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 Friday, January 27, 2006

Important information about River Notes.

The northern 1/3 of California and most of the Pacific Northwest looks to be in for a period of very wet weather over the next several days. The wet pattern might be associated with Madden-Julian Oscillation type activity observed in the equatorial Pacifc over the past two weeks. An MJO analysis and forecast issued by the CPC/NCEP January 23rd commented that, " there is an increased chance of above normal precipitation along the U.S. West Coast late in the period due to the potential for the development of a tropical connection over the Pacific. This event may persist into the early part of week 2." If the forecast storm track shifts south some, the Southern Sierra could get a little snow. We'll see!

Run-off resulting from high snow levels and heavy precipitation earlier this month increased Lake Isabella storage levels above the flood control space guideline for February 1 of about 245,000 acre-feet. Releases from Isabella were increased until this storage level was reached, and as a result, the Lower Kern and the Kern Below Democrat was boatable much of the month of January.

This afternoon the Lower Kern at Borel is at about 500 cfs, and the reservoir level is holding (more or less) at about 244500 acre-feet. Following February, March and April snow course measurements, flood control space and release requirements are adjusted based on the estimated "water on the ground." In a heavy snow year this can increase the calculated "conditional" flood control space and associated releases. Based on the current snowpack, the flood control space guideline will probably remain at about 245,000 acre-feet for the month of February.

Learn to kayak! Early Bird Kayaking 101 classes start 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!

SSTs in the equatorial Pacific remain on the cool side. The ENSO Diagnostic Discussion released by the CPC/NCEP January 12, remarked that developing La Niña conditions usually favor a northward shift of the jet stream with wetter weather in the Northwest, and drier than normal conditions in the Southwest. The report goes to say that as a result of its late onset, the La Nina may not have its usual impacts. Given the current outlook for the Pacific Northwest, and Seattle-Tacoma Airport's recently recorded 34 consecutive days of measurable rain, the pattern does appear to have a La Nina flavor.

Retire that bleached out PFD, worn down paddle, and behemoth kayak and get into something new! Why not advertise your current boat for sale on our web site in our consignment Used Boat Barn? Call us at 800-376-7303 for more info! Looking for a boat? Check out the recreational. touring and whitewater kayaks (and rafts) in our Boat Barns.

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, January 13, 2006

Important information about River Notes.

High snow levels and heavy precipitation earlier this month brought rivers levels up through most of California, with some exceeding flood stage. The Upper Kern recorded a peak of 3048 cfs January 2, and this morning is at about 550 cfs. Higher flows on the Upper have resulted in increased releases on the Lower. Most of this week the Lower Kern at Borel has been in the 775-860 cfs range, but late afternoon Wednesday, the release was increased to about 1300 cfs. This morning at 9:00 the Lower Kern at Borel was reported at 1291 cfs.

Last weekend, Eric Giddens and Brett Valle took advantage of mild mid-Winter temps and good flows and got in a run on the Cataracts. Here's a shot of Eric getting in some strong strokes before the boof on Cleavage (V). There's a rumor circulating that at the end of the run Eric did some research related to the opening of the Giddens' Kern River Brewing Company brew pub this Spring -- something to do with one of the ways "Class V Stout" might be served. We look for KRBC to fire a special "bootie" stein so that, in similar circumstances, we all may share in this hallowed tradition!

Gage readings for the Lower Kern at Borel have been inconsistent recently. There are a couple of ways to check the approximate flow below Borel**. One is to call the SCE flow phone (877-537-6356) and from the "Lower River Flows" note the "Flow Below Democrat." According to SCE, this reading is updated every few seconds. If there is no diversion, as should be the case until about May 1, and the release from Isabella has not changed recently, the flow reported is usuallly a good cross-check of the flow below Borel. Another indicator is the Isabella Dam Scheduled Releases. This normally shows the latest changes in the total outflow from Isabella, and within a few hours of a release, should approximate the flow below Borel.

**NOTE: These checks may not reflect actual conditions. Unscheduled release changes can occur without notice. If there has been a recent change in the Isabella release, this will not be reflected at Borel or Democrat until the change reaches that point. When water is being diverted at Democrat, the flow below Borel is typically about 400 cfs higher than the flow below Democrat. According to SCE, the flow values reported by the SCE flow phone 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.

