The Kings River is one of the many rivers which flow from the
Sierra Nevada of
California into the
Central Valley. The Kings River is near the south end of the range, north of the
Kaweah River and south of the
San Joaquin River. It drains a large area from
Kearsage Pass and
Bishop Pass, into
Kings Canyon and out into the
San Joaquin Valley.
Kings Canyon is one of the deepest canyons in the country, reaching over 7000 feet from the rim to the river. The canyon and surrounding alpine areas make up
Kings Canyon National Park.
One large reservoir, Pine Flat Reservoir, is found near where this river exits the mountains. After this point, the river flows into the valley. Most of the water in this river is used for agriculture; the rest spreads out in an elaborate system of canals and sloughs, and either travels north to the San Joaquin River or south to its ancestral lakebeds.