River Notes Archive

River Notes for Friday, June 30, 2000

Important information about River Notes.

The free Whitewater Kayak Demo Day has been rescheduled for July 8, the same weekend as the Recreational/Touring Kayak Summer PaddleFest Demo Day:

While there is sufficient water for the Forks, Limestone and Powerhouse runs on the Upper Kern, an additional 16 miles of river would still be runnable if it were not for the diversion of water at Fairview Dam for the KR3 powerplant . This includes the Fairview Run, Chamise Gorge, Salmon Creek, Ant Canyon, Thunder Run, and the Cable Run. (See KR3 Relicensing for more info.)

Another reach of the Kern affected by a large diversion is the section of river from immediately below Lake Isabella to the Borel Powerhouse. Typically, 600 cfs is diverted by the Borel Canal, severely affecting recreational use and stream conditions on the Dam Run..

Southern California Edison Company (SCE) is preparing an Application for License to renew its existing license for the Borel Hydroelectric Project. A site visit, agency/public meeting and a public outreach meeting has been scheduled July 14, 2000 at Lake Isabella. For details please see this letter from John Gangemi, Conservation Director, American Whitewater.

Check out the new bridge at the end of the Royal Flush portage on the Miracle to Democrat run on the Lower Kern.

Here is a snapshot of today's flow and reservoir data. Click on "Current" to get the latest info. (SCE reports that flow phone data is updated twice daily. For current information call 877-537-6356 or 760-376-8821.)

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

River Notes for Tuesday, June 27, 2000

Important information about River Notes.

Check out the new bridge at the end of the Royal Flush portage on the Miracle to Democrat run on the Lower Kern. Several of us did just that this last weekend. (Thanks for the camera battery Lisa!)

The old bridge, built by Chuck Richards in the early eighties, served us well, but was beginning to show it's age. The new bridge is substantial, to say the least, and should last a long, long time. The project was funded by the USFS & CA Dept. of Boating and Waterways.

Miracle to Democrat is an outstanding play run for the class IV boater. There are enough spins, splats, squirts, surf waves, and holes to satisfy the hungriest play boater. One of our group was a New Hampshire boater that was in LA on business. He had planned to spend some time scuba diving, or maybe hang out at the beach, until he read about the Kern. He thoroughly enjoyed the river and had a great time in a new Dagger Outlaw.

Flow and storage data suggests the COE gage at Kernville is reading low, and SCE flow phone data for the flow at Fairview is reading high. This morning the COE gage is reporting just over 700 cfs at Kernville, while the SCE flow phone says there's 1173 cfs at Fairview. Calculations based on outflow and changes in reservoir storage suggest the flow at Kernville is around 800-850 cfs.

While there is sufficient water for the Forks, Limestone and Powerhouse runs on the Upper Kern, an additional 16 miles of river would still be runnable if it were not for the diversion of water at Fairview Dam for the KR3 powerplant . This includes the Fairview Run, Chamise Gorge, Salmon Creek, Ant Canyon, Thunder Run, and the Cable Run. (See KR3 Relicensing for more info.)

Here is a snapshot of today's flow and reservoir data. Click on "Current" to get the latest info. (SCE reports that flow phone data is updated twice daily. For current information call 877-537-6356 or 760-376-8821.)

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

River Notes for Thursday, June 22, 2000

Important information about River Notes.

The high yesterday at the Kernville Remote Automated Weathers Station (RAWS) was 102 degrees, and at the Johnsondale RAWS station at 4696 ft. the high was 91. The warm weather has helped keep the flow on the Upper Kern at around 1000-1100 cfs. The current release to the Lower Kern is about 1250 cfs.

This morning the SCE Flow Phone reported 1180 cfs above the Fairview diversion, but only 484 cfs below Fairview Dam.

While there is sufficient water for the Forks, Limestone and Powerhouse runs on the Upper Kern, an additional 16 miles of river would still be runnable if it were not for the diversion of water at Fairview Dam for the KR3 powerplant . This includes the Fairview Run, Chamise Gorge, Salmon Creek, Ant Canyon, Thunder Run, and the Cable Run. (See KR3 Relicensing for more info.)

Today's RiverPhoto is of "Topi" Topolcsik paddling his slalom kayak on Hobo Rapid, site of the 2000 Texaco Whitewater Slalom Nationals and ACA Wildwater Nationals later this summer. In an exciting whitewater double header, the Kern River Alliance and the Bakersfield Sports Marketing Council will be hosting the Slalom and Wildwater Nationals on the Kern River, at Miracle Hot Springs, California, August 18-20, 2000. The Nationals will be the final race in which our U.S. Team competes, prior to Sydney Olympics. Team members will be flying to Australia shortly after the event.

Here is a snapshot of today's flow and reservoir data. Click on "Current" to get the latest info. (SCE reports that flow phone data is updated twice daily. For current information call 877-537-6356 or 760-376-8821.)

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

River Notes for Monday, June 12, 2000

Important information about River Notes.

The average inflow to Lake Isabella, and the SCE flow phone data for the Kern above Fairview, suggests the flow at Kernville is about 1100 cfs. This is somewhat higher than the 950 cfs currently being reported by the COE gage.

Last week the Sierra saw snow and freezing temperatures down to about 7000 ft. This week the Kern Valley expects to see highs of 100 or more. The hot weather could squeeze just a little more water out of snowfields on the highest mountain peaks. We'll see!

Today's RiverPhoto is of "Topi" Topolcsik paddling his slalom kayak on Hobo Rapid, site of the 2000 Texaco Whitewater Slalom Nationals and ACA Wildwater Nationals later this summer. In an exciting whitewater double header, the Kern River Alliance and the Bakersfield Sports Marketing Council will be hosting the Slalom and Wildwater Nationals on the Kern River, at Miracle Hot Springs, California, August 18-20, 2000. The Nationals will be the final race in which our U.S. Team competes, prior to Sydney Olympics. Team members will be flying to Australia shortly after the event.

Here is a snapshot of today's flow and reservoir data. Click on "Current" to get the latest info. (SCE reports that flow phone data is updated twice daily. For current information call 877-537-6356 or 760-376-8821.)

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

River Notes for Thursday, June 8, 2000

Important information about River Notes.

An unseasonably strong trough is resulting in some light to moderate shower activity in Central California with a few isolated heavier showers or thundershowers. Climbers on the big walls of Yosemite (courtesy of Virtual Yosemite) will find the weather unsettling. And hikers on the John Muir Trail could see snow above 8000 or 9000 ft.

The main effect on the Kern Valley will be a day of increased clouds, cooler temperatures, some gusty winds, and a possibility of a shower. Temps should be back into the eighties on Friday, with nice weather expected on Saturday and Sunday.

Here is a snapshot of today's flow and reservoir data. Click on "Current" to get the latest info. (SCE reports that flow phone data is updated twice daily. For current information call 877-537-6356 or 760-376-8821.)

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

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