http://www.kaweahriver.org

yaker image courtesy of Tony Loro

The Kaweah River is located in the foothills of the southern Sierra Nevada Range of California along Highway 198 at the southern entrance to Sequoia National Park. The river passes through the small town of Three Rivers and ends up in Lake Kaweah (Terminus Reservoir). It's one of the shortest drainages in the US from its headwaters at 12000 feet to Lake Kaweah. The Kaweah River, like its neighbors the Kings, Tule and Kern, never sees the Pacific Ocean. Instead, it splits into many channels upon entering the San Joaquin Valley below Lake Kaweah and is mostly consumed by irrigation. What's left, if any, ends up in Tulare Lake.

Brian Rouch in Bumper

Current Flow Information


Dreamflows.com


  • Post-A-Gauge Also available as http://postagauge.kaweahriver.org User posted gauge data for the North Fork, South Fork, Dinely Br., Park Boundary, and New for 2009 Hospital Rock
  • Kaweah 4 day Flow Graph or Kaweah 1 Month Flow Graph from dreamflows.com
  • The Kaweah Rivergauge at Pumpkin Hollow Also available as http://rivergauge.kaweahriver.org is not currently reporting. I have been too lazy to put in back in the river this season.
  • COE's 10day flow graph (Large file: 538KB)
  • Current Flow at Three Rivers from COE (gauge above Lower Slicky) Chart , or Table , or Graph
  • HOURLY Lake Inflow Chart , or Graph from Calif Snow Surveys Better Graph with 6 hour averaging function built in
  • DAILY Lake Inflow Chart or Graph from Calif Snow Surveys
  • Graphs of the latest and last 30 days River Conditions

    Current Weather Information

  • Local Weatherstation CW4177 on MesoWest
  • Local Weatherstation CW4177 on CWOP
  • Redirect to Local Pumpkin Hollow Weatherstation Page
  • Latest Hanford, Ca. Doppler Radar Base Image or Composite Image from NOAA
  • Latest Hanford, Ca. Doppler Radar One Hour Base Loop or One Hour Composite Loop
  • Local Weather Forecast for Three Rivers, CA from the National Weather Service in Hanford
  • Hazardous Weather Outlook from the National Weather Service in Hanford
  • Special Weather Statement from the National Weather Service in Hanford
  • Winter Weather Advisory from the National Weather Service in Hanford
  • Severe Thunderstorm Warning from the National Weather Service in Hanford

    Other Nearby Weatherstations on MesoWest

  • Station KAWC1 Lake kaweah - 540 ft
  • Station D0117 Three Rivers Museum - 856 ft
  • Station TSHC1 Ash Mtn. Park Headquarters - 1730 ft.
  • Station CQ161 Gaint Forest - 6234 ft.
  • Station MBMC1 Marble Fork Kaweah - 7842 ft.
  • Station CSWC1 Case Mountain - 6450 ft.
  • Station WVTC1 East Fork Kaweah near Redwood Creek - 5240 ft.

    Message of the Day

    Message of the Day has been added on Oct 25, 2005 to allow the webmaster to post this message remotely from any computer with internet access. The message is displayed as a GIF image in keeping with the fact that the KRP is a static web page, i.e. it is not generated on the fly. The message image is updated every 15 minutes.

    The Kaweah River Page on Twitter

    Follow us on Twitter as kaweahriver
    Automatic daily twitter updates each morning with the 3AM COE flow at Three Rivers, lake level, and lake level below spillway. Other noteworthy tweets from time to time.

