Heading to a River This Summer? Here’s How to Stay Safe

Northern California is getting a major heat wave this week. And when the weather gets as warm as this, many residents seek relief from the sun by heading out to the state’s beautiful rivers.

Some rivers, like the American River, are not flowing as harshly as they did last year when conditions led officials to warn that swimming could be life-threatening. The snowpack — which contributes to strong, cold river flows — in the Sierra Nevada mountains has been average this season, in contrast to 2023’s epic winter. For example, this graph shows the water outflow into the American River.

However, your local river could still be fast and cold this year — and pose a potential threat even if you’re not planning on going into the water.

If you’re planning to visit the river this season, here are some tips from officials to ensure a safe trip for you and your loved ones.

Be particularly careful at the South Yuba River

As they did in 2023, Nevada County officials are again emphasizing possibly dangerous conditions at the South Yuba River due to fast and often unpredictable water flows, according to public information officer Taylor Wolfe.

“Our Yuba River is majestic, but she’s also unforgiving, and it only takes an instant to lose a life,” District 4 Supervisor Sue Hoek said in a news release, which also reported that one person has already died in the high water flows of this river in May.

“Tragic and fatal accidents happen at the river every year, and this year, water flows are even more unregulated with the water flowing from Spaulding Dam,” Nevada County Consolidated Fire District Operations Chief Pat Sullivan said. “In an area where you could be standing on a rock high and dry in the morning, you could be knee-deep in cold and dangerous fast-flowing water in the afternoon.”

Check the status and temperature of the river

Sarah Kennedy, California State Parks’ boating safety education and outreach coordinator, told KQED in 2023 that visitors should check out Dreamflows and American Whitewater, two handy websites that allow you to assess the flow of a river before you go.

On these maps, the color green denotes the rivers where the flow is safer — but be warned that even these rivers can have high flows that demand caution. For example, while some parts of the Yuba River may be calmer, other parts may be best left to more experienced visitors.

You can also check the temperature of an area’s water using the California Nevada River Forecast Center’s map, where you can also check for any specific messaging around that county’s rivers.

Make sure you pack properly for your river trip

Once you’ve checked online how swift the river is, using a resource like Dreamflows or American Whitewater, here’s a checklist of things to then keep in mind when prepping for your trip, according to experts like Kennedy, Nevada County official Heidi Hall and Sacramento Park’s ranger commander David Spencer in interviews with KQED in 2023.

• Do you have the right shoes to get down to the river if a hike is required?
• Do you have enough drinkable water?
• Do you have enough food?
• Do you have a trash bag to pack out your litter?

You should also be ready for the fact that some of the most picturesque (and private) river spots are in remote areas, potentially with no cell service or amenities like drinking water or bathrooms. Prepare to be “in the wild for the day,” Hall said. (According to a 2024 news release from Nevada County, there can be a 15- to 45-minute emergency response time.)

Kennedy said visitors should know where they are on the river and whether there is a big rapid nearby. She suggested people not wade or swim right now, even if it looks calm.

The reason is hydraulic holes in the river, which can suck people in — even those with life jackets, she said.

Spencer, the ranger commander from Sacramento, asked people to have a plan when getting into the water and to have someone onshore who can track them since the cold water can be quickly disorienting. See more water safety tips about the American River.

Know what you’d do if somebody gets into trouble in the water

If you see someone in trouble in the water or spot somebody falling in, don’t jump in after them.

“It’s hard not to go after someone that you love, but … you’ll probably become a victim yourself,” Kennedy said.

Instead, Kennedy said that “the best thing you can do” is to call 911 immediately with your exact location and a description of what that person was wearing. “ The best thing you can do is keep an eye on them, keep calm, know exactly where you are and be able to give good information” to the emergency services, she said.

Spencer echoes the importance of giving accurate descriptions to 911 operators: On the American River, “we usually will have an airship in the air, or they’ll get one in the air pretty quick to help locate these people,” he said. “And knowing what they’re wearing really helps us.”

Sacramento County’s water safety guidance suggested yelling, “Help!” to draw attention if you spot someone in trouble in the water, and — if you’re able, without getting in the water yourself — reaching toward the person with a pole, branch or paddle, to help them stay afloat until they can get to shore or help arrives. If you have a life jacket or ice chest on hand, you could also throw that out.

To raise the chances of a person staying afloat, Hall said people can put their feet up, facing down the river, and try to go through the rapids to swim out.

Along the South Yuba River, where the cellphone signal is frequently spotty or nonexistent, there are emergency call boxes at Bridgeport, Purdon, Edwards, Maybert Road and Highway 49 river crossings.

Get a life jacket

All of the experts emphasized the importance of having a fitted life vest, especially those good for whitewater, even if you’re just fishing.

“The American River, even with milder flows, can still be dangerous, and the best way to stay safe is by wearing a life jacket,” Ken Casparis, spokesperson for Sacramento County, told KQED in an email.

“If you plan on floating down the river this summer, make sure you have a durable raft or kayak — pool floaties and other pool toys purchased at most big box stores can be easily punctured by branches or other sharp objects stuck in the riverbed,” Casparis said.

Find your county on this list to borrow a life jacket through the Life Jacket Loaner program. Children under 13 on the American River are legally required to wear a life vest.

Think carefully about alcohol at the river

Hall outright advised against bringing alcohol to the river as it impairs judgment.

“A few of our parks have zero tolerance on alcohol,” Spencer also said. “We enforce that pretty strictly.”

“But if you’re going to choose to be in one of those parks that allows alcohol and you choose to be in the water, please be safe,” he urged. “Make sure that you don’t overestimate your abilities.

Whatever you’re doing or consuming, take the time to “make sure people keep track of each other,” Spencer said. “And don’t hesitate to call 911 because seconds really count in the river.”

Pausing on river plans for now? Check out the alternatives

Hall said some lakes could be a safer visit (but can still be cold), such as:

• Sardine Lake
• Gold Lake
• Grouse Ridge
• Scotts Flat Lake
• Lions Lake at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, which offers family-friendly fishing.