Kern River facts for kids
The Kern River, originally called Rio de San Felipe and later La Porciuncula, is a river in California, United States. It's about 165 miles (266 km) long. This river collects water from the southern Sierra Nevada mountains, northeast of Bakersfield.
The Kern River is fed by melting snow near Mount Whitney, which is a very tall mountain. It flows through beautiful canyons in the mountains. Many people enjoy whitewater rafting and kayaking on the river. It's the most southern major river system in the Sierra Nevada. It's also the only big river in the Sierra Nevada that flows south.
In the past, the Kern River flowed into Buena Vista Lake and Kern Lake, which are now dry. These lakes were part of a basin that sometimes overflowed into the San Joaquin River. Other rivers like the Kaweah and Tule River also flowed into this basin.
Since the late 1800s, most of the Kern River's water has been used for farming (irrigation) and to refill underground water sources. Some water also goes into Lake Webb and Lake Evans. These two small lakes were made in 1973 for fun activities. They hold a total of about 6,800 acre-feet (8.4 million cubic meters) of water. Farmers now grow crops in the areas where the old lakes used to be. In very wet years, the river can still reach the Tulare Lake basin through special channels.
Even though its source is far away in the wilderness, almost all of the Kern River is open to the public. It's very popular for hiking and whitewater rafting. Trails follow the Upper Kern River almost to its source, which is at 13,600 feet (4,100 m) high. The river flows all year long, even below Lake Isabella. Because it flows so fast at lower elevations, the river below the dam is a very popular spot for rafting.
Contents
River's Journey
The Kern River starts high in the Sierra Nevada mountains, inside Sequoia National Park. This is in the northeastern part of Tulare County, near the border with Inyo County. The main part of the river, sometimes called the North Fork Kern River, begins from several small lakes. These lakes are in a basin northwest of Mount Whitney. Tall mountains, some over 13,000 feet (4,000 m) high, surround the river's starting point.
The Kern River flows directly south through a deep valley carved by glaciers. It passes through Inyo National Forest and Sequoia National Forest, as well as the Golden Trout Wilderness. Many smaller streams join the Kern River here, including Rock Creek and Golden Trout Creek. The river then briefly turns east around Hockett Peak. After that, the Little Kern River joins it from the northwest at a place called Forks of the Kern.
Further south, more streams join the Kern River, like Peppermint Creek and Salmon Creek. These streams create large waterfalls as they drop into the Kern River canyon.
At Kernville, the river leaves its narrow canyon and enters a wide valley. Here, its water is held back by Isabella Dam, forming Lake Isabella. This area used to be called Whiskey Flat, and the old town of Kernville was located there. In Lake Isabella, the Kern River is joined by its biggest branch, the South Fork Kern River. The South Fork is about 95 miles (153 km) long and starts in Tulare County. It flows south through Inyo National Forest before turning west in Kern County.
Below Isabella Dam, the Kern River flows southwest through a rugged canyon. This section runs alongside California State Route 178. You can find several hot springs along this part of the river. The river drops about 2,000 feet (610 m) between Isabella Dam and Bakersfield. This steep drop helps power several hydroelectric plants. It's also a very popular spot for whitewater rafting. Because water is released from the dam for farming and power, this part of the river flows quickly even in the driest summers.
The river then winds through a valley in the Sierra foothills. It finally enters the San Joaquin Valley at Bakersfield, which is the biggest city on the river. In Bakersfield, most of the river's water is sent into different canals. This water is used for farming in the southern San Joaquin Valley. It also provides drinking water for Bakersfield and nearby areas. This rich farming region is a large flat area formed by the Kern River. It used to have huge wetlands and seasonal lakes.
The Friant-Kern Canal, which is part of the Central Valley Project, joins the Kern River about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of downtown Bakersfield. This helps bring some water back into the river. The river channel continues about 20 miles (32 km) southwest. It reaches a point near the California Aqueduct on the western side of the San Joaquin Valley. A special barrier allows extra floodwaters from the Kern River to flow into the California Aqueduct. Any remaining water continues south into the seasonal Buena Vista Lake. This lake used to cover about 4,000 acres (1,600 hectares) during wet times.
Historically, a 20-mile (32 km) branch of the Kern River split off above Bakersfield. It flowed south to what is now Arvin. There, it formed the seasonal Kern Lake, which could grow to about 8,300 acres (3,400 hectares) during wet periods. Water from Kern Lake would then flow west through Buena Vista Slough into Buena Vista Lake.
In times of very heavy rainfall, Buena Vista Lake would overflow. Its waters would join other wetlands and seasonal lakes. These would then drain north into the former Tulare Lake. Sometimes, Tulare Lake would even overflow into the San Joaquin River through Fresno Slough.
The Kern River is one of the few rivers in the Central Valley that does not directly contribute water to the Central Valley Project (CVP). However, water from the CVP, mainly from the Friant-Kern Canal, is stored in the underground water sources (aquifers) near the Kern River.
River's Past
The river was named by John C. Frémont in 1845. He named it after Edward Kern, who was a mapmaker on Fremont's trip through the Western United States. The story says Edward Kern almost drowned in the river's strong currents.
Before this, Spanish explorer Francisco Garcés named the river "Rio de San Felipe" on May 1, 1776. Later, in 1806, Padre Zavidea renamed it La Porciuncula. Locally, it was known as Po-sun-co-la until Fremont gave it its current name.
