Sierra South - Mountain and Paddle Sports
Quick Menu Main Sierra South Page New & Used Kayaks The Kern River Links, Links, Links! Request Additional Information The Kern River Gallery Learn to Climb! Learn to Kayak! Go Rafting on the Kern River! Get the latest flows, weather, and info! Visit the Sierra South Online Store!
News and Information

River Notes Archive

(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.)

Previous Month - Index - Next Month

 


S T R E A M L I N E S
News & Info for Paddlers

o What's Gale Norton trying to Hide? - George W. Bush's Secretary of the Interior keeps a low profile, keeps her mouth shut, and never picks a fight. Don't mistake her for a stiff, though. As the steward of 507 million public acres, she has deftly combined an aggressive, pro-extraction agenda and the Bush administration's wartime clout to steamroll environmentalists. With the big battle over Arctic oil drilling still to come, her fierce partisanship draws comparisons to her onetime mentor, James Watt, but there's a crucial difference: Norton knows how to win. More: Outside.

o Surfing Jaws - Big kahuna Dave Kalama tells how he tamed Maui’s monster waves with motors, ropes, and adrenaline. More: National Geographic Adventure.

o Study: Warmer climate, sicker earth - From coral reefs to rainforests, diseases are spreading among marine and land animals — including humans — and global warming appears to be a major factor, researchers reported Thursday in the journal Science. More: MSNBC.

o For a kayak to be stable it should either apply a force to push you back to the upright equilibrium condition, or if you want to lean, it should apply force such that the boat finds a new equilibrium condition before it tips you over. More :Kayak Stability

Splashes: Stevefisher.net and Jimmy Blakeney's Prokayaker.tv & California first descents - Preston Holme's Channel Islands Surfing - The Kayaxis

River Notes for Monday, June 24, 2002

Important information about River Notes.

There is a Forest Service private whitewater boaters meeting this Saturday, June 29, 2002 at 7:00 PM at the Kernville Ranger Station. Download agenda (PDF). For more information call 760-376-3781.

Sale on all Dry Tops! 20% OFF:

The Bomb Drytop was $315.00 less 20% $252.00
Nemo Drytop was $325.00 less 20% $260.00
Wave Drytop-Goretex was $ 331.00 less 20% $264.80
Wave Drytop-Goretex XXL was $368.00 less 20% $294.40
Whirlpool Drytop was $172.00 less 20% $137.60
Whirlpool Drytop XXL was $194.00 less 20% $155.20
Whirlpool Drytop Women's was $171.50 less 20% $137.20
EFX Drytop Men's and Women's was $270.00 less 20% $216.00
Gripp Drytop was $210.00 less $20% $168.00
Gush Shorty Drytop was $175.00 less 20% $140.00
Retro Gripp Goretex Drytop was $375.00 less 20% $300.00

The flow on the Upper Kern is down to about 675 cfs. The Lower Kern is back up. This afternoon the release to the river at Slippery Rock (the Dam Run put-in) is about 700 cfs and below the Borel Powerhouse is about 1225 cfs.

Free Whitewater and Recreational and Touring Kayak demos are scheduled for the weekend of June 29th and 30th. Please see the Event Calendar, or call the store at 760-376-3745 for more information.

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.)

EquipmentThe Sierra South Online StoreClick!

 

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)
24JUN2002 1300 673 131 5.66 678 1228 707 521 181355 402(?)
Kern Flow Info Current 5 Day Plot 10 Day Plot Month WY '02 WY '01 WY '00 WY '99
Weather NWS NWS Extended 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. Reportedly, flows are updated twice daily.

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

 


S T R E A M L I N E S
News & Info for Paddlers

o What's Gale Norton trying to Hide? - George W. Bush's Secretary of the Interior keeps a low profile, keeps her mouth shut, and never picks a fight. Don't mistake her for a stiff, though. As the steward of 507 million public acres, she has deftly combined an aggressive, pro-extraction agenda and the Bush administration's wartime clout to steamroll environmentalists. With the big battle over Arctic oil drilling still to come, her fierce partisanship draws comparisons to her onetime mentor, James Watt, but there's a crucial difference: Norton knows how to win. More: Outside.

