Flood Warning: Kern River Valley Potential Catastrophic Event
My investigation into the Isabella Dam Project and the pending reality of a devastating flood.
I’m providing this timeline of events for record for anyone willing to do their own research and prepare for a potential catastrophic flooding event in the Kern River Valley. This is not a complete story. I’m sharing only the timeline of events so that people can be aware of what is happening.
1975 — I moved up to Kern River Valley.
1980’s — I saw what happened when the Lake goes over the Old Spillway — the water is up to the roads, old cemetery and airport underwater, Wofford Heights Park under water.
2011 — Moved out of the Kern River Valley and out of state.
December 31, 2020 — Moved back to the Lake Isabella area and realized they had raised the Dam 16 feet and added a “Labyrinth Weir” spillway at the same height of the Old Dam. Recognizing the potential threat for devastating flooding, I started asking questions.
March 15, 2021 — I attended a Zoom meeting with the Dam Project and requested inundation maps of upstream of the Dam in the event of overtopping the “Labyrinth Weir” and the New Dam and everything in between.
March 16, 2021 — USACE public relations officer, Richard Brown sent me an email with a downstream inundation map, not the upstream as requested.
March 16, 2021 — I again requested the upstream map from Richard Brown and never received a response.
Later in 2021 — A friend from church and engineer on the Dam (Joel) took a group of us on tour of the Dam. I shared with him my concerns and he said he would try to get me some maps. The next I heard, he had been transferred off the project. I'm not saying the two incidents are related.
March 16, 2023 — Lois Henry published the "Fill and Spill" article: https://sjvwater.org/lake-isabella-may-be-the-next-to-fill-and-spill-as-it-is-continues-filling-rapidly/ . She wrote, "And we could see a few weeks of water going over the newly constructed ‘labyrinth weir’ spillway, he said." He being the Water Master, Mark Mulkay.
Later in March — I started contacting people to warn them of the dangers of flooding. Catherine Crawford referred me to a document by the Sequoia ForestKeepers which showed the inundation maps based on various levels of the new Dam, revealing that if the “Weir Labyrinth” spills over, the entire Valley will be cut off from one another, roads taken out, and houses flooded, including the Hi Ho Lodge and lower areas of Wofford Heights. Lake Isabella alone would have an exit through the Lion's Trail. You can access the document here:
April 19th, 2023 — I saw a FEMA mobile unit parked at the US Forest Service in Lake Isabella. I talked with Amy Windle, FEMA District Survivor Assistant. She said she had just heard from Law Enforcement that day that they were expecting the Labyrinth Weir to overtop.
April 27, 2023 — I saw an unmarked armored vehicle traveling from Wofford Heights toward Kernville.
April 27, 2023 — A friend’s husband who works for the US Forest Service heard higher ups say that the water was going to spill over the Labyrinth Weir.
April 27, 2023 — FEMA Crew Leader, Jose Ayala, told me that he had just heard that morning that the Dam was going to spill. I questioned him if he meant the “Labyrinth Weir”. He said NO, the NEW DAM. He said they were working to mitigate the potential.
April 27, 2023 — I spoke with Marlene Acosta, Kern County Fire Department, Office of Emergency Services. She confirmed the warnings. I asked what were they doing to prepare. First, she said, they would issue an alert, then a warning, then a mandatory evacuation (which they could not legally enforce). “Why aren't you warning the people now to prepare?” I asked. She took my name and number and said she'd have her supervisor speak to me. I'm yet to hear from that supervisor.
April 28th, 2023 — A friend told me that a local influential person was warning her that they were expecting the Dam to overtop and that the newspapers were lying to the public.
April 28th, 2023 — Dr. Miranda, PA, said that all our information was solid. She's heard official sources say the same kinds of things we were hearing.
April 30th, 2023 — Kern County Fire Department Captain of Crew C, Eric Parker, confirmed that he heard (unofficially) they were gearing up to "test" all the new equipment on the Dam, which would include the Labyrinth Weir, the HWY 155 spillway, and even potentially overtopping the New Dam to see if it would hold. I asked him about the inundation maps, and he was unaware of any potential threat to the Valley. Later in the day, he contacted me confirming he could not find any inundation maps but that Burlando Road would be underwater.
May 1st, 2023 — I spoke with Joe Brennan, aid to District 1 County Commissioner. Brennan confirmed that they were aware of the potential dangers and he was trusting the professionals to do their jobs. I asked him for the inundation maps. After a few heated words, he said he would try to find the maps and email them to Cathy Crawford. I’m yet to hear if she received the maps.
May 1st, 2023 — I emailed copies of the unofficial maps from Sequoia ForestKeepers to Eric Parker and included Richard (Rick) Brown in the email.
May 2nd, 2023 — I put together this blog post to share with the public.
What should we do?
First, DO NOT PANIC! Read Psalm 37 if you need help.
Second, Check the inundation maps so you can be aware.
Third, Pray for wisdom and for our Valley.
Fourth, Prepare.
Fifth, Warn your neighbor.
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