BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Water is a constantly changing dynamic that Kern County officials are watching and updating on a daily basis.
The Kern River is evolving this spring and will continue for the next several weeks, right through the summer.
The Office of Emergency Services updated the flood maps earlier in the month.
Now that Lake Isabella is above 411,000 acre-feet, a slightly stronger flow of water is being released to the lower Kern River around 7,800 cubic feet per second. The result is new projections on the flood map, with a slight increase in water spread behind the Park at Riverwalk and west of Allen Road along Ming Avenue.
The maps are not requiring evacuations, however. Just a heightened awareness.
The Kern County Fire Department says it is keeping residents in higher-risk areas updated on the changing conditions.
"We're constantly reviewing every day," said KCFD Captain Andrew Freeborn. "We're reviewing what the projections are showing on the maps, but here's what we're actually seeing in reality. A lot of what we need individuals to do is to understand that there is a potential and start planning for the potential."
Freeborn also strongly recommends that everyone subscribe to the Ready Kern system. For more information, visit KernCountyFire.org.
