River Notes Archive

River Notes for Friday, June 25, 2004

Important information about River Notes.

Jackson Kayak's Fun1, Fun2, Fun, 4Fun and Super Fun are NOW IN STOCK! Check the New Boat Barn later this weekend, or call 1-800-376-7303 for more info.The Fun Series is designed to be a comfortable, lightweight, easy rolling, fun -to-paddle, river running playboat. Today's RiverPhoto is of Eric Jackson completing a loop in the 2 Fun at the Kern River Festival.

Since mid-April, Isabella inflow projections based on the California Nevada River Forecast Center's AHPS Kern Isabella inflow simulation have been referenced in Rivernotes. How accurate were the projections? In April, the projection for June 12-16 predicted the average inflow would most likely be around 1000 cfs. The May 14 projection for June 13-17 reduced this to 850 cfs. Using preliminary data reported by the Corps of Engineers, the average inflow to Lake Isabella for June 13-17 was 888 cfs; very close to the most likely inflow projected.

Various reaches of the Kern River are affected by diversions. These diversions vary according to licensing conditions, flows, maintenance requirements, and other factors. On the Upper Kern, the runs between Fairview Dam and the KR3 can have as much as (about) 600 cfs less water than Forks, Limestone and Powerhouse Runs. The flow above and below Fairview Dam can usually be obtained from the SCE flow phone (877-537-6356). This is first season that flows below Fairview have been supplemented accordance with the relicensing of the KR3 powerplant.

On the Lower Kern the reach immediately below the dam (referred to as the Dam Run, BLM Run, or Jungle Run) can be as much as (about) 575 cfs less than "flow below Borel" or the total "Isabella outflow." In the COE Hourly Flow Report, the flow on the Dam Run is the amount listed under "Outflow" and "Kern River." The flow released to the river immediately below the dam (to the Dam Run) is equal to the total outflow from Isabella less the amount diverted through the Borel Canal. When the release from Isabella is reduced, the reduction is usually in the amount released to the river at the dam, so the Dam Run is often severely impacted. The relicensing of the Borel powerplant should eventually result in supplementary releases and improved flows on the Dam Run. Today's RiverPhoto is of Gary Gunder surfing a nice wave on the Dam Run.

The Kern Below Democrat is subject to a diversion of up to (about) 425 cfs. This reach not only includes very difficult class V whitewater, but also a class IV run. The flow below Democrat Dam can usually be obtained from the SCE flow phone (877-537-6356).

On Saturday, June 12, Sierra South and the Kern Valley River Council held a benefit barbecue for Olympic paddler, and Kern Valley resident, Rebecca Giddens. The 2002 World Champion and five time National Champion in women's whitewater slalom will compete in her second Olympic Games on August 17-18 in Athens, Greece.

You may have seen Rebecca at the new slalom training site at Miracle Hot Springs, on the river near Kernville, or running a Kern Valley trail with her husband, training partner and coach, Eric Giddens. Eric was a 1996 Olympian. and an Olympic whitewater slalom coach in 2000 and 2004. He ranked 5th in the world in 2000 in international World Cup slalom competition.

Rebecca's accomplishments are the result of a level of dedication that few of us can imagine. Whitewater slalom is very popular in Europe (see Streamlines sidebar) and European slalom athletes can draw on well-funded resources for coaching, training, equipment and travel expenses. U.S. athletes must not only work to improve their performance, but to obtain needed resources. If you didn't make it to the barbecue, but would still like to show your support, a donation can be made to the Kern Valley River Council, designating the Rebecca Giddens Olympic Fund. If you are a whitewater kayaker, raffle tickets for a kayaking lesson with Rebecca are also available by mail. For more information, please call the Store at 760-376-3745.

Thinking about learning to kayak? Many find that the most effective way to learn is a multi-day progression, building skill and technique in easy steps. Our 5-day Total Kayaking Immersion course gives you plenty of time to develop and master each skill before moving on to the next exciting challenge. We offer the course in May, June and July. To sign up for the July course, call 1-800-457-2082. Spend a week on the River!

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 Sunday, June 13, 2004

Important information about River Notes.

