Fort Collins has closed all access to the Cache La Poudre River from city-owned and managed parks and natural areas bordering the river.
According to a city news release, the closure was made because of safety concerns for the public and potential rescuers as the river through town continues to rise.
The city says no one should be in the water because the Poudre is filled with debris that can get caught up and create a “strainer,” potentially trapping and drowning even experienced boaters and swimmers.
On Monday night, a Poudre Fire Authority rescue swimmer was trapped in a strainer during a search for a male witnesses said was stranded on an island in the river north of Fort Collins.
The witnesses told firefighters and Larimer County deputies that they saw the person waist deep in water and hanging onto trees.
But when officers arrived, they could not see anyone in the river. After talking to witnesses, rescue swimmers went into the river to search for the possible victim.
As they searched, one of the Poudre rescue swimmers was caught in a strainer. Another firefighter watching from the shore summoned additional rescuers.
By the time they reached the rescue swimmer, the force of the water was pushing his body downstream and his head under water. It took approximately 10 firefighters to bring the rescue swimmer to shore. The firefighter was evaluated on scene and released.
The report of the male trapped on the island was found to be erroneous.
Parks and natural areas covered in the river access closure include:
Gateway Natural Area
Butterfly Woods Natural Area
North Shields Pond Natural Area
Sterling Natural Area
McMurry Natural Area
Salyer Natural Area
River’s Edge Natural Area
Gustav Swanson Natural Area
Udall Natural Area
Springer Natural Area
Williams Natural Area
Kingfisher Point Natural Area
Nix Natural Area
Cattail Chorus Natural Area
Riverbend Ponds Natural Area
Cottonwood Hollow Natural Area
Arapaho Bend Natural Area
Lee Martinez Park
Legacy Park
Old Fort Collins Heritage Park
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