o Surfing Jaws - Big kahuna Dave Kalama tells how he tamed Maui’s monster waves with motors, ropes, and adrenaline. More: National Geographic Adventure.

o Study: Warmer climate, sicker earth - From coral reefs to rainforests, diseases are spreading among marine and land animals — including humans — and global warming appears to be a major factor, researchers reported Thursday in the journal Science. More: MSNBC.

o For a kayak to be stable it should either apply a force to push you back to the upright equilibrium condition, or if you want to lean, it should apply force such that the boat finds a new equilibrium condition before it tips you over. More :Kayak Stability

Splashes: Stevefisher.net and Jimmy Blakeney's Prokayaker.tv & California first descents - Preston Holme's Channel Islands Surfing - The Kayaxis

River Notes for Thursday, June 20, 2002

Important information about River Notes.

Sale on all Dry Tops! 20% OFF:

The Bomb Drytop was $315.00 less 20% $252.00
Nemo Drytop was $325.00 less 20% $260.00
Wave Drytop-Goretex was $ 331.00 less 20% $264.80
Wave Drytop-Goretex XXL was $368.00 less 20% $294.40
Whirlpool Drytop was $172.00 less 20% $137.60
Whirlpool Drytop XXL was $194.00 less 20% $155.20
Whirlpool Drytop Women's was $171.50 less 20% $137.20
EFX Drytop Men's and Women's was $270.00 less 20% $216.00
Gripp Drytop was $210.00 less $20% $168.00
Gush Shorty Drytop was $175.00 less 20% $140.00
Retro Gripp Goretex Drytop was $375.00 less 20% $300.00

The flow on the Upper Kern has been much more resilient than forecasts earlier this Spring suggested. Originally the Kern was thought to have peaked on April 15. Three successively higher peaks followed, with the most recent peak 1856 cfs on June 1.

Earlier this week it looked like the Upper might be nearing the end of the snowmelt, but yesterday the flow rebounded to 990 cfs. Last year on this day the flow was about 490 cfs!

The high recorded yesterday at the Kernville RAWS was 91 degrees. Temps are expected to increase a few degrees over the weekend, with highs approaching 100 on Sunday. The warm weather is expected to continue through the week.

If the Upper Kern has been higher than expected, the Lower Kern at Borel has been a little lower than expected. After a couple of days at 1000 cfs the Lower is back down to about 835 cfs. This is a good flow for rafting and kayaking on the Miracle to Democrat section of the Lower, but on the low side for the Dam Run (Slippery Rock to Sandy Flat).

Free Whitewater and Recreational and Touring Kayak demos are scheduled for the weekend of June 29th and 30th. Please see the Event Calendar, or call the store at 760-376-3745 for more information.

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.)

EquipmentThe Sierra South Online StoreClick!

 

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)
20JUN2002 0800 874 276 6.02 900 836 322 514 183419 421
Kern Flow Info Current 5 Day Plot 10 Day Plot Month WY '02 WY '01 WY '00 WY '99
Weather NWS NWS Extended 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. Reportedly, flows are updated twice daily.

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

 


S T R E A M L I N E S
News & Info for Paddlers

o I was sitting in my kayak in an eddy along the Payette River last summer, getting jostled and slammed by several dozen other paddlers in bizarre little multicolored boats. More: Mountain Gazette .

o The California Wild Heritage Act of 2002 (S.2535) could ensure up to 2.5 million acres of wilderness and more than 450 miles of Wild & Scenic Rivers on federally managed lands around the state.. More: Friends of the River.

o Scientists detail new information that points toward development of mature El Niño conditions during the remainder of 2002. More NOAA

o For a kayak to be stable it should either apply a force to push you back to the upright equilibrium condition, or if you want to lean, it should apply force such that the boat finds a new equilibrium condition before it tips you over. More :Kayak Stability

o What makes a river navigable? More: Oregon Division of State Lands

Splashes: Channel Islands Surfing - The Kayaxis - Precipitation Forecast - El Niño and California Precipitation.

River Notes for Wednesday, June 12, 2002

Important information about River Notes.

Over the weekend the high temps in the Kernville area cooled to the mid to high seventies. Temperatures also cooled at higher elevations of the Sierra; and this, combined with a dwindling snowpack, has reduced the flow on the Upper Kern to just under 1000 cfs.

