Anonymous
06/18/2026 03:33
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:DC native here. I'm 53 and I've lost count of how many people have drowned within a mile of the falls. Like, 2 or 3 every year at least. So preventable. Just stay the f&&k out of the river.
Also, the Little Falls stretch is another killing machine. The water looks calm on the surface but has lethal undercurrents. The dam has caused drownings even to boaters.
Low head dams are a known water hazard.
Anonymous
06/18/2026 03:28
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Anonymous wrote:Messaging from 2010: National Parks
One of the deadliest stretches of whitewater in the eastern U.S. is located in an unlikely location—just outside the nation's capital. An interagency effort is under way to focus attention on the dangers of the Potomac River Gorge and the Great Falls of the Potomac with a very pointed message: "If you enter the river, you will die."
What makes this spot so dangerous…and how well will that message be accepted by the public?
The Gorge is an area that a recent NPS press release describes as "becoming increasingly more popular with kayaking, boating, fishing and hiking enthusiasts." Conditions — and the skills required to use the river through the Gorge — vary widely among different sections of the river, but the water in parts of the area are very risky indeed. The dire warning in the latest safety campaign focuses on the most dangerous section above and through the Great Falls, and statistics unfortunately support the sobering message.
Not me. I am an expert. I have watched several Tiktok videos.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 23:17
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Anonymous wrote:DC native here. I'm 53 and I've lost count of how many people have drowned within a mile of the falls. Like, 2 or 3 every year at least. So preventable. Just stay the f&&k out of the river.
Also, the Little Falls stretch is another killing machine. The water looks calm on the surface but has lethal undercurrents. The dam has caused drownings even to boaters.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 23:08
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Anonymous wrote:Messaging from 2010: National Parks
One of the deadliest stretches of whitewater in the eastern U.S. is located in an unlikely location—just outside the nation's capital. An interagency effort is under way to focus attention on the dangers of the Potomac River Gorge and the Great Falls of the Potomac with a very pointed message: "If you enter the river, you will die."
What makes this spot so dangerous…and how well will that message be accepted by the public?
The Gorge is an area that a recent NPS press release describes as "becoming increasingly more popular with kayaking, boating, fishing and hiking enthusiasts." Conditions — and the skills required to use the river through the Gorge — vary widely among different sections of the river, but the water in parts of the area are very risky indeed. The dire warning in the latest safety campaign focuses on the most dangerous section above and through the Great Falls, and statistics unfortunately support the sobering message.
Wow. This message should be posted at Trail A. “If you enter the River, you will die.”
Anonymous
06/17/2026 23:02
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Messaging from 2010: National Parks
One of the deadliest stretches of whitewater in the eastern U.S. is located in an unlikely location—just outside the nation's capital. An interagency effort is under way to focus attention on the dangers of the Potomac River Gorge and the Great Falls of the Potomac with a very pointed message: "If you enter the river, you will die."
What makes this spot so dangerous…and how well will that message be accepted by the public?
The Gorge is an area that a recent NPS press release describes as "becoming increasingly more popular with kayaking, boating, fishing and hiking enthusiasts." Conditions — and the skills required to use the river through the Gorge — vary widely among different sections of the river, but the water in parts of the area are very risky indeed. The dire warning in the latest safety campaign focuses on the most dangerous section above and through the Great Falls, and statistics unfortunately support the sobering message.
One of the deadliest stretches of whitewater in the eastern U.S. is located in an unlikely location—just outside the nation's capital. An interagency effort is under way to focus attention on the dangers of the Potomac River Gorge and the Great Falls of the Potomac with a very pointed message: "If you enter the river, you will die."
What makes this spot so dangerous…and how well will that message be accepted by the public?
The Gorge is an area that a recent NPS press release describes as "becoming increasingly more popular with kayaking, boating, fishing and hiking enthusiasts." Conditions — and the skills required to use the river through the Gorge — vary widely among different sections of the river, but the water in parts of the area are very risky indeed. The dire warning in the latest safety campaign focuses on the most dangerous section above and through the Great Falls, and statistics unfortunately support the sobering message.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 21:54
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Clearly common sent isn't so common.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 21:54
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Anonymous wrote:It's a big river. On any given weekend, hundreds of people will be swimming in it.Anonymous wrote:Is it no longer common knowledge that you never ever swim in the Potomac?
