Nevada County is known for being beautiful with its peaceful scenery, free-range wildlife, and friendly community. It also has almost 20 rivers flowing through it, including the Yuba River, which is a popular site for locals and tourists alike. However, enjoying the river comes with risks and visitors should do so safely. In a phone interview with Nevada County Sheriff Shannon Moon on March 27, she said, “If we’re not patrolling it, there’s tragedy.”
The Sheriff’s department and other local law enforcement work to protect visitors and spread awareness about dangerous river conditions, but unfortunately drownings can still happen. From 2008 to 2018, for instance, 11 people drowned, and in recent years conditions are intensifying and there have been more drownings.
River safety is becoming harder to practice as a warming climate changes the pattern of river flow, with more winter precipitation falling and running into streams. This has moved local groups to do outreach on river safety leading up to the spring and summer months.
Recreating on a Wild River
Fatalities and accidents along the river have become a dangerous trend for visitors. Public data sites such as the American Whitewater Association provide reports that document deaths and accidents. Operations such as the Nevada County Search and Rescue Team, led by Sheriff Moon, works to look for the victims of river accidents and provide information.
Sheriff Moon explained the challenge, “We have a lot of recreational opportunities, which unfortunately does lead sometimes to the tragedy of Mother Nature and people sometimes not heeding some of the warnings that come with recreating on a wild river… If you’re looking at the flow of our rivers, we’re still in the snow melt off, so the rivers are just running way too fast for anybody to actually be able to get in.”
It may seem obvious to stay out of the water when currents are fast or temperatures are cold, but most dangerous aspects of the river are out of plain sight.
Cailtin Martin, Education and Outreach Coordinator and head of the Ambassador Program for South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) said in a phone interview on April 17th:
“The Yuba is a really strong and dynamic force of a river. We have level 3-5 rapids depending on where you are.”
Martin explained further that it can be difficult to tell what is dangerous in the river. She said, “The biggest thing is that the condition of the river is constantly changing; the river system is really dynamic and changes year to year. You might have visited a part of the river at the same time last year, and the river may have changed since then. Rocks can shift, and there might be recirculating holes or dams that control flows.”
These characteristics are harder to spot out, and can make the river even more dangerous for those who don’t know about Hydrology. I asked a student on the Nevada County Sierra College campus on April 21st about more recent tragedies in the Yuba River. He said:
“It’s scary, because the river seems chill most of the time, so it’s easy to forget how fast things can go wrong. It makes me think twice about how careful I am, too. A lot of us don’t realize how dangerous it can be until something tragic happens, and by then it’s too late.”
River Monitoring Programs
Thankfully, Nevada County and its related programs have put many resources in place to make visiting the river a safer excursion. One of these programs is the South Yuba River Public Safety Cohort, a program that SYRCL is also a part of. In 2019, they reinstalled emergency call boxes in hot spots along the Yuba, for any citizens in sudden danger. There is also signage all along the Yuba that shows river conditions.
Sheriff Moon said, “We’re constantly looking for ways to outreach and share the message to locals about river safety; it’s a constant for us on how we can better reach our community.”
SYRCL has many programs that happen throughout the year to better educate people and improve the Yuba’s surroundings. This includes lessons with local schools, film festivals, restoration projects, and cleanup events.
SYRCL also heads to the Highway forty-nine area every weekend during summer to inform people about the river, and provide the essentials for a lovely visit. Martin said, “We’re out at river spots every weekend and we have literature about hydrology that people can take a look at to learn more about river safety and the risks that are present.”
Overall, County locals may be more informed about river safety than tourists from further away. I interviewed Rebecca North, a local I met near the Bridgeport area of the Yuba river on April 11th. She said, “I think there’s been some cases over the past few years that have really alarmed people… [but] there are a lot of resources around us in Nevada County that can keep you well informed. I read local reports… and assess the conditions for myself. Like today, we went to the river with children and could clearly see that the rapids were too fast, so we went to a puddle on the side of it.”
Have Fun and Stay Safe this River Season
Even though the river can sometimes be a dangerous place to visit, it’s still a great option to avoid the heat and enjoy your day during the late summertimes. It’s just important to know how to make your journey safer.
Make sure to look at the official South Yuba River State Park rules for visitors. It may also be helpful to check out the Yuba River forecast, which gives a daily look into river levels and safety.
Park in safe areas and refrain from parking on tight roads. This allows first responders and other emergency services to get down to the river in the case of an accident. Sheriff Moon said:
“There’s nothing better than jumping in and going for a swim in the river. It just can really be dangerous because of the temperatures of the water, the flow, the rock formations underneath… be smart and be safe.”
Cailtlin Martin also concluded our interview by giving some advice to visitors of the river. She said, “You can’t see what’s under the surface. So it’s safer to test it out a little bit or go to an area that is more shallow or you might be more familiar with rather than jumping right in… Even if you’re comfortable, make sure you are not reckless.”
Written and Reported by Evie Walsh
