(Links and other information are historical in nature and may no
longer be correct. Products referenced in the archives may no longer
be available. References to products on sale do not apply.) |
o The debate over the proposal to breach the Sierra's O'Shaughnessy Dam, drain the reservoir behind it and restore Hetch Hetchy Valley to its former natural splendor is apt to intensify this summer with the release of a California Department of Water Resources study on the issue. More. o The Cosumnes River is an anomaly in the heart of California’s breadbasket—the last undammed river in the heavily irrigated Central Valley. The Cosumnes flows freely from its headwaters in the red fir forests of the Sierra Nevada to its confluence with the Mokelumne River and the marshes of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. More. o California is blessed with some of the most beautiful and diverse rivers in the world. From the steep creeks of the high Sierra to the broad and powerful rivers of the Central Valley, each river tells a personal story and provides a unique experience to the visitor. More. o What rescue equip. do you carry? Shoes, of course, though I'm pretty optimistic. Most down-days I carry rope, knife, handpaddles, couple caribiners, Cliff bar, lighter, and one Petzl Ti-bloc. I've got a little Adventure Medical Kit I've enhanced with Lortabs, Flexeril, and a space blanket for steep, remote, or long days. I've got a wad of orange flagging tape I use to mark new wood on popular runs. I carry more food, gloves, balaclava, and headlamp for cold days or late starts. . .West Coast/ international creeking I've got float-bags, iodine or a water filter, and a firm knowledge of my walk-out options (or map). People often forget how much safety equipment you can store in your brain - weight free.(Clay Wright) More Splashes: Rolling - AW Safety Code - River Quotes - Foamies - Water Art |
Important information about River Notes.
Make your plans now -- the annual Sierra South Sizzlin' Summer Sale is the weekend of August 20-21! We'll have more than 200 new and used boats on sale, including kayaks from Liquidlogic, Dagger, Wave Sport, Jackson, Perception, Pyranha, and Wilderness Systems; and inflatable kayaks and rafts from Hyside. Nearly all in-stock boats, paddling apparel and gear, and store merchandise will be priced at 10%-70% off. Don't miss out -- take advantage of the extended season and our low Sale prices -- you'll be paddling in Sizzlin' style!
Last Thursday Sierra thunderstorms dumped more than an inch of rain on the snow sensor at Crabtree Meadow, at about 10,700 ft. in the Kern River basin. Rainfall from these storms supplemented the flow on the Upper Kern, increasing it to about 1500 cfs Friday afternoon. More thunderstorms on Saturday helped maintain the flow on the Upper at about 1300-1400 cfs through Monday. Since then the flow on the Upper Kern has decreased to about 1000 cfs, but the NWS is forecasting a continuing chance of thunderstorms the next few days, so rainfall could once again increase the flow on the Upper Kern. At noon today the COE reported the Kern at Kernville at 1014 cfs, and the Lower Kern at Borel at 2665 cfs.
If there is no Stage 2 (or higher) power alert, there's a good chance the average flow on the Upper will be high enough that SCE will supplement the flow between Fairview Dam and the SCE KR3 powerhouse on Saturday and Sunday, releasing 700 cfs to the River. This would significantly improve the paddling on runs such as Fairview, Chamise, Ant Canyon and the Thunder Run. You can check the outlook for power demands and resources on the California ISO web site. To check if the flow below Fairview Dam is being augmented, call the SCE Flow Phone at 877-537-6356.
August 26-28, 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist Rebecca Giddens and other Sizzlin' hot paddlers from the U.S., Canada, and the Americas will compete in the Kern Tripletazo (Big Triple) at Miracle Hot Springs. Three slalom races will be conducted over three days -- the Pan American Whitewater Slalom Championships, America's Whitewater Slalom Open, and the USACK Whitewater Slalom Nationals. There is excellent spectator access for all of these races. The Miracle Hot Springs Slalom Course is located next to a day-use picnic area, with beautiful shade trees along the whole course. Spectators can walk along much of the course, sit along the edge of the river, and have a free front-row seat for all the outstanding whitewater action.
