Seasonal park-going families are returning to Jacob Myers Park in Riverbank as they find sunny days scattered amid the showers of spring. As they return on weekends now, they’ll also be noticing the resumption of the seasonal parking fees.

Effective April 1, the Riverbank Parks and Recreation Department began collecting the seasonal $7 parking fee, with the season to continue through September. Collection of the fee helps cover costs of increased seasonal park usage and maintenance, additional staff and opening expanded parking areas.

Officials note that a seasonal parking pass is available to residents who are frequent visitors to the park, with scholarships available in some cases. They may be obtained at the Recreation Department office in City Hall North on Third Street in downtown Riverbank.

High water levels were evident this week on the edge of the Stanislaus River at Jacob Myers Park, with the banks in some locations all but disappeared. The muddy, swift moving water in the river makes some recreational uses of the facilities more dangerous than usual. Valley river levels are high now because of increased rain and snow runoff being released by area dams and reservoirs in anticipation of more wet weather coming to the area. Nearly two inches of rain was recorded in the past week and forecasters say we may see a little more light rain this week.