That's total bs
Anonymous
06/17/2026 21:45
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Don’t bring politics into this tragic situation. I hope this thread brings awareness to how dangerous this area of the Potomac is.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 21:29
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
It's lucky no one drowned trying to save him.
Very sad.
Very sad.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 20:31
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I know there are signs there but on a nice, sunny Sunday, you think there would have been Park Rangers or more people that would have seen the group and told them to get out of the water.
And who would be paying those extra park rangers? NPS budget doesn’t cover it.
I don't know that this PP meant extra park rangers. I think on such a beautiful day, Trail A would be busy, and the regular rangers and hikers would have noticed this group and suggested they get out of the water. Regardless, it is so sad, and I am devastated for this grieving family.
You are not getting it. I went to a park and there were no park rangers. An unpaid volunteer took us around.
The budget has been cut by trump. He hates parks.
I'm sorry I had no idea the NPS funding was cut that much. That is terrible and rangers could have possibly held to avert this horrible tragedy.
Maybe if they had one at every quarter mile making sure people don’t swim. That’s what the signs are for.
Every 500' would be better. This would create good paying government jobs that we desperately need in this area.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 20:27
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I know there are signs there but on a nice, sunny Sunday, you think there would have been Park Rangers or more people that would have seen the group and told them to get out of the water.
My husband advised a group of young men once and they talked back disrespectfully.
Your husband sounds like a great guy.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 20:27
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I know there are signs there but on a nice, sunny Sunday, you think there would have been Park Rangers or more people that would have seen the group and told them to get out of the water.
And who would be paying those extra park rangers? NPS budget doesn’t cover it.
not in the Trump Admin. Didn't they cut NPS funding?
Not only did they slash the funding, they are funneling profits from passes and things out of the NPS and to Trump’s vanity projects. With correct funding, the national parks are profitable. The slashes have wiped out so many of the necessary services
Anonymous
06/17/2026 20:25
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Anonymous wrote:I know there are signs there but on a nice, sunny Sunday, you think there would have been Park Rangers or more people that would have seen the group and told them to get out of the water.
My husband advised a group of young men once and they talked back disrespectfully.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 20:00
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I know there are signs there but on a nice, sunny Sunday, you think there would have been Park Rangers or more people that would have seen the group and told them to get out of the water.
And who would be paying those extra park rangers? NPS budget doesn’t cover it.
I don't know that this PP meant extra park rangers. I think on such a beautiful day, Trail A would be busy, and the regular rangers and hikers would have noticed this group and suggested they get out of the water. Regardless, it is so sad, and I am devastated for this grieving family.
These were adult young men. You want your tax dollars to pay someone to sit there and tell people not to swim? Why not a park ranger next to every geyser and hot pot in Yellowstone too? People need to be accountable for themselves. It is terribly sad but people, especially young men, make terrible decisions all the time.
Anonymous
06/17/2026 19:54
Subject: Great Falls Drowning
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I know there are signs there but on a nice, sunny Sunday, you think there would have been Park Rangers or more people that would have seen the group and told them to get out of the water.
And who would be paying those extra park rangers? NPS budget doesn’t cover it.
I don't know that this PP meant extra park rangers. I think on such a beautiful day, Trail A would be busy, and the regular rangers and hikers would have noticed this group and suggested they get out of the water. Regardless, it is so sad, and I am devastated for this grieving family.
You are not getting it. I went to a park and there were no park rangers. An unpaid volunteer took us around.
The budget has been cut by trump. He hates parks.
I'm sorry I had no idea the NPS funding was cut that much. That is terrible and rangers could have possibly held to avert this horrible tragedy.
Maybe if they had one at every quarter mile making sure people don’t swim. That’s what the signs are for.