Dale Matson
Click On Photographs To Enlarge
Redinger Lake From above on Minarets Road (Road 225)
Also Known As Mammoth Pool Road
This has been a bonanza rain and
snowfall year thus far. China Peak ski area near Huntington Lake is over 300”
of snow and Fresno is only one inch away from the total annual rainfall total
at 10.5 inches. Of course there has been local flooding and swollen rivers but
water seems to be in abundance as it pours out of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and
foothills. Everything is so lush and green it reminds me of Ireland. We have had
very little valley fog, which usually accompanies increased ground moisture.
I spent lots of time
this winter at Millerton Lake Reservoir looking for and sometimes taking
photographs of Bald Eagles. Millerton Lake is the final reservoir in a chain of
reservoirs along the San Joaquin River. I have had the opportunity to follow
this great 366-mile river from the headwaters of the middle fork at Thousand
Island Lake in the Minarets Wilderness. I have also followed much the south fork,
which begins at Martha Lake in Goddard Canyon in Kings Canyon National Park.
The first reservoir on the San Joaquin where all three forks have merged is
Mammoth Pool Reservoir at about 3,300’. These reservoirs were mainly built to
produce hydroelectric power but also serve recreation and as water storage and
flood controls.
The next reservoir after
Mammoth Pool as the river descends is Redinger Lake at about 1,400’ in
elevation. It is located in Fresno County. Below that is Kerckhoff Reservoir at
about 1.000’ in elevation. The San Joaquin River flows into Millerton Lake at
about 500’ in elevation. Millerton Lake is the largest capacity of the
reservoirs at one half million-acre feet. The San Joaquin forms much of the
boundary between Fresno and Madera Counties.
There is a proposed dam at
Temperance Flat between the Kerckhoff reservoir and Millerton Lake that would
nearly double the water storage capacity along the San Joaquin. I am in favor
of the dam. This year in particular will see millions of acre feet of fresh
water wind up in the ocean because of inadequate storage.
Temperance Flat Area Of San Joaquin River
Take Wellbarn Road out of Marshall Station Until The Gate
Walk From There
My drive today took me from
Fresno to Auberry where I headed out Powerhouse Road past the cut off to the
San Joaquin River Gorge area and to the Kerckhoff Dam. I was amazed at how much
water was flowing under the bridge that spans the east end of the reservoir.
There is evidence of two prior bridges, one on either side of the newer bridge.
I then took Road 235 and
climbed toward Redinger Lake. There were several waterfalls along the side of
the road as I drove by. I could see the dam below me at Redinger and when I was
almost there, there was a huge stream crossing the road, which made further
travel impossible even with my 4X4 Truck. I turned around somewhat surprised
that road 235 wasn’t blocked off. When I went back through Prather, I stopped
at the High Sierra Ranger station to inform them and had photographs to show
how bad the road flooding was. They took it from there.
Wishon Powerhouse From Bridge Over Kerkhoff Reservoir
San Joaquin Upstream From Bridge
Footings For Former Bridge
Flood Across Road 235 Heading To Redinger Lake
Dividing Line Between Fresno And Madera Counties
Kerckhoff Reservoir On Climb To Redinger Lake
Snow In Higher Elevations
Mule Deer
Dam At Redinger Lake
Impassable Road
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