Kayaking down restored California river

Fresno Bee reporter Mark Grossi reports on his kayak trip down the newly restored waters of Central California's San Joaquin River.

The Friant Dam, that had caused the river to be mostly dry for "the last several decades," has been releasing more water since October 1 due to a federal restoration project, thus making a boat trip possible.

The river's green section from Friant Dam to Gravelly Ford is familiar to many boaters. Officials continuously release water from the dam for riverside property owners, and the river never died here.

But 38 miles downstream at Gravelly Ford, the flow dwindles to nothing in most years. Now, with extra water flowing, that stretch is waking from a half-century of slumber. West of Kerman, the San Joaquin is a gorgeous desert river meandering around cobble islands -- piles of large stones -- as screeching swallows fly in every direction.

Read the full story: Trip tests waters of revived San Joaquin

Photo by Mark Crosse / The Fresno Bee