Snow from Mt. Whitney is melting, which means the Kern River's levels are rising. During the drought, levels averaged around 500 CFS. As of Wednesday morning, levels were at 6651 CFS. This is about 13 times more than the levels during the drought.
Because of the drastic increase in such a short amount of time, professionals are concerned people will underestimate how dangerous the river is.
Professionals suggest if you are going near water, wear a life vest. If you do want to get in the river, it's best to schedule it with one of the five certified rafting companies near Lake Isabella.