This Spring, the highest reported hourly stage and flow for the Kern at Kernville was 10.05 ft. and 8211 cfs on Friday, May 27 at 1:00 P.M. The highest reported average daily flow for the Kern at Kernville was 7280 cfs on Saturday, May 28. The highest reported average daily inflow to Lake Isabella was 7077 cfs on Friday, May 27. The USGS gage on the South Fork near Onyx, recorded a peak flow of 1,710 cfs on the afternoon of May 17th. The maximum storage level reached by Lake Isabella was (538,667 acre-feet (95% full) on June 17, just before midnight.
This panorama of the headwaters of the S.F. & N.F. Kern River was taken June 26th from Olancha Peak. Even on warm south-facing slopes there was significant snow on the highest peaks, and much more snow was hidden from view in cirques, gullies and north-facing slopes. This satellite overview of the Upper Kern drainage taken in early January 2005 provides a good overview of the Kern drainage.
If you have signed up for a kayaking class or rafting trip, or are considering it, check our Kayaking and Rafting float notes (PDF) to see how to get to Kernville, what you need to bring, and other important information. Need some items for your class or trip? We have all the paddlesports gear you'll need -- on and off the river -- at our Kernville store and on-line at the Sierra South River Store. Be sure to check the store's Bargain Barn for super prices on a wide range of gear.
Retire that bleached out PFD, worn down paddle, and behemoth kayak and get into something new! Why not advertise your current boat for sale on our web site in our consignment Used Boat Barn? Call us at 800-376-7303 for more info! Looking for a boat? Check out the recreational. touring and whitewater kayaks (and rafts) in our Boat Barns.
Here is a snapshot of today's flow and reservoir data, based on reports from the Corps of Engineers (COE) and Southern California Edison (SCE). Click on "Current" to get the latest COE info. For SCE flow information, call the flow phone at 877-537-6356 or 760-376-8821. According to SCE, the flow phone values reported for Above & Below Fairview, and Below Democrat Dam are updated every 5-10 seconds. All other flow phone data is manually updated twice a day (7am & 2pm) when an operator is on duty.
Upper Kern |
Lower Kern |
||||||||
| Above Fairview* | Below Fairview* | At Kernville | Lake Isabella | Below Democrat Dam* | |||||
| Date & Time | Flow (cfs) | Flow (cfs) | Stage | Flow (cfs) | Total Outflow | to River | to Borel Canal | Storage (acre-feet) |
Flow (cfs) |
| 28JUL2005 1300 | 1061 | 476 | 6.18 | 1014 | 2665 | 2567 | 98 | 470092 | 2590 |
| Kern Flow Info | Current | 5 Day Plot | 10 Day Plot | Month | WY '05 | WY '04 | WY '03 | WY '02 | WY '01 |
| Weather | NWS | NWS Zones | CNN | Washington Post | Satellite | Radar | Kernville RAWS | RAWS Archive | |
| *Flow values from SCE Flow Phone. For current information call 877-537-6356 or 760-376-8821. According to SCE the flow values reported for Above & Below Fairview, and Below Democrat Dam are updated every 5-10 seconds. All other flow phone data is manually updated twice a day (7am & 2pm) when an operator is on duty. | |||||||||
More information concerning flow and weather can be found on our LINKS page.
