Kings River open to boaters for Memorial Day weekend

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- At this time last year, the Kings River was closed for recreational activities, due to high flows and flooding.

But conditions on the river are favorable for water activities right now.

Lindy's Landing near Reedley has new ownership.

In just a few weeks, they've made some major improvements to the popular campground and RV park.

The bathrooms are getting a makeover, and the beaches are cleaner.

"People can come here all times of the year but this is definitely our busiest season, and it's going to be a really busy weekend," said Kavin Sihota.

Sihota says they're about 90% booked for Memorial Day Weekend.

Many of their guests are looking forward to recreating on the river, including boating.

The Tulare County Sheriff's Office says they should be able to do that.

Deputy Marcel Campos says the Kings River can be unpredictable. Boaters should be mindful of shallow areas and sandbars.

"It'll be dark water and then all of a sudden you'll see brown," Campos said. "Whenever you see brown, that means sand, so be careful."

Thursday afternoon, Campos and his team dropped buoys in the river near Lindy's Landing.

The buoys indicate a no-wake zone.

If you're creating a wake or speeding, deputies will catch up with you, and give you a warning, or a ticket.

"Our whole point being out here is boater safety and enforcement," Campos said. "Our main goal is not to give tickets, but sometimes we need to."

The Fresno County Sheriff's Office says they will also be patrolling waterways this weekend, including the Kings River.

You can float on the Fresno County side of the river south of Highway 180, but floating is not allowed on the Tulare County side (unless you're tethered and close to shore).