The Shuswap River in Enderby, July 9, 2021. Shuswap River ambassadors are warning residents and visitors to stay out of the popular river used by floaters in Enderby in the summer following several incidents over the last few days including a person who nearly drowned.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Shuswap River Ambassadors
July 14, 2021 - 4:30 PM
Shuswap River ambassadors are warning residents and visitors to stay out of the popular river used by floaters in Enderby in the summer following several incidents over the last few days including a person who nearly drowned.
There is a strong current and natural hazards, but despite warnings from the ambassadors, people are still floating on the Shuswap River.
"Over the past two days there have been a number of incidents reported to our office," they said in a Facebook post, July 12.
These incidents included: a rescue of a parent with a small child, a near drowning where alcohol was present, a lost group on the river calling the RCMP, and multiple advisories and assistance from waterfront owners and local residents.
"These incidents could have claimed lives. Respect the river, lifejackets/PDFs are mandatory," they wrote.
On July 12, the ambassadors reported water levels were at two-feet-eight inches deep with a water temperature of 22 Celsius.
While water levels have decreased 15 inches in the previous four days, there is still has a discharge rate that is three-and-a-half times faster than low water.
"With the number of incidents, rescues, and water conditions we do not recommend floating on inflatables," the ambassadors wrote.
The River Ambassador Program is a grant funded initiative to aid in the sustainability of the Shuswap River. Ambassadors educate river users on safety and protocols along with cleaning the banks and bed of the river.
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