Tubing restrictions put in place on Clear Creek in Colorado with high runoff, swift water flow

Coloradans who want to go tubing on Clear Creek in the western part of the Denver metro area are going to have to make other plans for the next few weeks. Officials in Jefferson County and Golden on Wednesday morning announced that a limit on "waterway activities" will go into place at 8 a.m.

 The restrictions apply to the area in Jefferson County to the west of the city of Golden and through the city. That includes Vanover Park. Swimming and body surfing is also banned.

Bans on tubing on rivers and creeks in Colorado's foothills are common at this time of year with high runoff from the mountains, cold water temperatures and swift water flows.

"Water height and flows are expected to rise as the heavy snowpack continues to melt in the coming days," the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office wrote in a news release.

In Clear Creek, floating debris is also a danger right now.

 The sheriff's office says kayaks, whitewater canoes and professional rafting operations are all exempt but users will need to use flotation vests and helmets, and they should practice extreme caution.

The ban will be in place until water levels go down.