Rafters Rescued From Trinity River
Press release from the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office:
News, nature, and community throughout the Emerald Triangle
News, nature, and community throughout the Emerald Triangle
Press release from the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office:
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
Stay out of the rivers until June… Just saying . They are running unusually high, still extremely cold, and those factors combined with the swift current will kill you .
🕯Very good advice. 👍🏾👍🏾
Good morning, Willie.
You found me.🐸
Never before the 4th of July.
🕯Good morning Kym, congratulations to all agencies involved in the rescue,and great job.👍🏾
Warning!
Stay out of the Trinity River in April!
Stay out of the Trinity River till August.
but Annie says, the sun will come out tomorrow
Very good advice yes the sun came out for one day that doesn’t mean you go rafting stay out of the river save your life and those with you and those trying to rescue you if you do get in trouble
The California Data Exchange Center indicates that the release of water from Trinity Lake is at about 5,000 cfs, as apposed to about 600 cfs two days ago. Might check that site before jumping in the river.
Omg
Actually that doesn’t help much because it’s the release from Trinity Lake into Lewiston reservoir, not into the river. The release from Lewiston is just over 3300 cfs right now and according to real stream data the flow at Douglas City is just over 3800 cfs. That said, spring flows of that level are navigable and fun if one is experienced and prepared.
From the Bagdad river access to Big Flat is an outstanding run at this level, but it can also kick your ass. Even with warm air temperatures, one must be prepared for long, cold swims by wearing the right gear. For example wet suit, booties, pfd (life jacket), and helmet. If you’re used to rafting in the summer months, it isn’t even close to the same. The hydraulics are bigger and more intense. Eddie’s are smaller and the eddy lines can be violent. And the most dangerous aspect of high water is the prevalence of strainers: trees and bushes that are either submerged along the banks or in the main channels. These can be fatal to swimmers. Bottom line: know before you go and always be prepared.
P.S. I’ve rafted the Trinity in every month of the year. At one point or another I’ve boated the entire length of the river from Douglas City to the confluence with the Klamath River. My first trip was in May 1975.
You are a river runner. I’m a river runner. (Used to live in Idaho.) I understand and agree with the points made.
Folks who know nothing about big water should stay away.
Yep.
🕯All really good advice. That’s why I like coming here.
The water at that time was running over 7,000 cf/s and while that is not a large (human caused) flood it is still way more than normal. USGS is conducting their wet year water releases and the river has been ramping up and down since April 14. No one should be on the river unless they are professionals. Anyone else who is is just plain dumb ass. These cold, swift, and high waters will claim someone else, and next time it may not be such a happy ending. Perhaps my view is harsh, but as someone who went down the Burnt Ranch Gorge in normal low summertime flows on an inner tube (yes, I was the dumb ass that time) I know how dangerous it can be. It was a lesson I learned almost 45 years ago, and the lesson has stayed with me ever since.
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ca/nwis/uv?period=14&begin_date=2016-02-24&end_date=2016-03-09&cb_00060=on&site_no=11523200%2C11525500%2C11527000&format=gif_mult_sites
I wonder if people get billed for these rescue services? They definitely should!
My rule this time of year is in to ankles only, & only if its where the waters calmer near shore.
Bring jugs&dump water on yrself if you’re hot.
A lot of creeks are flowing super heavy too, watch out.
I drove 299 yesterday and the trinity is very high, very murky and very cold. Its an absolute monster near willow creek. Not too bad at douglas city, tho, but it picks up volume quickly in just a few miles. After the north fork, its treacherous.
Release schedule. It’s a wet year and they’re dumping a lot of water.
http://www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/current/
On 4/29 they’ll dump 10.9k.
I drove through there today and the river is high. The riparian trees along the banks have their feet in the water. That would make it tough to get to shore.
Trinity river release schedule
Objectives for the 2019 “Wet” WY: Transport sediment and scour fine sediment from the channel and deposit it on
floodplains; provide flow and temperatures for juvenile salmonid rearing and enable adult holding and spawning habitat; discourage riparian plant growth within the channel; distribute Chinook fingerlings released from Trinity River Hatchery.
Date. Avg. Peak release
14-Apr 442 1050 24-May 3563 4500 3-Jul 1746 1850
15-Apr 3008 4200 25-May 3463 4000 4-Jul 1667 1750
16-Apr 3250 3800 26-May 2779 2950 5-Jul 1592 1650
17-Apr 7083 9850 27-May 2525 2650 6-Jul 1521 1600
18-Apr 7488 8850 28-May 2458 2600 7-Jul 1450 1500
19-Apr 5088 6000 29-May 2400 2550 8-Jul 1392 1450
20-Apr 3483 4000 30-May 2346 2500 9-Jul 1317 1400
21-Apr 2808 3250 31-May 2279 2450 10-Jul 1258 1300
22-Apr 2558 2850 1-Jun 2283 2400 11-Jul 1200 1250
23-Apr 2363 2650 2-Jun 2233 2400 12-Jul 1150 1200
24-Apr 2167 2400 3-Jun 2183 2350 13-Jul 1092 1150
25-Apr 2075 2300 4-Jun 2129 2300 14-Jul 1042 1100
26-Apr 2025 2200 5-Jun 2317 3100 15-Jul 1000 1050
27-Apr 1946 2100 6-Jun 2800 3700 16-Jul 967 1000
28-Apr 2088 3050 7-Jun 3563 3800 17-Jul 929 950
29-Apr 7929 10900 8-Jun 3050 3600 18-Jul 900 950
30-Apr 9000 10100 9-Jun 2279 2450 19-Jul 879 900
1-May 6875 7700 10-Jun 2188 2400 20-Jul 850 900
2-May 5263 5900 11-Jun 2175 2300 21-Jul 829 850
3-May 4096 4600 12-Jun 2092 2250 22-Jul 800 850
4-May 3617 3850 13-Jun 2071 2200 23-Jul 779 800
5-May 3200 3600 14-Jun 2050 2200 24-Jul 746 800
6-May 2975 3250 15-Jun 2013 2150 25-Jul 729 750
7-May 2863 3100 16-Jun 1996 2100 26-Jul 700 750
8-May 2775 3000 17-Jun 1967 2100 27-Jul 679 700
9-May 2725 2950 18-Jun 1946 2050 28-Jul 650 650
10-May 2688 2900 19-Jun 1913 2050 29-Jul 629 650
11-May 2629 2850 20-Jun 1883 2000 30-Jul 600 600
12-May 2583 2800 21-Jun 1875 2000 31-Jul 583 600
13-May 2525 2700 22-Jun 1875 2000 1-Aug 563 600
14-May 2479 2650 23-Jun 2275 2450 2-Aug 538 550
15-May 2471 2650 24-Jun 2079 2200 3-Aug 525 550
16-May 2429 2600 25-Jun 2000 2100 4-Aug 500 500
17-May 2442 2700 26-Jun 2913 3200 5-Aug 495 450
18-May 5408 7200 27-Jun 2625 2950 6-Aug 450 450
19-May 4933 5800 28-Jun 2263 2400 7-Aug 450 450
20-May 3892 4250 29-Jun 2113 2300 8-Aug 450 450
21-May 3138 3400 30-Jun 1996 2100 9-Aug 450 450
22-May 2867 3050 1-Jul 1917 2000 10-Aug 450 450
23-May 2729 2900 2-Jul 1829 1950 11-Aug 450 450
*Flow release schedule shown here provides daily average and instantaneous peak values rounded to the nearest 50 cfs.
Sorry about the blurry image. Go to the site for clarity.
Um, thanks. I think.
I hope the rescuees paid for the helicopter rescue