Deputies crackdown on safety violations at Pineview Reservoir
Jul 22, 2023, 5:11 PM | Updated: Jul 23, 2023, 10:57 am
WEBER COUNTY, Utah — It’s often said that any day on the water is a good day, and the Weber County Sheriff’s Office would like to keep it that way.
“We have plenty of people on the water,” said Deputy Shane Campbell of the Weber County Sheriff’s Office. “It is supposed to be hot again.”
Campbell is part of a team that patrols the Pineview Reservoir to ensure everyone follows Utah boating laws and regulations. That way, it’s safer for everyone trying to enjoy the water.
Visitors enjoying Pineview Reservoir on a hot Saturday afternoon. (Mark Less/KSL TV)
“Our goal, our mission at the end of the day, is for all recreators and ourselves to go home,” Campbell said.
The two biggest things these deputies see are people with motorized boats in places where they shouldn’t be. That makes it unsafe for swimmers in swim-only zones.
“You guys are in a no boat area,” Campbell said to a person on a waverunner Saturday afternoon. “It is clearly marked by buoys. You guys are behind that line.”
Deputy Campbell warning a driver about being in a no-boat area. (Mark Less/KSL TV)
Deputies have also given plenty of reminders to people out on the water without life jackets.
“You have to have life jackets for each one of you on your paddle board,” said one of the deputies to a pair of people.
Campbell warned visitors about the effects of staying on the water too long, where being out in the sun for more than four hours can start to have a similar effect on boaters as being intoxicated.
“We’re asking people to take a break. Get off the water. Hydrate. Stay in the shade for a bit and then go back out,” he said.
A Weber County deputy warning visitors about water safety. (Mark Less/KSL TV)
It wasn’t just the boats Weber County deputies were busy with, but also cars, or more specifically, cars illegally parked.
There are signs all around Pineview Reservoir letting drivers know where they can and can’t park, but still, many people were parking their cars in illegal spots anyway.
“Last week alone, there were over, I think, 86 citations issued for illegal parking,” said Weber County Sheriff’s Office Cpl. Jim Kortright.
Cpl. Kortright seeing if any cars are illegally parking at the reservoir. (Mark Less/KSL TV)
He’s written ticket after ticket after ticket. It’s almost been non-stop.
“It is a public safety issue for people, for their everyday normal traffic,” Kortright said. “That’s along with emergency vehicles trying to get to their destinations to get to where they need to get to. The roads are narrow, and it becomes a safety issue for the flow of traffic.”
With as busy as things are right now, Weber County has staffed extra patrols on the roads and on the water to try and make sure that a good day doesn’t turn into a bad one.
“I think tomorrow and Monday is going to be even busier with the holiday coming up,” Campbell said. “We will be here.”
