River Notes Archive

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Updated 11/01/05 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 Hurricane Katrina’s tragic impacts were greatly worsened by our efforts to "control" rivers and fill wetlands. The Mississippi’s hundreds of large dams and thousands of miles of levees have almost eliminated flows of sediment needed to replenish coastal wetlands, making Louisiana – which has lost 1.2 million acres of coastal lands since the 1930s – much more vulnerable to storm surges. Damage from floods in the U.S. – and around the world – has gone up dramatically over the past six decades despite huge investments in flood–control infrastructure. Global warming is likely to worsen the situation by raising sea levels and increasing the frequency and intensity of severe storms. More. o Twice over the last 10 years, the federal government has released massive floods into the Grand Canyon. The floods were intended to restore sandbars, or beaches that have been disappearing since the Colorado River was dammed in the 1960s. Now, scientists are trying to figure out if the effort was worth it. More from NPR . 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, March 16, 2006

Important information about River Notes.

You'll smile about your cool new gear too! Head up to Kernville for the 4th Annual Spring Sale going on at Sierra South on April 1st & 2nd. For one weekend only, we will be offering great deals on all sorts of hot new boating equipment. Boats, paddles, gear… EVERYTHING! Sat-Sun 9am-5pm April 1st & 2nd. Don’t miss it! This is a great time to pull out all of that old stinky boating gear that you forgot to wash at the end of last season, chuck it, and get something that keeps you warm!

Curran, the excited new owner of a Jackson Fun 1 in today's River Notes Photo will be eight this April. If you're a Kern regular, you probably know Curran's dad Michael, and have seen some of his photography. According to Michael:

"Curran's first whitewater experience was on a Sierra South Lickety Split raft run almost two years ago. He is a whitewater fanatic. During his short career, he has rafted and IK'd sections of the Merced, Chili Bar, and Kern from just above Tequila Chute down to the Cemetery. He's also run Fairview a few times. Tequila is his favorite rapid. He has guided our Hyside Rio Bravo paddle boat down a full Powerhouse run and on the Coloma-Lotus run. While guiding rafts he has only ever had one person fall out of the raft (his mom) which happened at Old Scary on the S.F. American and this was largely due to one of his crew (me) thinking that he knew more than the guide. Oops..."

The boating season is looking better and better with each new Sierra storm. Recall the graph of the snow water content at Pascoes (9150 ft.) from the March 6 River Notes? At that time the snow water content at the Pascoes snow sensor was reported at about 24 inches. Today it's nearly 30 inches and more snow is on the way for Friday and Saturday! Today's Regional Snowpack Summary from California Cooperative Snow Surveys reports the Southern Section of the Sierra at 117% of normal for the date, and 113% of the April 1 seasonal total. That means back-to-back above normal seasons and plenty of water on the Upper and Lower Kern.

If you are looking for a new boat, the Spring Sale would be a great time to see all the new models. 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 or ask us during the sale. Check out the recreational. touring and whitewater kayaks (and rafts) in our Boat Barns.

Learn to kayak! Early Bird Kayaking 101 classes have started! 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.

Already know how to paddle? Get a jump on the paddling season and hone your paddling skills at the Kern Gold Medal Paddling Camps, April 1-4 and April 6-9. Space is limited, so call 800-457-2082 and make your reservation today!

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, March 6, 2006

Important information about River Notes.

This graph of snow water content at Pascoes (9150 ft.) in the Kern RIver basin pretty much tells the story. It's been snowing in the Southern Sierra, and more is on the way! Today's Regional Snowpack Summary from California Cooperative Snow Surveys reports the Southern Section of the Sierra at 110% of normal for the date, and 99% of the April 1 seasonal total.

Mark your calendars for your first run to Kernville for the 4th Annual Spring Sale going on at Sierra South on April 1st & 2nd. With all the new snow, the snowpack is looking great for the 2nd year in a row! 2006 is shaping up to be an excellent season on the Upper and Lower, and the Lower Kern should run well into the autumn again!

For one weekend only, we will be offering great deals on all sorts of hot new boating equipment. Boats, paddles, gear…EVERYTHING! Sat-Sun 9am-5pm April 1st & 2nd. Don’t miss it! This is a great time to pull out all of that old stinky boating gear that you forgot to wash at the end of last season, chuck it, and get something that keeps you warm! Check this -- the Upper got up to 2500 cfs last week and Brush Creek was starting to go off! The river is calling you. So are we… we miss your smiling wet faces!

If you are looking for a new boat, this is a great time to see all the new models. 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 or ask us during the sale. Check out the recreational. touring and whitewater kayaks (and rafts) in our Boat Barns.

Learn to kayak! Early Bird Kayaking 101 classes start this Saturday, March 11. 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.

Already know how to paddle? Get a jump on the paddling season and hone your paddling skills at the Kern Gold Medal Paddling Camps, April 1-4 and April 6-9. Space is limited, so call 800-457-2082 and make your reservation today!

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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