BOISE, Idaho — The Boise River is seeing the highest flows since the spring following "Snowmageddon" back in 2017. It is running high and very cold.
Greg Ramey, Boise Fire Battalion Chief and Dive Team Coordinator, says the river is moving at around 15-20 MPH and water temperatures are in the 40s, which could lead to hypothermia within minutes.
He also says going into the river also puts his team at risk. "It's dangerous for our responding crew, the response isn't what it normally could be," said Ramey. "The water level is higher which makes it harder for us to get our boats underneath bridges. It's faster, it's harder to operate in, and there is debris in the water which could interfere with the operation of our boat."
Ramey says all the dive team crew members are experienced and well-trained but the temperature and speed of the river is a deadly combination for even the strongest of swimmers. "Nobody can out-swim this river," Ramey explains.
The river flows generally peak in mid-May, but Ramey expects dangerous flows to continue well into June and even July.
It's possible this could delay the start of float season further into summer.
