Four people were rescued by the Pueblo Fire Department after their boats capsized in the Arkansas River just below City Park on Saturday.

The fire department was called to the scene by a bystander, according to department spokesperson Tim Trujillo, and launched a rescue raft and swift water rescue team, recovering all four individuals safely.

All four people were adults and all were wearing life jackets, Trujillo said. High water flows caused their inflatable boats to capsize.

Trujillo stated that the public is asked to avoid that area of the river for the next several weeks due to dangerous water conditions.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has also urged the public to avoid the Arkansas River below the Lake Pueblo State Park Dam because of dangerous conditions.

Recent spring runoff and heavy rain have caused river currents in the area to fluctuate dramatically, causing dangerous water surges.

The city of Pueblo on Friday also temporarily closed a section of the Arkansas River trail below City Park due to “increased water flow and high water.” The trail closure ranges from Carlile Avenue to north past Reservoir Drive.

“We want to inform the public of the closure,” Steven Meier, director of Pueblo Parks and Recreation, said in a news release, “as well as remind everyone that this is the time of year that the river is flowing high and to always be cautious.”

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