Snowmelt raising flow to near flood stage in some areas

Law enforcement and state park authorities announced restrictions on recreational activity along the Arkansas River on Tuesday, citing melting snowpack that’s doubled the flow rate and pushed the river near the point of flooding.

The Arkansas River below Lake Pueblo Dam is closed to inner tubes and nonwhitewater boats, an official at Lake Pueblo State Park said Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Pueblo Police Department and the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office have restricted use of the Arkansas River from Pueblo Boulevard to the Otero County line to only whitewater canoes and kayaks, banning recreational swimming and using air-inflated floating devices, including life vests.

Lake Pueblo State Park Manager Monique Mullis said the parks department indefinitely closed a mile of the river, from Lake Pueblo State Park east to Pueblo Boulevard. Swimming is always prohibited, even in life jackets. The partial-use closure does not include the upper Arkansas River through the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area.

“When the water is flowing as high as it is, it makes it much more dangerous for people, particularly on inner tubes and nonwhitewater crafts,” Mullis said. “There’s also trees and strainers along the shoreline — and when the water is flowing this fast, it’s easy to get caught up in those things. Sometimes, you can get trapped — and that’s a big concern as well.”

All boaters and tubers, with the exception of whitewater canoes and kayaks, are prohibited until further notice. Fishing still is permitted, though wildlife officials urge extreme caution — especially with wading in from the shoreline — due to current river conditions.

Mullis said there were a couple of swimmers Monday who were separated from their tubes.

“There were some scary moments out there that definitely sealed our resignation to want to make sure we wanted to keep everyone as safe as possible on the river," she said.

The closures come as melting snowpack in the mountains caused river levels to swell to near flood stage in some places and pushed the rate of flow above 4,500 cubic feet per second. The average rate of flow in the Arkansas this time of year is 2,200 cubic feet per second.

“Right now, the river is flowing high and fast, creating a very hazardous situation,” said Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk Taylor. “Due to the dangerous condition of the river, we feel that for the safety of the public, we request people to stay out of the water until conditions improve.”

Mullis said the park enacted similar restrictions on the same section in 2015 after high flows. In 2015, the river remained closed for about three weeks.

The three agencies expect to monitor the river and coordinate a decision to reopen it when water flows return to a safe level, Mullis said.

“Each year, we evaluate the situation. This year, we’ve come to the conclusion that at this time it is just too risky for inner tubers," she said. "I believe that this is the third time that we have done this in the last 10 years.”

Mullis said river flows in the section closed to inner tubes are dynamic and could change daily depending on how much water the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation releases from the lake at any given time. As the lake fills, water must be released from the dam.

Mullis said she expects additional releases downstream for several weeks.

“People do not appreciate often the power of water, and there is 4,000 square cubic feet of water flowing per second down that river. You can think you are the best swimmer or whatever, but you still may not be able to withstand that water,” Mullis said. “As a park ranger, over the years, I’ve seen one poor decision cost somebody their life on occasion —and it’s so sad and so unnecessary. Inner tubing is for lazy rivers, not this situation.”

amestas@chieftain.com

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