WRIC Richmond News and Weather - Rising River
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Richmond Water Rescue team has already responded to a number of calls this season on the James River. On Sunday, they had to help rescue a man who slipped on the rocks at Belle Isle and injured himself. This is just one illustration of the potential dangers when the water is rising.
"At five feet, six feet and seven feet, people kind of look at it, misjudge how swollen the river is, misjudge how much water's coming through here. And it's very easy to get in trouble here in the river today," explains Keith Vida of the Richmond Fire Department.
Vida says people tend to stay out of the river when it gets up around 8, 9, and 10 feet because the danger is more obvious. But right now, at the 5 and 6 foot level, it can actually be more dangerous because no one expects it to be.
According to Vida, most people underestimate the increased volume of the water and the power that brings with it. Those who go out to sunbathe or fish can soon find themselves unable to get back to safety.
"When it goes up a foot, it's a drastic increase in the amount of water going through. It's a drastic increase in the amount of pressure. So it totally changes where you could walk before and it wasn't too rough and the pressure wasn't too much from the current, now you can't go through 'cause it'll knock you off your feet," Vida says.
Currently, the river is above 5 feet and that means a life jacket is required. Forecasters expect the river to be over 13 feet by Wednesday.