Temps at the higher elevations of the Kern River basin recovered more slowly than expected, and the flow on the Upper Kern has remained in the 700 cfs range most of the weekend. Yesterday's high, and the low last night at Upper Tyndall Creek were finally back to pre-freeze temperatures. This afternoon at 2:30, the SCE flow phone reported 854 cfs above Fairview Dam, so there's still a chance that, within a day or two, we will see the flow on the Upper back up near 1000 cfs.

Update: Wednesday, 06/16/04. On Monday afternoon at about 2:30, SCE reported 961 cfs above Fairview Dam. About 8 hours later the Kernville gage peaked at about 927 cfs. At 8:00 this morning, SCE reported 875 cfs above Fairview. On the Lower Kern, the Borel Canal appears to be be temporarily shut down, with the full Isabella release going to the river below the dam.

On Saturday Sierra South and the Kern Valley River Council held a benefit barbecue for Olympic paddler, and Kern Valley resident, Rebecca Giddens. The 2002 World Champion and five time National Champion in women's whitewater slalom will compete in her second Olympic Games on August 17-18 in Athens, Greece. She will leave the Kern Valley on June 15 to compete internationally and train on the Olympic course.

You may have seen Rebecca at the new slalom training site at Miracle Hot Springs, on the river near Kernville, or running a Kern Valley trail with her husband, training partner and coach, Eric Giddens. Eric was a 1996 Olympian. and an Olympic whitewater slalom coach in 2000 and 2004. He ranked 5th in the world in 2000 in international World Cup slalom competition.

Rebecca's accomplishments are the result of a level of dedication that few of us can imagine. Whitewater slalom is very popular in Europe (see Streamlines sidebar) and European slalom athletes can draw on well-funded resources for coaching, training, equipment and travel expenses. U.S. athletes must not only work to improve their performance, but to obtain needed resources. If you didn't make it to the barbecue, but would still like to show your support, a donation can be made to the Kern Valley River Council, designating the Rebecca Giddens Olympic Fund. If you are a whitewater kayaker, raffle tickets for a kayaking lesson with Rebecca are also available by mail. For more information, please call the Store at 760-376-3745.

Thinking about learning to kayak? Many find that the most effective way to learn is a multi-day progression, building skill and technique in easy steps. Our 5-day Total Kayaking Immersion course gives you plenty of time to develop and master each skill before moving on to the next exciting challenge. We offer the course in May, June and July. To sign up for the June or July course, call 1-800-457-2082. Spend a week on the River!

How long will the runoff on the Upper Kern last? Assuming seasonable temperatures, the AHPS Kern Isabella inflow simulation, based on conditions as of 6/08/04, projects that in the 5-day period 6/13 to 6/18 the average inflow is likely to be in the range of 850-1250 cfs. From 7/3 to 7/8 the average inflow is likely to be in the range of 585-750 cfs. Unusually warm or cool weather or significant rainfall would alter these projections. Once the runoff on the Upper Kern is done, paddlers will shift their attention to the Lower Kern, which is dam-controlled and usually runs into August or September.

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 Friday, June 11, 2004

Important information about River Notes.

Look for the flow on the Upper Kern to be back up near 1000 cfs by the weekend. Temperatures at the higher elevations of the Sierra dropped to below freezing mid-week, reducing the flow, but are now returning to normal. If flows continue to recover and the Fairview diversion remains at about 285 cfs, some runs between Fairview Dam and KR3 may be back to runnable levels. The Forks, Limestone, and Powerhouse runs are not affected by the diversion and should have good water. Yesterday the high temperature at the Kernville RAWS was 85 degrees, and highs in the nineties are expected through the weekend.

Demo a new kayak this weekend! Free Whitewater Kayak Demo Afternoon at Frandy Park on Saturday, June 12, from From 1:00 p.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m. Then on Sunday, June 13, free Recreational and Touring kayak demos on Isabella Lake at French Gulch from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Sierra South staff will be on hand to answer your questions. Qualified paddlers only. Call the Store at 760-376-3745 for more info.

