National Weather Service California Nevada River Forecast Center Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service

*** IMPORTANT ***  Week of June 16 - Website Data Outage - Due to a major computer upgrade the week of June 16, nearly all data on the CNRFC web site will not be updated. We anticipate the down time to be approximately 4 days. The latest deterministic hydrologic forecasts for official forecast points will continue to be available at the National Water Prediction Service during this time.
Start of River Group | 

KERN RIVER - KERNVILLE (KRVC1)
Latitude: 35.75º NLongitude: 118.42º WElevation: 2637 Feet
Location: Kern County in CaliforniaBulletin Group: San JoaquinRiver Group: Tulare
Action/Monitor: 12.5 FeetMinor Flood: 13.5 FeetModerate Flood: 17.0 FeetMajor Flood: 20.0 Feet
Please Note:Raw observed data may be unreliable due to gauge damage and river bank erosion sustained during the recent 2023 floods. This may increase forecast uncertainty.

Kern River - Kernville (KRVC1)Latest Observation - 06/16/2025 at 7:15 AM PDT : 4.54 Ft | 1,395 cfs

Combination chart with 2 data series.
Graphic Created: 06/16/2025 at 7:30 AM PDT
The chart has 1 X axis displaying Observation Time (Pacific Local Time). Range: 2025-06-06 07:30:02 to 2025-06-16 07:30:02.
The chart has 2 Y axes displaying Stage (Feet) and Flow (Cubic Feet per Second).
End of interactive chart.
Observed Data Credit
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Raw streamflow data is provided by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
View US Army Corps of Engineers Data for this station location.

Historical Stage/Flow Data
Water Year
Peak Discharge (cfs)
Stage (feet)
Date
 Most Recent 5 Years
2024
3,800
7.09
May 18, 2024
2023
41,400
17.77
Mar 10, 2023
2022 1,990 7.49 Dec 24, 2021
2021
787 6.17 May 8, 2021
2020
2,040
7.54
May 1, 2020
 Historical High Stage/Flow Events (Period of Record - Jan 2010 to Present) - Ranked by Flow
2023
41,400
17.77
Mar 10, 2023
2017
--
13.50
Feb 7, 2017
2011 -- 13.18 Dec 19, 2010
Location Photographs
ESRI™ Locator Map
Flood Impacts
13.5 FeetKern River adjacent to Riverside Park begins to escape its banks, flooding the lower park sidewalk. This is Preliminary Flood Stage.
Official 7 Day National Weather Service Forecast   (CAZ332)
Today: Breezy, sunny. Highs 88 to 94. West winds 5 to 15 mph with gusts to around 30 mph increasing to 15 to 25 mph with gusts to around 40 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight: Clear. Lows in the lower 60s. West winds 5 to 20 mph. Gusts up to 40 mph in the evening.

Tuesday: Sunny. Highs 87 to 93. West winds up to 15 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Northwest winds 5 to 15 mph. Gusts up to 30 mph in the evening.

Wednesday: Sunny. Highs 94 to 100. Northwest winds up to 10 mph shifting to the southwest in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night through Thursday Night: Clear. Lows in the mid 60s. Highs 92 to 98.

Friday and Friday Night: Clear. Highs 86 to 92. Lows in the upper 50s.

Saturday through Sunday: Breezy, clear. Highs 77 to 85. Lows in the lower 50s.
Product Disclaimer

This river graphic is not intended to serve as a substitute for official flood watches, warnings, advisories, or statements issued by the NWS San Joaquin Valley-Hanford Weather Forecast Office. Observations are preliminary and subject to change. River levels identified as "forecast" should be consistent with those contained in official NWS products. River levels identified as "guidance" have significant uncertainty due to future weather or reservoir regulation and are provided for planning purposes only.