The
melting of this year’s record snowpack is continuing to create
problems, with authorities warning of more flooding in Yosemite National
Park and fast-moving, high water at a popular Central Valley river. The
National Weather …
Snowmelt triggers a flood warning in Yosemite and a river closure in the Central Valley
The melting of this year’s record snowpack is continuing to create problems, with authorities warning of more flooding in Yosemite National Park and fast-moving, high water at a popular Central Valley river.
The National Weather Service
issued a flood warning Tuesday as Yosemite’s Pohono Bridge was expected
to be swamped overnight. By 4 a.m. Wednesday, the Merced River probably
will reach its flood stage of 10 feet, said Christine Riley, a weather
service meteorologist in Hanford, Calif.
Water levels should drop
below flood stage Wednesday morning and then rise again — possibly
reaching 10.3 feet between 3 and 5 a.m. Thursday, Riley said. On Friday,
the river peaked at 11.7 feet and caused minor flooding of the park’s campgrounds and bridges, she said.
Warmer temperatures in the Central Valley are melting the Sierra Nevada’s deep snowpack, in some cases causing dangerous river conditions.
Five drown in rough waters
At least five people have drowned while visiting forestland and parks in Tulare County in recent weeks.
Three
drownings in Sequoia National Forest caused authorities to close a
15-mile stretch of the Tule River on Friday, ranger Eric La Price said.
The closure extends through Sept. 30, but authorities will monitor the
conditions of the river weekly and could opt to reopen it sooner.
The
closure includes all access sites on the river’s Middle Fork area,
from the Giant Sequoia National Monument to the Moorehouse Fish
Hatchery. Snow-topped mountains are feeding rivers at a rate not seen
since before the drought, La Price said.
“The water conditions are very hazardous for the average person,” he said. “It will knock someone off their feet.”
On
April 13, 21-year-old Shreya Singh of Bakersfield slipped into the
river and Alondra Orozco went in to try to save her, according to the
Tulare County sheriff’s office. Singh’s body was recovered two days
later, but efforts to find Orozco, also 21, were scaled back because of
river conditions and safety concerns. Ten days later, Orozco’s body was
found in the river.
At Sequoia National Park, Karissa Jones, a 21-year-old Tulare woman, died April 22 after she fell into the Kaweah River’s Middle Fork area
and was swept two miles away. A week later, Tomas Martinez, an
18-year-old from Woodlake, Calif., was with friends and family when he
also fell into Kaweah’s Middle Fork area. His body was recovered May 1.
“Although
the rivers of the parks are beautiful and picturesque, they are still
an extremely dangerous place to recreate,” U.S. Park Service ranger
Chris Waldschmidt said in a statement. “Due to the record-level
snowpack, the rivers with their fast, cold water continue to rise.
Please give these environments the respect they deserve for your own
personal safety.”
Last week, Jose Carlos Molina was swept away by
“extremely fast and dangerous currents” in a popular Tule River swimming
hole known as “The Stairs,” the sheriff’s office said. Witnesses heard
Molina screaming for help as he was pulled into the water. A dive team
later found his body about a mile and a half downstream.
Molina’s
death prompted a stern warning from Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux
last week: “Stay away from the river’s edge and don’t enter the water.” A swimming hole along the Tule River in the Sequoia National Forest. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
‘Even if the water looks inviting...’
As temperatures increase, river conditions in the Central Valley could appear welcoming.
But looks can be deceiving.
Although
temperatures in Yosemite Valley have been in the 70s and 80s, rivers
are chilly, Riley said. Water temperatures will be in the 40s and 50s
this week, and the rivers also are faster-moving because of the heavy
snowmelt, she said.
The weather service is working with park
rangers to keep visitors informed of conditions; warning signs have been
posted and rangers are monitoring the rivers.
“Even if the water looks inviting, it’s very dangerous,” Riley said. What to know before you navigate any rough waters
Watch your step. Park officials said rocks are particularly slippery along a river’s edge
Bring a friend if you plan on walking or hiking along any river.
If you do plan to enter the water, wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life vest.
The best advice for the time being, according to park officials, is to just avoid the water.
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