OGDEN — As temperatures reached into record highs Thursday, dozens of cars filled the parking lots and side of the road near Causey Reservoir, as people looked for slightly cooler temperatures in the mountains.
But as outdoor enthusiasts head into the water on kayaks and paddle boards, Weber County deputies warn that lifejacket laws at Causey are different from those at most other Utah reservoirs.
"Causey Reservoir is a little bit different," Lt. Mark Horton explained. "It's (a) higher altitude. It's also 180 feet to the bottom. It's extremely difficult if somebody drowns in Causey to recover them. And so that's why that law is there."
At other reservoirs, people 13 and up are required to have a lifejacket with them while on a watercraft. Children 12 and under are required to wear them. At Causey, however, everyone is required to wear one. Horton said if people are caught not following that law, they will be asked to leave.
"The most common answer we hear is, 'Well, it's in my car.' Well, it's really not going to save you if it's in the car," Horton said. "You actually have to have it, and you actually have to wear it."
Not only is Causey deep around the center, the water there remains cold — around 30 degrees even in July. Horton said those depths are unsafe for divers. The lower temperatures also tend to slow decomposition of bodies, keeping them below the water potentially for years.
