by John Dowd
On April 19, around 3:30 p.m., John Brewer died as the result of a rafting accident on the Bitterroot River south of Darby.
Brewer, 76, was a well-known journalist and publisher from Washington State who was on a commercially-guided fishing outing. He drowned after the raft he was in caught on a log jam and overturned. The others in the craft were able to make it to shore, and they reportedly recovered Brewer downstream. The drowning is being investigated by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Brewer was in his 70’s.
The drowning was the year’s first on the Bitterroot River, and according to Ravalli County Sheriff Steve Holton, it should serve as a warning that river users always need to be careful.
“The Bitterroot River is dangerous and it’s far more dangerous than many people realize,” said Holton. He said that the Bitterroot is full of log jams, swells and eddies where the current can suck people down. Holton also described how the river is known to be unpredictable in its flow, as the water can quickly rise and fall. Holton recommends that river users always wear life jackets and never go alone.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has flow rates updated every day on their website, waterdata.usgs.gov. This information comes from a monitoring site on the Bitterroot River near Darby. This website is a good source of information on the standard flow, and can keep users up to date on the flow rates and can help in planning trips around the low flows and less dangerous periods.
According to Holton, accidents happen all year, so it may always be a good idea to check before heading out, regardless of the time of year. Although Brewer drowned during the traditional high flow period caused by snow melt, the flow on the Bitterroot River has actually been relatively low for the season so far, said Holton.
For more information on river and weather conditions, contact Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Region 2 office, at (406) 542-5500.