    Boater and Kaweah News

    Updated Sat, 2011-08-06
  • 08-06-11 The season is near end with flow finally dipping to a low of 400 cfs. There will still be enough water on the East Fork and Hospital Rock runs through the weekend.
  • 06-20-11 A new High Resolution webcam is added at the location of the Kaweah-Cam. It features a high resolution 16x9 wide format image.
  • 06-01-11 The South Fork was run from 3.5 miles above the Shatner put in over the holiday weekend. Flow was 1.5 feet on the South Fork gauge and run was reported to be quality Class V+ with a couple of easy portages. This may change the previous perceptions that the South Fork above Shatner was too high overhead and not worth doing. You can judge for yourself with the following You Tube videos.
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tZ8O0xeBHw
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fszBNAo3iyg
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC0LWWEafs8
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVcRLu-1glo
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyOsPdWfFs0
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oEj7nHFDTo
  • 05-07-11 The Twitter upload via API has been solved by using a third party web based API Proxy to act as as intermediate between the application doing automated Twitter Tweets and the Twitter server thus olving the Twitter "oauth" authentication problem that has kept kaweahriver from posting to Twitter for the last nine months. Thank you, SuperTweet.Net !
  • 05-03-11 You Tube Video featuring Chase and Logan and other Kaweah locals up on the North Fork last Saturday. The young 14 year olds are becoming pretty darm good boaters. Pretty good flow that day at 2.10 feet on the North Fork Gauge.
  • 04-30-11 The Kaweah-Cam has been programmed to look for rafts in the image. Here you will find the latest Raft Watch Image
  • 04-03-11 April 1st snowpack reports are in. The Kaweah basin has 175% of Average for April 1st. The Kings to the north has 172% of average, the Tule and Kern to the south have 215% and 196% of average respectively. This is the 2nd largest April 1st snowpack since 1983. The other notable years were 1983 at 259% and 1998 at 185%. It has been pointed out that the April 1st snow survey may have under reported the snowpack. 21% density was reported at Giant Forest. This number is uncharacteristically low and the actual density could be more like 40% which would make the Giant Forest survey more like 200% of average. The entire basin average may be more like 185% if an adjustment in the Giant forest reading is taken into account.
  • 02-12-11 The owner of the land river right immediately below No. 2 on the Park Boundary obviously does not want anybody on his land. The strange notification comes by way of a sign affixed to a boulder 50 yards below the SCE bridge with the words: WARNING Experimental Rattlesnake Farm Keep Out. Word has it that the landowner will be building a house on the newly cleared area on a slight knoll on the right bank between rapids No. 2 and No. 3. While a great site with a great beach of granite slab, the summer usage of the adjacent Edison Company land at the bridge by quantities of garbage leaving, graffiti marking, undesireable, and unrespectful beachgoers will surely be causing them concern. The site rivals the Edison beach below Dinely Bridge where the ongoing war between landowners and beachgoers is an annual summertime issue. The Park Boundary run will lose some of it's remote quality down the road.
  • 02-06-11 With 2 of 5 stations reported, the Kaweah snowpack is 153% of average for March 1st. This may remain as an incomplete snowpack report since Sequoia Park missed the required window of opertunity to complete the snow survey. Nevertheless, the snowpack is more than last year at this time and it will be a big water year.
  • 01-07-11 The southern Sierra snowpack is on a record track of 250% of average. Currently at 95% of the April 1st average and 30% more than the record wet year of 1982-1983. The plot is available from CDEC at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snow/PLOT_SWC and a cropped southern Sierra version of the CDEC full California snowpack plot now appears on this page.
  • Boater News prior to January 2011 has been moved to the News Archive . There is a bunch of good stuff in the archive going all the way back to 2000. The News Archive represents a pretty good historical timeline of the Kaweah for a decade.

    The Kaweah River Webcams: "Kaweah-Cam", Ash Peaks, Moro Rock

    The current hours of operation for all webcams are 5:30AM through 8:30PM Pacific Time.

  • All webcams displayed on one page (now with real time Java clock thanks to timeanddate.com)
  • Key to the Kaweah-Cam River Level Markings for flood watch conditions
  • Key to the Kaweah-Cam Rock Formations 22 formations as they were on Mar. 24, 2009 (some will become permanently missing as the water rises)
  • More about the Kaweah-Cam including the image archive, image correlation to flow, flood images, and more. Also available as http://kaweahcam.kaweahriver.org
  • The other "Kaweah Kam" is hosted by The Kaweah Commonwealth newspaper in Three Rivers
  • The Sequoia Park Webcam looks SW into the Kaweah River Drainage from the ridge at Giant Forest
  • The Newest Mineral King Webcam Image looking toward Farewell Gap
  • The Latest Mineral King Webcam Image looking toward Timber Gap
  • The Mineral King Webcam Home Page
  • The Silver City Webcam
  • Middle Fork Upstream View and Downstream View at Portage No. 11 on the Park Boundary section from the Buckeye Tree Lodge.

