Nevada City, Calif. – As the Memorial Day weekend approaches, Nevada County first responders are reminding the community that the South Yuba River is still very swift and cold.
Every year, first responders receive several calls for service from visitors who have an accident at the river due to slips and falls. Swift water rescues are performed many times throughout the summer due to unsafe river conditions.
On Monday, first responders conducted a helicopter rescue for a man who had been swept down the river and was left stranded on a rock near the Highway 49 crossing. One year ago, a woman drowned after falling into the river near that location.
The South Yuba River Public Safety Cohort urges the public to stay out of the river and to educate themselves and others about river safety. Visit the ‘Recreation Safety’ playlist on the County of Nevada’s YouTube Channel at www.nevadacountyca.gov/RecSafety.
Those who do visit the river corridor should remember:
- Cell service is limited to non-existent in many areas.
- Emergency response times can range from 15 to 45 minutes.
- Call boxes are available at Purdon Crossing, Edwards Crossing, Highway 49, Hoyt Crossing, Maybert Road Bridge, and Bridgeport.
- Parking only in designated areas is critical to ensure emergency access.
Volunteer as a Yuba River Ambassador
The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) River Ambassadors is looking for volunteers to help greet and educate visitors at the Highway 49 and Bridgeport River Crossings from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Ambassadors hand out trash bags and educate visitors about water safety, fire danger, trail difficulty and more.
The ambassadors plan to be at both locations on Saturdays but if there aren’t enough volunteers, they will visit only one location. Learn more or sign up to be a River Ambassador at www.YubaRiver.org or contact Caitlin Martin at (530) 265-5961 ext. 212 or CaitlinM@yubariver.org.
About the South Yuba River Public Safety Cohort
The South Yuba River Public Safety Cohort is a multi-agency collaboration that coordinates public safety and stewardship efforts along the highly visited South Yuba River corridor, which
welcomes approximately 800,000 visitors annually. Learn more at www.NevadaCountyCA.gov/SouthYubaSafety.