HUNTSVILLE, Utah — Summer is almost in full swing, and the three-day weekend has made many Utahns ready for sunshine after the long winter.
“Get the tan going again for sure,” said T.J. Allen.
Many jet skiers and boaters like Allen stopped by Pineview Reservoir Monday to celebrate Memorial Day.
“Glad the snow’s gone. I was so sick and tired of the snow,” he said. “Glad to be back on the water, looking forward to a year of boating, for sure.”
That time will come, but all the water up at the reservoir is melted snowpack, and it sure does feel like it.
“It’s really cold. The water’s very cold,” said Tage Allen.
Despite the chilly water and wind, visitors made the most of it.
“I had never seen it this full before and it was just glass,” said Meridith Bott. “There were just two or three boats, it was gorgeous.”
All the water from the reservoir makes its way down to the Ogden River.
“Extremely swift, cold, deep, fast. It can catch you off guard if you’re not experienced in the water,” said Capt. Brett Willey with the Ogden Fire Department’s Swiftwater Rescue Team.
After weeks of warnings, it looks like people are listening. The department has not had any water calls to respond to this holiday.
“We’ve seen people in and out of the water, we’ve seen kayakers in the water. It’s down considerable so the risk is minimized but still very dangerous,” said Willey.
Water levels can always change depending on the amount released from the Pineview Reservoir. That’s why Willey said it’s best to continue avoiding the river.
“Six inches can still knock you off your feet. It’s always a risk, you should always be vigilant, always watch your children and your animals,” he said.
