River area shut near family’s death site
The mysterious deaths of a family of hikers in Mariposa County last month that have baffled investigators now have led federal authorities to bar the public from 28 miles along the Merced River due to toxic algae downstream from where the family died.
On Friday, the Bureau of Land Management closed its campgrounds and recreation areas along the Merced between the towns of Briceburg and Bagby in Mariposa County. The decision came after the agency received word from the county that concerningly high levels of toxins were found in river water samples taken about 12 miles downstream from where the family died.
“When the tests came back positive, we felt we should take action,” said Jeff Horn, recreation branch chief for the BLM’s Mother Lode Field Office, which oversees agency land between Nevada County and Mariposa County. “We feel it’s wise to err on the side of caution.”
The bodies of a couple, their 1-year-old daughter and their dog were found last month on the Hites Cove Trail, close to the Merced River west of Yosemite National Park. There was no apparent cause of death and investigators have been hunting for answers. Toxicology reports on the victims are pending.
One possible cause that emerged in the days after the bodies were found involves toxic algae in the river water. Authorities posted signs in the area warning that harmful algae may be present.
Algal blooms can form in waterways that are shallow and warm. Some species secrete toxins “that can make people and pets extremely sick,” BLM Mother Lode Field Manager Elizabeth MeyerShields said in a statement Friday. “We will continue to monitor for the algae’s presence and look forward to when the public can safely recreate in the Merced River.”
The Merced begins in the southeast corner of Yosemite National Park and flows westward to Lake McClure, a reservoir in the Sierra foothills in western Mariposa County. Between Yosemite and the BLM closure area, the river flows through Stanislaus National Forest, which was closed two days ago by the U.S. Forest Service due to the threat of wildfire. On Tuesday, forest officials had closed access to trails in the area, citing “unknown hazards.”
The BLM order closes public access to the Merced River Campground, Railroad Flat Campground, North Fork Primitive Camp, Cable Rock Day Use Site and Briceburg Day Use and Put-in, according to a statement.
The closure will remain in effect through Sept. 17.
“Is this algae present all the time? Or is this new? How prevalent is it in the rivers on the western slope?” Horn said. “These are all questions we want answers to.”