P.O. Box 577
Yosemite, CA 95389
www.nps.gov/yose/news

May 25, 2006
For Immediate Release

Yosemite National Park, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and the Stanislaus National Forest Urge Visitors to Use Caution Around Waterways

The upcoming Memorial Day weekend promises to be an outstanding one throughout the Sierra Nevada. Greater than normal snowpack has created spectacular waterfalls and high water levels throughout the region.

Visitors are urged to use extreme caution around waterways throughout the Sierra Nevada, including the Merced River in Yosemite National Park, all forks of the Kaweah River in Sequoia National Park, and the Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Clavey Rivers in the Stanislaus National Forest.

Currents in rivers are still moving too quickly to be safe for swimming, rafting, and boating in most places. Surface currents may appear calm even when deeper water is very swift. Underwater obstacles, such as rocks and downed trees, may not be visible but can pose a serious drowning hazard. Rivers and lakes in the Sierra region are generated by snow melt and are very cold at this time of year. These cold temperatures can considerably decrease survival times in rivers and lakes. Drowning is one of the most common causes of death in the Sierra Nevada.

For more information, visitors can call:

Stanislaus National Forest 209/532-3671
Yosemite National Park 209/372-0200
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 559/565-3341

-NPS-