Illinois River Floaters Need To Watch For Logjam

A lot of people will beat the heat this weekend by cooling off in the Illinois River. The Scenic Rivers Commission is giving floaters a heads-up about a logjam on the river.

It shouldn't be a big issue, but they want you to be cautious anyway.

Oklahoma's Scenic Rivers Commission always stresses safety on the water. But going into the weekend, they want floaters to be aware of a logjam on the Illinois River.

Kyle Tabor, a raft guide in Colorado for eight years who just moved back to Oklahoma, says it's good advice.

"There are inherent dangers; you need to respect the river," Tabor said. "It can get you in trouble when you least expect it."

A float operator brought the logjam to the commissions' attention. It's about a quarter of a mile downstream of Round Hollow public access area.

Another outfitter removed some of the fallen trees and you can get around it, but anyone with plans to float that part of the Illinois River just needs to know it's there in advance.

"Just pay attention, you bet," said Kyle Tabor, visitor at the Illinois River. "Keep your head up and if it doesn't look right, if the water isn't doing something right up ahead, then investigate further."

It's not uncommon to have to navigate around logs in the water on rivers. A group celebrating a friend's birthday with a float trip has already seen several logs.

"I went out yesterday and there were a lot of trees, they were like in the water and we had to dodge," said Katy Keane, Fort Gibson resident.

But the logjam near Round Hollow could be a little more challenging, especially for those who don't have much experience paddling.

Floaters are encouraged to contact the commercial float operators they plan to use ahead of time to get the latest information and safety recommendations.