KR3 DECIMATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR WHITEWATER RECREATION

ISSUE: The North Fork Kern provides flows suitable for whitewater recreation year-round in wet to average years and for three seasons in dry years. Diversion of 600 cfs at Fairview Dam for the operation of KR3 reduces those opportunities by more than half in the 16 miles below the dam.

OUR TAKE: The best public use of the outstanding resource that is the North Fork Kern would be to free it of the KR3 diversion. Short of that, a vastly expanded and robust recreation flow schedule should be adopted for the public to experience the outstanding natural opportunities for recreation this river affords at natural flows.

DETAILS:

  • The North Fork Kern was designated as Wild and Scenic in acknowledgement of its outstanding potential as a recreational resource.

  • The dewatered reach of the North Fork Kern is comprised of world-class whitewater in five popularly run segments ranging in difficulty from class 3 to class 5.

  • The North Fork Kern is the most important whitewater resource for all of Southern California, with the potential to offer reliable whitewater near-year-round in all but the driest of years.

  • By taking water out of the river at Fairview Dam, KR3 negatively impacts recreation in three ways: (1) artificially capping peak flows at the height of the spring runoff (late April to early June); (2) taking away quality shoulder season flows (March, April, and June); and (3) removing enjoyable perennial flows the balance of the year (July-February). Each effect is shown in this graph of annualized median exceedances for the past 25 years:

  • No living human being has ever recreated in the North Fork Kern with natural flows except for when KR3 has been offline for repairs.

  • The median number of days annually that flows above Fairview Dam are over 1,000 cfs is 56, but there are only 31 such days below the dam due to KR3.

  • The median number of days flows above Fairview Dam are over 400 cfs is 135, but there are only 67 such days below.

  • More annualized median exceedances for the period of record (1997-2021):

  • The current rec flow schedule affords boaters an average of only 150 additional cfs for 7 hours just 9 days a year — and no days at all in dry years, or from August through March, ever.

  • A new rec flow schedule should acknowledge the ever-increasing supply of renewable energy available during daylight hours in spring and weekends relative to demand, and require Edison to cease KR3 operations during those times to share this incredible resource in its natural condition — i.e., with full natural flow — with the public.

  • Watch this video of the North Fork Kern at flows of only 225-325 cfs:

OUR PROPOSALS:

  1. Conduct a new on-water flow study with contemporary equipment, techniques, and attitudes.

  2. Independently evaluate Edison’s claim that it requires a diversion of 300 cfs at all times to prevent damage to its tunnels.

EDISON’S RESPONSES:

  1. Edison asserts that because Fairview Dam does not store water, it cannot conduct an on-water study. However, Edison can shape the flow below Fairview by 600 cfs — e.g., testing a 400 cfs flow can happen any day there is 400-1,000 cfs in the river. Further, Edison could gather data tied to actual, on-water boating experiences at relevant flows through either an interceptor team or a reasonably contemporaneous reporting system.

  2. Edison seeks an in-house study to “validate” its 300 cfs tunnel claim.

HOW TO HELP: Tell FERC (click the link for instructions):

  1. Who you are and how much you love the North Fork Kern;

  2. That you are concerned with the vast amount of recreation KR3 denies the public each year; and

  3. That you support Kern River Boaters’ proposals for (1) an on-water Whitewater Flow Study, (2) a Flow Timing study, (3) a Comparative Whitewater study, and (4) an independent engineering analysis of Edison’s claim that a “Tunnel Maintenance Flow” is needed.

THE EXTRA MILE: Tell the same things to the Forest Service and National Park Service.

GO DEEPER: Read the KRB Whitewater Study, Flow Timing, Comparative Whitewater, and Tunnel Study proposals. Read KRB’s initial comments to Edison’s PAD. We also have teed up information about five other areas in which KR3 harms our river, the natural environment, and the human environment:

Aesthetics ºº Angling ºº Environment ºº Health ºº Safety

Please have a look at these resource topics and send your views on them issues to FERC and other managing agencies. Do not simply assume the agencies will resolve these issues in the public’s favor; they have failed in the past and Edison is well funded and politically connected. Speak up now for yourselves and the future. And please consider following our Free The Kern Facebook campaign page. Together, we can Free The Kern.

Pure joy at 325 cfs