River Notes Archive

River Notes for Thursday, March 27, 2003

Important information about River Notes.

Sierra South’s 1st Annual Spring Sale is April 5-6th! Get a jump on the river season with our first ever big sale before the runoff! For one weekend only, we will have a killer sale on all new stuff… Boats, paddles, gear… Everything! Sat-Sun 9am-5pm. Don’t miss out!

Dagger Paddle with the Pros Freestyle Clinic April 12, 2003, 11am-1pm. Paddlers are invited to paddle with Team “D” pro-paddlers Jason Bowerman and Scott Feindel on a free 2-hour run down the Powerhouse run and Riverside Park run in Kernville. Depending on the audience, instruction will range from basic stroke techniques and personal critique, to nailing flatwater cartwheels, and new air tricks. These guys know their stuff and are great instructors! Spring is here, and the water is up. Come have some fun for free on us! Prerequisites: You must have your own paddling gear prior to 11am. Dagger demo boats will be available, however, bring your own boat just in case. You need to be a comfortable paddler on the Class III Lickety-Split run to enjoy this clinic. You will also need to sign a Sierra South & Dagger release form to participate. Space is limited to 20 people so call 800-376-7303, or contact us to reserve your space.

Make your plans now for the 39th Kern River Kayak & Raft Festival, April 18-20. There will be kayak demos and other activities the week of April 14-20. This year's events include the TJ Slalom Classic, Freestyle Rodeo, Powerhouse Downriver Race, head-to-head Raft Races through Ewing's Rapid, and Freestyle & Slalom Clinics! For more information see the Kern Valley River Council web site.

Start off the season right with a Sierra South paddling class or trip! We have been teaching classes and offering tours in paddling, climbing, hiking, and camping to thousands of people since 1985. We are the oldest, largest, and most experienced paddling school in Southern California. We offer whitewater kayaking and calmwater kayaking classes to suit nearly any skill level, including those that have not paddled before. We offer a Summer Camp for kids and can arrange special classes and trips for groups and organizations. For more information call 1-800-457-2082.

We have new Transformers, G-Rides, GT 7.5, 7.8, 8.1, FX 5.7, Blackwaters, Sparkys, Sundances, Hulas, and Festivas in stock. Check 'em out in the New Boat Barn and Kayak Comparison Chart. We have demo boats of most models, and the river is high enough to see how they paddle.

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 Wednesday, March 19, 2003

Important information about River Notes.

Kern locals Paul, Tracey, Mike, & Christian ran Brush Creek for their first time since the flood filled in the pools below the waterfalls back in November. The worry was how runnable Brush Creek would be now. "It is definitely harder", said Paul. "Before it was a great beginner creek run. I would say now it is an advanced intermediate. We scouted everything and we were glad. The pools are slowly washing out the sediment, but the deepest one was only waist deep. You need to land pretty flat." A new downed tree has created a new portage. Remember, the reason it is called "Brush" Creek is because of all the heavy brush. High spring run off always creates new challenges on Brush Creek. SCOUT! The effects of the fire are noticeable, but the boys were too excited and busy to notice on the run "It is still a beautiful place," said Mike.

Paul Armes took this shot of Mike Spradlin lining up for a shallow water landing on the Upper Falls. Paul says, "Before you could run this drop just about anywhere, but now the line is more important." Check out the depth of the pool on the runout.

Start off the season right with a Sierra South paddling class or trip! We have been teaching classes and offering tours in paddling, climbing, hiking, and camping to thousands of people since 1985. We are the oldest, largest, and most experienced paddling school in Southern California. We offer whitewater kayaking and calmwater kayaking classes to suit nearly any skill level, including those that have not paddled before. We offer a Summer Camp for kids and can arrange special classes and trips for groups and organizations. For more information call 1-800-457-2082.

We have new Transformers, G-Rides, GT 7.5, 7.8, 8.1, FX 5.7, Blackwaters, Sparkys, Sundances, Hulas, and Festivas in stock. Check 'em out in the New Boat Barn and Kayak Comparison Chart. We have demo boats of most models, and the river is high enough to see how they paddle.

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, March 17, 2003

Important information about River Notes.

The paddling season has begun! Friday's and Saturday's storm resulted in moderate to heavy rain and snow in the Sierra and increased the flow on many rivers. The Upper Kern at Kernville came up to over 2000 cfs and today is running just under 1000 cfs.

Preliminary storm totals for the Kern River basin (inches water equivalent) are: Upper Tyndall Creek 2.1, Pascoes 3.4, Casa Vieja 2.6, Johnsondale 3.0, Kernville 1.5. Statewide the snowpack increased from 73% to 80% (California Cooperative Snow Surveys). The gain would have been even more, had the placement and timing of the jet dynamics been more favorable. Maximum jet enhancement appeared to occur as the system moved into the Los Angeles basin, resulting in a record setting 4.1 inches of rainfall downtown, with higher totals in some favored mountain locations.

Start off the season right with a Sierra South paddling class or trip! We have been teaching classes and offering tours in paddling, climbing, hiking, and camping to thousands of people since 1985. We are the oldest, largest, and most experienced paddling school in Southern California. We offer whitewater kayaking and calmwater kayaking classes to suit nearly any skill level, including those that have not paddled before. We offer a Summer Camp for kids and can arrange special classes and trips for groups and organizations. For more information call 1-800-457-2082.

