River Notes Archive

• Sierra South Rapid! News Feed! • Shop at the Sierra South River Store! • Check which New Kayaks are on Sale! • Browse New & Used Kayaks, Rafts & Gear! • Kayak Comparison Chart • 2006 Class Info & Class Calendar • 2006 Event Calendar • Kern Festival 2006 Photos & Results • "Around the Kern" Resource Guide • News from the Past...

Updated 4/8/06 o We Americans love our rivers. We live near them, fish on them, relax on them, and dream next to them. Rivers are nature’s circulatory system. But archaic dam operations are choking the life out of many of the rivers we love. Hydropower, a 19th century technology, has been run for generations with few modern, environmental protections. The impact has been devastating. The good news is that we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change that legacy for the better, improving the health of hundreds of miles of rivers while also strengthening local economies, by changing the way dams operate. More. o Seventy-five environmental groups around the country announced today that they will mount a petition campaign to reinstate the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule overturned by the Bush administration in one of its most controversial environmental decisions. Among the first citizens who have lined up to file a petition is Rebecca Giddens, a 2004 Olympic silver medalist kayaker. "National Forests are an important part of my lifestyle and I'm concerned our pristine forests and the unique recreational opportunities they provide are at risk," said Giddens, who trained for the 2004 Summer Games on California's famed Kern River, which runs through thousands of acres of roadless areas on the Sequoia National Forest. 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. Splashes: Rolling - AW Safety Code - River Quotes - Foamies - Water Art

River Notes for Thursday, July 20, 2006

Important information about River Notes.

Flows on the Upper and Lower Kern remain excellent with about 1200 cfs on the Upper, and 2200 cfs on the Lower. The storage level on Lake Isabella is now reported at about 341,114 acre-feet.

Over the next two weekends, July 22-23 & 29-30, if the average daily flow on the Upper Kern is between about 1000 cfs and 1300 cfs, and there is no Stage 2 power emergency, then as a result KR3 relicensing, 700 cfs should be released to the river below Fairview Dam. This would supplement the flow on all the runs between Fairview Dam and the KR3 powerhouse, including Fairview, Chamise Gorge, Ant Canyon, Thunder Run, and the Cable Run.

Make your plans now! The annual Sierra South Sizzlin' Summer Sale to the weekend of August 26-27. 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!

Our world-famous Lickety-Split and Lickety-Blaster raft trips are far and away the two most popular and most affordable Class 2-3 whitewater rafting runs available on the Kern River. Both are full of enough excitement to challenge just about everyone from young tikes to grandmas and grandpas. Already paddled the Kern? Click here to find photos of your raft trip!

Need paddling gear? Before you buy gear from a store that only exists on a computer, check out our River Store. We're located in Kernville, California, just yards from the Kern River. We are river people. Our river guides, kayak instructors, and outfitter store employees actually use the products we sell. Need help? Call us, and you'll talk to a knowledgeable person that can answer your gear questions.

Learn to kayak! Our proven teaching method takes you through a gradual progression that maximizes the fun. We've designed our beginning class for those who have never river kayaked before, or who have played around with kayaking some, but have not had formal instruction in the fundamentals of river kayaking. We also offer a 5-day total immersion learn-to-kayak class. Our Kayaking School page has all the details on these, and other whitewater and lake touring kayak classes!

If you are looking for a new boat, check out the recreational, touring, whitewater kayaks, inflatable kayaks, and kayaks in our Boat Barns. Bring up your old boat and let us sell it on consignment on the Used Boat Barn. We have great results selling used boats. Call us @ 760-376-3745 for details.

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.

More information concerning flow and weather can be found on our LINKS page.

River Notes for Monday, July 10, 2006

Important information about River Notes.

Flows on the Upper and Lower Kern remain excellent with about 1660 cfs on the Upper, and 2300 cfs on the Lower. The storage level on Lake Isabella is now below the COE implemented pool restriction of 2585.5 feet, or about 361,000 acre-feet.

Over the next three weekends, July 15-16, 22-23, & 29-30, if the flow on the Upper Kern above Fairview Dam is between 1000 cfs and 1300 cfs, then as a result KR3 relicensing, 700 cfs should be released to the river below Fairview Dam. This would supplement the flow on all the runs between Fairview Dam and the KR3 powerhouse, including Fairview, Chamise Gorge, Ant Canyon, Thunder Run, and the Cable Run.

A California-Nevada River Forecast Center trace analysis for the period July 10 to August 5, based on conditions as of July 7, suggest a good chance that the average daily inflow to Lake Isabella will remain above 1000 cfs through August 1.

Due to the extended boating season, we've moved the date our annual Sizzlin' Summer Sale to the weekend of August 26-27. Make your plans now! As always, we’ll have boats, gear and store merchandise priced 10%-70% off.

Our world-famous Lickety-Split and Lickety-Blaster raft trips are far and away the two most popular and most affordable Class 2-3 whitewater rafting runs available on the Kern River. Both are full of enough excitement to challenge just about everyone from young tikes to grandmas and grandpas. Already paddled the Kern? Click here to find photos of your raft trip!

Need paddling gear? Before you buy gear from a store that only exists on a computer, check out our River Store. We're located in Kernville, California, just yards from the Kern River. We are river people. Our river guides, kayak instructors, and outfitter store employees actually use the products we sell. Need help? Call us, and you'll talk to a knowledgeable person that can answer your gear questions.

Learn to kayak! Our proven teaching method takes you through a gradual progression that maximizes the fun. We've designed our beginning class for those who have never river kayaked before, or who have played around with kayaking some, but have not had formal instruction in the fundamentals of river kayaking. We also offer a 5-day total immersion learn-to-kayak class. Our Kayaking School page has all the details on these, and other whitewater and lake touring kayak classes!

If you are looking for a new boat, check out the recreational, touring, whitewater kayaks, inflatable kayaks, and kayaks in our Boat Barns. Bring up your old boat and let us sell it on consignment on the Used Boat Barn. We have great results selling used boats. Call us @ 760-376-3745 for details.

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.

More information concerning flow and weather can be found on our LINKS page.

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