o The debate over the proposal to breach the Sierra's O'Shaughnessy Dam, drain the reservoir behind it and restore Hetch Hetchy Valley to its former natural splendor is apt to intensify this summer with the release of a California Department of Water Resources study on the issue. More. o The Cosumnes River is an anomaly in the heart of California’s breadbasket—the last undammed river in the heavily irrigated Central Valley. The Cosumnes flows freely from its headwaters in the red fir forests of the Sierra Nevada to its confluence with the Mokelumne River and the marshes of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. More. o California is blessed with some of the most beautiful and diverse rivers in the world. From the steep creeks of the high Sierra to the broad and powerful rivers of the Central Valley, each river tells a personal story and provides a unique experience to the visitor. More. o What rescue equip. do you carry? Shoes, of course, though I'm pretty optimistic. Most down-days I carry rope, knife, handpaddles, couple caribiners, Cliff bar, lighter, and one Petzl Ti-bloc. I've got a little Adventure Medical Kit I've enhanced with Lortabs, Flexeril, and a space blanket for steep, remote, or long days. I've got a wad of orange flagging tape I use to mark new wood on popular runs. I carry more food, gloves, balaclava, and headlamp for cold days or late starts. . .West Coast/ international creeking I've got float-bags, iodine or a water filter, and a firm knowledge of my walk-out options (or map). People often forget how much safety equipment you can store in your brain - weight free.(Clay Wright) More Splashes: Rolling - AW Safety Code - River Quotes - Foamies - Water Art |
Important information about River Notes.
Flows on the Upper Kern have been varying by about 500 cfs over the course of a day, with a daily peak of about 2900 cfs, and daily minimum of about 2400 cfs. This afternoon at 1:00 the Kern at Kernville is reported at 2828 cfs. Flow projections from the California Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC), based on conditions as of July 7, suggest that the flow on the Upper will decline to about 1200-1300 cfs around August 1. Last year in early July the flow on the Upper was only about 400 cfs!
Releases from Lake Isabella to the Lower Kern continue above the 3000 cfs level. This afternoon the COE reports the flow at Borel at 3201 cfs, and the flow below Isabella Dam (Slippery Rock put-in) at 2634 cfs. The Lake Isabella storage level is reported at 523,584 acre-feet.
Today's RiverPhoto is of Wyoming boater Jamie Yount getting in some high water paddling on Sock 'em Dog on the Thunder Run at about 5500 cfs earlier this season. Jamie is ferrying to the left side of the river to avoid a big hole that is just downstream. At the end of the ferry, he stayed right of the bushes and trees and boofed a small drop under the overhanging limb. The photos were taken by Jake Farrell.
Due to the extended season on the Upper, we've moved our annual Sizzlin' Summer Sale to the weekend of August 20-21. As always, we’ll have boats, gear and store merchandise priced 10%-70% off. Also in August is the Kern Tripletazo (Big Triple) with Silver Medalist Rebecca Giddens and other top paddlers from the U.S., Canada, and the Americas.
ALWAYS wear a PFD (lifevest) on, or near, the River. If you are not an experienced paddler, go on the River with a professional outfitter. Don't use discount store rafts or inner tubes. See the Safety Code of American Whitewater for additional information.
This panorama of the headwaters of the S.F. & N.F. Kern River was taken June 26th from Olancha Peak. Even on warm south-facing slopes there's significant snow on the highest peaks, and much more snow is hidden from view in cirques, gullies and north-facing slopes. This satellite overview of the Upper Kern drainage taken in early January 2005 provides a good overview of the Kern drainage.
This Spring, the highest reported hourly stage and flow for the Kern at Kernville was 10.05 ft. and 8211 cfs on Friday, May 27 at 1:00 P.M. The highest reported average daily flow for the Kern at Kernville was 7280 cfs on Saturday, May 28. The highest reported average daily inflow to Lake Isabella was 7077 cfs on Friday, May 27. These figures will probably be revised to reconcile flows reported at Kernville and corresponding inflows to Lake Isabella. The USGS gage on the South Fork near Onyx, recorded a peak flow of 1,710 cfs on the afternoon of May 17th.
If you have signed up for a kayaking class or rafting trip, or are considering it, check our Kayaking and Rafting float notes (PDF) to see how to get to Kernville, what you need to bring, and other important information. Need some items for your class or trip? We have all the paddlesports gear you'll need -- on and off the river -- at our Kernville store and on-line at the Sierra South River Store. Be sure to check the store's Bargain Barn for super prices on a wide range of gear.
