Two rafters wearing life vests float the Deschutes River near Aspen Day Use Area on Tuesday afternoon.

As Oregon’s mountain snowpack melts amid rising spring temperatures, boaters and swimmers are flocking to rivers and lakes statewide, eager to capitalize on the first signs of summer.

But the shifting climate that draws them comes with the risk of water cold enough to shock a person and currents fast enough to drag them under.

During a three-week period from May to June, at least eight people are believed to have drowned in rivers and lakes across Oregon. Three were teenagers. One was 20. Two died in Central Oregon. Three of their bodies have yet to be found, according to initial reports.

The trend continued in Central Oregon on Saturday when a 17-year-old junior from Ridgeview High School in Redmond was pulled underwater after he swam too close to Steelhead Falls in Jefferson County, a scenic 20-foot waterfall surrounded by rimrock that draws swimmers from across the region.

Bystanders tried to save him but failed “due to the swift, fast-moving down-pressure of the falls,” Jefferson County Sheriff Jason Pollock said in a press release.

A diving team responded to the falls, finding the teen’s body under at least 16 feet of water, said Sean Jones, a diver with Deschutes County Search and Rescue, who helped recover the teen’s body. He said that, as Central Oregon’s waterways have made it a recreation destination, that has come with people making simple mistakes that sometimes lead to tragedy.

“The surface current looks nice, and calm and smooth,” he said. However, he added: “In general, the Deschutes (River) is not as nice as people want to think.”

Two have died in Central Oregon

The drowning at Steelhead Falls was the second in Central Oregon in two weeks. On May 20, Oscar Axel Chavez Salazar, 20, drowned at Prineville Reservoir State Park. Witness said he had gone swimming and drowned while trying to return to shore, according to a news release from the Crook County Sheriff’s Office.

Similar incidents have been reported across Oregon.

In Josephine County, a husband and wife were swept underwater while trying to rescue their dog in the Rogue River.

In Clackamas County, two men, aged 66 and 67, are believed to have drowned after their raft flipped while crossing a river there, drawing warnings from authorities about water conditions.

In Klamath County, Ryan Dotson, a senior at Henley High School, died from an apparent drowning on May 30. Chris Kaber, Klamath County sheriff, believes that water conditions were cold that day and may have led to his death.

“Tragedy seems to find us time and time again,” said Kaber.

Rising water levels add to hazards

Their deaths underscore the dangers inherent with recreation on Central Oregon’s waterways, which draw thousands of people to the region for rafting, swimming, fishing and other activities each year.

A healthy snowpack this year has brought relief to water users in desperate need after years of record-breaking drought statewide. But it has also led to rapidly rising water levels with the potential to dislodge trees and branches, creating a hazard that can snag people’s arms, legs and clothing and drag them underwater, according to local emergency responders.

In Crook County on April 30, it left one kayaker stranded in the Crooked River, holding onto bushes in the middle of the rushing river until she was rescued.

“People really don’t respect the water,” said Jones, the diver. “And water always wins.”

Water cools the body faster than air, causing limbs to go numb and muscles to cramp, making it harder to stay afloat, authorities say. Shocked swimmers sometimes will inhale water as they are submerged, causing them to drown.

Ashley Massey, a public information officer of the Oregon Marine Board, recently researched waterways in the Bend area. She concluded that temperatures seem to be lower this year, ranging in the high 40s and mid-50s.

“It doesn’t matter if someone is a good swimmer or not,” Massey said. “Cold water impacts everyone’s body the same way.”

Know conditions before you go

The recent deaths have prompted repeated warnings from authorities to wear life jackets, swim with buddies, assess your own swimming abilities and research the areas of water for potential hazardous conditions.

“You want to do your homework ahead of time,” Massey said. “Find out what the river gauges are reading.”

Life jackets are highly recommended in case rapid high river flows cause river banks to give way, making people fall into the stream. In 2022, the marine board reported 16 people died while boating in Oregon, 10 of whom weren’t wearing life jackets. In more than 20 years that Jones has been recovering drowning victims during dives in Central Oregon, only one person was wearing a life jacket, he said.

Each incident brings with it trauma and grief that can impact countless people, authorities say.

With dozens of people gathered around the Steelhead Falls area over the weekend, the Central Oregon Public Safety Chaplaincy sent three chaplains when it heard about the teen who drowned.

David Green, a full-time chaplain, said it’s “very rare” to send so many chaplains, but they knew extra people would be needed to console potential bystanders, family and first responders in such a public tragedy.

“This is the time of year when these things start,” he said.

The Oregon State Marine Board offers these helpful links for people looking to safely enjoy recreation in Oregon waterways:

• Boat.Oregon.gov

• Interactive map of waterway obstructions

• Downloadable float plan

• Interactive access map of statewide public boat ramps

• Resource page for water levels