At least six people have drowned in Front Range waters since June, including two at Eleven Mile Reservoir, three at Cherry Creek Reservoir and one at Rockbridge Lake.

In the wake of these deaths, law enforcement and rescue crews are urging swimmers to follow water safety measures and take extra precautions.

The deaths at Eleven Mile Reservoir, which involved two adult men, occurred eight days apart in mid-August and the deaths at Cherry Creek within six weeks of one another across June and July.

One of the Cherry Creek deaths involved a child, and the other two deaths involved adults, according to authorities.  

The Rockbridge Lake drowning, which involved a 15-year-old Windsor Charter Academy student, occurred Saturday.

Authorities were also called to two simultaneous water rescues at Chatfield Reservoir on Saturday. Both ended without injuries or fatalities. In a separate incident in late June, nine people were rescued from the same reservoir after their boat capsized.

“All nine occupants were wearing life jackets, which played a critical role in ensuring everyone made it out safely,” South Metro Fire wrote on Facebook.

Kara Van Hoose, the public information officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Northeast Region, said the number of drownings this year is equivalent to last year. It may just feel like numbers are elevated this summer because several incidents have occurred at the same bodies of water in close proximity, she said.

Across the six drownings, only one victim — Paul Scanlon, 67, who drowned at Eleven Mile Reservoir on Aug. 6 — was wearing a life jacket, according to reports from authorities.

Not wearing lifejackets is the main reason behind the drownings CPW has responded to, Van Hoose said.

“You need to plan for the worst-case scenario,” she said. “And that involves wearing a life jacket to be sure that we can come and rescue you, that you could rescue yourself, and that you’re not putting others in danger.”

Colorado law requires children under 13 to wear a Coast Guard–approved life jacket on any vessel, and anyone riding a personal watercraft or being towed must wear one as well. Adults aren’t required to wear a life jacket on most boats, kayaks, canoes or paddleboards, but every vessel must carry a properly sized, easily accessible life jacket for each person on board.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife rangers have stepped up enforcement in recent years, issuing 497 life‑jacket citations statewide in 2024 and over 700 in 2025. They emphasize that “pretty much anything that floats” — from motorboats and sailboats to kayaks, paddleboards and whitewater rafts — requires a life jacket.

The Park County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook after the two deaths at Eleven Mile Reservoir, urging swimmers to stay safe on the water.

“While we cannot change what has happened, we can use these tragedies as a reminder,” the sheriff’s office said.

Safety recommendations in the post included wearing properly fitted life jackets; staying sober and alert while on the water; watching weather conditions, especially high winds; keeping an eye on others; having a way to call for help; and knowing personal limits, including how cold water, altitude, wind, waves and fatigue can affect swimmers.

In recent years, CPW rangers have also pushed back on the idea that strong swimmers don’t need one, noting that storms, currents and other hazards can quickly turn a routine outing dangerous.

Colorado’s weather and water conditions can change quickly in any season, Van Hoose said, urging swimmers to take precautions whenever they’re in or near the water.

“We see people drown after falling through ice early in the year, during heavy runoff, and later in the year when water levels drop,” she said.

She added that sudden shifts in weather can catch people off guard: strong winds can push a paddleboard out of reach, leaving someone unable to swim back, tiring quickly, and slipping under the water.

The South Park Ambulance District has also called for awareness and steps to prevent future tragedies.

“After two tragedies so close together, we want to take a moment to remind everyone how quickly an enjoyable day on the water can become an emergency,” the South Park Ambulance District wrote on Facebook after the Eleven Mile drownings.

The ambulance district pushed for similar safety measures outlined by the Park County Sheriff’s Office, adding a suggestion that swimmers learn CPR and a note on how to safely help someone struggling in the water.

Best practice, the ambulance district advised, is to throw a flotation device or extend a pole, paddle, rope or another object to someone struggling in the water — rather than jumping in after them.

“Entering the water after a struggling swimmer can quickly turn one victim into two,” the post said. “Unless you are trained and properly equipped for water rescue, call 911 and assist from a position of safety.”