Retire that bleached out PFD, worn down paddle, and behemoth kayak and get into something new! Why not advertise your current boat for sale on our web site in our consignment Used Boat Barn? Call us at 800-376-7303 for more info! Looking for a boat? Check out the recreational. touring and whitewater kayaks (and rafts) in our Boat Barns.
Here is a snapshot of today's flow and reservoir data, based on reports from the Corps of Engineers (COE) and Southern California Edison (SCE). Click on "Current" to get the latest COE info. For SCE flow information, call the flow phone at 877-537-6356 or 760-376-8821. According to SCE, the flow phone values reported for Above & Below Fairview, and Below Democrat Dam are updated every 5-10 seconds. All other flow phone data is manually updated twice a day (7am & 2pm) when an operator is on duty.
Upper Kern |
Lower Kern |
||||||||
| Above Fairview* | Below Fairview* | At Kernville | Lake Isabella | Below Democrat Dam* | |||||
| Date & Time | Flow (cfs) | Flow (cfs) | Stage | Flow (cfs) | Total Outflow | to River | to Borel Canal | Storage (acre-feet) |
Flow (cfs) |
| 08JUL2005 1300 | 2694 | 2100 | 7.85 | 2828 | 3201 | 2634 | 567 | 523584 | 2873 |
| Kern Flow Info | Current | 5 Day Plot | 10 Day Plot | Month | WY '05 | WY '04 | WY '03 | WY '02 | WY '01 |
| Weather | NWS | NWS Zones | CNN | Washington Post | Satellite | Radar | Kernville RAWS | RAWS Archive | |
| *Flow values from SCE Flow Phone. For current information call 877-537-6356 or 760-376-8821. According to SCE the flow values reported for Above & Below Fairview, and Below Democrat Dam are updated every 5-10 seconds. All other flow phone data is manually updated twice a day (7am & 2pm) when an operator is on duty. | |||||||||
More information concerning flow and weather can be found on our LINKS page.
o The debate over the proposal to breach the Sierra's O'Shaughnessy Dam, drain the reservoir behind it and restore Hetch Hetchy Valley to its former natural splendor is apt to intensify this summer with the release of a California Department of Water Resources study on the issue. More. o The Cosumnes River is an anomaly in the heart of California’s breadbasket—the last undammed river in the heavily irrigated Central Valley. The Cosumnes flows freely from its headwaters in the red fir forests of the Sierra Nevada to its confluence with the Mokelumne River and the marshes of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. More. o California is blessed with some of the most beautiful and diverse rivers in the world. From the steep creeks of the high Sierra to the broad and powerful rivers of the Central Valley, each river tells a personal story and provides a unique experience to the visitor. More. o What rescue equip. do you carry? Shoes, of course, though I'm pretty optimistic. Most down-days I carry rope, knife, handpaddles, couple caribiners, Cliff bar, lighter, and one Petzl Ti-bloc. I've got a little Adventure Medical Kit I've enhanced with Lortabs, Flexeril, and a space blanket for steep, remote, or long days. I've got a wad of orange flagging tape I use to mark new wood on popular runs. I carry more food, gloves, balaclava, and headlamp for cold days or late starts. . .West Coast/ international creeking I've got float-bags, iodine or a water filter, and a firm knowledge of my walk-out options (or map). People often forget how much safety equipment you can store in your brain - weight free.(Clay Wright) More Splashes: Rolling - AW Safety Code - River Quotes - Foamies - Water Art |
Important information about River Notes.
Triple digit highs are forecast for many areas of the Southwest this July 4th weekend, and the hot temperatures are making the most of the snow that remains in the Sierra high country. Yesterday, the flow on the Upper Kern at Kernville reached 3264 cfs, and today the flow could exceed 3500 cfs. Last year on July 1, the flow on the Upper was only about 400 cfs!
ALWAYS wear a PFD (lifevest) on, or near, the River. If you are not an experienced paddler, go on the River with a professional outfitter. Don't use discount store rafts or inner tubes. See the Safety Code of American Whitewater for additional information.
