Heavy snowpack increases number of river rescues

RENO -- A hefty Sierra snowpack that left rivers raging this summer resulted in a big increase in the number of river rescues for the Reno Fire Department.

According to the Reno Gazette-Journal, the water rescue team responded to close to 80 river emergencies this year. That's up from the 40 to 50 they normally handle in a year.

The Sparks Fire Department also was busy. So far this year that agency has handled eight water rescues. That's more than twice the number last year and the most since 2006, when the department responded to 11 incidents.

Officials say no one has drowned. They say two bodies that were pulled from the river were not people who got into trouble while playing in the water.