Gunnison County Sheriff closes section of Gunnison River

This just in from the Gunnison County Sheriff's Office:

Sheriff Rick Besecker, in consultation with the County Manager, the National Weather Service, the Gunnison Fire Chief, the City of Gunnison Police Chief and the Emergency Manager, has concluded that in the best interest of public safety, a section of the Gunnison River will be closed to ALL water vessels, effective June 7, 2017 until further notice.

Sherriff’s deputies will be posting notices at bridges, put-in locations, and provide notices at water recreation businesses in the area. This closure of the Gunnison River, between Almont and North Bridge is due to safety concerns, large debris, high water and unpassable bridges.

The Gunnison River, below North Bridge is still open to the public, and it is highly recommended only professional water recreational users be navigating the rivers at this time. It is strongly encouraged to wear personal protective equipment, including a life jacket and to exercise extreme caution.

The sheriff is authorized to close the rivers under Colorado Revised Statute. For more information about this closure, please contact the Gunnison Sheriff’s Office at 970.641.1113.

Please Note: You may see several other closures at other locations around the rivers. Including the pedestrian walkway under Hwy. 50, near the Twin Bridges, is closed until conditions are deemed safer.