Drowning deaths on Colorado rivers, lakes alarming, officials say

People fish as the sun rises and shines on the waters of Chatfield Reservoir on August 29, 2022 in Littleton, Colorado.

Twelve people have died on Colorado’s rivers and lakes so far in 2024, raising concerns among state officials as water-related deaths are already higher than this time last year.

Four people died or went missing in water-related accidents Thursday, including a woman who died after a raft crashed into a bridge pillar in Poudre Canyon; one man who died and a second who is missing after a rafting accident on the Colorado River southwest of Kremmling; and a man who drowned in Chatfield Reservoir.

That adds to eight water-related deaths tracked by Colorado Parks and Wildlife before Memorial Day, which is “very high” for this time of the season, spokeswoman Kara Van Hoose said Monday.

There is no statewide authority that keeps an official count of water-related deaths in Colorado, although CPW keeps an unofficial count, Van Hoose said.

Colorado saw 32 water-related deaths in 2023 and a record 42 deaths in 2022, according to CPW.

“We don’t want to hit the 2022 numbers, but it’s certainly alarming to see this number of fatal crashes,” Van Hoose said Monday.

Wearing a life jacket, knowing the forecast and preparing for changing weather is the best way people can stay safe on the water, Van Hoose said.

Three people were rescued from Dillon Reservoir on May 25 after a storm overturned a kayak and canoe, sending boaters into 43-degree water, according to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. All were wearing life jackets, which likely saved their lives, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

It’s not enough to have a life jacket nearby when you’re out on the water, Van Hoose said.

“What we see a lot of times is people have their life jacket with them on the boat, but they’re not wearing it,” Van Hoose said. “A life jacket doesn’t do you much good if you don’t wear it.”

Any pets along the ride must also be secured in their own flotation device, Van Hoose added.

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