rivers Archives - Page 5 of 9

VIDEO: How California’s worst drought brought part of a Central Valley river back to life – briefly

August 17, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

The San Joaquin River was dried up decades ago when the federal Bureau of Reclamation built Friant Dam north of Fresno to bring water to farms and towns along the east side of the San Joaquin Valley via the Friant-Kern Canal. A federally mandated salmon restoration program reconnected the river for a short time, but…

Rivers • Uncategorized

Utility stops flows to closed hatchery but keeps some North Fork Kern water for itself

July 28, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Southern California Edison has stopped taking water out of the North Fork of the Kern River for a state fish hatchery that has been closed for nearly two years but added a new diversion that river advocates are calling a “dangerous precedent.” The move comes several weeks after river advocates complained the utility was using…

dams

Central Valley’s two major dam projects moving forward

July 27, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

It’s no simple feat to raise a dam. In fact, it’s taken the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 34 years to get from the first feasibility study to expand the dam at Lake Success in Tulare County to finally getting construction underway. The improvements to Lake Success’ Schafer Dam, named after longtime Tule River watermaster…

Drought

Bulk of money in state’s plan to buy water rights directed at northern California watersheds

June 15, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

A California Senate proposal to spend $2 billion to buy senior water rights would focus mostly on rights in northern California watersheds with another large chunk aimed at farmland retirement throughout the state. The proposal is included in an $18.5 billion climate plan within the state budget, which likely won’t be finalized until the end…

Rivers

After 100 years, local groups say it’s time for Edison to let loose of flows on the North Fork of the Kern River

June 3, 2022

• by Lois Henry

It’s been more than 100 years since a 16-mile stretch of the North Fork of the Kern River has run full and free in its natural course. Local boaters, anglers and other river enthusiasts say that’s long enough. To that end, a new campaign called “Free the Kern” opposes the relicensing application for a Southern…

Personalities • Rivers

Chuck Williams, longest-serving Kern River Watermaster, dies at 93

May 6, 2022

• by Lois Henry, SJV Water

Chuck Williams, the longest serving “interim, acting” Kern River Watermaster, died Friday. He was 93. Attorney Scott Kuney, who worked with Williams at North Kern Water Storage District, remembered Williams as a “man of great faith, integrity and a consensus maker. “And he was fun,” Kuney said Friday. “He had a thousand stories.” Kuney recalled…

Drought

Kern River run off predicted to be downright miserly

May 3, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Kern River watershed watcher Scott Williams put out what will be his final Kern River Snow and Water Report May 3 and the news was grim. The predicted run off for the Kern River has dwindled from an already meager 33% of normal last month to a downright miserly 28% of normal this month. The…

Drought

Kern River snow watcher’s report shows below average year

April 3, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Amateur, but thorough, snow watcher Scott Williams released his monthly “Kern River Snow and Water Report” April 2 and the news is subpar. Annual runoff from the watershed is anticipated to be 33% of average this year based on the paltry snow pack left following the significantly dry January, February and March months. Williams compiles…

Rivers

POSTPONED!!!! Panel: Is there a way for all sides to “win” in the Kern River fight?

March 2, 2022

• by Lois Henry

!!!POSTPONED!!! Scheduling conflicts have waylaid this panel for some time. Please check back here or on the Bring Back the Kern site. The local grassroots group, Bring Back the Kern, will host a series of roundtable discussions to look at ways to restore the Kern River through Bakersfield and still satisfy…

Drought

Snow pack for Kern River watershed at 39% of normal

March 1, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Local water watcher Scott Williams put out his monthly Kern River watershed report Tuesday and the outlook is skimpy without more storms before May. Williams compiles stats from a number of publicly available sources, including state electronic snow sensors, called “pillows,” stashed in the upper reaches of the watershed and compares them to historic trends….

NEWS

VIDEO: How California’s worst drought brought part of a Central Valley river back to life – briefly

Utility stops flows to closed hatchery but keeps some North Fork Kern water for itself

Central Valley’s two major dam projects moving forward

Bulk of money in state’s plan to buy water rights directed at northern California watersheds

After 100 years, local groups say it’s time for Edison to let loose of flows on the North Fork of the Kern River

Chuck Williams, longest-serving Kern River Watermaster, dies at 93

Kern River run off predicted to be downright miserly

Kern River snow watcher’s report shows below average year

POSTPONED!!!! Panel: Is there a way for all sides to “win” in the Kern River fight?

Snow pack for Kern River watershed at 39% of normal

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