Information AboutKern River |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT KERN RIVER | |
| rivers of california | |
| bakersfield, california | |
| whitewater rivers of north america | |
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The Kern River is a river in eastern California in the United States , approximately 155 mi (249 km) long. It drains an area of the southern Sierra Nevada mountains northeast of Bakersfield . Fed by snowmelt near Mount Whitney , the river passes through scenic canyons in the mountains and is a popular destination for Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking . It is the only river in the Sierra Nevada mountain range that travels in a southernly direction. It formerly emptied entirely into the Buena Vista Lake at the southern end of the Central Valley ; however, now it is diverted for irrigation and recharging aquifers, and it still empties a portion into Buena Vista Lake for recreational use. In addition some of the water is diverted into the California Aqueduct . In extremely wet years the river will reach the Tulare Lake basin through a series of sloughs and flood channels. DESCRIPTION The main branch of the river (sometimes called the North Fork) rises from several small lakes west of Mount Whitney in the high Sierra Nevada mountains in northeastern Tulare County , in the northeast corner of Sequoia National Park . It flows south through the mountains through Inyo and Sequoia national forests, passing through the Golden Trout Wilderness . At Kernville it emerges into a widening valley and enters Lake Isabella , a reservoir formed on the river by the Isabella Dam that was once known as Whiskey Flat and the former location of the town of Kernville. Downstream from the dam it flows southwest, through a spectacular rugged canyon along the south edge of the Greenhorn Mountains , emerging east of Bakersfield , the largest city on the river. In its lower course downstream from Bakersfield the river is highly diverted through a series of canals to irrigate the farms of the southern San Joaquin Valley and provide municipal water supplies to the City of Bakersfield and surrounding areas. The water of the Kern River is one of the very few rivers in the Central Valley not associated with use by the Central Valley Project (CVP). However, water from the CVP, mainly the Friant-Kern Canal, will be deposited for water storage in the aquifers. The Kern receives the Little Kern River from the north in southern Tulare County. It receives the South Fork Kern River from the east as an arm of Lake Isabella. The Friant-Kern Canal , constructed as part of the Central Valley Project, joins the river about four miles west of downtown Bakersfield. Formerly the river flowed an additional 20 mi (32 km) south through now-dry swamps to Arvin , then west into Lake Buena Vista. In periods of high runoff, the lake overflowed into a series of sloughs north into the former Tulare Lake . HISTORY The river was named by John C. Frémont in honor of Edward M. Kern in the 1830s who, as the story goes, nearly drowned in the turbulent waters. Kern was the Topographer of his third expedition through the American West . Before this, the Kern River was known as the "Rio Bravo de San Felipe" as named by Spanish missionary explorer Fr. Francisco Garces when he explored the Bakersfield area in 1776. Gold was discovered along the upper river in 1853. The snowmelt that fed the river resulted in periodic torrential flooding in Bakersfield until the construction of the Isabella Dam in the 1950s. These floods would periodically change the channel of the river. Since the establishment of Kern County in 1866 the main channel has flowed through what is the main part of downtown Bakersfield along Truxtun Avenue and again made a south turn along what is Old River Road. Many of the irrigation canals that flow in a southerly direction from the river actually follow the old channels of the Kern River, especially the canal that flows along Old River Road. The irrigated region of the Central Valley near the river supports the cultivation of Alfalfa , carrots, fruit, and Cotton , cattle grazing, and many other year-round crops. In 1987 the United States Congress designated 151 mi (240 km) of the Kern's North (Main) Fork and South Fork as a National Wild And Scenic River . In recent years the river has become controversial because of attempts by the City of Bakersfield to retain water in the river channel all year round for recreation and the recharging of the water tables from which it draws its drinking water supply. The attempts have resulted in conflicts with established agricultural interests in the Central Valley which depend heavily on the river as a supply of irrigation water. However, the river recently has been allowed to flow its normal dry course due to structural problems in the Isabella Dam. The increased flow reduces stress on the dam. RECREATION The deep canyon of the river northeast of Bakersfield is a popular location for Fly Fishing and particularly famous for whitewater sports including Whitewater Rafting , Whitewater Kayaking , and Riverboarding . It is also well known for its danger, and is sometimes known as the "Killer Kern". A sign at the mouth of Kern Canyon warns visitors, "Danger. Stay Out. Stay Alive" and tallies the deaths since 1968; as of April 8 , 2007 the count was up to 238. Bakersfield-born Merle Haggard 's song ''Kern River'' recounts just such a tragedy. Most recently, as of July 9, 2007, the head count for the number of deaths is now 250. The Kern is nevertheless a popular place for camping, hiking, fishing and recreational vacation. Of particular interest to fisherman are three species of Trout: (1) the Little Kern Trout, (2) the Golden Trout , and the rarest of all Trout's, (3) the Sorenson Trout. Below the canyon the Kern River drops an average of 16 feet per mile until it reaches the Kern River Oilfields and begins to meander along flat land into and through the city of Bakersfield. It is a popular summer pastime to float down the river on inner tubes. This activity is often done in groups and Beer is taken along in an ice chest rigged to float alongside. EXTERNAL LINKS
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