To track my favorite topic, I have a Google news alert set on “Colorado River”. I’m trying to track water policy issues, but every year beginning in spring that news is accompanied by a macabre uptick in stories about people falling into the river, flipping their boats, going missing, and frequently drowning.

Crews search for teen reported missing in Colorado River

EAGLE COUNTY – Rescuers called off the search for a missing 15-year-old on Tuesday night after just a few hours.

This is unsurprising. It’s a very long river, and is generally the only water around, so come spring folks head out to play. But it kinda creeps me out.