Also on Saturday, June 12, Sierra South and the Kern Valley River Council are sponsoring a benefit barbecue at 6:00 p.m. at Riverside Park for Olympic paddler, and Kern Valley resident, Rebecca Giddens. The 2002 World Champion and five time National Champion in women's whitewater slalom will compete in her second Olympic Games on August 17-18 in Athens, Greece. She will leave the Kern Valley on June 15 to compete internationally and train on the Olympic course.

You may have seen Rebecca at the new slalom training site at Miracle Hot Springs, on the river near Kernville, or running a Kern Valley trail with her husband, training partner and coach, Eric Giddens. Eric was a 1996 Olympian. and an Olympic whitewater slalom coach in 2000 and 2004. He ranked 5th in the world in 2000 in international World Cup slalom competition.

Rebecca's accomplishments are the result of a level of dedication that few of us can imagine. Whitewater slalom is very popular in Europe (see Streamlines sidebar) and European slalom athletes can draw on well-funded resources for coaching, training, equipment and travel expenses. U.S. athletes must not only work to improve their performance, but to obtain needed resources. You can help! Rebecca will be available during the barbecue to sign autographs and take photos. Please come show your patriotic spirit and support for our own Olympian. If you can't make it to the barbecue, but would still like to show your support, a donation can be made to the Kern Valley River Council, designating the Rebecca Giddens Olympic Fund. For more information, call the Store at 760-376-3745.

Thinking about learning to kayak? Many find that the most effective way to learn is a multi-day progression, building skill and technique in easy steps. Our 5-day Total Kayaking Immersion course gives you plenty of time to develop and master each skill before moving on to the next exciting challenge. We offer the course in May, June and July. To sign up for the June or July course, call 1-800-457-2082. Spend a week on the River!

How long will the runoff on the Upper Kern last? Assuming seasonable temperatures, the AHPS Kern Isabella inflow simulation, based on conditions as of 6/04/04, projects that in the 5-day period 6/14 to 6/19 the average inflow is likely to be in the range of 850-1250 cfs. From 7/4 to 7/8 the average inflow is likely to be in the range of 580-720 cfs. Unusually warm or cool weather or significant rainfall would alter these projections. Once the runoff on the Upper Kern is done, paddlers will shift their attention to the Lower Kern, which is dam-controlled and usually runs into August or September.

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, June 7, 2004

Important information about River Notes.

Demo a new kayak this weekend! Free Whitewater Kayak Demo Afternoon at Frandy Park on Saturday, June 12, from From 1:00 p.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m. Then on Sunday, June 13, free Recreational and Touring kayak demos on Isabella Lake at French Gulch from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Sierra South staff will be on hand to answer your questions. Qualified paddlers only. Call the Store at 760-376-3745 for more info.

Also on Saturday, June 12, Sierra South and the Kern Valley River Council are sponsoring a benefit barbecue at 6:00 p.m. at Riverside Park for Olympic paddler, and Kern Valley resident, Rebecca Giddens. The 2002 World Champion and five time National Champion in women's whitewater slalom will compete in her second Olympic Games on August 17-18 in Athens, Greece. She will leave the Kern Valley on June 15 to compete internationally and train on the Olympic course.

You may have seen Rebecca at the new slalom training site at Miracle Hot Springs, on the river near Kernville, or running a Kern Valley trail with her husband, training partner and coach, Eric Giddens. Eric was a 1996 Olympian. and an Olympic whitewater slalom coach in 2000 and 2004. He ranked 5th in the world in 2000 in international World Cup slalom competition.

Rebecca's accomplishments are the result of a level of dedication that few of us can imagine. Whitewater slalom is very popular in Europe (see Streamlines sidebar) and European slalom athletes can draw on well-funded resources for coaching, training, equipment and travel expenses. U.S. athletes must not only work to improve their performance, but to obtain needed resources. You can help! Rebecca will be available during the barbecue to sign autographs and take photos. Please come show your patriotic spirit and support for our own Olympian. If you can't make it to the barbecue, but would still like to show your support, a donation can be made to the Kern Valley River Council, designating the Rebecca Giddens Olympic Fund. For more information, call the Store at 760-376-3745.

