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Boating Ban On Sacramento River at Cypress Ave Bridge

Posted under: Boating Accidents — tslaughter @ 8:13 am

On April 23, 2009 the U.S. Bureau of Reclaimation announced that water flows from Keswick Dam will be increasing to a level above 7,000 cfs. Under guidelines adopted by the Redding City Council after reconstruction of the Cypress Ave bridge commenced two years ago, boat traffic under the bridge or construction tressels is prohibited when flows reach or exceed 7,000 cfs. Boating is stopped because of lack of clearance under the structures. This affects motorboats and non-motorized boats and flotilla alike.

According to the Record Searchlight signs have been posted announcing the closure. As we have stated in past posts, the signs do not seem to be effective, particularly for non-motorized traffic such as rafts, as people still access the river above the bridge, and once committed may not be able to get to shore before the flow takes them under the construction zone. From our office over the past year, we have seen many flotilla succumb to these circumstances. Fortunately, as far as we know, no one has been injured to this point.

We would recommend to casual rafters and others not familiar with the currents and topography near the Cypress Ave bridge, that access to the river be gained downstream from the bridge.

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Another Boating Accident at Bridge Construction

Posted under: Boating Accidents — tslaughter @ 9:28 am

On Thursday, October 30, 2008, another boating accident occurred on the Sacramento River in Redding. This time three visiting fishermen were cast from their boat at the construction site of the Highway 44 bridge. The boat struck a construction piling and capsized. The men were saved by nearby construction workers. The 14-foot aluminum boat was ill-suited for handling the currents of the river, particularly in this area where the waters are channelled into a narrow passage beneath the construction zone. Even local professional guides have noted the treacherous current caused by the channeling. There were life vests in the boat, but not worn at the time of the incident.

Like the bridge at Cypress Street, the Highway 44 bridge will be under construction for the next two years or so. Construction tressels have been built upon pilings that narrow the area for boating public to pass. At the 44 bridge, a peninsula has been built from the shore extending approximately 2/3’s the way across the river, greatly narrowing the channel and increasing the velocity of the flow beneath the structure.

The attorneys at Reiner, Simpson & Slaughter have been following the boating safety practices in the area from the Posse Grounds to the Cypress Street bridge since the construction work on the two bridges began. See our prior post. This is the third known boating accident involving the bridges under construction in our area in the last year. One man died when the driftboat he was in struck a construction piling at the North Street bridge in Anderson.

In the last few months we have noticed an increase in the number of boats and other flotilla passing under the construction zone at the Cypress Street bridge despite the fact that the City of Redding has closed this passage during high river flows. This last incident points out the fact that visiting boaters may not fully appreciate the hazards involved in maneuvering around these construction zones. In assessing the recreational and economical benefits that attend the boating use of this 1/2 mile segment of the Sacramento River, we should strongly factor in safety. After all, the construction work will only last a couple of years, but the loss of life is forever.

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Propeller Injury at Whiskeytown Lake

Posted under: Boating Accidents — tslaughter @ 9:25 am

REDDING, Calif. — The Record Searchlight reported that a young man in his late 20’s was seriously injured when he fell from the bow of a motorboat yesterday and was then struck by the propeller. Little details were available other than that the young man was taken to Mercy Medical Center.

As a reminder, the California Boating Safety Manual warns that:

Riding on the bow, gunwale, or transom of a vessel under way, propelled by machinery, when such position is not protected by railing or other reasonable deterrent, can result in passengers falling overboard.

This serves to remind us all that boating safety should always be paramount in our minds as we enjoy the pleasures and recreation that boating brings. Have fun, but be safe!

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Blog

April 24, 2009

Boating Ban On Sacramento River at Cypress Ave Bridge

October 31, 2008

Another Boating Accident at Bridge Construction

August 1, 2008

Propeller Injury at Whiskeytown Lake