river Archives - SJV Water

Floods

Recreation sites above Lake Kaweah closed due to dangerous conditions

May 2, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

The Army Corps of Engineers closed two recreation areas at Lake Kaweah on Tuesday because of dangerous riverbank instability. The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office made the request for closure and the Corps closed down the Cobble Knoll and Slick Rock recreation areas. They will remain closed until conditions are safe again, according to the Corps….

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…

Drought • Rivers

How does more rain in northern California equal less flows in the San Joaquin River?

June 14, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Water has been flowing down the San Joaquin River since the beginning of April. But, ironically, late spring rains could halt the flow. The water coming out of Millerton Lake just above Fresno is flowing because of a contract within California’s complicated water rights system. The water is going to the San Joaquin River Exchange…

Rivers

Kern River among top 10 “most endangered rivers” in the country

April 18, 2022

• by Lois Henry

The lower Kern River earned the dubious distinction of being named one of the country’s 10 “most endangered rivers,” according to American Rivers, a national environmental group that has highlighted rivers suffering pollution and other threats for the past 36 years. The group listed “excessive water withdrawls” as the main threat to the lower Kern,…

Rivers

Public can get in on the upcoming Kern River hearing, sort of

November 3, 2021

• by Lois Henry

The public can weigh in on the Kern River at an upcoming hearing but the proceeding will be very narrowly focused, according to a ruling released Wednesday. Too narrowly focused, according to one attorney representing several nonprofits hoping to bring water back to the river through town on a regular basis. “We have a ruling…

Rivers • Uncategorized

Bakersfield children’s book takes a trip down the Kern River

April 15, 2021

• by Lois Henry

The successful Bakersfield children’s book series “Indy, Oh Indy” has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund its sixth upcoming book, titled “The Mighty Kern River.” The book was inspired by a larger effort from the grassroots group Bring Back the Kern to raise awareness about Bakersfield’s mostly dry river and efforts to revive a more…

Rivers

Valley irrigation district OKs plan to harvest mountain stream

January 13, 2021

• by Lois Henry

A plan to bring water from the South Fork of the Kern River through Isabella Lake and down 60 miles to farm fields west of Bakersfield was unanimously approved by the Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District board of directors on Tuesday. If the environmental documents supporting that plan survive what is sure to be a…

Rivers

Quest for water in the Kern River continues

December 16, 2020

• by Lois Henry

The steady drumbeat of support to get more water flowing in the Kern River through Bakersfield continued Tuesday at the State Water Resources Control Board. During the public comment portion of the meeting three speakers from Bakersfield and Kern County’s political realm urged board members to finally hear — and grant — a decade-old petition…

Rivers

A Sunday walk on the Kern River

April 26, 2020

• by Lois Henry

Water is flowing in the Kern River through Bakersfield for at least the next month. People took advantage of the water to enjoy (in a socially distant manner!) the river on Sunday….

NEWS

Recreation sites above Lake Kaweah closed due to dangerous conditions

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

How does more rain in northern California equal less flows in the San Joaquin River?

Kern River among top 10 “most endangered rivers” in the country

Public can get in on the upcoming Kern River hearing, sort of

Bakersfield children’s book takes a trip down the Kern River

Valley irrigation district OKs plan to harvest mountain stream

Quest for water in the Kern River continues

A Sunday walk on the Kern River

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