Flow projections from the California Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC), based on conditions as of June 23, suggest that the paddling season on the Upper Kern may well extend into mid-August or September. In addition, releases from Lake Isabella might extend the season on the Lower Kern into the Fall. With the extended season we've moved our annual Sizzlin' Summer Sale to the weekend of August 20-21. Also in August is the Kern Tripletazo (Big Triple) with Silver Medalist Rebecca Giddens and other top paddlers from the U.S., Canada, and the Americas.
There may be triple digit temps in the valleys and deserts, but in the Sierra high country there's still snow. This panorama of the headwaters of the S.F. & N.F. Kern River was taken last weekend from Olancha Peak. Even on warm south-facing slopes there's significant snow on the highest peaks, and much more snow is hidden from view in cirques, gullies and north-facing slopes. This satellite overview of the Upper Kern drainage was taken in early January 2005.
This Spring, the highest reported hourly stage and flow for the Kern at Kernville was 10.05 ft. and 8211 cfs on Friday, May 27 at 1:00 P.M. The highest reported average daily flow for the Kern at Kernville was 7280 cfs on Saturday, May 28. The highest reported average daily inflow to Lake Isabella was 7077 cfs on Friday, May 27. These figures will probably be revised to reconcile flows reported at Kernville and corresponding inflows to Lake Isabella. The USGS gage on the South Fork near Onyx, recorded a peak flow of 1,710 cfs on the afternoon of May 17th.
Have you had a chance to visit the new Sierra South River Store? We have all the paddlesports gear you'll need -- on and off the river. Be sure to check the store's Bargain Barn for super prices on a wide range of gear.
If you have signed up for a kayaking class or rafting trip, or are considering it, check our Kayaking and Rafting float notes (PDF) to see how to get to Kernville, what you need to bring, and other important information. Need some items for your class or trip? We have a complete selection paddlesports gear at our Kernville store and on-line. It's going to be a fantastic season, so be sure to make your reservations early.
Retire that bleached out PFD, worn down paddle, and behemoth kayak and get into something new! Why not advertise your current boat for sale on our web site in our consignment Used Boat Barn? Call us at 800-376-7303 for more info! Looking for a boat? Check out the recreational. touring and whitewater kayaks (and rafts) in our Boat Barns.
Here is a snapshot of today's flow and reservoir data, based on reports from the Corps of Engineers (COE) and Southern California Edison (SCE). Click on "Current" to get the latest COE info. For SCE flow information, call the flow phone at 877-537-6356 or 760-376-8821. According to SCE, the flow phone values reported for Above & Below Fairview, and Below Democrat Dam are updated every 5-10 seconds. All other flow phone data is manually updated twice a day (7am & 2pm) when an operator is on duty.
Upper Kern |
Lower Kern |
||||||||
| Above Fairview* | Below Fairview* | At Kernville | Lake Isabella | Below Democrat Dam* | |||||
| Date & Time | Flow (cfs) | Flow (cfs) | Stage | Flow (cfs) | Total Outflow | to River | to Borel Canal | Storage (acre-feet) |
Flow (cfs) |
| 01JUL2005 0800 | 3515 | 2914 | 8.03 | 3094 | 3063 | 2495 | 568 | 528663 | 2805 |
| Kern Flow Info | Current | 5 Day Plot | 10 Day Plot | Month | WY '05 | WY '04 | WY '03 | WY '02 | WY '01 |
| Weather | NWS | NWS Zones | CNN | Washington Post | Satellite | Radar | Kernville RAWS | RAWS Archive | |
| *Flow values from SCE Flow Phone. For current information call 877-537-6356 or 760-376-8821. According to SCE the flow values reported for Above & Below Fairview, and Below Democrat Dam are updated every 5-10 seconds. All other flow phone data is manually updated twice a day (7am & 2pm) when an operator is on duty. | |||||||||
More information concerning flow and weather can be found on our LINKS page.
