sierra snowpack

Increased snowmelt from Mount Whitney is turning the Kern River into a dangerous playground for kayakers and other whitewater enthusiasts.

National
Environment

California's Near-Record Snowpack Is Melting Into Raging Rivers

11:34am July 03, 2017

by Nathan Rott

After a decade of drought, high snow levels this year are melting and turning California rivers into hazards. At the Kern River, at least six people have died this year.

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Frank Gehrke (right), California's chief snow surveyor checks the weight of the snowpack on a scale. Scientists say the snowpack is 185 percent of average, which is welcome news after the state's long drought.

National
Science
Environment

Sierra Snowpack Smacks California's Drought

8:57pm March 01, 2017

by Richard Gonzales

Despite one of the wettest winters on record, California Gov. Jerry Brown hasn't declared the five-year drought over yet. But the water shortages may to be over.