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Sheriff's Departments in Fresno, Kings and Tulare Counties are banning recreational uses of the river, including swimming, boating, rafting and floating. Basically, everyone is being ordered to stay out of the river.
The restrictions are due to the high flows out of Pine Flat Dam. The Army Corps of Engineers is releasing water at the rate of 10,000 cubic feet per second. About 14,000 cfs is pouring into the reservoir as the result of a massive snow melt in the Sierra caused by the high temperatures. With about half the snowpack still in the mountains the heavy runoff is expected to last a week or two.
The high water is putting a major damper on weekend recreation plans. Reservations at some RV parks and campgrounds in the Kingsburg and Reedley areas have been cancelled. Many camp sites have been closed and some campers have been moved to higher ground.
