KTRV Fox 12 Punctured Rafts Litter Boise River

Punctured Rafts Litter Boise River

Boise, Idaho - Cheap fun could leave you stranded in the Boise River. They may cost you less, but inexpensive rafts are a safety hazard, and create a mess for first responders and volunteers. Looks pristine doesn't it? But discarded rafts are trashing one of Boise's treasures. 

"I got sick of seeing the trash," said Chris Crawford.

So he started the Boise River Volunteers. They fund themselves with help from sponsors. They're out three days a week doing things like patching and pumping rafts, helping stranded floaters, and especially picking up after them.

"Well there's tons of trash, people flip over in their rafts and get caught up in trees which we're pulling of them out that get most people," said Crawford.

But for those not-so-lucky boaters, a branch can often mean a popped raft.

"There's sharp sticks everywhere that are poking out of the river bank - they go right through a raft like hot knife through butter," said Crawford.

The river volunteers picked up over 15 rafts in one day between Park Center Bridge and Julia Davis Park. The underlying theme... cheaper is definitely not better when it comes to floating the river.

"Usually lower quality rafts that have punctures. Flotation devices that were never really designed for floating on the river," said Battalion Chief Steve Rasulo with the Boise Fire Dept.

Beside just being ugly, abandoned rafts cause more work for river rescue crews. They have to investigate any reports they get of empty boats in case someone is hurt or in danger.