Rockford Beach along the Big River in House Springs has been temporarily closed due to an influx of visitors from the St. Louis area, which has made it difficult for local first responders to provide the necessary services, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said in a written statement on Thursday, July 6.
“Since Memorial Day weekend, sheriff’s deputies have responded to the park for various issues, including fights and physical disturbances, stealing, unlawful use of a weapon, assaults, underage drinking, and a drowning,” the written statement said. “With recent large crowds, law enforcement, EMS, and fire agencies have been unable to adequately provide security and support.”
The closure began at 3 a.m. today, July 7. Grant Bissell, spokesperson for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, said they decided to close the park then to get ahead of the people who frequent the park in the early morning hours to fish.
“We didn’t want to shoo anyone out of the park,” he said.
Bissell said deputies are patrolling in and around the park, and on Hwy. W this weekend to ensure no one uses the facilities.
Normal hours for the park are set to resume on Monday, July 10. The park is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The temporary closure followed the death of a 41-year-old St. Louis man, Hamsa Mohamed, who jumped off a bluff into the river at Rockford Beach on July 2, floated for a moment and then disappeared under the water. His body was found the next day, July 3, said Cpl. Dallas Thompson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
First responders used drone imaging, a boat, and drag equipment to locate the man’s body.
Thompson said it was the Patrol’s first call this summer for a drowning at Rockford Beach, which has seen numerous drowning deaths over the past several years.
Timothy Pigg, director of Jefferson County Parks and Recreation, said the main reason the park closed was due to the recent high volume of visitors.
Once the parking lot is full, visitors begin to park along the entrance road and on the shoulder of Hwy. W, according to the Sheriff’s Office statement.
“Emergency response vehicles have been restricted from entering and leaving the park by illegally parked and excess vehicles,” the statement said. “Should a water rescue or medical support be needed, responders wouldn’t be able to launch a boat from the overcrowded access.”
The statement said the Sheriff’s Office is working with the County Parks Department and local first responders to develop short-term and long-term solutions to the overcrowding problem.
“I don’t care what kind of venue you have, if you have too many people in there it becomes a public safety hazard,” Pigg said.
Bissell said the closure is just for this weekend, “but certainly could change” in the future.
According to the Jefferson County Parks and Recreation website, the Big River is a swift-moving stream and is not recommended for swimming or wading. Signs are posted at Rockford Beach warning people against swimming there.