Fresno Slough facts for kids

Fresno Slough is a special waterway in Kings County, California, part of the San Joaquin Valley. It's like a side branch of the Kings River and is called a distributary. This means it's a natural channel that flows away from the main river, carrying some of its water. The Fresno Slough connects the North Fork Kings River to the San Joaquin River.

A River's Past: Connecting to Tulare Lake

For a long time, until 1879, Fresno Slough had another important job. When the water level in Tulare Lake got very high (above 210 feet), the slough would carry the extra water from the lake into the San Joaquin River. This happened during big floods. However, after 1879, people started building systems to move water for farming, called irrigation diversions. These changes stopped Fresno Slough from being an overflow path for Tulare Lake.

How Water is Used Today: Modern Diversions

Today, Fresno Slough is still very important for managing water in the area. Near Mendota, there's a structure called the Mendota Dam. This dam helps control the flow of water.

The Mendota Dam and the water it holds back, called the Mendota Pool, have been used for irrigation since the late 1800s. During the farming season, the dam sends water from Mendota Pool to farms further south. When the Kings River has too much water and is flooding, the dam also helps by sending some of that floodwater into Mendota Pool and then into the San Joaquin River. This helps prevent floods and makes sure there's enough water for farming.