YOUR AD HERE »

FINAL UPDATE: Body of man recovered from Dillon Reservoir did not have life jacket on, according to Summit County Sheriff’s Office

The Summit County Sheriff's Office said that the body was discovered floating near the Giberson Bay area of the Dillon Reservoir

The Dillon Reservoir is pictured on a hazy day in July 2024. The Summit County Sheriff's Office discovered a body in the Dillon Reservoir on Tuesday morning, Aug. 6.
Summit County Sheriff’s Office/Courtesy photo

2:15 p.m.: Law enforcement personnel recovered the body of an adult man from the Dillon Reservoir on Tuesday morning, Aug. 6, according to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.

Around 8:30 a.m., a group of kayakers reported seeing the body floating in the water in the Giberson Bay area of the reservoir, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release published on Tuesday.

Sheriff’s deputies, rangers and detectives responded to the scene and recovered the man’s body by boat, the news release states. A preliminary investigation revealed no signs of foul play and no risk to public safety, according to the Sheriff’s Office.



The man was not wearing a personal floatation device when his body was recovered, the release states. The man’s body is now at the Summit County Coroner’s Office, and the coroner will determine the cause and manner of death and release the man’s identity at a later time.

An investigation is ongoing and no further information is available, according to the Sheriff’s Office.



Water-related deaths in Colorado have trended near record levels this summer as officials statewide have urged those recreating to wear life jackets. It is state law that anyone operating a vessel on the water, including paddleboards and kayaks, must have a life jacket on board and be wearing it if they are under the age of 13.

The Dillon Reservoir, which supplies drinking water to the Denver area, is frigid cold, even in the summer. Falling into the water can cause a shock-like reaction that can cause a person’s muscles to contract, making it hard to swim even for advanced swimmers, according to local and state officials.

The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information related to the body found in the reservoir to contact Detective Taylor Piper at 970-423-8958 or via email at taylor.piper@summitcountyco.gov.

“Our hearts go out to the family and friends affected by this tragic loss,” Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said in a statement. “While the cause and manner of death are yet to be determined, this incident reminds us of the importance of wearing PFDs.”

11:45 a.m.: The body was reported after it was discovered floating near the Giberson Bay area of the Dillon Reservoir by a group of kayakers around 8:30 a.m., according to a social media post from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff’s Office personnel promptly recovered the body, and detectives have initiated an investigation, the post states.

Summit County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Mike Schilling said in a video posted to Facebook that there are “no signs of foul play or any greater community danger.”

9:00 a.m.: The Summit County Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating a body found in the Dillon Reservoir on Tuesday morning, Aug. 6.

The Sheriff’s Office did not immediately provide more information and said in a Facebook post that updates will be posted on social media.

Share this story

Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

As a Summit Daily News reader, you make our work possible.

Summit Daily is embarking on a multiyear project to digitize its archives going back to 1989 and make them available to the public in partnership with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. The full project is expected to cost about $165,000. All donations made in 2023 will go directly toward this project.

Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference.