Safety reminder: Spring runoff creates dangerous river conditions

WEBER COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — A 17-year-old boy died this weekend after being swept away in the Weber River. Officials remind people to be cautious around the river as spring runoff continues to create dangerous conditions.   

Walking along the Weber River in west Weber County, some sections roar with rushing water while others are quiet, tranquil. Looks can sometimes be deceiving, though.

“Under there, there can be a pretty nasty undercurrent,” Weber Fire District Engineer and Heavy Rescue Team Lead Taylor Folk told ABC4. “It can actually be a lot faster than it looks visually.”  

Folk explained that those calm-looking areas are the biggest concern for rescuers this time of year.

“If you go in, it can take just seconds before you’re out of control and get swept,” he added.  

It’s not just the current that’s dangerous; fallen trees and other debris add to the hidden dangers where the water appears still.

“It can actually grab you and then with that water force coming onto you yourself, there’s no getting off of them,” Folk stated.  

The cause of these dangerous conditions is spring runoff. As spring temperatures set in, snow melts and delivers cold water into the river. Monday afternoon, ABC4 measured the temperature of the water in a shallow section of Weber River, it was less than 50 degrees.

“What that does to the body is — within minutes — hypothermia can start having effects on your muscles, and your motor skills start going away, the grip on your hands starts going away,” explained Folk. “Even for us as responders in dry suits, it’s minutes that our hands are cold enough that it becomes hard to hold onto a rope or something like that.”  

Runoff typically peaks in June, so even though the weather is warming up, Folk said the best practice right now is to stay out of the water altogether. If a person is going to get in the water, Folk shared this important reminder.

“The main thing is that if you do plan to get into the water, just remember that life jackets save lives,” Folk stated.