Accident Database

Report ID# 594

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  • Caught in Low Head Dam Hydraulic
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Accident Description

DESCRIPTION:  On July 9, 1999 Joe Miranda, 30, was kayaking on the Clinton River near Rochester Hills, MI with a friend. They had paddled together often and knew the river well. Water was high following recent rains. The pair arrived at the low dam near the Yates Cider Mill and found to their surprise that there was plenty of water to run it. The two ran the dam successfully, and  Miranda portaged back to the top to make a second run to recover a dropped cooler. His boat stopped dead, and  was trapped by the hydraulic at the bottom. His friend attempted rescue, but was sucked into the backwash himself. "It just kept pulling me down," he said. "When I was down there, it was like someone grabbing my ankles." He was rescued by a man on shore with a rope. Mr. Miranda’s body was recovered two days later by emergency responders.         

SOURCE: Detroit Free Press 

ANALYSIS: Dam hydraulics are capricious and deadly. You can run a dam successfully, then get in trouble on the next attempt. My guess is that when Miranda tried to pick up the cooler, it slowed him down and allowed the river to grab him.

 

Michigan is not well known for whitewater, but low head dams are a constant source of problems in the Midwest. On July 9 Joe Miranda, 30, was kayaking on the Clinton River near Rochester Hills with a friend. They had paddled here often and knew the river well. Water was high following recent rains. An article in the Detroit Free Press said that the pair arrived at the low dam near the Yates Cider Mill and found to their surprise that there was plenty of water to run it. The two ran the dam successfully, them Miranda portaged back and made a second run to recover a dropped cooler. He was trapped by the hydraulic at the bottom. His friend attempted rescue, but was sucked into the backwash himself. He was rescued by a man on shore with a rope. Mr. Miranda's body was recovered two days later by emergency responders.

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