Danger on Buffalo Bayou

by Sherri Blifford

Back to Index

Spring rains and floods took their toll on Buffalo Bayou. These photos were taken at low water levels to show the size and scope of the strainers that have proliferated recently, making the bayou more dangerous than it has been in 20 years.

What would happen to an inexperienced paddler at high water when he gets trapped in a stainer like this?

For newcomers to the sport of paddling, strainers are formed when trees are uprooted in a storm. Trees, branches, or vines block off all or a portion of a river. The hydraulics are such that other debris is swept back into the logjam until it becomes a strainer, letting the water strain through a mass of dense branches and debris. If you get swept into one, you can drown. Even great swimmers cannot fight the current back out. Frantic swimmers get tangled in the mass and cannot surface for air.

As a Newbie, I used to wonder if older paddlers emphasized the danger to make their own feats look more macho or exciting. I'd learned to do some basic strokes and had fun in the water so it just didn't seem all that menacing.

Then came humility.

I capsized in the bayou when it was running over 2000 cfs. It was a terrifying awakening to the incredible power of water. In spite of a lot of swimming experience, I could not fight the current and was grateful for expert help. What happens to those less fortunate?

Now I wonder:
What will happen to the kids who just bought a kayak and think the bayou looks like an easy place to learn paddling?

With no frothy whitecaps, it can't be too tough, can it?

If it were really dangerous, someone would clean it up or they'd post warning signs. Wouldn't they?

Back to Index