River Notes Archive

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Updated 4/8/06 o We Americans love our rivers. We live near them, fish on them, relax on them, and dream next to them. Rivers are nature’s circulatory system. But archaic dam operations are choking the life out of many of the rivers we love. Hydropower, a 19th century technology, has been run for generations with few modern, environmental protections. The impact has been devastating. The good news is that we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change that legacy for the better, improving the health of hundreds of miles of rivers while also strengthening local economies, by changing the way dams operate. More. 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 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 Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Important information about River Notes.

Mostly sunny, warm weather is forecast for the Kernville & Lake Isabella area through Memorial Day weekend with highs forecast to range from the 80's to low 90's -- perfect paddling weather!

Today, flows on the Upper Kern are in the neighborhood of 4000 cfs, and are expected to be back in the 5000-6000 cfs range by the weekend. The COE reports the Lower Kern below the dam at about 4000 cfs, and the Lower Kern at Borel at about 4500 cfs.

Update 05/29/2006 7:00 A.M. The flow on the Upper Kern rebounded to 4900 cfs on Friday, but cooler than expected temperatures have resulted in flows on the Upper Kern of around 3500 cfs. Overnight Friday, the snow sensor at Chagoopa Plateau (10,300 ft.) recorded a low temperature of 8°F! Today, the NWS is forecasting a high temperature at Lake Isabella of 82 degrees, and a warming trend is expected through the week.

Our world-famous Lickety-Split and Lickety-Blaster raft trips are far and away the two most popular and most affordable Class 2-3 whitewater rafting runs available on the Kern River. Both are full of enough excitement to challenge just about everyone from young tikes to grandmas and grandpas.

It was close, but according to preliminary COE data, the hourly flow at Kernville, the average daily flow at Kernville, and average daily inflow to Lake Isabella peaked on May 15th. At 9:00 A.M. on the 15th, the COE reported the Kern at Kernville at 9.82 ft. and 7588 cfs. The COE also reported a 24 hr. average inflow to Lake Isabella of 6299 cfs, and a 24 hr. average flow at Kernville of 6910 cfs. These flows were slightly higher than those recorded on May 19, the date projected by the CNRFC for the peak, and the flows recorded on May 20.

Sunday's late season storm resulted in heavy snow in some higher elevation areas of the Kern River basin. The snow sensor at Upper Tyndall Creek (11,400') recorded about 1.6 inches water equivalent of snow, and more than 1.0 inch water equivalent was recorded at Crabtree Meadow (10,700') and Chagoopa Plateau (10,300').

This CNRFC AHPS/ESP Trace Analysis shows the range of expected inflows to Lake Isabella for the period May 24 to August 1, 2006. The projection is based on the conditions as of May 23rd, and the flow history of the Kern. Generally, higher flow values for a certain date would be expected during periods of hot weather. Note that the inflow to Lake Isabella includes a contribution from the S.F. Kern River, which is currently at about 700-800 cfs, but will drop significantly over the next month.

The 5/16/06 update of the Bulletin 120 run-off forecast projects the inflow to Lake Isabella should range from about 145% to 160% of normal. This is slightly lower than the run-off projected last year at this time. California Cooperative Snow Survey's May 1 snow course measurements for the Kern River basin this year averaged 174% of normal, compared to 186% last year.

Friday rain turned to weekend sun, and the combination resulted in great whitewater and weather for the 42nd Kern River Kayak & Raft Festival! Many thanks to the paddlers, spectators, sponsors and all the volunteers that help put on the event; and an extra special "Thank You!" to paddler Terry Valle who spearheads the organization of the Festival year after year. Results and photos are now available on the KVRC web site.

Learn to kayak! Kayaking 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.

If you are looking for a new boat, check out the recreational, touring, whitewater kayaks, inflatable kayaks, and kayaks in our Boat Barns. 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. If your river gear is held together with duct tape and Aquaseal, and leaks like a sieve, browse our River Store and get some gear that will help keep you warm and dry!

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 Thursday, May 18, 2006

Important information about River Notes.

Our world-famous Lickety-Split and Lickety-Blaster raft trips are far and away the two most popular and most affordable Class 2-3 whitewater rafting runs available on the Kern River. Both are full of enough excitement to challenge just about everyone from young tikes to grandmas and grandpas.

On Monday, May 15th, the highest flows so far this season were recorded on the Kern River. At 9:00 A.M., the COE reported the Kern at Kernville at 9.82 ft. and 7588 cfs. The COE also reported a 24 hr. average inflow to Lake Isabella of 6299 cfs, and a 24 hr. average flow at Kernville of 6910 cfs. On the 15th, the reported 24 hr. flow at Kernville plus the flow for the S.F. Kern exceeded the 24 hr. inflow to Isabella by more than 1600 cfs, so these preliminary flows may require adjustment.

