Record breaking crowds expected at local rivers for holiday weekend

River outfitters are preparing for what may be a record breaking holiday weekend.

The fun has already begun. A steady flow of people headed to New Braunfels Thursday morning and into the Comal River. Ken Gross brought his son and grandkids. They dipped into the water after slipping away from a wedding in Dallas.

"So I said this will definitely be one of the highlights of the trip," said Gross.

On the San Marcos River it was also getting a little busy.

Officials in San Marcos are estimating as many as 10,000 people a day will be here for the fourth of July holiday weekend. Park rangers and first responders will be ramped up and positioned at traditional problem spots, like the tube shoot at Lucio Park.

"That's probably the hottest spot ,you have that water start rushing quick that's where we get a lot of our people injured cuts and bruises things like that," said San Marcos fireman David Fernandez.

The  water is running pretty fast along the Guadalupe River where currently tubing opportunities are limited.

FOX 7 has learned over the weekend the flow is going to be cut back making the River safer.

The New Braunfels Police Department has classified the 4th as an all hands on deck weekend. Last year 122 citations were issued for things like; parking & traffic violations, having glass or Styrofoam on the river, criminal trespass and littering. NBPD spokesperson David Ferguson said 25 arrests were also made.

The charges included; public intoxication, providing alcohol to minors, failure to identify, theft and bridge jumping.

"In particular, for some reason this year, we've seen an increase in the number of people jumping from bridge. For instance the Garden Street bridge into the Comal River, we want to remind people not only is that illegal but it is also extraordinarily dangerous people have gotten serious seriously injured and sometimes losing their life doing those kind of things, whether it's from a tree or bridge, people, stay in the water enjoy the water and follow the law," said Ferguson.

If it gets too crowded on the Comal, Ferguson tells FOX 7, the plan is to stagger tube launches in order to prevent a major back up at exits .