The Kern River is flowing eleven times stronger than this time last year.
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"The main thing is you can look at it and see all of the water flow, and know that you can't get in it," Blake says. "to get in it is kind of like a loss cause."
Regardless, visitors are coming and admiring the historic flow of the Kern. But, this also could have consequences. We've already seen two deaths in the Kern this year and the river season hasn't even started yet. With the Tule River closed, could the Kern river possibly close? Could this historic flow be blocked off to public access? Some people don't think so.
"There is too many access points from the road to get to it," Blake says. "Whether they close it or not, people will still get to it."
This is the main message 23ABC's Adam Bowles got from visitors. They say the river is just too big to close with too many ways to enter the river regardless of the warning signs to stay out. The Bakersfield Sheriffs Office says the same.
We haven't had any discussions of my knowledge of even talking about closing the Kern River," Zack Brittle says. "It's a pretty big river. A lot of people have access to it. Even if we were fully staffed, we still probably couldn't fully effect reasonable enforcement of a closure of a river the size of the Kern river. There is too many access points, too many people trying to visit the river."
This may explain why the Tule River closed.
It's a smaller river with less access points. But the question is, would a closure to our Kern stop the deaths and drownings from happening?
What do you think? Do you think the Kern River should be closed after the Tule river's recent closure?
We want to hear from you. Go to Adam Bowles' Facebook page or website to share your answers.
