and is not as dependable as a short-term prediction…
Routt County Emergency Management Director Bob Struble said Sunday that rivers and streams in the area should flow steadily around their current levels this week until they begin a slow, gradual decline heading into July. The Elk was flowing at 5,370 cubic feet per second Sunday afternoon, well below its peak of 7,000 cfs a couple of weeks ago. However, hydrologists at the National Weather Service are forecasting that the flow could increase to 7,810 cfs briefly when the river is forecast to reach a peak of 8 feet early Friday near Milner. After that, the Elk and the Yampa are expected to gradually recede…
He said the Yampa is peaking between 11:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. and isn’t expected to rise above its action stage of 7 feet this week. The river is forecast to peak in Steamboat at 6.6 feet at about midnight Thursday…
The continued elevated river flows of the Yampa in town caused the Routt County Sheriff’s Office to forbid recreational floating in single-chamber inflatable boats — which includes inner tubes — until July.
The flood advisory for the Poudre River issued by the National Weather Service in Denver remains in effect as water levels rise. The advisory notes that temperatures will climb above seasonal norms, prompting very high flows on the Poudre through next week. A flow between 3,500 and 4,500 cubic feet per second in Greeley could cause flooding in some areas. Last year’s flooding topped out at 4,770 cfs. Greeley’s river depths hit just over 7.5 feet this morning [June 25] with the river topping out at 1,880 cfs at 7:30 a.m.
Despite statewide reports of snowpack levels well above average for 2011, the Upper Bear Creek Watershed is flowing at about half of average this year due to an unfavorable snow pattern that affected the east slope of Mount Evans. “We have never, ever been this out of whack with the rest of the state before,” said Gerry Schulte, general manager of the Evergreen Metro District for 29 years.
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