Lot of people getting on the water in small craft lately, myself included. So I thought I’d post some info and an excellent video I found on Idaho’s most lethal water feature:
Doesn’t look like much of a threat, does it? Looks kind of easy and fun to go over, in fact. Low head dams like this one in Fremont county kill more recreational river users than any other water feature, and they are on just about every river in the state. So spend 5 minutes watching the video, and for god’s sake don’t even get near one. If you pass over the boil line from downstream, it’s just as bad as going over the top.
URL for those who may not be able to see the video:
Wonder why they don’t pour a wifferdill to direct the water more horizontally at the bottom of the dam instead of vertical? Seems that would help prevent undercutting and send trash on downriver and be safer.
The water downstream is very aerated, so it holds lots of oxygen even in warm water conditions. Plus the predators sit and wait for disoriented baitfish and insects washed over the lip of the dam. They can be good fishing spots, as long as you’re sure there’s no way you can get into the dangerous water.
If you do decide to fish them, it’s best to stand on shore below the boil and cast upstream. If you fall in the water near the boil, odds are it will be your last fishing trip because these things can drown you in minutes. And yes, people have died fishing near them from shore.
Here’s a picture of the dam that killed him. It’s an 8 inch bump on the water that has claimed the lives of at least 5 people over the years. It’s not the drop that matters. It’s the flow and the configuration of the river bottom.