Gold was found along the upper part of the river in 1853. The melting snow that fed the river caused big floods in Bakersfield until the Isabella Dam was built in the 1950s. These floods often changed where the river flowed. Since Kern County was formed in 1866, the main river channel has flowed through what is now downtown Bakersfield. Many of the canals that flow south from the river follow these old river paths.
The irrigated land near the river in the Central Valley is very fertile. Farmers grow crops like alfalfa, carrots, fruit, and cotton there. They also raise cattle. In 1987, the United States Congress made 151 miles (243 km) of the Kern's North Fork and South Fork a National Wild and Scenic River. This protects these parts of the river.
The huge 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake happened on January 9, 1857. It was so strong that it temporarily made the Kern River flow in the opposite direction! Fish in the now-dry Tulare Lake were left stuck on the shores.
The Buena Vista Lake basin is a dry area, and the Kern River is its only important water source. There are often disagreements about how to manage the water. This is because some old water agreements have ended recently. Also, there are safety problems with Isabella Dam, which means less water can be stored there while repairs are made.
River Life
The Kern River area is the natural home of California's State Freshwater Fish, the California golden trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita). These fish live in the Kern River's smaller streams, like the South Fork Kern River and Golden Trout Creek. There are also two other types of trout found in the Kern River system: the Little Kern golden trout (O. m. whitei) and the Kern River rainbow trout (O. m. gilberti). Together, these three are sometimes called the "Golden Trout Complex."
In 2008, after many people spoke up, the City of Bakersfield and the California Department of Fish and Game decided to move a family of California Golden beaver (Castor canadensis subauratus) instead of harming them. California Golden beaver used to live all over the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada.
Old stories say that beaver were seen in the Kern River area in the past. One person saw "very old beaver sign" in 1946. Another story says that a friend trapped beaver on the Kern River around 1900 until they were all gone by 1910-1914. The fact that there's a "Beaver Canyon Creek" near the lower Kern River also suggests that beaver used to live there. Today, there are many beaver in the Ramshaw Meadows on the South Fork Kern River. Their dams help trap dirt, create large pools, and improve the riverside plant life.
River's Formation
The upper Kern River Canyon was formed mostly by powerful forces deep within the Earth, not just by the river's flow. The Kern Canyon Fault, which is a geologically active crack in the Earth's crust, runs along the entire length of the canyon. This fault goes from the river's source down to the Walker Basin, about 10 miles (16 km) south of Lake Isabella.
The river's path has changed several times over millions of years. More than 10 million years ago, the Kern River flowed into the San Joaquin Valley further south. But then, land west of the Kern Canyon Fault was pushed up. This blocked the river and forced it to cut a new path further north. This new path created the steep gorge you see today below Lake Isabella and Bakersfield. The upper part of the Kern River canyon was made wider and deeper by glaciers during the Ice Ages. The Kern Canyon fault passes very close to Isabella Dam, and scientists watch it closely because it could affect the dam's safety.
The Kern River Oil Field is next to the river on its north side, just before the river reaches Bakersfield. This large oil field used to let much of its dirty wastewater flow directly into the river. However, modern environmental rules stopped this. Now, the polluted water is cleaned at special plants and then used to water farms in the valley to the west.
How Much Water Flows?
The amount of water flowing in the Kern River changes a lot because of water being taken out and because of Isabella Dam. The most water, on average, flows just below Isabella Dam. However, because the dam controls the water flow, the highest daily amounts of water actually occur above the dam, on the North Fork of the Kern River.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measures the river's flow. On the North Fork Kern River, the average flow is about 806 cubic feet per second (22.8 cubic meters per second). The highest daily flow recorded there was 33,600 cubic feet per second (952 cubic meters per second). On the South Fork Kern River, the average flow is about 123 cubic feet per second (3.5 cubic meters per second), with a highest daily flow of 14,000 cubic feet per second (396 cubic meters per second).
In contrast, the first measurement station below Isabella Dam shows an average flow of 946 cubic feet per second (26.8 cubic meters per second). But the highest daily flow there is only 7,030 cubic feet per second (199 cubic meters per second). This shows how the dam controls the water. Because so much water is taken out, the flow decreases a lot further downstream. At the last measurement station near Bakersfield, the river's average flow is only 312 cubic feet per second (8.8 cubic meters per second).
Fun on the River
Kern Canyon, the deep canyon northeast of Bakersfield, is a popular place for fishing and boating. People especially enjoy fly fishing and whitewater rafting, whitewater kayaking, and riverboarding. Fishermen are interested in the Kern River rainbow trout, the Little Kern golden trout, and the California golden trout.
Kern Canyon is also great for camping, hiking, and picnicking. The United States Forest Service maintains several campgrounds along the North Fork of the Kern River. These include Camp 3, Fairview, Goldledge, Headquarters, Hospital Flat, and Limestone. Most campgrounds are open in the summer, and a few stay open all year.
The Kern River is well known for being dangerous, and some people call it the "killer Kern." A sign at the entrance to Kern Canyon warns visitors: "Danger. Stay Out. Stay Alive." It also lists the number of deaths since 1968. As of May 22, 2020, the sign showed 307 deaths. The famous country singer Merle Haggard even wrote a song called "Kern River" about a sad event on the river. His very last song, "Kern River Blues," was recorded just two months before he passed away in 2016.
Below the canyon, the Kern River flows more gently. Tubing is popular along this part of the river as it winds through Bakersfield.
The Class II whitewater rapids in Kernville are used for the slalom event during the yearly Kern River Festival.
Images for kids
-
Decades of excessive water diversions have left the last 18 miles of the Lower Kern River Dry and Endangered
See also
In Spanish: Río Kern para niños
