A Remarkable River

The Kern River is one of the more remarkable streams of California, long overdue for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. But a proposal to do that, already approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, is stirring considerable ill-informed and unjustified protest.

Like its sister river, the Kings, the Kern rises near the majestic culmination of the Sierra just northwest of Mt. Whitney. But, unlike other major Sierra streams that course down the western flank of the range, the Kern shoots straight south from the Kings-Kern Divide for almost 30 miles down a 4,000-foot-deep glacial trench flanked by some of America’s most spectacular mountain scenery.

On its way, the Kern splits Sequoia National Park and portions of Sequoia National Forest, including the Golden Trout Wilderness Area. The Kern’s south fork charts a parallel course along the eastern Sierra, joining the main branch--or north fork--at Lake Isabella south of the Tulare-Kern county line in Kern County. The Kern’s lower stretches are easily accessible to millions of Southern Californians.

For some years most of the north fork, from its headwaters to the Tulare-Kern border, has been proposed for federal wild-and-scenic-river status. A bill to achieve that was introduced this year by Reps. Charles Pashayan Jr. (R-Fresno) and William M. Thomas (R-Bakersfield). But during House consideration the measure was folded into an omnibus wild-rivers measure sponsored by Rep. Bruce F. Vento (D-Minn.), chairman of the Interior Committee’s national parks and recreation subcommittee. The Vento legislation also would incorporate the south fork of the Kern and grant “recreation” status to a 17.3-mile stretch of the north fork between Johnsonville Bridge and the Tulare-Kern line.

This move lost Thomas’ support and triggered a hornet’s nest of opposition from a few landowners and placer miners along the 17.3-mile run. Members of the small but vocal opposition claim that such a move would virtually seal off the river from any use and deprive them of their property rights. But that is not the case, and the congressmen, the U.S. Forest Service and anyone else willing to read the law should tell them so. The same goes for the Kern County supervisors who support the opponents.

Recreation status would not inhibit any reasonable home or recreation development, nor would it permit the federal government to condemn or confiscate property. Mining could continue with reasonable limits to avoid scenic degradation or pollution of the stream. There would be no apparent effect on Lake Isabella or its recreation use. This is the same designation granted to the American River flowing through Sacramento. Primarily, the designation would prevent the construction of any major dams.

For this entire 72-mile stretch, the Kern’s flow is inhibited by only one small hydroelectric dam. It is a most remarkable river and should remain that way, as it would under provisions of the House-passed bill that now has been introduced in the Senate by Democrat Alan Cranston of California.