RIVER ROUND UP: Water agencies seek public’s help to keep mussels out of the Kern River watershed; Flows to last through July 4; Six lives lost in 2025
Invasive and rapidly spreading golden mussels have not been found in the upper Kern River, Lake Isabella nor the lower river – so far.
A group of local water entities hope to keep it that way through a public awareness campaign for the public to thoroughly clean all watercraft before launching in any local water way.
The “golden rule,” a play on the name of the mussel, campaign kicked off Thursday before the anticipated Memorial Day influx of boaters and river recreators.
The Kern County Water Agency, City of Bakersfield, California Water Service, North Kern Water Storage District and Kern Delta Water District, which initiated the campaign, could all be directly impacted if the mussels infest the Kern River watershed.
They are imploring boaters to “clean, drain and dry” all water craft before moving it from one body of water to another. That’s particularly important if the craft has spent any time at all in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, ground zero for the mussels, which hitchhiked in from ballast water dumped in the delta by cargo ships.
CHECK BEFORE YOU LAUNCH
Some lakes have mandatory inspection programs and boaters should check before traveling.
CLICK HERE for a partial list of lakes with contact information. Source: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
CLICK HERE for a list of Department of Water Resources lakes with mandatory inspections. Source: DWR
CLICK HERE for a partial list of lakes with inspection programs. Source: California State Parks Boating and Waterways.
The tiny mussels latch on to surfaces quickly, reproduce multiple times and build on each other, clogging pipes and equipment.
“We need everyone’s help to avoid introducing golden mussels in Lake Isabella and the upper Kern River,” Kern Delta General Manager Steve Teglia is quoted in the campaign.
Prevention is much less expensive than treatment, Teglia pointed out.
This awareness campaign dovetails with similar messages from the Friant Water Authority, Department of Water Resources, California Parks and California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
River run
In other Kern River news, the City of Bakersfield confirmed to SJV Water that residents can expect flows through town to the Bellevue Weir near the Park at Riverwalk through the July 4th weekend.
The city had initially anticipated it would have enough water for flows until mid June, but got a slight boost with the April storms.
River warning
In a somber reminder that the Kern River can be potentially fatal, the Kern County Search and Rescue unit will be updating the “Kern River Deaths” billboard at the mouth of the canyon on Friday from 342 to 348, reflecting the six lives lost to the river last year.
The running total has been kept since 1968.
Though that’s a large and tragic number, it doesn’t include deaths in the Tulare County portion of the river above Kernville. The Tulare County Sheriff’s office doesn’t keep a similar tally.
It also doesn’t reflect the numerous successful rescues by both the Tulare and Kern search and rescue teams made every year.
Rescue teams remind the public that water in the Kern River is cold and moving very fast through massive boulders and tree limbs that can be treacherous. Anyone getting in the river – especially children – should wear a life vest and stick close to the banks.