Thinking about learning to kayak? Many find that the most effective way to learn is a multi-day progression, building skill and technique in easy steps. Our 5-day Total Kayaking Immersion course gives you plenty of time to develop and master each skill before moving on to the next exciting challenge. We offer the course in May, June and July. To sign up for the June or July course, call 1-800-457-2082. Spend a week on the River!

How long will the runoff on the Upper Kern last? Assuming seasonable temperatures, the AHPS Kern Isabella inflow simulation, based on conditions as of 6/04/04, projects that in the 5-day period 6/14 to 6/19 the average inflow is likely to be in the range of 850-1250 cfs. From 7/4 to 7/8 the average inflow is likely to be in the range of 580-720 cfs. Unusually warm or cool weather or significant rainfall would alter these projections. Once the runoff on the Upper Kern is done, paddlers will shift their attention to the Lower Kern, which is dam-controlled and usually runs into August or September.

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 Friday, June 4, 2004

Important information about River Notes.

Sierra South and the Kern Valley River Council are sponsoring a benefit barbecue at 6:00 p.m. on June 12 at Riverside Park for Olympic paddler, and Kern Valley resident, Rebecca Giddens. The 2002 World Champion, and five time National Champion in women's whitewater slalom will compete in her second Olympic Games on August 17-18 in Athens, Greece. She will leave the Kern Valley on June 15 to compete internationally and train on the Olympic course.

You may have seen Rebecca at the new slalom training site at Miracle Hot Springs, on the river near Kernville, or running a Kern Valley trail with her husband, training partner and coach, Eric Giddens. Eric was a 1996 Olympian. and an Olympic whitewater slalom coach in 2000 and 2004. He ranked 5th in the world in 2000 in international World Cup slalom competition.

Rebecca's accomplishments are the result of a level of dedication that few of us can imagine. Whitewater slalom is very popular in Europe (see Streamlines sidebar) and European slalom athletes can draw on well-funded resources for coaching, training, equipment and travel expenses. U.S. athletes must not only work to improve their performance, but to obtain needed resources. You can help! Rebecca will be available during the barbecue to sign autographs and take photos. Please come show your patriotic spirit and support for our own Olympian. If you can't make it to the barbecue, but would still like to show your support, a donation can be made to the Kern Valley River Council, designating the Rebecca Giddens Olympic Fund. For more information, call the Store at 760-376-3745

Long days, a high sun, and warm temperatures at the higher elevations of the Kern River basin are wringing out all the water to be had from the remaining snowpack. This morning, the Corps of Engineers (COE) reports the flow on the Kern at Kernville is about 1354 cfs, the flow on the Lower Kern below Isabella at 758 cfs, and below Borel at 1219 cfs. At about 10:00 a.m. the Southern California Edison (SCE) flow phone reported the flow above Fairview Dam at 1511 cfs, below Fairview Dam at 1218 cfs, and below Democrat Dam at 834 cfs. It looks like another great weekend of paddling on the Kern!

How long will the runoff on the Upper Kern last? Assuming seasonable temperatures, the AHPS Kern Isabella inflow simulation, based on conditions as of 6/01/04, projects that in the 5-day period 6/11 to 6/16 there's a 50% chance the average flow will be above 1000 cfs, 25% chance it will be above 1100 cfs, and a 10% chance it will be above about 1180 cfs. In the 5-day period 7/1 to 7/6 there's a 50% chance that the average flow will be above 645 cfs, 25% chance it will be above 700 cfs, and a 10% chance it will be above about 760 cfs. Unusually warm or cool weather or significant rainfall would alter these projections. Once the runoff on the Upper Kern is done, paddlers will shift their attention to the Lower Kern, which is dam-controlled and usually runs into August or September.

Thinking about learning to kayak? Many find that the most effective way to learn is a multi-day progression, building skill and technique in easy steps. Our 5-day Total Kayaking Immersion course gives you plenty of time to develop and master each skill before moving on to the next exciting challenge. We offer the course in May, June and July. To sign up for the June or July course, call 1-800-457-2082. Spend a week on the River!

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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