Spring Flooding Means Great White Water Rafting

Here in Colorado we have had record snowfall this year. Just a few days ago the highest peaks on the mountain range were completely white. This morning they were about 3/4 white, and for those of you who dont live with 14,000 foot mountains, that is a LOT of snowmelt coming down into our rivers.

I heard on the radio this morning that about mid-June we can expect to have peak river flow from the snowmelt. While this sounds exciting and fun for river rafting, specifically WHITE WATER river rafting, it also signals a dangerous time to even be near our mountainous rivers.

Each spring we hear of people enjoying river fun only to find them selves having to be rescued, or worse, fast water rescue teams going into "recovery mode" because the swift river took someones feet out from under them. Even dogs are not safe.

The good news is that most of our lakes downstream in the Denver metro area have plenty of room to accept the spring runoff.

When I was about 12 years old, my family visited Lake Powell in late spring. The Colorado river feeds into Lake Powell and the runoff was so spectacular that year that the lake literally rose about a foot per day. Lake Powell has several thousands of miles of coastline so that was an extraordinary amount of runoff!

If you decide to partake in white water fun, be safe out there, folks!