We have new Transformers, G-Rides, GT 7.5, 7.8, 8.1, FX 5.7, Blackwaters, Sparkys, Sundances, Hulas, and Festivas in stock. Check 'em out in the New Boat Barn and Kayak Comparison Chart. We have demo boats of most models, and the river is high enough to see how they paddle.

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 Wednesday, March 12, 2003

Important information about River Notes.

If you were going to script the perfect storm to bring this season's snowpack up to 100%, the system moving into the West Coast has all the earmarks of such a storm. Strong jet dynamics, strong westerly flow enhanced by sub-tropical moisture, good orographics and an extended period of precipitation should produce copious snowfall in the Sierra Nevada.

The Day 4-5 QPF forecast for the period from early Friday morning to early Sunday morning from the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC) indicates precipitation amounts in excess of 4 inches water equivalent in the Sierra Nevada. And this forecast amount does not include precipitation expected during the day on Sunday. This looks like a big one. We'll see!

We have new Transformers, G-Rides, GT 7.5, 7.8, 8.1, FX 5.7, Blackwaters, Sparkys, Sundances, Hulas, and Festivas in stock. Check 'em out in the New Boat Barn and Kayak Comparison Chart. We have demo boats of most models, and the river is high enough to see how they paddle.

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.

S T R E A M L I N E S News & Info for Paddlers o Comments needed for Borel hydro project. Southern California Edison has released the Draft Application for the new license for the Borel Hydropower Project on the Kern River. The new license will set instream flow conditions for the Kern River below Isabella Reservoir for the next 30 to 50 years. Your participation/comments are important. American Whitewater encourages boaters to review the license application and file comments. More: Boater Alert, www.borel.info.and Conservation. o The Sierra Club's Water Sentinels program trains volunteers to collect water samples and monitor data with the goal of getting these waterways cleaned up. They're currently working on eight projects in seven states. More: Sierra Club o Hypothermia Prevention, Recognition and Treatment. The growing popularity of outdoor recreation has resulted in greater demand for an effective on-site method for treating hypothermia. Other than for mild cases, the most effective and safest treatment for all levels of hypothermia is the addition of heat to the body core, rather than via the periphery. The most important phase of treatment is the prevention of post-rescue collapse during the first 30 minutes following rescue, and during transportation to a medical facility. More: hypothermia.org o The California Wild Heritage Campaign is a broad based coalition with only one goal - to preserve California's unprotected wilderness and wild rivers for future generations to enjoy. To achieve this goal, we need your help! Read on to find out how you can help save the last wild places in California. More: californiawild.org Splashes: Fender Bender@ 20,000 cfs - Loop Pic - Severn Bore - Snow Kayaking - Forecast ENSO Conditions

River Notes for Thursday, March 6, 2003

Important information about River Notes.

Snow course measurements for March 1, 2003 have nearly been completed. The Kern River basin snowpack is looking better than expected. The average snow water content is running about 83% of normal for the date, and about 2.5 to 4 inches water equivalent more than last year at the same time:

Name Elev.                Date   Depth" Water" Den Apr 1 % Avg
Bighorn Plateau 11,350    28-FEB  51.6  16.8   33%  23.7  71%
Cottonwood Pass 11,050    21-FEB  39.2  10.9   28%  14.8  74%
Siberian Pass 10,900      24-FEB  51.7  16.6   32%  20.0  83%
Crabtree Meadow 10,700    27-FEB  53.3  16.6   31%  19.6  85%
Sandy Meadows 10,650      28-FEB  49.1  16.0   33%  19.2  83%
Tyndall Creek 10,650      28-FEB  49.5  14.5   29%  18.8  77%
Guyot Flat 10,650         25-FEB  58.9  17.5   30%  20.8  84%
Big Whitney Meadow 9,750  21-FEB  49.7  14.5   29%  17.2  84%
Rock Creek 9,600          20-FEB  51.0  15.9   31%  17.8  89%
Round Meadow 9,000         Scheduled for measurement
Ramshaw Meadows 8,700     22-FEB  28.7  6.1    21%  11.5  53%
Little Whitney Mdow 8,500 22-FEB  27.6  7.9    29%  12.9  61%
Quinn Ranger Station 8,350 Scheduled for measurement
Dead Horse Meadow 7,300   01-MAR  17.3  3.9    23%  10.7  36%

Basin Average Pct. of April 1: 73% March 1: 83%

What is the likelihood the snowpack will reach 100% of normal by April 1? We would need about 4 inches water equivalent more of snow. That's two or three storms... or one big storm if the orographics are good and it lasts for a couple of days.

In the short term the weather has been drier than indicated by earlier forecasts; but the ensembles, week 2, 8-14 day outlook, and GFS forecasts all suggest wetter weather is on the way. with a relatively strong system moving into California around March 15. We'll see!

Today's RiverPhoto is a Naval Research Laboratory GOES-10 visible satellite photo of Central California and the Sierra snowpack. Mono Lake, the Owens Valley, Owens Lake, and the Kern River drainage are clearly visible.

We have new Transformers, G-Rides, GT 7.5, 7.8, 8.1, FX 5.7, Blackwaters, Sparkys, Sundances, Hulas, and Festivas in stock. Check 'em out in the New Boat Barn and Kayak Comparison Chart. We have demo boats of most models, and the river is high enough to see how they paddle.

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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