Around here
Around South Fork Kern River
Data Source: Recreation.gov · Source: USGS GNIS · Public land: USGS PAD-US
About this river
South Fork Kern River is a 62.1 mile river near Sierra South Mountain Sports in California. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge SF Kern R near Onyx CA (site 11189500). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 5. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
1912 to 2026
South Fork Kern River typically runs highest in April, at a median 237 cfs, and lowest in August, at 9.9 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 14,000 cfs, in 1967.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 40 | 26 to 67 |
| February | 59 | 39 to 100 |
| March | 99 | 65 to 173 |
| April | 237 | 101 to 497 |
| May | 172 | 74 to 497 |
| June | 59 | 22 to 172 |
| July | 21 | 5.2 to 48 |
| August | 9.9 | 3.1 to 28 |
| September | 11 | 3.4 to 24 |
| October | 19 | 9.8 to 31 |
| November | 28 | 19 to 42 |
| December | 31 | 22 to 52 |
Typical is the median of each month’s daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 100 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for SF Kern R near Onyx CA (site 11189500). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.
Boat access nearby
3 mapped launches sit in the mapped area of South Fork Kern River. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Mike's Kern Valley MarinaLake IsabellaRestricted
- Lake Isabella RV ResortLake IsabellaRestricted
- Dean's North Fork MarinaLake IsabellaPublic
Made to print
Put South Fork Kern River on your wall
This river section as an art print, drawn over the real terrain with its miles, plus the trails, roads and peaks around it. Pick the colors and the size, and see the finished print before you buy. From $39, shipping included.
Embed this gauge on your site
Paste this snippet anywhere, an outfitter page, a club site, a trip report, to show South Fork Kern River's live streamflow, water level and 7-day trend. It reads the USGS gauge directly, updates itself, and links back here.
See every free widget you can put on your site, including live conditions and a 7 day forecast.