    The Kaweah River Picture of the Day

  • Kaweah River Picture of the Day Jon Fairchild on the 25 footer on the Upper South Fork above the Shatner run. (link launches in new browser window) Turn off your popup blocker if this link fails to work!
  • Picture of the Day Archive for 2000 through present

    The Kaweah River Picture Page

  • The Kaweah River Picture Page Also available as http://pictures.kaweahriver.org All the pictures from the 2000 through 2006 seasons. The Picture Page is served by a separate server with always on connection, very fast upload speed of 5Mb/sec, and infinite file space so all the current and past photos are always available. If you saw me taking your picture somewhere on the river it is likely to be found here.

    The Kaweah Rivergauge Project

  • Realtime Web Based Rivergauge Project Page This was a 2 year home project that became operational in May 2003.
  • The Kaweah Rivergauge Page Also available as http://rivergauge.kaweahriver.org has the level and water temperature data and plots reported from the rivergauge. The riverguage will be in real-time operation again in May of 2010.

    Other Kaweah River Links worth checking out

  • Preston Holmes' Upper North Fork Page
  • Preston Holmes' Hospital Rock Page
  • Martin Eskes ran the Hospital Rock Section of the Kaweah as just one stop on his 2001 world Adventure tour
  • Gary Valle's Yucca Creek pictures (Steep Creek Tributary of the North Fork)
  • Brett Valle's Best of Sierra Nevada Whitewater
  • First Descent of CHERRY FALLS on the North Fork Kaweah with NEW Quicktime Videos
  • 1997 saw several First Descents of Kaweah tributaries
  • Coming attraction: First Descent of Roaring River Falls in Kings Canyon National Park. Stay tuned.

    More Weather Information

    Temperature, Rainfall and Snowpack Graphs for current conditions in Sequoia National Park. This is one of the webmaster's favorite links. (plot images in this page are broken ever since DWR reconfigured it's plotting methods and broke a good thing, the ability to embed DWR plots in a webpage. DWR broke a really good thing and I can't seem to be able to DWR to fix it.)

  • Weather Forecasts from: The Weather Channel-Three Rivers, The Weather Channel-Visalia, The Weather Channel-Sequoia Park, USA Today, Fresno KSEE Channel 24,, Fresno Intellicast Weather

    Spring Runoff Information

    Snowpack
    Click image for Full Snowpack Report

    Runoff Forecast
    Click image for CNRFS Kaweah Full Report
    This is the new format for the runoff forecast used by CNRFC starting in spring 2011. Click the image above for the full runoff forecast
    To convert 5 day acre-ft readings to average CFS multiply readings in the graph by 0.102 or use 10% as a quick estimate.

    Runoff Forecast Report (text based)

    More spring runoff infomation is moved Here.