Look for temps to cool and for the Sierra to get some more snow this weekend. At the moment, the system doesn't look like a big snow producer for the Kern River basin, but it is expected to be colder than recent storms, and could result in snow at lower elevations. Medium range weather models are suggesting there could be some additional snow next week. We'll see!

SSTs in the equatorial Pacific remain on the cool side. The ENSO Diagnostic Discussion released by the CPC/NCEP January 12, remarked that developing La Niña conditions usually favor a northward shift of the jet stream with wetter weather in the Northwest, and drier than normal conditions in the Southwest. The report goes to say that as a result of its late onset, the La Nina may not have its usual impacts. Given that Seattle-Tacoma Airport has recorded 26 consecutive days of measurable rain, and rain is in the Seattle forecast for the next several days, the pattern does appear to have a La Nina flavor.

Retire that bleached out PFD, worn down paddle, and behemoth kayak and get into something new! Why not advertise your current boat for sale on our web site in our consignment Used Boat Barn? Call us at 800-376-7303 for more info! Looking for a boat? Check out the recreational. touring and whitewater kayaks (and rafts) in our Boat Barns.

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 Tuesday, January 3, 2006

Important information about River Notes.

Precipitation totals at the higher elevations of the Kern River basin from our New Year's storms very nearly reached the 8 inches forecast. Snow sensors at Crabtree Meadow, Chagoopa Plateau, and Casa Vieja all recorded snow water equivalent totals in excess of 7 inches. Today's Regional Snowpack Summary from California Cooperative Snow Surveys reports the Southern Section of the Sierra at an astonishing 195%. This is more than was reported for the Southern Section on this day last year. I guess no one told Ullr that the equatorial Pacific has a coolish La Nina look, and the MJO has been all but nonexistent!

High snow levels and heavy precipitation over the holiday weekend brought rivers levels up through most of California, with some exceeding flood stage. Generally, coastal rivers with low elevation drainages such as the Smith, Russian, Klamath, and Eel were hit the hardest, but some middle elevation Sierra streams also went way up. The SF Yuba recorded a peak of about 28,000 cfs, the NF American 51,600 cfs, the SF American 24,293 cfs, the Cosumnes 35,100 cfs and the Kaweah about 8000 cfs. Rivers with higher elevation drainages such as the Kings and Kern had more modest increases. The Kings at Rodgers Crossing peaked at about 6000 cfs, and the Upper Kern recorded a peak of 3048 cfs. On the East Side, the Truckee at Farad hit 10,100 cfs and the EF Carson 8,920 cfs. Further south (Middle) Piru Creek recorded a peak of over 7000 cfs and Sespe Creek 18,600 cfs.

At the moment, the GFS computer model is saying nothing is in the works for the Southern Sierra for the next 6-10 days, and both the NWS 6-10 day and 8-14 day outlooks project below average precipitation for Southern California. A couple runs of the GFS have hinted at the possibility of something happening around mid-month, but it is really way too early to tell. We'll see!

If Santa missed something on your Wish List, or you're spending too much money on duct tape and need to retire your worn out boating gear, check the sale items and Holiday goodies in the Sierra South River Store. Don't miss out, sale prices are limited to stock on hand!

Over the 2004-2005 paddling season the highest reported hourly flow and stage for the Kern at Kernville was 8211 cfs at 10.05 ft. on Friday, May 27 at 1:00 P.M. The highest reported average daily flow for the Kern at Kernville was 7280 cfs on Saturday, May 28. The highest reported average daily inflow to Lake Isabella was 7077 cfs on Friday, May 27. The USGS gage on the South Fork near Onyx, recorded a peak flow of 1,710 cfs on the afternoon of May 17th. Around Christmas of last year Lake Isabella bottomed out at about 93,000 acre-feet, and with the big run-off swelled to a max of 538,667 acre-feet.

Retire that bleached out PFD, worn down paddle, and behemoth kayak and get into something new! Why not advertise your current boat for sale on our web site in our consignment Used Boat Barn? Call us at 800-376-7303 for more info! Looking for a boat? Check out the recreational. touring and whitewater kayaks (and rafts) in our Boat Barns.

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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