Body recovered from Sacramento River; Officials again warn to stay out of "dangerous" local waterways
SACRAMENTO — Rescue crews recovered a dead body from the Sacramento River late Tuesday afternoon.
Police said the body recovery happened shortly before 5 p.m. near Robert Matsui Waterfront Park and the I Street bridge that connects Sacramento and West Sacramento.
The Sacramento Fire Department said it appeared the body may have been there for a while. Though it is unclear how the person died, this comes amid a rise in water rescues, drownings and warnings from officials to stay out of the water.
Sacramento County Regional Parks said the Watt Avenue Access point to the American River is closed until further notice as it is expected to be submerged under water.
According to Regional Parks, the American River is flowing "dangerously fast" — in fact, it is flowing eight times faster than it normally does during the summer months.
The river is also very cold. Regional Parks said the water was 54 degrees in Sacramento on Tuesday, with hypothermia being a real concern for those who get in the water without the proper safety precautions.
In addition to the water moving faster, the levels are also higher as a near-historic Sierra snowpack from the winter storms continues to melt. Regional Parks said water releases from Folsom Lake into the American River were expected to exceed 15,000 cubic feet per second Tuesday and Wednesday.
The danger doesn't only exist along the Sacramento or American River. Just on Monday, crews rescued a 19-year-old man who was stranded on a tree in the middle of the Cosumnes River in the Rancho Murieta area, east of Sacramento.
The teen was rafting with friends when he fell into the river without a life jacket. He was able to cling to a tree branch in the middle of the river to avoid being swept away. A rescue team from Sacramento Metro Fire was able to get the 19-year-old to safety.
On Monday, authorities in Placer County identified a body found Saturday in Folsom Lake as 22-year-old Victor Nguyen of Antelope. In a GoFundMe post, Nguyen's family said he was swept away near Auburn in the current of the American River on April 30.
In Central California, an 8-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy died after being swept away in Kings River. The bodies of both children went missing in the high and fast-moving water over the weekend.
It's incidents like these that have prompted officials in Sacramento County to warn civilians to stay out of the water as we head into Memorial Day Weekend. Businesses like the popular American River Raft Rentals in Rancho Cordova already announced a temporary closure due to the current dangers of the water.
Here is the warning Monday from Regional Parks advising civilians to stay off the American River until further notice.
Spread the Word: Regional Parks is urging residents to stay off the river until further notice. Releases from Folsom Lake into the American River are expected to increase to 15,000 cubic feet per second tonight and into tomorrow! This is incredibly swift and dangerous. pic.twitter.com/4AsIHUZgJB
— SacRegionalParks (@SacRegionalPark) May 22, 2023