Another Drowning On The Lower Caddo River

[Jim Krueger]

Tragically, another person has drown on the Lower Caddo River (near Arkadelphia) KTHV ran the story last night and details are still sketchy.
From what I can gather, the man was found by canoeists near the Hwy 7 bridge on Saturday after the man's family reported him missing from Friday, the Fourth of July.Maybe there will be more details later related to PFD use, or floating alone, etc.

The vast majority of people paddling this normally very easy, family-friendly float do so on the weekends when the generation is only 150 cfs
most of the Summer. However the weekday generation schedule has included flows up to 5100 cfs. All of the deaths over the years in this stretch, despite other circumstances, have been at higher flows. This death, as the others always saddens me and I can only wish they could be prevented. In this case, with the holiday falling on Friday, I can only guess many people don't realize the flow won't be like they are every weekend...

Jim

[lalyle]

Thanks Jim. Sorry to hear that.

I didn't even realize there's any released flow on the Caddo. Where does that come from? What are the conditions at Arkadelphia and how much do they vary?

[Jim Krueger]

Yes, water on the lower Caddo is released from Lake Degray. Lake Degray, built in the sixties, impounds a thirty mile section of the former Caddo River from Caddo Valley (near Arkadelphia) upstream nearly to Amity. Hence the Upper Caddo now, Amity and some forty miles upstream to above Norman (still free-flowing) And The Lower Caddo, below Lake Degray and four miles downstream to it's confluence with the Ouachita River, (dam-released)
The Lower Caddo has some great attributes! The folks in Clark and Hot Springs counties have always enjoyed the Lower section because it's so handy, also, like the dam-released water at Rockport, is cool to swim and boat in the hottest months and they both have at least some minimum flow all the time. Unlike the Remmel Dam float though, the Caddo Valley section of the Caddo is less than half the distance and because of that is a real favorite for 'inner tube floating'. In my opinion, floaters on inner tubes and air mattresses can have a ball with even a little more than the min. flow, but when it increases more and more, the problems start with 'tubers' being swept to the outside of each of the few curves on the section. To the best of my knowledge all four of the deaths on the Lower Caddo over the last twenty years or so have been at elevated levels and all were 'tubing'. Very seldom do I see anyone wearing a PFD except now, at least the underage children are wearing them due to changes in the law.
As far as flows and river depths, at 150cfs, the water is about 2' deep at the put-in. At 5100 say, the depth is six feet or a little more and very swift.
The Corps has the standard sign at the put-in stating that the river is subject to rise unexpectedly, etc. As much as I wish I had a better recommendation, the best one I can think of is to additionally have one of those Yellow-Green-Red color-coded gauge sticks located at the put-in, and maybe take-out as well. (like those gauge sticks on the Buffalo R.)

Jim

[Tamara]

The story going around Arkadelphia is that a group of ppl were floating tubes/air matts friday. The young man had been drinking and made the rest of the group mad and they left him alone on the river. And the river was up friday afternoon. The canoeist found him under the bridge around 9am yesterday. They closed the river till around noon yesterday. Then it was opened back up for the floaters. Not sure if this is really what happened or not but that is what everyone is saying around here.

The releases come form Degray lake and it is just flat and fast. You might find an eddy line to play on but that is about it. Most ppl float tubes and air matts on this section ( and float when the water is down). And a few of us canoe/kayak it. It's a nice easy float and always has water. They release water just about every afternoon but it is always floatable.

[Jim Krueger]

Tamara,

I'm a kayaker too and agree with you, when the river is up, it's flat and fast. Although there are some curves, two at 90 degrees, and a couple with milder angles. All of the curves have the potential for trees sloughing off into the river on the outside bend, and in the last ten years or so concrete waste with protruding re-bar have been installed on some of the curves, all are real hazards to 'inner-tubers'! These folks just don't realize the power of the river and many react too late, I've personally witnessed it many times.I could only wish to help avoid these tragedies if possible.

Best Regards
Jim

[Lifejacket]

Jim, have you heard any more? All I have found out for sure is it was around 9-10 o'clock Saturday when the victim was found. I don't get the Arkadelphia paper, but have not seen anything in the Malvern or Hot Springs paper.

[Lifejacket]

Matt Yarbrough 25 of Arkadelphia, I am told the funeral is today. He was the middle child of the family. The girl that knew him told me that he was with family and friends on inflatables. They had been drinking and horsing around when they lost sight of him. No PFD was being worn! I was told that they did not leave him, and figured he must have drowned. I guess once the body went under the current must have moved him to where they could not find him. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
On another note I have tubed it as the water was rising, but we were wearing PFDs as well. I have also put in when full generation was taking place. Caddo Valley does have a rescue boat with a foot on it. I have seen the boat on the river when they are generating, once it comes all the way up their is more than enough water to drive a jet foot on it. I have also seen the fire department use this to get people, on inflatables, off when the water is already up. They also would not allow others to start at the lower dam when the water was up; however, that approach only works if they gaurd the put-in every time they generate.

