SALT LAKE CITY — Authorities are warning recreationists to be alert near Utah’s rivers, creeks and streams as the temperatures start to rise and the above-average snowpack begins to melt.

That melt, also known as spring runoff, began already, but is expected to increase in coming weeks, said KSL meteorologist Grant Weyman.

As of Monday morning, all but one snowpack region in south-central Utah remains above the average. Most of eastern and southwestern Utah entered this week with more than 150 percent above the snowpack average. That means waterways will be flowing above average during the next few weeks, too.

“We’ve been watching the river levels increase week-by-week already and we’re not even in May yet and the real runoff season is in the month of May,” Weyman said. “Because of our high snowpack, we’ve increased that flow — it’s a little earlier than normal. Throughout (May), we’ve got a lot more snow to come down. It’s likely we’ll continue to see higher flows for a longer period of time.”

Officials in Iron, Utah and Washington all issued safety reminders over the past few days as Utah reaches its snowmelt season. In a Facebook post, Iron County sheriff’s officials urged caution after seeing people kayaking and using inner tubes in the water.

“We don’t recommend being in the river due to the swiftness and temperature of the river. A regular tire or pool inner tube is not made to handle the current river conditions,” officials wrote.

Washington County officials added that while the water may look inviting, it can be dangerous.

It’s no different for areas in central and northern Utah.

During spring 2017, which was the last high-runoff year, a woman drowned near Tanner Park in Salt Lake City trying to save her pet dogs that had jumped into Parleys Creek, three people — a mother and child, as well as a man who jumped in trying to rescue the two others — drowned in the Provo River near Bridal Veil Falls and a hiker drowned after falling into Bells Canyon Creek in Sandy.

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Rescuers expressed concerns about increasing danger posed by rushing rivers and streams in the coming days and weeks.

Utah County Sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Cannon advised recreationists to avoid water out of caution, be cautious while hiking on trails adjacent from water and keep an eye on young children or pets at all times.

“Anybody who would get themselves caught in one these streams, they’re so cold it’s basically snow that has melted and it’s in the low 30-degree temperature range. When somebody gets in that water, they — within just a few minutes — can become completely incapacitated because of the cold and that’s not even taking into consideration the strength of the current itself,” he said.

Weyman added that even when rivers or creeks are still within their banks, they are flowing faster than usual.

“From the bank, you have that sense of security and maybe you want to feel the water and that’s where the danger (is),” he said.

Southeastern Utah County and other portions of the state are also at higher risk for landslides and debris flows because of recent wildfires. In fact, U.S. Forest Service engineers were dispatched to Santaquin Canyon Monday to assess a slide reported over the weekend, according to Cannon.

He said recreationists should avoid areas affected by the Bald Mountain and Pole Creek fires in southeastern Utah last year until they are deemed safe by U.S. Forest Service officials.

“This is the time of the year where people want to start getting out, and for many people, getting up in the mountains is a big part of their summertime activity, but right now areas such as the upper parts of Payson Canyon, Santaquin Canyon and even some areas in Hobble Creek Canyon are somewhat of a risk,” he said. “We would encourage people to stay away from those areas.”

More information about the effects wildfire burn scars have on habitats and the risk of debris flows can be found here.

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