Kings River opens for recreation in Tulare County

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- After months of waiting, shops and restaurants along the river are gearing up for a busy weekend.

Back in March was when Tulare County first shut down their stretch of the river. Today's reopening is good news for businesses who make their money along the river. They are getting ready for an influx of families over the weekend.

At Lindy's Landing campground they have spent the last couple of days gearing up for big crowds.

Sections of the Kings River were shutdown because of freezing and fast moving water. In addition, there was also dangerous flooding that prompted evacuations for several communities along the water.

The Army Corps of Engineers was forced to release water from Pine Flat Dam which increased the flows into the river in Fresno and Tulare counties.

On Wednesday, Tulare County Sheriff's officials announced the flow of the Kings River has finally reached a point that people can safely enter the water. Those taking a boat out there want to be cautious as several sand bars have shifted into new places because of high flows. Because of the changes to the channel Sheriff Boudreaux' boat safety enforcement unit will be out daily monitoring the water and boaters.

At this time, the Kings River is only open in Tulare County. There is no word on when the river will open in Fresno County.