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High Water Dangerous On Red River Gorge

Posted at 5:50 PM, Mar 14, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-14 17:50:24-04

POWELL COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18)– With recent warm weather, people are headed outside to enjoy it, and that means more people are wanting to hike the Gorge.

Powell County Search and Rescue wants to remind people that after all the rain we had in January, river levels are still very high and trails are muddy and slippery.

“Things happen with mother nature that you don’t expect. I can’t tell you to expect the worst all the time, but when it’s rained like this you have to expect mudslides along the side, rocks everything,” said Lisa Johnson with Powell Search and Rescue.

“With all the snow melting and coming down the mountain, the water levels are usually really high and it’s not too safe to be kayaking or canoeing with rapid waters like that,” said hiker Nicole Peterson.

The high water has brought debris like logs and trash into the river, last night, Powell and Wolfe County Search and Rescue were out after a boat capsized, which likely happened from everything that’s been brought in from the flooding.