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Emergency management, the sheriff's
department and other county authorities say that anyone
thinking of water recreation should exercise extreme caution.
"Anything without a motor on it should stay off the waterways,"
Logan County Emergency Management Agency director Dan Fulscher said
on Thursday.
High water levels over recent
years have pulled a lot of trees, brush and debris into all of Logan
County's waterways, including Kickapoo, Salt and Sugar
creeks. Conditions are extremely hazardous particularly for tubing,
kayaking and canoeing.
Local creeks are near or over
flood stage now, and with the continuing threat of more rain,
authorities are considering more drastic measures.
"If we feel this
is going to get out of hand, we'll shut down the waterways altogether," Fulscher said.
According to Fulscher, Logan
County's first responders and rescue teams have responded to 27
water-related rescue calls in 36 months, with 12
recoveries and four deaths. That's more than they see at Clinton
Lake, he said.
Nearly every heavy rain and
flood period has resulted in multiple calls for help. Often requests
have included the boat and dive teams. Support assistance is needed
from fire, rescue, paramedics, emergency management, the sheriff's
department and has oftentimes required requesting mutual aid from
other counties for these incidents, many of which were avoidable.
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Crews have been called out several times this spring
to search for people who have gone missing on high-water
creeks. Most searches have had positive results with the people
simply delayed.
However, recently the results were tragic. Search
crews spent days looking for a missing kayaker on Salt Creek. The
man was found. He had been pulled under a logjam the other side of
a sharp bend in Salt Creek.
With forecasts of more rain and heat index
readings of 95 to 100, it might be best to choose an indoor
air-conditioned activity or head for the pool this weekend and maybe
even the rest of the summer.
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