CALGARY- Outdoor enthusiasts are being warned to stay away from Harvie Passage this weekend, due to ‘extremely dangerous’ conditions at the weir.
On Thursday, crews with Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development inspected the area, and found a whitewater condition has developed at what’s known as Drop 4 or Tatanka. It is the passage’s most downstream drop structure, adjacent to Deerfoot Trail.
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SRD says that due to low water levels downstream, the drop has developed the potential to trap objects, including people and boats.
“In other words, it behaves just like the ‘drowning machine’ created by the Calgary Weir before the passage was built,” SRD said in a statement. “This dangerous condition, in addition to the numerous safety hazards that exist throughout the rest of the structure, makes any use of the passage—regardless of boating expertise or equipment—extremely dangerous.”
A safety boom that was installed earlier this month as well as warning signs are set to stay in place until the Harvie Passage reopens. SRD is asking rafters to respect the closure.
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