City plans to post signage as it works toward a solution<\/p>\n
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Children play on a water feature in the Animas River at the 29th Street put-in earlier this summer where an object, suspected to be a piece of railroad rail, rests beneath the surface. The city of Durango is coordinating with the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad on acquiring equipment to remove it, and in the meantime plans to post signage warning river users of the hazard. (Courtesy of Bridget Babcock)<\/p>\n
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While the Animas River in Durango is a popular place for swimming, fishing and boating, some residents are drawing attention to hazardous debris lurking just beneath the water\u2019s surface.<\/p>\n
Resident Chad Neufeld said he\u2019s contacted the city of Durango about an approximately 4-foot piece of metal jutting out of the river bottom near 29th Street. The debris resembles a piece of railroad track and is about 1 foot underwater, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery day that a kid is jumping in the water there is a day that they\u2019re potentially going to get impaled on it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said his former partner and his 6-year-old daughter came across the debris while playing in the river this summer. His former partner called the city to report it.<\/p>\n
City spokesman Tom Sluis said the city is working with Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad on removing the debris, which appears to be a piece of old railroad track disposed of in the river decades ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Animas River was historically used for 100 years or more as a dumping ground for a variety of debris, including pieces of rail,\u201d he said in a text message. \u201cIf you walk along the river you can still occasionally see pieces of old cars used to shore up the riverbank.\u201d<\/p>\n
D&SNG General Manager Jeff Johnson said he isn\u2019t certain the debris is a piece railroad track, but the railroad is happy to help the city on removing the object however it can.<\/p>\n