REGULAR MEETING OF THE CARMEL RIVER ADVISORY COMMITTEE

August 21, 2003, 10:00 A.M. Mid-Carmel Valley Fire Station

1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL

MEMBERS PRESENT: Susan Rogers, Rod Mills, Chuck McKay, Tom House, John Dalessio,

MEMBERS ABSENT: David Dilworth (unable to attend due to family commitment), Richard Rosenthal

PUBLIC PRESENT: Charley Kemp (representing Cal-Am), Clive Sanders (representing the Carmel River Watershed Council),

Pat Bernardi, Bob Costa (Rancho Cañada)

STAFF PRESENT: Andy Bell, Thomas Christensen, Fran Farina, Larry Hampson

1. ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR

Mr. House stated that the Committee had run smoothly throughout the previous year with Rod Mills as Chair and Susan Rogers as Vice-Chair and nominated the pair for re-election to the same positions. Ms. Rogers seconded. Mr. Mills refused the nomination, stating that he felt others should be given an opportunity to be Chair. Mr. House nominated Ms. Rogers for Chair, second by Mr. Dalessio. Mr. Dalessio nominated Mr. McKay for Vice-Chair, second by House. The Committee unanimously approved Susan Rogers for Chair and Chuck McKay for Vice-Chair.

2. PUBLIC COMMENT – Mr. Sanders welcomed Ms. Rogers as the new Committee Chair. Mr. Mills noted that signs had been placed along Carmel Valley Road indicating that water had become available from the former Water West system, which was taken over by the California-American Water Co. (Cal-Am). Ms. Bernardi stated that as a result of a lawsuit brought against MPWMD by Roy Kaminske, 12.67 acre-feet (AF) of water was available from the Water West system. [Note: 12.47 AF was available as of July 28, 2003. For more information on the Water West system, visit MPWMD’s website (http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us) and follow the links to the former Water West system.]

3. CONSENT CALENDAR – Mr. Bell noted that Mr. Kemp spells his first name as “Charley,” not as “Charles” as shown in the June 12, 2003 packet. Mr. Mills made a motion to approve the minutes of the June 12, 2003 regular meeting and the July 24, 2003 special meeting with the noted change. Seconded by Mr. Dalessio. Approval was unanimous.

4. UPDATE ON SAN CLEMENTE DAM AND RESERVOIR

Charley Kemp, Senior Operations Manager with Cal-Am, described placement of six culverts through the San Clemente Dam to lower the reservoir by approximately 10 feet to an elevation of 515 feet (above mean sea level). As of the date of the Committee meeting (August 21, 2003), flow to the San Clemente Reservoir was approximately 11 cubic feet per second and was being controlled by releases from Los Padres Reservoir. Cal-Am was working with URS Consultants to place instrumentation at San Clemente Dam to measure sudden changes in water levels resulting from dam failure. Cal-Am was also working to install warning equipment at the Carmel Village fire station on Via Contenta.

Mr. Mills asked about reservoir levels during the next winter. The group discussed flows needed to allow steelhead migration through the reservoir. Staff described the reservoir operation agreement among Cal-Am, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the California Department of Water Resources Division of Safety of Dams that would allow the reservoir to remain at a level that would accommodate winter steelhead migration.

5. UPDATE ON CARMEL RIVER WATERSHED COUNCIL ACTIVITIES

Clive Sanders, Administrator for the Carmel River Watershed Conservancy (CRWC), described the CRWC contract with the California State Water Resources Control Board to perform an assessment of the Carmel River Watershed. Mr. Sanders stated that the CRWC had re-negotiated the contract, which is for $200,000, in order to provide approximately $50,000 in working capital. CRWC entered into a $30,000 contract with California State University at Monterey Bay to assess the Carmel River Lagoon and portions of the watershed.

Mr. Sanders noted that the Carmel River Steelhead Association obtained permission from the Carmel Area Wastewater District to install electrical power and aerators in the south arm of the Lagoon to increase dissolved oxygen (DO) levels during summer and fall months to support steelhead. [DO levels usually fall as water temperature increases and the amount of mixing at the surface decreases due to less inflow to the Lagoon.]

6. REVIEW LIST OF THE TOP 250 PUMPERS IN CARMELVALLEY

Staff handed out information on water production from registered wells within the boundaries of MPWMD for Water Year 2002, which ran from October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2002. The list is of the 250 wells with the highest use during that year. Andy Bell summarized the handout.

Rod Mills asked about golf course water use. Mr. Bell replied that no Carmel Valley golf courses use Cal-Am water for turf irrigation, but that the golf courses are connected to the Cal-Am system for domestic uses. Mr. Costa stated that water use at Rancho Cañada varies from as little as 320 AF/year and depends on rainfall patterns and area irrigated.

Clive Sanders asked if the listing included wells along San Jose Creek. Staff noted that the listing was for Carmel Valley only. [Note: MPWMD does maintain a record of well use along the portion of San Jose Creek that is within the MPWMD boundary.]

Ms. Rogers asked that the Committee defer action on this item to the next meeting, in order to give Committee members who were absent from the discussion an opportunity to comment.

7. STAFF REPORTS

Thomas Christensen reported on installation of a new irrigation system by Cal-Am on the south side of the river at Hacienda Carmel to mitigate for an increase in water extraction from Cal-Am’s Cañada well. MPWMD staff helped direct the installation and has increased vegetation monitoring in the nearby vicinity. Mr. Christensen also reported that all District irrigation systems were in operation and that the river had been inspected from Rancho Canada to Highway 1. Larry Hampson reported on the completion of the 2002 study of large wood in the river and the large wood study planned for 2003 in cooperation with the Watershed Institute at California State University Monterey Bay. Mr. Hampson also reported that MPWMD placed the brochure on protecting and enhancing the Carmel River Riparian Corridor on the District’s website.

John Dalessio asked about fisheries habitat enhancement projects and suggested that the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District could be a partner with MPWMD for such projects. Mr. Dalessio stated that he had recently been appointed as a director on the Park District Board.

8. ITEMS TO BE PLACED ON FUTURE AGENDAS – Fran Farina asked Committee members for feedback on the MPWMD web site and encouraged each member to ask members of the public for feedback. For the next regular meeting, Committee members requested a review of the MPWMD Mitigation Program budget and to be updated on the San Clemente Dam.

9. ADJOURNMENT – The next regular meeting was scheduled for October 30, 2003 at 10 a.m. (place to be determined). The meeting was adjourned at 11:44 a.m.

U:\staff\word\boardpacket\2004\2004boardpacket\20040129\InfoItems_Reports\item20_exh20a.doc