[Jim Krueger]

Adam,

I don't know what the answer is but I believe folks can safely tube the river even during generation but one must be cognisant of the situation and, like paddling rafts, plan way ahead and keep to the insides of the bends.
It seems like those having the most difficulties, at the very least, are just letting the river carry them where it may, okay at 150cfs., not okay at ten times that flow.Many people showing up at the put-in on a hot day don't have a clue, may have never been floating there before, all they know is it looks flat and placid, it's hot and they want to get right in and on be their way. My original thought about the stick gauge, and maybe further signage that correlates, is to help folks know what is expected of them for a safe trip at various flows. I'd hate to infer the law step in and say what's permissible, in the worst way... but would like to help prevent these mishaps otherwise.

Best Regards
Jim

[Tamara]

The latest from the paper here in Arkadelphia is that Matt was last seen around 2 am Saturday.( Some ppl are saying at the Waffle House, but who knows.) Not sure what happened but, sheriff Turnner told the paper that he was not reported missing. And I know Caddo Valley fire dept was not ever called out because my husband and I are both on the Dept. The rescue boat does have a jet foot on it and we can run the Caddo rive from the lower dam all the way out to the Ouachita. Even with the water down. This is a tragedy and my prayers are with his friends and family. I hope ppl will be more carefull on this river in the future.

[Jim Krueger]

I saw the same statement in the Siftings Herald. " Last seen at 2am". :shock: Where they floating the Caddo at night! The initial report on channel 7 news also indicated the guy had drowned in Hot Springs County, I just hate the, ' Is the head dead yet ',news media sometimes... they just don't wait for the facts.
I still agree with you , Tamara, that folks just need to just be a little more careful, The Caddo is always fun, up or down, inner tube, or boat but people just need to take care and know if the river is up, extra caution is in order. Thank you for keeping up with this situation and reporting further!

Best Regards
Jim Moose


P.S. I Too have been a long time volunteer with one of the local fire departments, East Clark County Volunteer Fire Department, Joan, Ar. Currently, after a number of years of being awakened so many times from a sound sleep to jump and run,it's now just mowing the yard around the station Life gets better as I get older.

[Cowper]

I have hesitated to say anything at all, out of respect for the family and friends and the loss they have suffered.

Like others, I have heard yet another version of this story through a "friend of a friend who was a classmate of the young man" , and like all other versions, it is believed by the tellers to be the most accurate version.

It will not be clear to me that this was even a drowning, until I hear that the coroner said so. The one thing that all versions seem to have in common was that alcohol played a large role in the tragedy. Beyond that, I think it may be awhile before we learn what really happened.

[Jim Krueger]

You are right Cowper, I sometimes forget discretion is the better policy. I also forget our discussions on the board are probably viewed by a larger audience than I sometimes realize. After the last three deaths on the Caddo, I was sure that was absolutely enough and wanted only to offer something constructive, but that would indeed better come at a later time. My apologies to my paddling friends and condolences to the young man's family.

Jim

[Lifejacket]

My understanding is that the local officials have ruled this a drowning, and no further investigation is being done. As far as all the rumors go, they have all been looked into and are just rumors.

[Kat]

I'm sorry to hear of another drowning death on a river.

I'm going to throw my two-cents in on the scuttlebutt that the young man was drinking (and several other fairly recent deaths that have been either confirmed or RUMORED to be partially attributed to alcohol)-
One thing that continuously astounds me is how little alcohol & boating awareness there really is (especially compared to the PFD and the drinking & driving PR awareness campaigns) in relation to paddling/floating/being on the H2O/etc. Is this just me or is it becoming a recurring theme? Don't get me wrong--I'm not a prohibitionist or anything--I LOVE a good , but shouldn't a little good sense on the river be encouraged?

Like I said...my two-cents (albeit however worthless two cents actually are).

On a side note--kudos to the rangers on the Buffalo (only river I've been on recently ) trying to increase public awareness of the cooler, PFD, and other such laws on the rivers! They really made an impact on the 10 & 12 year old kids we had with us who had NEVER been on a river (heck--their first time swimming was two weeks earlier--haven't been able to get them out of the water since! :-) ) They were getting on to all the adults for not wearing their PFDs on the river!

-K

[lalyle]

Jim, the color-coded guage sounds like a simple, innexpensive, and effective measure for those who will heed it. I'd like to see a warning against drinking and supporting pfd usage posted next to it. Is this something the ACC could take up?

I, too, enjoy a good cold as much as anyone, but I've never understood the fascination with drinking/cold water/currents. That's why I'm tired of the Spring River. If I want to get sauced and watch girls pole dance, I know places to do that where I don't also have to wrestle with my conscience over letting someone drown or not. If people want to party in the great outdoors, I'd beg of them to do so where they would only get a mouthfull of dirt if they roll face down.

Again, no accusations towards the latest victim. My condolences go to his family and the community who are dealing with this tragedy.

Events like this raise our awareness of trends and needs, nevertheless. At the very least, a color-coded metal pole might save lives. We know for sure that public awareness and pfd's do.