Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) said there is a 100-yard logjam on the Arkansas River below Helca Junction after flash flooding in the lower Browns Canyon area.
After surveying the blockage with drones, officials said the location, size of the debris and difficulty of access makes it unsafe to put a team in the water. CPW has determined the hazard to its team was not worth the relative benefit of clearing it.
According to an interview with 9 News, CPW Officer Jeff Hamond said that working downstream of the jam risks a sudden release of debris, while working upstream risks a crew member being pulled under it. He added that the public should not attempt to remove debris as log jams are unstable and unpredictable. Attempting to clear logs and debris manually poses severe risk of entanglement, serious injury or drowning.
CPW is relying on signage at access points and public messaging to keep boaters informed. They are also going to continue to monitor how the jam shifts using drones, and will provide updates to boaters.
Photo courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife
