isabella Archives - SJV Water

dams • Floods

The story of the Kern River this year was one of historic numbers, luck and long term plans paying off

July 26, 2023

• by Lois Henry

Despite a few white knuckle moments, the Kern River’s historic flows were successfully managed through a combination of incredible timing, long term planning and pure luck, according to Kern River Watermaster Mark Mulkay. During a detailed discussion of Kern River and Isabella Dam operations Tuesday before a packed room, Mulkay led the audience through the…

Floods • Uncategorized

Kern County makes river flood maps available to the public

May 17, 2023

• by Lois Henry

The Kern River is rising fast and, so far, the public hasn’t been given very good information on the one question on everyone’s mind: Where’s it going to flood? Wednesday, the Kern County Office of Emergency Services put out detailed, locally built maps that attempt to answer that question under various flow scenarios. The upshot…

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…

Uncategorized

Massive snowpack looming above the Kern River higher than any in recorded history – and more coming

March 31, 2023

• by Lois Henry

A prolonged warm spell this spring is weighing on Kern River Watermaster Mark Mulkay’s mind these days. “If that happens, we could lose infrastructure. Definitely,” he said. A new Department of Water Resources estimate of accumulated snow hanging above the state’s river systems shows the Kern River’s watershed at 422% of normal. The amount could…

dams • Floods • Uncategorized

Lake Isabella may be the next to “fill and spill” as it is continues filling rapidly

March 16, 2023

• by Lois Henry

Lake Isabella could be the next Central Valley reservoir to “fill and spill” as it is rising rapidly, with an estimated two million acre feet of water hunkered down in a record high snowpack and more storms coming. The Kaweah and Success reservoirs in Tulare County have already reached that point, Success releasing water from…

The Law of the River

VIDEO: The Kern River’s work starts long before it hits Bakersfield

September 29, 2022

• by Lois Henry

In our continuing series, we head upstream with Kern River Watermaster Mark Mulkay for a quick look at how some of the structures and obligations on the river above the San Joaquin Valley influence “the law of the river.” NEXT: The lower river – once the river hits the valley, it’s spliced and diced through…

NEWS

The story of the Kern River this year was one of historic numbers, luck and long term plans paying off

Kern County makes river flood maps available to the public

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

Massive snowpack looming above the Kern River higher than any in recorded history – and more coming

Lake Isabella may be the next to “fill and spill” as it is continues filling rapidly

VIDEO: The Kern River’s work starts long before it hits Bakersfield

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