Dillon Reservoir rescues prompt warnings from Colorado rangers: "A trend we need to stop, best way to stop that is prevention"
While it might be one of Colorado's most picturesque water recreational locations, Dillon Reservoir also boasts some of the coldest water in the state, as it's fed directly from an alpine snowpack melting down.
"This cold water temperature in this lake, we are in the high forties," explained Summit County Sheriff's Office Boat Ranger Kevin Kelble.
While that temperature eventually does warm up, it means if folks fall into the reservoir, they're in for a shock. A cold shock.
"Your survival time without (snow) run-off is probably one to two minutes before you lose the ability to swim," Kelble said, detailing a condition called "cold shock."
"It is not hypothermia, but because the water is so cold you are going to lose that ability to use your muscles and you just sink like a stone."
It's a concern every time someone is blown off their paddle board or kayak, especially if someone is not wearing a lifejacket (as mandated by law.) Already Colorado has seen eight drownings, six of which were recreational. Of those six, none of the victims were wearing life jackets. Kelble said it's a terrible trend to see this early in the season.
"A trend we need to stop, best way to stop that is prevention," Kelble said.
Just over Memorial Day Weekend, the SCSO recorded multiple rescues from the reservoir due to a popup storm in the afternoon, when winds and waves sprouted in the matter of a few minutes.
"All of the sudden the wind went up to 30 to 40 mph and we had two to three foot waves, we ended up with multiple rescues going on at the same time," Kelble said.
While they were able to get to every person that day, rangers are hopeful that the importance of life jackets are not lost on people; that includes actually wearing them, not just having them nearby.
Kelble said he has seen it too many times, where the wind will pick up, knock someone off their water craft, and leave them stranded without a way to get back.
"If you choose to put that life jacket on stuffed up under the canue or kayak, there goes your life jacket," Kelble said. "It is blowing exactly where your paddle board is, you are not going to be able to swim to it, especially in this lake, you are going to lose that ability to swim and you are going to drown, it is that simple. "
