# Uncompahgre River Dangers



## QuietHunter (Jun 8, 2010)

From a report on the Western Colorado Rafting Facebook page

"Uncompahgre river between Billy Creek State Wildlife Area and Uncompahgre Road








My husband ran this yesterday in 10.5’ raft and wants others to know it’s currently dangerous. He reports 2 downed trees / strainers 300 yards below the put in. There are two electric wire fences across river at the bottom of Centennial Ranch- 1 is 3’ above the river and the second at surface level. Unknown if they are hot. There is a downed cottonwood across the river just above the big red barn ranch. There is an impassable weir by the 4 big houses on the right ridge with the lakes about 2 miles above Uncompahgre road. Summary: he suggests not running this section under these conditions."

I spoke to the person who initiated the report, I have a few questions for those who may know about navigable river laws. 
1. What are the specific laws about fences across rivers? 
2. The weir mentioned used to be a fun water feature. It has been modified and turned into something much worse. The water users who worked on the weir were "cordial, but not helpful" when reached out to. How does one confirm the work done in a river, which made it "impassable" to boats was done with some form of authorization?
3. What are the laws around cutting strainers? Same as trespass laws? Can someone bring a saw, float down, and cut the trees as long as they don't go on shore?


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## Blade&Shaft (May 23, 2009)

Sounds like a fun stretch


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## Benjamin W. (Apr 2, 2020)

In regards to your first question, it's a very heated topic between recreators and private land owners. According to the Colorado Revised Statues 18-9-107: 

_"(1) An individual or corporation commits an offense if without legal privilege such individual or corporation intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly:
(a) Obstructs a highway, street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, building entrance, elevator, aisle, stairway, or hallway to which the public or a substantial group of the public has access or any other place used for the passage of persons, vehicles, or conveyances, whether the obstruction arises from his acts alone or from his acts and the acts of others; or
(b) Disobeys a reasonable request or order to move issued by a person the individual or corporation knows to be a peace officer, a firefighter, or a person with authority to control the use of the premises, to prevent obstruction of a highway or passageway or to maintain public safety by dispersing those gathered in dangerous proximity to a fire, riot, or other hazard.
(2) For purposes of this section, “obstruct” means to render impassable or to render passage unreasonably inconvenient or hazardous.
(3) An offense under this section is a class 3 misdemeanor; except that knowingly obstructing the entrance into, or exit from, a funeral or funeral site, or knowingly obstructing a highway or other passageway where a funeral procession is taking place is a class 2 misdemeanor."_

I f*king hate to see fences across rivers, but not enough to destroy someone's property. Personally, if I came upon one I would assume I have implied consent to trespass and portage around the fence.


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## jamesthomas (Sep 12, 2010)

Fences across raftable rivers are no bueno. Had a situation on the Piedra a while back that could have easily ended with a fatality. Imagine seeing your bud entangled in a barbed wire fence in heavy current with water temps in the low forties. You have less than 2 minutes to get them out of the river.


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## ColoradoDave (Jun 3, 2010)

Riggs out of Ridgeway usually runs the section from roughly Billy Creek to Uncompahgre Road commercially. However, this year, the flows never got up enough so I would guess they didn't cut the stuff out as they usually do.

I have seen Electric Fence Wire across the Uncompahgre River in that stretch when going really early in the year at low flows. But at low flows it is not a big deal to just go under it. Right around the time cows may or may not be able to cross and IK's may or may not want to go down the river. 

Each year I went down, just a little later, at more runnable flows, the landowners had removed it since the cows can't cross anymore. Maybe they waited to see us, and this year, no us ?


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## rtsideup (Mar 29, 2009)

There's no e in Ridgway.


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## ColoradoDave (Jun 3, 2010)

Caught me on that one.


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