Floaters warned to avoid swiftly flowing Shuswap River in North Okanagan

The weather might be perfect for floating this weekend but not so much on the Shuswap River in the North Okanagan.

The Shuswap River Ambassadors in Enderby are warning floating the river is currently still a very dangerous activity thanks to the late runoff. Last week, people on inflatables had to be rescued on the river.

“Please do not let your choices put other people at risk of having to perform rescues and wait for the water levels to decrease before floating,” a post on the ambassadors Facebook page reads.

River levels have receded by 14 inches since July 13 but it is still very high for this time of the year.

The perils of floating during high water include sweepers and snags under the surface that are difficult to see because of murky conditions, the ambassadors said.

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“The increased force of the water can suck you under and your inflatable can easily be popped with the additional number of environmental hazards,” the post warns. “The Shuswap River is not a controlled channel or canal.”

The ambassadors don't recommend human-powered vessels which include inflatables, kayaks, stand up paddle boards and canoes.

The river is regularly patrolled by conservation officers to make sure all the mandatory safety requirements are being followed.

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