Section of Portneuf River in Pocatello closed to public because of dangerous conditions

POCATELLO — City officials are warning the public about the dangerous conditions on the Portneuf River from the north end of the concrete channel to Batiste Bridge in Pocatello.

This section of the river has been closed to the public by the city because it is not floatable at this time.

Along this portion of the river north of the concrete channel, there are multiple log jams as well as debris in the river that can cause severe injuries, city officials said. With the low water levels, these log jams can make it impossible to navigate the river.

“While this area is considered closed, the community can still float from Edson Fichter down to Centennial Park and from Batiste put-in to Douglass Lane,” said Hannah Sanger, Pocatello’s science and environment administrator.

City officials said the closure has nothing to do with the dead body that was found in that section of the Portneuf River last weekend. Police are still trying to determine the deceased individual’s identity and cause of death.

This stretch of the river will remain closed to the public until further notice.

If you have any questions about the river closure, please call Sanger at 208-234-6225.