Anticipated repairs to the power plant at the base of Isabella Dam could cause a “massive fish kill” along the length of the Kern River as flows would have to be cut to almost nothing for weeks. Isabella Partners, which operates that power plant, submitted a request to the Army Corps of Engineers to cut water releases down 25 cubic feet per second starting Dec. 18, according to plant operator Rush Van Hook. The dam is currently releasing about 1,100 cfs. If approved, the flow reduction could last several, or more, weeks, he said. Operators need to get into the plant to determine the extent of needed repairs, which, Van Hook said may be related to the “vibration” issue that caused the Army Corps to shut off flows in mid-April during the height of this year’s epic runoff.