    Flow Graphs and Gauge Data

    Flow, Gauge and Flow history is moved Here

    Kaweah River Descriptions by Section

  • The Headwaters of the Kaweah (Expedition Boating) from Cliff Creek to Hospital Rock has been run in the spring of 2004
  • The Buckeye Flat Section (Class 5+) from above Buckeye Flat Campground to Hospital Rock adds a mile of difficult water to the Hospital Rock Run
  • Hospital Rock Section (Class 5+) Hospital Rock to Marble Fork Confluence
  • The Marble Fork (Class 5+) from 2 miles above the confluence with the Middle Fork has been reported to have been run
  • Ash Mountain Section (Class 5+) Marble Fork Confluence to Park Boundary
  • Extended Park Boundary Run (Class 4+/5) 200 ft/mi The Gorge below Ash Mountain Park Headquarters to the Park Boundary
  • Park Boundary Run (Class 4+) Park Boundary to East Fork Confluence
  • Gateway Run (Class 4) East Fork Confluence to Dinely Bridge
  • Dinely Run (Class 3) Dinely Bridge to Town of Three Rivers
  • Lake Run (Class 2+)(4) Three Rivers to the Lake
  • Below the Dam (Class 2+) Dry Creek Road to Woodlake Airport
  • Dry Creek above the confluence with the Kaweah is unrun
  • The St. Johns River below McKays Point (Class 2+) and across the Valley has been run
  • The Kaweah River (Irrigation Canal Boating) below McKays Point is yet unrun
  • Lower Lower North Fork (Class 3+T/4) from Bailey Bridge to Middle Fork Confluence
  • Lower North Fork (Class 3+T/4) from Paradise to Bailey Bridge
  • North Fork (Class4+/5) from Yucca Creek to Paradise Beach
  • Yucca Creek (Expedition Boating) has been run from 2 miles above the confluence with the North Fork
  • Upper North Fork (Class 5) from 5 miles above Yucca Creek
  • The Headwaters of the North Fork (Expedition Boating) beyond 5 miles above Yucca Creek is yet unrun
  • South Fork (Class 3T/5+) from Park Boundary to Middle Fork
  • East Fork (Class 5+/6) from Oak Grove Bridge to Middle Fork
  • Upper East Fork From Lookout Point Trail to Oak Grove Bridge
  • Upper Upper East Fork (Expedition Boating) From Atwell-Hockett trail crossing to Lookout Point trail is alleged to have been run
  • The headwaters of the East Fork from Mineral King Valley to the Atwell-Hockett trail crossing is unrun and is likely unrunnable

    Pictures

  • The Kaweah River Picture Page All the pictures from the 2000 through 2006 seasons
  • Picture of the Day Archive for the 2000 through 2006 boating seasons.
  • 1998 Kaweah River Boating Vacation Pictures
  • Preston Holmes runnning Cherry Falls at 2.7 ft
  • Blain Harmon running Cherry Falls at 1.9 ft
  • Sunset over Case Mtn. or Sunset to the West
  • The Girls Cliff Jumping into the Gorge below Ash Mountain.
  • The Gardenfork of the Kaweah ;)
  • Kaweah Post Office up North Fork Drive
  • Very Serious "KAWEAH" Boater!
  • Gas Station at Pumpkin Hollow in the old days
  • Commercial raft having a normal day at Powerhouse pre 2002 Janet Reno Rock location and very pre the current Al Gored Rock

    Other Related Links

  • Kaweah Links Page many miscillaneous links for the surrounding area
  • The Three Rivers Hideaway, Formerly The Three Rivers Motel and RV Park is under new ownership and management. Located a quarter mile west of Dinely Bridge on Hwy 198 it offers accodations and camping. This facility is boater friendly and recommended by the KRP as THE boater camping spot! Dave Hammond has done an incredible job of really improving this facility over what existed with the former owners. Just across the street from the We Three Bakery where you can get the best boater breakfast in Three Rivers.
  • The Kaweah Commonwealth Local Three Rivers Newspaper
  • Sage Root's "Our Trip Video Productions" California Kayaking Video Clips
  • Get AvantGo get current Kaweah River Flow and other graphs loaded to your Palm or other PDA every time you sync
  • Flow Plots for the rest of California
  • The flood of January 1997
  • Lake Kaweah Page(US Army Corp of Engineers)
  • Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
  • North Fork BLM Recreation Sites
  • The Mineral KingValley lies 25 miles up the East Fork
  • The Three Rivers Historical Society
  • California Department of Water Resources
  • California Snow Surveys
  • Calif Data Exchange Center
  • California Nevada River Forcast Center
  • US Geolological Survey
  • Historic Flow Data for all Gauges in Tulare County, Calif.
  • Friends of the River
  • Sierra South's Homepage
  • A reprint of the trailworks.com article about the Kaweah as it appreared in December of 1999 on the trailworks.com website has been located. You can find it on the Kaweah River Pictures Page.
  • Army Corp of Engineers Feasibility Report and EIS Report on the Terminus Dam Raising
  • The Kaweah had HIGH WATER, in November of 1996
  • Swimming Holes of the Sequoias(for post runoff recreation)
  • Sequoia Bed and Breakfast Home Page
  • Sequoia Cabins on the East Fork Kaweah A really cool place to stay just 5.8 miles up the Mineral King Road. Includes East Fork access and swimming hole! There are more pictures of the Cabins and Trail to the river on the Kaweah Picture Page linked above
  • Trinity Ranch on the North Fork Kaweah is under new ownership and is open for business as a place to stay. Nice accodations if you were planning a boating vacation while the North Fork is running. Email to the Trinity Ranch for more info
  • This is what creekin.net says about the Kaweah River

