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Floods

Floodplain work could start on two San Joaquin Valley rivers as soon as this week after state funding was approved

August 28, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

The state approved funding for a range of floodplain projects in the San Joaquin Valley, clearing the way for work to potentially begin as soon as this week. The state budget included $40 million for floodplain restoration projects in the San Joaquin Valley, which would let rivers spread out over large swaths of undeveloped land…

Floods

Poso: Kern County’s recurring problem creek in search of a solution

August 24, 2023

• by Lois Henry

It’s no mystery why the tiny community of Pond was flooded out this last spring. All you had to do was drive four miles south to see the massive pile of debris at the Highway 43 bridge to know all that water churning through the normally dry Poso Creek was going to bust out and…

Floods

VIDEO: Months after historic flooding swamped some rural Central Valley towns, residents are still struggling to rebuild their lives

August 9, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

California’s Central Valley was slammed by one epic storm after another this winter. The water flooded roads, overtopped rivers, broke levees and swamped entire towns. Without flood insurance and few other resources, residents of these mostly small, rural enclaves have had to rely on family, friends and neighors to rebuild. Months later, many are still…

Floods

Irrigators want to slow the flow of Kern River to bring Lake Isabella to its brim

July 12, 2023

• by Lois Henry

The question of whether Lake Isabella might “spill” has now turned to whether it will fill. The lake is achingly close to being full. It stood at 528,663 acre feet as of Wednesday afternoon – just 39,337 acre feet shy of its full capacity. But it needs to hit that max fill mark for the…

Floods

Floodplain projects are “foreign concept” for the south valley

May 26, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

One of the surest ways to corral flooding on the valley floor is floodplain restoration – letting rivers spread out over large swaths of undeveloped land to slow their flow and absorb the water. But even as cities and farms throughout the southern San Joaquin Valley brace for more flooding from an epic snowmelt after…

Floods

Kern River headed to intertie Saturday after brief delay

May 18, 2023

• by Lois Henry

Kern River water is expected to go into the intertie, which connects the river to the California Aqueduct, starting Saturday morning. The goal is to keep more flood water from reaching the already flooded Tulare Lake bed in Kings County. The plan had been to begin dumping Kern River water at 500 cubic feet per…

Floods • Uncategorized

Kern River water to go into California Aqueduct to keep it out of Tulare Lake; flows to ramp up mid-June

May 12, 2023

• by Lois Henry

For the first time in 17 years, the Kern River “intertie” will be opened on Monday to release Kern River flood waters into the California Aqueduct, according to the Kern River Watermaster. The move is an attempt to keep more flood water off the already waterlogged Tulare Lake bed as officials anticipate significantly increased Kern…

Floods

Officials identify local infrastructure at risk of flooding in Bakersfield

May 9, 2023

• by Lois Henry, SJV Water and John Cox, The Bakersfield Californian

Senior Kern County officials assessing flood risks to critical local infrastructure have identified Bakersfield Heart Hospital as potentially vulnerable to inundation in the weeks ahead, followed to a lesser degree by Mercy Southwest and the former Big West refinery on Rosedale Highway. In case either medical center does flood, a plan has been put in place…

Floods • Uncategorized

Kern River water may be plentiful this year but it’s never cheap

May 8, 2023

• by Lois Henry

The Kern Water Bank Authority paid $35,000 just to file an application for a temporary permit to take up to 300,000 acre feet of Kern River flood water. There’s no guarantee the permit will be approved. Nor that the conditions in the permit – that rights holders are so full they can’t take more water…

Floods • Rivers

CLOSED: Public is told to stay out of most valley rivers; closure on a portion of the Kern tries to make room for rafters

May 5, 2023

• by Jesse Vad and Lois Henry, SJV Water

This year’s epic runoff into San Joaquin Valley rivers is creating a tricky tightrope for local agencies tasked with keeping the public safe. How do you let people enjoy the bounty of water while making sure they don’t do anything lethally stupid? Upper Kern River It’s a difficult balance, as Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux…

NEWS

Floodplain work could start on two San Joaquin Valley rivers as soon as this week after state funding was approved

Poso: Kern County’s recurring problem creek in search of a solution

VIDEO: Months after historic flooding swamped some rural Central Valley towns, residents are still struggling to rebuild their lives

Irrigators want to slow the flow of Kern River to bring Lake Isabella to its brim

Floodplain projects are “foreign concept” for the south valley

Kern River headed to intertie Saturday after brief delay

Kern River water to go into California Aqueduct to keep it out of Tulare Lake; flows to ramp up mid-June

Officials identify local infrastructure at risk of flooding in Bakersfield

Kern River water may be plentiful this year but it’s never cheap

CLOSED: Public is told to stay out of most valley rivers; closure on a portion of the Kern tries to make room for rafters

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