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Show j , ,4 By Jack Wallis it gA. week was the first time anyone Q drown on a float trip in a ?r raft from Flaming Gorge Dam owns Park since the dam has been i number of people who have 'ed this float trip on the Green r during the past 15 years without a -ning is probably a safety record, f icven mile trip to Little Hole is one ie most floated sections of any , mainly because anyone can 3 the experience. No experienced runner guide is necessary. All s needed is a little common sense, 1 'ding to those who rent rafts to the c at Flaming Gorge. ast Thursday morning's Salt Lake me, an entire page was devoted to -gibing the popular recreational ience of floating the Green River Flaming Gorge Dam to Little Two large photos illustrated r rafts filled with people. The re was captioned . with the nent, "Any novice can float this m of river." ' Tribune story told how popular 'laming Gorge float trip had ne and how busy the area was on onds. It said the traffic to the 'i: h site was as busy as a California ij y. ! it afternoon, what started out to be I at recreational experience ended a horror story. Two persons were ned when they fell from their raft. times before people have been d out of a raft, or the raft has even i ised, but everyone has always J able to get back in their boats or it to shore because they were ing floatation jackets. The two ns Thursday were not wearing safety jackets. Three other drownings have taken place on the Green River from the dam to Browns Park since the dam was built. The first was in 1966 when a person was floating the stream in a canoe. The next was in 1978 when a fisherman was drowned when his waders filled with water. In 1979 a rock collector got weighted down when the ' level of the stream started to raise near Browns Park. Then last week's double drowning. Two years ago a penstock device was attached to the dam to allow warmer surface water to flow through the dam so the downstream water would not be so cold. This was to help the fish grow since the extreme cold water had curtailed their growth. It also made it safer for those who may fall out on the float trips. Also, the rapids below the dam are leveling out somewhat because of the gradual shifting of the rocks in a downstream direction. Even though the level of the stream from Flaming Gorge fluctuates daily because of the power demands, it remains at a relative constant level and the danger areas can be avoided. The float trip from Flaming Gorge is a great recreational and scenic experience ex-perience that can be enjoyed by almost everyone, but safety regulations and a little common sense are necessary to keen from turning this great sport into a tragedy. Flaming Gorge float trips have gone a lone time without a raft drowninp hut the one last week reminds us that tragedy strikes when we drop our guard and let down on safety precautions. A life jacket is a must whenever floating the Green River or any other river. |