JD Vance’s Security Team Reportedly Had an Ohio River’s Water Level Raised During His Birthday Kayaking Trip

Vice President JD Vance’s security detail arranged for the water level of an Ohio river to be raised ahead of his recent family boating trip marking his 41st birthday.

According to The Guardian and the Associated Press, the Secret Service requested the Army Corps of Engineers adjust the outflow from a lake into the Little Miami River before Vance’s visit to southwest Ohio on Saturday, Aug. 2.

In a statement to The Guardian, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) said the request aimed to “support safe navigation” for the vice president and his family.

Social media posts obtained by the AP showed Vance kayaking on the river, which feeds into Ohio’s Caesar Creek Lake. One source told The Guardian that the request wasn’t just for safe boating but also to create “ideal kayaking conditions.”

Public data from the U.S. Geological Survey reviewed by The Guardian indicated a sudden rise in the Little Miami River’s water level, alongside a drop in the lake’s elevation, during Vance’s time in Ohio.

USACE spokesperson Gene Pawlik confirmed to the outlet that the Louisville district had received “a request to temporarily increase outflows from Caesar Creek Lake to support safe navigation of U.S. Secret Service personnel.” Pawlik said the operations would not significantly impact water levels upstream or downstream, and that stakeholders were notified ahead of the slight outflow increase on Aug. 1, 2025.

The Secret Service told The Guardian it coordinated with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and USACE to ensure safe operation of motorized watercraft and emergency personnel. The agency declined to provide details about specific operational plans. The Guardian also noted that the USACE has previously altered outflows for public purposes, including emergency training and community events.

Parker Magid, a spokesperson for Vance, said the vice president was unaware the water level had been changed.
“The Secret Service often employs protective measures without the knowledge of the Vice President or his staff, as was the case last weekend,” Magid told the AP.

Several officials criticized Vance for what they saw as inappropriate use of public infrastructure at a time when the Trump administration has enacted cuts to government jobs and scientific research funding.

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat from Ohio’s 9th district, called the action “outrageous” in a post on X. She suggested the Army Corps of Engineers should provide records to relevant congressional committees.

Richard W. Painter, who served as chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, wrote on X that it was “outrageous for the Army corps of engineers to spend taxpayer money to increase water flow in a river so @VP can go canoeing when budget cuts to the National Park Service have severely impacted family vacations for everyone else.”

This is not the first time a politician has faced scrutiny over recreational use of public resources. The AP noted that in 1999, while former Vice President Al Gore was running for president, he went boating on the Connecticut River after utility officials released 4 billion gallons of water to raise its level — though Gore’s staff insisted he had not requested it.