CPW enforces swimming ban in Narraguinnep Reservoir near Cortez – The Journal
Narraguinnep Reservoir, on Colorado Highway 184 north of Cortez. (Cameryn Cass/The Journal)
It’s not a new rule: Swimming and wading have always been prohibited, says CPW
Although people have been swimming in Narraguinnep Reservoir for years, it is technically against regulations as it is a state wildlife refuge.
Last weekend, on Saturday, a game warden made his rounds at the reservoir to ensure that boaters and paddlers were wearing life jackets.
The officer also made sure people didn’t go swimming, which is not a new rule, according to an email from John Livingston, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman for the southwest region.
A map of Narraguinnep Reservoir. (Cameryn Cass/The Journal)
For some residents of Cortez, this is news.
“I’ve lived in Cortez for about three years and … have been going to Narraguinnep for 15 years and have always seen people swimming there,” said Joe Crosby, a recreational swimmer.
“My concern is that they’re taking away a public swimming area from the community,” Crosby said. “It’s just kind of weird.”
The water in the reservoir is owned by the Montezuma Valley Irrigation Co., but it is Colorado Parks and Wildlife that allows – or prohibits – certain recreational activities there, as it does at all 350 wildlife refuges across the state.
CPW’s annual Colorado State Recreation Lands brochure lists boating, picnicking and wildlife viewing as approved recreational activities at Narraguinnep Reservoir.
Swimming is not listed in the brochure.
However, swimming is not listed as a restricted activity there either.
The restrictions listed include limiting public access to one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset and prohibiting alcohol consumption, glass containers, camping and fires at the reservoir.
Dogs must also be kept on a leash unless they are service animals or are actively hunting.
Rules and restrictions at Narraguinnep Reservoir (Cameryn Cass/The Journal)
In addition, all boaters “must have a life jacket and a sound-producing device such as a whistle on board, although there are currently no signs to that effect in Narraguinnep.” Children up to 12 years old must wear their life jackets, Livingston said in an email.
This is a requirement of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, among others, and Livingston said the signs are currently being updated and will be put up as soon as they are ready.
New signs soon to be installed at Narraguinnep Reservoir (courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife)
Livingston said CPW is “cherry picking” which regulations to include on the signs because there are 32 general regulations for the entire state and listing them all “would make the signs unwieldy.”
One of these regulations concerns what CPW calls “water contact activities,” which are not allowed without specific permission.
“This may sound vague to the casual reader and they need to consult the definition of water contact activities in Chapter 9: ‘Water contact activities’ means swimming, wading (except for the purpose of fishing or hunting) … and other water-related activities in which a person comes into contact with the water,” he said.
Crosby said, “If there’s no oversight, people are going to do what they do, of course. So that could become a problem if they show up and start punishing people.”
On Saturday, the “gamekeeper managed to find adults who did not have life jackets with them and children who did not have life jackets with them.”
Livingston said they have long tried to educate people and give warnings before issuing tickets, “but due to compliance issues, particularly with paddle boarders without life jackets, more tickets are being issued now (statewide). The tickets cost $100.”
No one received a ticket in Narraguinnep on Saturday as CPW wants to better educate the public before issuing fines.
However, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has increased its efforts across the state, particularly when it comes to life jackets, “due to the high number of drowning accidents … this summer and the high number of paddle boarders without life jackets requiring rescue in the state’s waters,” Livingston said.
Since March of this year, at least 32 people have died in water across the state. Seventeen of those deaths occurred in reservoirs.
Narraguinnep Reservoir is not the only one in the area with such swimming and wading restrictions in place; Puett, Joe Moore, Summit, Totten and Groundhog Reservoirs are also affected, to name a few.
“State wildlife refuges are acquired with money from recreational shooters through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses. Their primary purpose is to provide wildlife habitat and to provide wildlife-based recreational activities such as hunting and fishing,” Livingston said.
“The properties are not intended exclusively for human recreation and are managed accordingly. However, each SWA allows different activities depending on the location and available resources.”
Livingston recommended swimming at Mancos State Park instead.
