BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The city of Bakersfield celebrated the completion of the new Kern River Canal Backup Weir with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday morning.
We previously reported on the demolition of the old weir and all the issues that it presented.
Now, this new structure, located just east of the Coffee Road Bridge, allows the city's water department to control flood water and divert Kern River flows for multiple uses.
"The Kern River serves a lot of our agricultural needs and agriculture being one of the primary economies of Kern County, it's very important so this weir acts as a river dam to back up the water so that water can be diverted through what we call the river canal out west and to other agencies," Richard Meyer said.
Meyer is a principal engineer with Meyer Civil Engineering.
The new weir replaces one damaged by high flows in 2019 and again during the 2023 water year.
Officials say it will reduce flood risk and enhance water management throughout the region.
The project also features a new multi-use path that connects the Kern River Parkway to the Friant-Kern Canal Bike Path, providing a new recreational link for cyclists and walkers.
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