Steve Merlo: Old Kern River channel now a wasteland because of water greed
| Thursday, Sep 22 2011 09:54 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Sep 22 2011 09:55 PM
A long time ago, my father used to take my brother and me hunting and fishing along the old Kern River running south of, and then turning north, just west of Buttonwillow. Continually snaking its way nearly to Tulare Lake, the old slough north of Highway 46 always had water standing along its length, and wildlife of all sorts called the old riverbed home.
Along the tree-lined banks, birds and animals of all sorts and descriptions lived out their circle of life and the entire stretch was a literal oasis in the desert because of the life-giving water found within the channel. Coyotes, squirrels, kangaroo rats, voles, fox, rabbits, weasels, skunks, lizards, amphibians, frogs, snakes, waterfowl, shorebirds, pheasant, quail, doves, raptors and many other species, including an occasional deer or bear, flourished. Hunters and fishermen found the area a true outdoors gem, and no one complained about the exceptional opportunities found there.
I remember opening days when pheasant hunters chased up huge flocks of long-tailed, cackling roosters and the sound of gunfire could be heard all day. It was no great feat to take a limit of ducks in the early a.m., a brace of roosters by noon, and finish off a day's hunt with a decent dove shoot. And not only was the shooting good, the wildlife viewing for many other game and non game species was spectacular.
But, unfortunately, I'm sorry to report that it's now all gone -- a dead, dried and barren wasteland devoid of life. Without the life-blood of water flowing north to replenish the drought-ridden area, nearly every species that once lived there has been either killed off or moved on to better pickings, including the federally protected ones.
The pheasants are long gone, ditto the quail. The once plentiful jackrabbits and cottontails are no more, and the doves only occasionally stop to rest among the dried limbs of the dead trees that now line the once- green channel edges. The waterfowl, predators, raptors and shorebirds have taken residence elsewhere, as did the native resident species -- the place just looks like an arid, Saharan sandbox, a far cry from the heydays of yesteryear.
Even the rare and endangered species living (or ones that once lived) there have not fared well, and that should really concern a lot of people. Tipton kangaroo rats, white-tailed kites, kit fox, blunt-nosed leopard lizards and others are suffering from the lack of water.
Let me preface what I am about to say in the next paragraph with this statement: I am pro-agriculture in every way. I know that water is an absolutely necessary ingredient to the equation of growing crops and to the great San Joaquin Valley's economic growth and stability. I am not a tree-hugging, anti-everything environmentalist that offers nothing in the way of constructive views to assist our wildlife in habitat construction. I am pro-water banking for the future needs of farmers and I am definitely for opening up the floodgates in the delta, the darned smelt be damned.
But I am a little flustered when, even in a high water year, the local water districts have seen fit to deny the passage of just a little of our liquid gold to pass north of Highway 46 along the old river like it used to do. Instead, the powers that be have deemed underground banking, as opposed to above ground banking of our live natural resources, more important than saving the beleaguered, water-denied species on the old riverbed. I have a problem with that.
What I'd like to see is a small head of water, even a few cubic feet per minute, refill the old channel northwards to the Hacienda pumps and not a foot beyond. The animals do not need a full river bed to survive, only a mere trickle will eventually do the trick. I would think that everyone along the line from the mouth of the Canyon westward would give up just a little instead of banking or diverting every precious ounce of water.
Hey, if I'm wrong, write me and tell me where I'm going astray. I can take the heat, believe me.
Arvin Lions Club
The Arvin Lions Club will have its 2nd Annual Sporting Clay Shoot at 9 a.m. Oct. 8 at the Kern County Gun Club. A tri-tip lunch will be provided by the Lions Club, with all shoot proceedings going to the Arvin Lions. A huge raffle for a shotgun and other prizes will be held. Contact Kent Stenderup at (661) 619-6260.
