Kings, river, United States

Kings, river, 125 mi (201 km) long, rising in three forks in the Sierra Nevada, E Calif., and flowing SW to Tulare Lake in the San Joaquin valley. Its middle and southern forks flow through the great gorges of Kings Canyon National Park. Part of the Central Valley project, the Kings River has been linked with the San Joaquin River; Pine Flat Dam (completed 1954) impounds a huge reservoir used for flood control, irrigation, and river regulation.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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