Swimmers And Paddlers Should Avoid These Deceptively Mild River Features Called 'Drowning Machines'

Visiting America's rivers is a favored pastime during summer thanks to numerous scenic options for swimming, kayaking, and rafting. There are several rivers in the Midwest perfect for tubing and other recreational activities, while Mid-Atlantic states like Delaware boast scenic channels great for fishing and boating. Unfortunately, this same Delaware River was also the site of a fatal accident back in 1989, when a man died while canoeing despite being a strong swimmer. This man, like many others across the country, fell victim to a specific river structure known colloquially as "drowning machines" because of how frequently they drown swimmers and paddlers.

Low-head dams were built predominantly in the 1800s to help provide power to factories and other industrial manufacturers near America's rivers. Many of these dams no longer serve their original function and have been abandoned. While low-head dams may be too short to pose breach risks like larger dams, they've become notorious for causing drownings. In fact, according to data from Brigham Young University (BYU), these dams have killed nearly 800 people in more than 350 locations around the country.

"More people have drowned at low-head dams in the last 50 years than from all the large dam failures in the same period," BYU professor Rollin Hotchkiss said in a BYU article. "Low-head dams can be extremely dangerous, and they rarely get inspected or updated." The trouble with low-head dams, also called weirs, is how their open-channel hydraulics systems cause a dangerous phenomenon known as a hydraulic jump. This is essentially where fast-moving water encounters slow-moving water. When this happens, you get an unassuming yet powerful force in the water that can trap swimmers, kayakers, and debris, pulling them under the surface.

Fatal drownings from low-head dams have been an ongoing issue in the country for over a century. Reported deaths from weirs date back to 1923 and continue to happen today. The dangers posed by these outdated river structures came under the spotlight again in 2022, when a former ER nurse, Christina Brockwell, lost her daughter to the unsafe waters around Bosher Dam near Richmond, Virginia.

The 12-foot dam that claimed the life of Brockwell's daughter created a dangerously strong current that also led to the death of another woman that Memorial Day. Since then, warning signs have been installed about 4 miles upriver from the dam. However, there isn't a clear approach to how states around the country deal with these life-threatening structures, which may total over 13,000 nationwide.

The force weirs generate in the water warrant proper safety measures not only for those swimming, but also for rescuers, who have often become victims of low-head dams, too. Most states don't even have warning signs, as even those that have official safety regulations don't always require signage to be installed. Removal of the dams isn't a cost-effective option, but BYU researchers have suggested reducing the likelihood of hydraulic jumps with rock ramps. However, this too may be prevented or delayed due to legal and cost challenges. In the meantime, swimmers should always be aware of any low-head dams in rivers they frequent, as these structures may transform unassuming waterways into some of the most dangerous spots to swim in the world.