WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO – August 25, 2024 – The body of a paddleboarder who went missing during a sudden wind event on Saturday afternoon was recovered early Sunday from Rampart Reservoir, located west of Colorado Springs. The search and recovery operation, led by Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s (CPW) Marine Evidence Recovery Team (MERT), concluded with the discovery of the victim in the reservoir’s cold, 67-foot-deep waters.
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The incident began when witnesses reported seeing a man fall from his paddleboard into the reservoir. Despite the quick response of the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD), which included aerial assistance from a helicopter, the paddleboarder disappeared beneath the surface before rescuers could reach him. A dog that had been on the paddleboard managed to stay on the board initially but later swam safely to shore.
As daylight faded, the situation became more critical, prompting the call for CPW’s specialized MERT team. Led by Grant Brown, CPW’s boating safety program manager, the team arrived around 7 p.m. Rangers from Denver, Steamboat Springs, and Walsenburg joined the effort, initiating a methodical grid search in the area where the man was last seen.
Rampart Reservoir, a 500-acre body of water owned by Colorado Springs Utilities and situated in the U.S. Forest Service’s Pike National Forest, posed significant challenges to the search due to its unique underwater rock formations and the depth of the water behind its 230-foot-tall dam.
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Using a CPW boat equipped with multiple sonar devices, including a submersible remote-operated vehicle (ROV) with sonar, lights, and a video camera, the team located the victim at approximately 1 a.m. The recovery operation, which involved confirming the body with the ROV and bringing it to the surface, lasted until about 2 a.m.
The El Paso County Coroner’s Office took custody of the remains at around 4:30 a.m. to formally identify the victim, determine the cause of death, and notify the next of kin.
“This is a tragedy, and we offer our condolences to the family and friends of the victim,” said Grant Brown of CPW. “We’ve experienced far too many water deaths in Colorado. We urge everyone on or near the water to please wear a life jacket. When someone is plunged into such cold water, the shock from cold water immersion can cause your entire body to cramp, leaving you unable to swim. You can die in one or two minutes.”
According to CPW’s unofficial count, Colorado has already seen more than 30 recreational drownings in 2024, underscoring the dangers of water recreation, especially when safety precautions are not observed.
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