Why do so many keep drowning in Lake Pueblo?
Michael Logerwell
LAKE PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – A drowning death in Lake Pueblo yesterday marked the fourth at the lake this year – and summer only just began.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) confirmed Friday morning that the body of an adult male was recovered from the lake hours after search efforts began. The person, who has not yet been identified, had flipped off of an inflatable tube and was not wearing a lifejacket, the agency confirmed.
READ MORE: Colorado Parks and Wildlife locates body of presumed drowning victim at Lake Pueblo
It marks the fourth death at the lake since mid-May.
Back on May 14, 53-year-old Manuel DeJesus Villanueva Miranda died after going into the lake to help his two children. Just two weeks later, on May 30, Derrick Lee Vigil, 28, drowned when a fishing boat that he was on capsized. CPW says Vigil and the two others on the boat weren’t wearing a life jacket.
Then on June 7, 44-year-old Daniel Strawn was found unconscious after jumping into the lake without a life jacket. Despite CPR efforts, he was later pronounced dead.
So, what’s the reason behind so many recent drownings at Lake Pueblo – and what are local officials doing to combat this concerning pattern?
To gain some clarity on the matter, KRDO13 Investigates spoke with Susanne Divelbiss, the current CSU-Pueblo Swim and Dive Head Coach, who has been teaching or coaching swimming for four decades.
Divelbiss thinks people underestimate how hard it is to swim in open water.
“The pool has lane lines, the pool walls, the pool, [and] lifeguards. So when you eliminate all of those things, then somebody thinks, oh, yeah, I can swim. But now they’re in the water, now they’re panicking, and there’s no wall to go to,” Divelbiss said. “There’s a lot of factors involved with swimming in a lake as opposed to in a pool, which is a very controlled environment.”
“Typically, pool temperatures are kept around between 79 and 82. The lake temperature, I think, is currently at about 68 to 70. It feels great when you get into it because it’s hot out, but it definitely takes a toll. It takes your breath away a little bit,” Divelbiss said.
KRDO13 Investigates asked Colorado Parks and Wildlife about the troubling trend of drownings this summer.
Becky Buist, Lake Pueblo State Park Operations Manager, told our station in a statement:
“The single most important thing for any water recreation activity is to wear a life jacket. A life jacket will keep your airway clear of water and keep your head above water. It will also support your body should you stop swimming or lose consciousness.”
Divelbiss says further education about swimming in the lake could be part of the solution to curtail drowning deaths – but says, above all, wearing life jackets saves lives.
RELATED: CPW adds new life jacket loaner stations at Lake Pueblo for Memorial Day Weekend