Authorities in Utah are ratcheting up warnings telling people to stay away from the raging, icy waterways that are extremely dangerous this spring due to a snowy winter and wet spring.
The conditions have also triggered flood alerts and led officials to offer sand bags to homeowners in parts of northern Utah with some rivers expected to reach their highest levels by this weekend.
Brian McInerney of the National Weather Service says rivers are swelling and flowing briskly because snow runoff from mountain peaks is around double its normal amount in northern Utah.
He says at least six people have drowned in the state's waterways this year. Three were children under the age of nine.
Parts of California, Wyoming and Nevada are dealing with similar treacherous river conditions this year.
