Let's Chat About the Wild & Scenic NF Kern River (CA)

Paddlers are invited to join American Whitewater and the National Park Service for a Zoom Listening Session to share recreational interests for the Wild and Scenic North Fork of the Kern River. Specifically, the reaches below Fairview Dam to Riverside Park that are included within the boundaries of the Kern River No. 3 Hydroelectric Project owned by Southern California Edison (SCE). In September, SCE filed a Notice of Intent and a Pre-Application Document to officially start the process to relicense this project. This relicensing process provides opportunities for stakeholders to protect and enhance recreational, biological, and cultural resources on the Kern River.

American Whitewater and the National Park Service would like to prepare for the next steps of the hydropower relicensing process by hearing from interested stakeholders before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission hosts a scoping meeting in late December. Kern River paddlers can join us on Wednesday December 1, 2021 at 6:30 PM (Pacific Time) to voice interests on flows, access and other issues we can address through the relicensing process. Participants will be capped at 40 to facilitate a good working group so register soon  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIpd-6orjsrHNFiduGgS4wIMn-ROmcM0R7O

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. AW looks forward to chat up opportunities for the Kern River soon!

Photo: Keith Kishiyama boofing into the meltdown, Lower Salmon Falls, NF Kern by Ian Buckley