    Commercial Rafting Companies on the Kaweah

  • Copy of the Flyer sent to local residents concerning commercial operation in 2000 (pdf 150KB)

    Kaweah Whitewater Aventures

  • Kaweah White Water Adventures Locally owned, operated, and Recommended by the Kaweah River Page! KWA offers the highest commercial put in on the river allowing guests to experience 4 more of the best class 4 rapids including Gateway, The Chute, Headwall, and Osterizer. Also, KWA is the least expensive commercial trip available. Phone 1-800-229-8658 (Toll free) or 559-561-1000 (Local in Three Rivers, Ca.)
  • Whitewater Voyages
  • All-Outdoors
  • Whitewater Connection
  • Adventure Connection
  • Wilderness Adventures
  • American River Recreation
  • Tributary WhitewaterTours
  • Beyond Limits Adventures Not licensed on the Kaweah in 2004
  • ABLE Adventure Tours. Not licensed on the Kaweah in 2004

    River Access Problems

    The Kaweah is difficut to access because all the land adjoining the river is privately owned. The traditional put-in at the river left upstream side of Pumpkin Hollow Bridge at the East Fork confulence was fenced off by the land owner in the spring of 1994 in cooperation with Cal Trans, the California State Highway Dept. The only reasonable access point for private boaters is 0.6 miles downstream of Pumpkin Hollow Bridge at the retaining wall where the highway comes immediately adjacent to the river. There is some parking downstream along the road. Dinely Bridge, has not been contested as an access point. The land on the right bank upstream of the bridge is owned by a public water district. Parking in Three Rivers is available at the School on the south side of Hwy 198 across from the Chevron Service Station. Click here for more on the Pumpkin Hollow Bridge Access situation or Click here for comprehesive general information on the politics of the ongoing Kaweah River Access issue.

  • Letter from Mr. William Sanders, Tulare County Supervisor in regards to future Kaweah River access

    Disclaimer: River running is inherently dangerous. Know and understand the AWA Safety Code before you attempt any whitewater activities. The author makes no warranties as to the accuracy of the information contained herein. ....Bla, bla, bla....

    Find out more About the Author
    or The History of the Kaweah River Page
    or Send Email to the author/webmaster at
    or Our Home on the Kaweah River

    Internet Provider and Sponser of the Kaweah River Page, Cunningham and Cunningham Inc. (c2.com) Computer Consultants

    Visits since April 1st, 1999 Counter courtesy of digits.com

    riversport.com

    The Kaweah River Page, http://c2.com/kaweah/Copyright © 1996 through 2011 by Bill Pooley. All rights reserved. The Kaweah River Page is a non profit web site. The links to commercial operations have been freely donated as well as political endorsements. This web page is Y2K compliant and tediously edited by hand. It contains no browser corrupting, site slowing Java or Java script, cookies, annoying popup windows and only a rare occational banner ad. The main page is designed to work with a dialup connection. Only a simple html editor, Araneae, is used to highlight the html syntax during editing. Spelling and errors in grammar are par for the course, I'm an engineer for Heaven sakes, not an English teacher. This website is best viewed on a monitor with at least 768x1024 display size and 16 Million colors.

    Last modified: 2011-08-06