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The Kings River Through History
by J. Randall McFarland
The river was discovered and named Río de los Santos Reyes (river of the Holy Kings) by a party of Spanish explorers in 1805, according to Padre Munoz’s diary
of the Moraga expedition of 1806. The first party probably reached the river on January 6, the festival of the three Magi; hence the name. Padre Cabot used the name Río de Reyes in 1814 a form, which appears on Estudillo’s map of 1819 and on later maps. Jedediah Smith in 1827, ignorant of the Spanish name, called it the Wim-mel-che, for the Indians living on the river. Fremont reached the river on April 8, 1844, at a time
of the year when most of the flood flow passes southward to Tulare Lake. Hence he called it “River of the Lake”. After he learned of the Spanish name, he spoke of “Río Reyes of Tulare Lake” Prcuss labeled the stream on both of his maps “Lake Fork”,
a name also used by Fremont. Derby’s map and Williamson’s report have the translation King’s River, but the statutes of 1852 as well as Bibbes’, Blake’s and Eddy’s maps have the modern version.
Timeline
1800 - 1899 |
1800
1805
1840
1846
1850
1850
1852
1852-55
1854
1856
1856
About 1858
1860
1861
1863
1866
1867
1868
1869
1870
1870-71
1872
1872
1872
1873
1874
1875
1877
1878
1880
1882
1882-83
1883
1885-88
1885-86
1887
1888
1889
1890
1890
1891
1892
1892-93
1893
1895-1900
1896
1897
1898-1917
1898
1899 |
Gabriel Moraga, on January 5, discovers and names
El Rio de los Santos Reyes, River of the Holy Kings.
Rancho Laguna de Tache land grant made by Mexico along
lower Kings River.
California
achieves statehood. All of Kings River is initially
within Mariposa County.
Tulare County organized.
Poole’s Ferry (north of modern Reedley) in operation.
Whitmore’s Ferry established at Kingston.
Fresno County organized.
Smith’s Ferry established at modern Reedley.
First Kings River diversions, Centerville Bottoms.
Massive flood begins to form Cole Slough channel.
First Centerville Ditch developed.
First Kings River water claim filed.
Largest Kings River flood ever observed, completes
Cole Slough formation.
Dutch John Cut (east of Laton) initially developed
as small ditch.
Kings River first bridged at Kingston (west of modern
Laton).
Fresno, Lemoore canals developed.
Gould Canal developed.
Zalda Canal developed near Riverdale; floodwaters
later enlarged the canal into what became the Kings
River’s North Fork.
Central Pacific Railroad establishes Fresno, bridges
Kings River.
People’s Ditch, Grant Canal developed.
Last Chance Ditch developed.
Lone Tree Channel, Riverdale Ditch developed.
Centerville and Kingsburg Canal developed.
Tulare Lake fills and spills through Summit Lake and
into Fresno Slough and
San Joaquin River for last
time.
Liberty Canal, Liberty Millrace Ditch developed.
’76 (Alta), Fowler Switch canals developed.
Drought-year lawsuits assert riparian rights; Fresno
Canal brush dam blown up.
Water users lose riparian cases.
Crescent Canal developed.
Wright Act authorizes formation of irrigation
Alta Irrigation District organized.
Stinson Canal organized.
Burrel Ditch developed.
Reed Ditch established.
Fresno Canal & Irrigation Company buys lower river
riparian lands, water rights.
Original James Canal developed.
Kings County formed, named for river.
First Tulare Lake bed canals developed as lake recedes.
English financiers take over Fresno Canal Company,
Laguna lands.
First water entitlement schedule covers low flows.
Fresno Canal Company’s I. Teilman administers
river.
Tulare Lake empties for first time.
First practical agricultural pumping.
|
1900 - 1999 |
1900
1901
1902
1903
1906
1910
1912-14
1914
1915
1916
1918
1919
1920
1920
1920
1921
1921
1923
1923-24
1925
1926
1927
1927
1928
1930
1931
1932
1933-36
1936
1937
1938-44
1940
1940
1940
1944
1946
1947
1949
1949
1949-50
1950
1950
1950
1951
1953
1953
1954
1954
1955
1958
1959
1960
1961
1963
1964
1965
1965
1967
1968-69
1969
1969
1970
1972
1973
1975
1976-77
1977
1977
1977
1978
1979
1979
1980
1980
1982
1984
1985
1986
1987
1987-92
1990
1991
1991-99
1993
1995
1997
1999
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First surveys for Pine Flat Dam.
Island flume built across Cole Slough near Kingsburg.
Fresno Canal Company buys Consolidated Canal Company;
effectively controls half of Kings River service area.
Major flood event.
James Bypass developed to avoid meandering Fresno
Slough channel.
Movement begins to develop Pine Flat Dam.
Legislature passes Pine Flat-KRCD Act; district is
not organized.
Stratford Irrigation District formed.
Tranquillity Irrigation District formed.
Charles Kaupke becomes interim watermaster.
