El Dorado County deputies scale back boat patrols

As boating activities slow down, the El Dorado County sheriff’s boat patrol unit will appropriately modify its schedule to meet off-season boating needs.

Lake Tahoe, Fallen Leaf Lake, and Lower Echo Lake are patrolled by deputies from the South Lake Tahoe station, while Folsom Lake, Jenkinson Lake, Union Valley Reservoir, Ice House Reservoir and the South Fork of the American River are patrolled by deputies from the Placerville office.

The department received a California Department of Boating and Waterways grant which with boat registration fees funded the boat patrol activities with no cost to the county general fund.

During the 2012 summer season deputies assisted 390 vessels and contacted 4,389 individuals. They conducted 20 searches for missing persons, 42 vessel inspections, investigated 13 boating accidents, issued 1,563 verbal warnings, 204 citations, and made six arrests for boating under the influence. During the 2012 season, there were two fatalities on El Dorado County waterways.