Has the Upper Kern peaked? Today at 11:00 A.M. the Upper Kern was reported at 9.67 ft. and 7067 cfs, and yesterday at noon it made it to 9.74 ft. and 7307 cfs. The temperatures recorded by snow sensors in the Kern River basin, such as at Pascoes, have not been consistently high, and this has probably reduced flows. The May 17 Short Term Snowmelt Forecast, produced by the CNRFC and the California Dept. of Water Resources still projects a peak 1-day inflow to Isabella of 14,000 acre-feet on May 19. This equates to an average 24 hour inflow of about 7000 cfs.

This graphic, generated using the CNRFC AHPS/ESP Trace Analysis interface, shows the expected inflow to Lake Isabella for the period May 18 to August 1, 2006. It is based on the conditions as of May 17th, and the flow history of the Kern. It shows why May 19th is the projected date of the peak inflow. More calculations using the AHPS/ESP Trace Analysis interface shows that the probability of the inflow exceeding 7000 cfs on Monday is only about 3%, but tomorrow it is better than 95%.

Of course, these are projections, based on a simulation, and it may turn out this year doesn't fit other years. The peak on the 15th may have been the seasonal peak, or maybe the river will hit a new peak sometime next week. One possible giant fly in the runoff simulation ointment is an unseasonably strong Pacific storm system that is forecast to produce significant rain and higher elevation snow in the Sierra on Sunday. We'll see!

The 5/9/06 update of the Bulletin 120 run-off forecast projects the inflow to Lake Isabella should range from about 143% to 158% of normal. This is a few percent lower than the run-off projected last year at this time. California Cooperative Snow Survey's May 1 snow course measurements for the Kern River basin this year averaged 174% of normal, compared to 186% last year.

Friday rain turned to weekend sun, and the combination resulted in great whitewater and weather for the 42nd Kern River Kayak & Raft Festival! Many thanks to the paddlers, spectators, sponsors and all the volunteers that help put on the event; and an extra special "Thank You!" to paddler Terry Valle who spearheads the organization of the Festival year after year. Results and photos are now available on the KVRC web site.

Learn to kayak! Kayaking 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.

If you are looking for a new boat, check out the recreational, touring, whitewater kayaks, inflatable kayaks, and kayaks in our Boat Barns. 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. If your river gear is held together with duct tape and Aquaseal, and leaks like a sieve, browse our River Store and get some gear that will help keep you warm and dry!

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, May 12, 2006

Important information about River Notes.

Our world-famous Lickety-Split and Lickety-Blaster raft trips are far and away the two most popular and most affordable Class 2-3 whitewater rafting runs available on the Kern River. Both are full of enough excitement to challenge just about everyone from young tikes to grandmas and grandpas.

There's big water on the Upper Kern and Lower Kern! This morning at 11:00, the Upper Kern at Kernville was reported at 5400 cfs and the Lower Kern at Borel at 4476 cfs. As a result of the high water, the Free Whitewater Demo Afternoon In The Park' scheduled for Saturday (May 13) has been cancelled. The next Whitewater Demo is scheduled for June 17.

When will the Upper Kern peak, and how high will it go? Based on conditions as of May 11, the California-Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC) projects the 5-day mean inflow to Isabella for the period May 16 to May 20 should be in the 7000-7500 range. The May 10 Short Term Snowmelt Forecast, produced by the CNRFC and the California Dept. of Water Resources projects a peak 1-day inflow to Isabella of 14,000 acre-feet on May 19. This equates to an average 24 hour inflow of about 7000 cfs. Note: Projected inflows include the contributions from the N.F. and S.F. Kern.

The 5/9/06 update of the Bulletin 120 run-off forecast projects the inflow to Lake Isabella should range from about 143% to 158% of normal. This is a few percent lower than the run-off projected last year at this time. California Cooperative Snow Survey's May 1 snow course measurements for the Kern River basin this year averaged 174% of normal, compared to 186% last year.

Friday rain turned to weekend sun, and the combination resulted in great whitewater and weather for the 42nd Kern River Kayak & Raft Festival! Many thanks to the paddlers, spectators, sponsors and all the volunteers that help put on the event; and an extra special "Thank You!" to paddler Terry Valle who spearheads the organization of the Festival year after year. Results and photos are now available on the KVRC web site.

Learn to kayak! Kayaking 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.

If you are looking for a new boat, check out the recreational, touring, whitewater kayaks, inflatable kayaks, and kayaks in our Boat Barns. 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. If your river gear is held together with duct tape and Aquaseal, and leaks like a sieve, browse our River Store and get some gear that will help keep you warm and dry!

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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