Search Continues for Swimmer Swept Away on American River
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office continues the search for a young male who was swept down the American River just east of Auburn, near the confluence of the North Fork and Middle Fork.
— Placer Sheriff (@PlacerSheriff) June 5, 2019
The man was swimming when heavy flows swept him down the river and a distress call was sent to the sheriff’s office around 5 pm on June 4. Upon arrival, a deputy spotted the swimmer floating down the river near the Highway 49 bridge, but eventually lost sight.
The identity of the swimmer has not yet been released.
The search and rescue effort has been called off for the evening, we will continue to monitor the river over the next several days. pic.twitter.com/xRaWwiEsmy
— Placer Sheriff (@PlacerSheriff) June 5, 2019
With heavy snowpack in the Sierra Nevada and high temperatures this week, the American River flows have been extremely fast. The water at the confluence is currently moving at 7,000 cubic feet per second, capable of washing away a fully-loaded school bus.
Please take caution when in the area of any moving water in Northern California. Flows will continue to be very high through the entire month of June and the water’s temperature is cold enough that you could go into hypothermia in 50 minutes.
