Emergency responders in Great Falls conducted two separate rescues from the Missouri River last Friday, May 29, both within hours of each other — a pair of incidents that underscore the dangers the river poses as spring runoff pushes water levels higher across the region.

The first call came in at about 2:40 p.m., when 911 callers reported a man struggling to stay afloat near the Ninth Street Bridge. According to the Great Falls Police Department, the man was resistant to rescue attempts, but crews were ultimately able to pull him from the water successfully. Details on his condition were not immediately released.

A second rescue followed later that same afternoon, though specific details on the second incident were limited. Both events required emergency response on the river on a single day, a reminder to anyone spending time near the Missouri this time of year that current conditions are not to be underestimated. The Missouri below Holter Dam — which feeds downstream toward Great Falls — was running at 3,820 cubic feet per second as of Saturday morning, according to U.S. Geological Survey stream gauge data at Station 06066500.