Casper Area Water Resuce Numbers Up In 2012 To Normal Levels

Things were back to normal along the North Platte River in Natrona County this summer..and in one way that was not good.

With warmer water temperatures and an average water flow compared to last year, Casper Fire EMS crews say the number  of water rescues this summer, was up to normal levels.

Craig Kidder with Casper Fire EMS, says there was one drowning early in the season.

He adds that most of the rescues where around the Whitewater Park area, which tends to be a place that many people can find deceiving and even rescue crews have trouble dealing with.

"Some of those wave sets out there are four foot tall. Once you're in the bottom of them, you're looking up at the water a lot of times and there's some hydraulics in there that'll partially pull you down, even with all the rescue stuff on."

Last year, a heavy snow-pack and a late season warmup, resulted in higher water levels and cooler water temperatures, thus not as many people went out on the river.