Reclamation of Summit Lake area completed southwest
of Riverdale.
Fresno, Laguna, James and Riverdale irrigation districts
formed.
Consolidated Irrigation District formed.
Water users ask state to develop temporary water diversion
schedule.
First trial water entitlement schedule.
Worst Kings River drought on record.
Unsuccessful attempt made to form Kings River Water
Storage District.
Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage District formed.
KRWA and permanent entitlement schedules established.
First Kings River power plant developed at Balch Camp.
Riparian rights subjected to reasonable beneficial
uses.
Empire West Side Irrigation District formed.
First groundwater recharging by Consolidated Irrigation
District.
KRWA proposes that CVP develop Pine Flat Dam.
Congress assigns flood control to U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers.
Major flood events in February, November.
KRWA campaigns for Corps, not USBRCVP, to build Pine
Flat Dam.
Corps, USBR complete Pine Flat feasibility studies.
Kings Canyon National Park formed, excludes reservoir
sites in Cedar Grove, Tehipite Valley.
Flood Control Act authorizes Pine Flat as Corps project.
President Truman orders USBR to negotiate Pine Flat
contracts.
Ground broken on Pine Flat Dam.
New master Kings River agreement signed.
Pine Flat Dam construction under way.
Legislative bid to place Kings River in CVP.
KRWA launches effort to form Kings River Conservation
District.
Last major uncontrolled Kings River flood event.
KRCD established, ratified by voters.
KRCD negotiates interim Pine Flat contracts.
First Pine Flat Reservoir water storage.
Pine Flat Dam completed.
Kings River weather modification program begins.
Record Kings River flood flow captured safely in Pine
Flat Reservoir.
PG&E completes Wishon, Courtright lakes and new
North Fork power plants.
KRCD assumes lower river channel, levee operation,
maintenance.
Interior Department makes bid to impose Reclamation
Law, acreage limitation on Kings River.
Permanent Pine Flat contracts, new master Kings River
agreement signed.
KRWA-CDFG fishery agreement signed.
Cedar Grove, Tehipite Valley reservoir sites annexed
to Kings Canyon National Park.
KRCD, KRWA move into new Jensen Avenue offices.
State Board grants Kings River water rights permits.
First segment of levee, channel improvements developed.
State Board declares Kings to be “fully appropriated.”
Huge snowpack prompts largest-ever Pine Flat releases
into river, 17,000 c.f.s.
Kings River appears to prevail in Reclamation Law
test case.
Energy crisis spurs interest by KRCD in new power,
reservoir projects.
Preliminary Federal Power Commission permit given
for Pine Flat Power Plant.
Back-to-back critical drought years.
KRCD, KRWA agree on Pine Flat Power Plant water use.
KRCD voters authorize Pine Flat Power Plant bonds.
U.S. Supreme Court upholds Reclamation Law imposition.
KRCD applies to FERC for Dinkey Creek Power Project.
Pine Flat Power Plant EIS completed.
Pine Flat Power Plant water rights permit granted
by state board.
Pine Flat Power Plant construction begins.
Congress relieves Kings River of Reclamation Law compliance.
Pine Flat Power Plant completed, dedicated.
Rodgers Crossing Dam feasibility study begins.
Lack of power buyer halts Dinkey Creek Project.
Federal legislation halts Rodgers Crossing Project.
Worst extended sequential critical drought of record.
Public trust complaint filed on fishery issues.
KRCD, KRWA pursue long-term fishery solution.
KRCD begins active involvement in Corps environmental
studies.
KRCD forms the first of three Groundwater Management
Areas to aid in effort to improve groundwater resources.
1997: Record calculated flow, 112,000 c.f.s., on January
3; Pine Flat Dam prevents downstream flooding.
KRCD, KRWA join CDFG in establishing Kings River Fisheries
Management Program.
|
2000 - Present |
2000
2000
2001-2002
2001
2001
2001
2001
2001
2001
2001-03
2002
2002
2002
2002
2003 |
Thorburn Spawning Channel constructed near Piedra
as first Kings River Fisheries Management Program
project.
Several Kings River fishery habitat improvement projects
undertaken.
Energy crisis prompts KRCD to take new look at Dinkey
Creek, Rodgers Crossing projects but both projects
are ultimately placed back on the shelf.
KRCD begins study of public power ownership.
Corps study finds federal interest in Pine Flat multi-level
intake structure.
KRWA, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
begin studies of possible joint floodwater utilization
projects.
KRCD commemorates 50th anniversary.
KRCD begins studies on how to increase availability,
reliability and affordability of electrical energy
within the Valley.
Corps of Engineers constructs Turbine Bypass at Pine
Flat Dam.
KRWA begins installing telemetry at key locations
to aid in water management.
KRWA commemorates 75th anniversary.
KRWA and KRCD lead organization of Southern San Joaquin
Water Quality Coalition.
KRCD reaches agreement with state DWR to construct
two gas-fired “peaker” power generating
plants.
Pine Flat Dam Turbine Bypass System is completed and
dedicated.
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