Going into the weekend, first responders in Pueblo are stepping up warnings about the need for caution at local waterways. “Unfortunately. almost every year we lose some of our citizens in the river that got into some dangerous situation,” said Pueblo Fire Department, Captain, Woody Percival. This weekend temperatures head into the 80’s. Warm enough to attract a lot more to people to and into water fun spots like the Arkansas River.
Water levels and speeds in the river can change quickly this time of year because of run-off from the mountains. “Within a matter of an hour it can change with water-flows that they release from the dam.” The river is expected to rise quite a bit going into June after a cooler than normal May.
Another caution is about the shock to a human system, going from warm air into water that is coming from melting snow. “The colder the water, you can develop cramp symptoms, muscle cramps, things like that, that would obviously effect your ability to swim and self-protect,” said Percival, “People may not realize because of the late spring we’re having that the water may be colder than what they’re used to after Memorial Day.”