The high recorded so far today at the Kernville RAWS is 96 degrees and high temps in the nineties are expected the next several days. The warm weather and the June 5 snowmelt forecast from the CNRFC suggest the possibility that the flow on the Upper Kern could remain in the 1000 cfs neighborhood, or a little higher, through the weekend. This afternoon the Upper Kern is at about 975 cfs.

Today's RiverPhoto shows the bow of a blue Dagger GT, paddled by Brett Valle, emerging from the depths below Lower Salmon Falls this last Saturday. Here's the sequence: Top - Middle - Bottom. The flow in Kernville was about 1500 cfs.

The Lower Kern at Borel remains at about 840 cfs. The Lower Kern is expected to be in the 900-1100 cfs range for much of June and July, and then drop below 1000 cfs early in August, tapering to low flows by August 23.

Free Whitewater and Recreational and Touring Kayak demos are scheduled for the weekend of June 29th and 30th. Please see the Event Calendar, or call the store at 760-376-3745 for more information.

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.)

EquipmentThe Sierra South Online StoreClick!

 

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)
12JUN2002 1500 1027 401 6.13 976 839 325 514 183356 440
Kern Flow Info Current 5 Day Plot 10 Day Plot Month WY '02 WY '01 WY '00 WY '99
Weather NWS NWS Extended 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. Reportedly, flows are updated twice daily.

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

 


S T R E A M L I N E S
News for Paddlers

o Weak or moderate El Niño likely to develop during the next six-to-nine months. More NOAA - BMRC

o Drought looms in remote areas of Southern California. More: U.S. Water News

o What makes a river navigable? More: Oregon Division of State Lands

o National Water-Quality Assessment Program - The Quality of Our Nation's Waters. More: USGS.

o Banners for Sesia - The Sesia River is one of Italy's last pristine whitewater runs. However, 25 different small-scale hydro projects are pending on the river. More: Paddler.

Splashes: Precipitation Forecast - El Niño and California Precipitation - California Creekin'.

River Notes for Tuesday, June 4, 2002

Important information about River Notes.

Hot weather in Southern California last week melted snow in the highest cirques of the Kern River basin and resulted in new peak flows for the 2002 runoff. Preliminary data from the Corps of Engineers showed hourly peaks on the Upper Kern of 1856 cfs (5.06 ft.) at 1:00 pm on May 31, and then again at 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm on June 1. The day with the highest average flow was June 1, with a flow of 1744 cfs. These flows exceeded the previous highs of May 18-19.

The hot weather is back again this week, with triple digit highs expected through Friday in many areas of Southern California. Today the Kern at Kernvile should range from about 1400-1500 cfs and the warm weather at higher elevations should help maintain the flow at the current or slightly higher levels.

This morning the Lower Kern at Borel is at about 835 cfs. Starting around June 8th, the flow on the Lower Kern is expected to be in the 1000-1100 cfs range, and then vary between 900 to 1200 cfs through July, and then drop below 1000 cfs early in August, tapering to low flows by August 23.

Free Recreational and Touring Kayak demos are scheduled on Isabella Lake this Saturday, June 8, at Boulder Gulch from 10:00am to 2:00pm. Please call the store at 760-376-3745 for more information.

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.)

EquipmentThe Sierra South Online StoreClick!

 

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)
04JUN2002 1000 1515 957 6.69 1427 837 320 517 175802 391
Kern Flow Info Current 5 Day Plot 10 Day Plot Month WY '02 WY '01 WY '00 WY '99
Weather NWS NWS Extended 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. Reportedly, flows are updated twice daily.

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


Store: 760-376-3745  Mail Order: 800-376-7303  Reservations: 800-457-2082

Menu Bar Visit the Sierra South Online Store! Get the latest flows, weather, and info! Go Rafting on the Kern River! Learn to Kayak! Learn to Climb! The Kern River Gallery Links, Links, Links! Request Additional Information Information about our Outfitters Store The Kern River View or Download our Catalog
E-STORE - NEWS - RAFTING - KAYAKING - CLIMBING- GALLERY - LINKS - MORE INFO - OUR STORE - THE RIVER - CATALOG - HOME

Copyright © 1996-2010 Sierra South, Inc. All Rights Reserved.