Drowning cases up as water levels go down

Just another reason why the infamous Corps should revise their strategy and increase pool levels. Just who is benefiting (and how) by slowly taking away the biggest attraction in the area, removing recreational activities and virtually stalling growth and property values at the lake? Thank the feds again!

Since the Richard B. Russel was filled, this has been a problem almost every year. There are still many area lakes and stream shallow enough for non-swimmers. Shouldn't parents be able to figure this out? If your child can't swim, keep them in shallow water and watch them constantly.

If you take children to the lake use a life jacket, it doesn't matter whether they can swim or not!! Six foot drop off, can cause an adult or child to drown. Better safe than sorry!

Amen fancy amen...They may not look fashionable but it is a better look than drowning...:-(

I lived at the lake as a child and water levels were always a problem. The only time I remember the water levels being almost right was about 5 years ago when the water was covering most of the beaches, grills and tables.

I can't help but think that these deaths are natural events. How can you blame the Corps for peoples own stupidity? If you can't swim, stay out of the water. Survival of the fittest, includes intelligence. If your a parent and you allow your child in the water knowing they can't swim, you should be prosecuted for neglect. What I can't believe is that there have been so many, 220 seem like a lot for 22 years. Must be that many stupid people in the area.

"I can't help but think that these deaths are natural events."

Death is never natural. But I agree, these drownings seem to be the result of irresponsibility.

Death is a natural event, everyone does it at some time or another. The only time it isn't natural is when it's at the hand of another.

You should always use a lifejacket. They are the safest thing that you can wear on the water. Parents should really watch their kids better. My husband and myself have saved many kids over the years because parents don't watch there kids!

Like wise, I seem to remember low water levels being a problem even before the Richard B Russell dam was built. People need to remember the reservoirs weren't designed and built as recreation destinations, but to provide cheap electricity and reserve water for municipal usage. Recreational opportunities are an added bonus. Just remember - the best way to avoid drowning at Clark's Hill is to stay out of the water!

It really saddens me when so many people make comments about stupidity and keeping non-swimmers out of the water. Even excellent swimmers can be caught off guard by a sudden drop and/or be pulled under by the under current. A nine year old boy lost his life. If stupidity is at play here, it seems to rest with all of the non-compassionate people. Accidents happen yet this does not constitute neglect either. The ultimate tragedy is that now there are parents who will question their choice for recreation for the rest of their lives, and I believe that they paid the highest price.

I can't imagine the feeling of loosing a child. As well as I can't imagine a parent intentionally neglecting their child. Those who think that accidents happen and to call people 'stupid' should walk a mile in the shoes of the berieved parent. Now, I believe that the Corp of Engineers should take some responsibility in moving ropes or designated swimming areas accordingly. Last time I looked, West Dam's designated swimming area is not marked off. Either that or close the area altogether. I have swam at Clarks Hill lately and I am afraid of areas not marked off.

elainashley and msganga216 both sound like people who would never take responsibility for their own actions. When you pull up to the lake and you see the safe roped off area is above the water line, go somewhere else. You can make that concious decision to not swim in an area that you think is unsafe. People have been swimming in rivers and lakes since the begining of time and I can assure you the Corp of engineers wasn't there to rope off safe areas. The jist of what I'm saying is use common sense. If the kids can't swim make them wear a life jacket or keep them at arms length. Don't leave em on the beach while you run to car because you forgot your cigarettes.

Thank you aftbrn. People are all too quick to blame the government and others for their own lack of personal responsibility.

You know when I was a kid growing up the lake did not have a beach area except for Fort Gordon section which had a beach and life guard. I took my daughters to the lake (The West Damn) every Saturday for a few years and because I could not see the bottom I watched them like a hawk and refused to let them wade in water any deeper then their knees without some type of floating device strapped to them in addition I stayed right there with them the whole time. Same thing applied at the beach if I could not see through the water I worried the whole time that if they went under I would never find them in time to save them so, I was a real hard [filtered word] in the eyes of my children compared to other parents. I guess because I almost drown myself when I was 3 it's always been a HUGE concern of mine. Kids & Water do not mix without some type of CONSTENT ADULT SUPERVESION.

OK, Enough people!! It is totally mean spirited on your part to automatically assume that the parent that just lost their child was not watching their child close enough. Have you interviewed them? Do you know where they were? Do you know the details of what happened? My remark earlier simply said that the Corp. should take SOMEKIND of responsibility, like marking safe areas, if they are going to allow families to use the area. Now I can assure you that it doesn't matter if you were 10 ft away or 20 yrds away, when a child is surprised by an sudden drop off, I'm sure the automatic reaction is to take a breath and if they are already under water then their lungs are filled with water immediately. At that point, it probably wouldn't matter where a parent is, it would be too late. I for one am not BLAMING the Corp. 100%, but they have the ability to HELP keep children safe in an advertised public recreation area that allows swimming. Let's pray for the family not critisize them.

You know what I complete the life guard course and as long as you can get to them within few mins. NOT seconds you CAN SAVE thier life. People have been drowing at the lake as long as I've been alive and it would be darn stupid of us not to take drowing into consideration when being around the water. To best of my knowledge the lake dosn't have a current and they are finding the people in the same area they went down in, so that tells me if somene had seen them go down and took action they would still be alive today... They drown because you can't find them in that water the visablity is so poor it's like looking for a needle in a hay stack IF you didn't see where they went down...

I have read all the above comments and I dissagree the Corps should put more ropes.I'TS THE PARENT responsibility to watch the child and if the child don't know how to swim to wear life jacket. The Corps can put all the ropes that they want and bigger signs but overall i'ts the parent that needs to hold responsibile and be charged with neglegince.

Aftbrn it appears that you have not read my post because I am not sure how stating that people appear to have overlooked the obvious (a lost life and a parent’s worst nightmare) would warrant your comment concerning not taking responsibility. Your post saddens me even more because this is the type of ignorance that propagates bias. The main point of the article was that yet another tragedy befell a parent and without so much detail people just ran with conclusions and started pointing fingers and blaming. There is no wonder that our society is in the trouble that it is in when people just want to blame and accuse without the full story. I am a mother of eight children and I would like to teach them humility, patience, and kindness, that is responsibility.

this is just a few words to all the readers of the paper, the child that drowned was my grandson and i know that my ex-daughter-in-law loved my grandson and her son as much i or anyone could possibly love their child.this could have happened to anyone's child,just as kidnapping's,car accident's and children getting into poison at home.this was a tragedy that has caused many hearts to be broken and i hope that no one will ever have to go through something like this.i also have been to the lake there swimming many times,i have also lost a good friend there a few years back to drowning he was 32 years old and a very good swimmer.there does need some changes there but people should stop and remember that it could have been their child.this is my second grandchild that i have lost one to sickness and now one to an accidental drowning.we should try to find ways to help prevent these type of accident's in the future. my heart goes out to everyone involved in this tragedy. from tylers grandfather in florida