Three rescued from Mokelumne River
The Woodbridge Fire District rescued three women after their kayaks went over the Woodbridge Dam on Saturday afternoon.
Shortly before 1 p.m. Saturday, the women and a canine companion launched two kayaks from Lodi Lake and found themselves going over the dam and into the Mokelumne River, according to Woodbridge Fire Chief Steve Butler.
When first responders arrived, Butler said, the three women were still in the water. Six people from Woodbridge Fire District, assisted by three people from the Lodi Fire Department and five people from American Medical Response, worked to rescue the women from the water. One of the women was transferred by American Medical Response to an area hospital. The other two women declined treatment. After rescuing the women, responders attempted to rescue their dog near the salmon ladder at the dam. Unfortunately, the dog did not survive.
Butler said they were alerted to the situation by witnesses driving on Lower Sacramento Road above the dam, who saw the kayaks go over the dam and immediately called 911.
Butler says he has no idea how the women were able to drift so far out.
“They launched at the lake and started paddling up the river,” he said before suggesting that the women might have been paddling in the direction of the current, which flows toward the dam. “I’m sure it is easier paddling with the current than against it.”
Butler advises people to use caution in the rivers because water flows are still high. He said life vests are necessary at all times.
Vickie Winter said she and her husband were driving down Woodbridge Road leaving Woodbridge when they spotted a red and a blue kayak stuck in the dam. She and her husband decided to turn around go back to the scene. When they arrived on the scene, they were greeted by another couple who also spotted the scene. A man had jumped the fence and attempted to save the women, Winter said, but realized it would be too dangerous and stopped.
“It was a helpless feeling because you see somebody in the water and there is nothing you can do,” Winter said.
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director Jeff Hood said the women were not from the area and were not part of Saturday’s Paddle Fest.
Hood said people should avoid going into the river until the overflows subside.
“It’s too much water and it’s too powerful for people to be in kayaks and small boats right now because the force of the river will overwhelm a small water craft,” he said.
According to Hood, there were plenty of warnings telling people not to enter the river and two people in kayaks were stationed between the lake and the river during Paddle Fest to keep people from going out into the river. He said the boat ramp has been closed all spring because of the unsafe conditions.