Labor Day came in hot this year, with triple-digit heat across Sacramento and dozens flocking to the river to stay cool.

Hydration was key this holiday weekend on the American River with an alcohol ban in effect.

"People get into fights, people get unruly, people get injured," said Sergeant Elmer Marzan with the Sacramento County Park Rangers.

Marzan said alcohol plus the heat often leads to dangerous situations like drownings, but most people have left the booze behind this Labor Day weekend.

As of noon on Monday, Marzan said park rangers had only issued about five alcohol citations on the holiday weekend.

"I am excited to just chill out because I've had a very packed week," said Aiden Evans, who was with his family and friends getting ready to float down the river.

It was Cecilia Hatfield's first time floating down the American River.

"I am nervous about the rapids because I've never done this before or know how it is going to feel," Hatfield said.

The water was not flowing very fast on Monday — about 1,700 cubic feet per second.

In fact, it is so shallow in some parts that county park rangers pulled their patrol boat from the water.

"With the water being as low as it is right now, it does make it a little more difficult," said Captain Mark Nunez with Sacramento Metro Fire.

Nunez and Marzan said both of their agency's water rescue teams are trained to navigate these conditions, but both were standing by outside of the water and ready to respond if something happened.

"We've actually been responding to less calls in terms of people being pulled under the water," Nunez said.

Nunez told CBS13 that it appears more people are obeying the rules and wearing their life vests. He has also seen a noticeable difference in the Clay Banks area, where they recently posted signage prohibiting people from diving into the water.

It has cut down on the number of rescues in this area this summer, with zero rescues for the holiday weekend on the entire American River by noon on Labor Day.