Paddleboarder fails to surface at Grass Valley Reservoir

On Saturday afternoon, one adult died after they were separated from their paddleboard during high winds and waves at Harvey Gap State Park. Witnesses said that four paddle boarders, none of whom were wearing personal flotation devices were caught in high winds on the Grass Valley Reservoir. One individual was not tethered to their paddleboard and failed to surface in the rough conditions. The call for help came at 3:18 pm when CPW officers and Garfield County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene. The body was found at 10pm Saturday by CPW’s Marine Evidence Recovery Team, and recovered using their submersible drone. The Garfield County Coroner’s office is working to determine the cause of death, identify the victim, and notify their relatives. Not including this incident, our state has recorded 5 water recreation-related fatalities so far this year. Harvey Gap State Park Manager Brian Palcer reminds the public to pay close attention to weather conditions and wear life jackets on and near the water. Colorado Parks and Wildlife also released a statement saying life jackets are required for all watercrafts including those that are hand powered.