Mammoth Cave National Park forms new River Response Team

Due to an increase in water rescues, Mammoth Cave National Park has formed a new team of professionals whose sole focus is getting you to safety.

Park Spokeswoman Molly Schroer says the River Response Team is made up of nearly a dozen individuals holding titles from maintenance, to law enforcement personnel.

The team has been undergoing intense training the past few months.

“With the removal of Lock and Dam 6, it has really changed the flow of the river,” Schroer explains. “It’s become a little bit quicker. There’s more currents coming down and we’ve seen an uptick in the number of river rescues that needed to occur out here.”

Although they have this new team, she says they hope it won’t have to be utilized often.

“I think the river is still a great place for people have fun and get out and recreate on. It is important to be prepared before you come. Check the weather so you know if there are any storms coming in and also check the water level. On our website, you can see the real time water levels so you can see if it gets close to 20 foot range where we cut off allowing anyone in a kayak or canoe to boat on the river,” Schroer says.

You can check the water levels on that website by clicking here.