ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
15.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT
Meeting Date:			August 15, 2005	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			David A. Berger,	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Beverly Chaney / Dave Dettman	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Approval: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: N/A

AQUATIC HABITAT AND FLOW CONDITIONS: During July 2005, Carmel River streamflow conditions were good to excellent for juvenile steelhead rearing in the reach upstream of the Narrows, but poor to critical for downstream smolt and kelt migration below the Narrows, necessitating steelhead rescues.

During July 2005, the mean daily streamflow recorded at the District’s Carmel River Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station averaged 22.5 cubic feet per second (cfs) and ranged from 17 to 32 cfs.

July rainfall of 0.06 inches, as recorded by Cal-Am at San Clemente Dam (SCD), was slightly above the long-term July average of 0.03 inches at this site. For Water Year (WY) 2005, rainfall totaled 29.95 inches through May, or 42% above the long-term accumulated monthly average of 21.14 inches.

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON: The river mouth closed in early July and the lagoon filled with water, creating good fish habitat in the new south arm. Unfortunately, the sand berm breached, and much of the accumulated water drained from the lagoon. As reported in last month’s fisheries staff note, the main body of the lagoon has a high level of accumulated sand this year and coupled with the low water surface elevation (WSE), the amount of steelhead rearing habitat is limited. Water quality problems could also arise later this summer and fall, as water temperature and salinity rise, and dissolved oxygen levels decrease. The WSE ranged from approximately 3.5 to 7.0 feet during the month.

SLEEPY HOLLOW STEELHEAD REARING FACILITY: Staff began accepting rescued lower Carmel Valley juvenile steelhead at the Facility on July 14, 2005.

As of July 31, a total of 6,824 fish was being held at the Facility, including 334 yearling fish, and 6,490 young-of-the-year (YOY) fish, with an overall survival rate of 98%.

JUVENILE STEELHEAD RESCUES: Fish rescues started at the Highway 1 Bridge on July 14, 2005. As of July 31, approximately 10,687 juvenile steelhead had been rescued, including approximately 780 fish rescued by the Carmel River Steelhead Association, from downstream of the Rancho Cañada Golf Courses (River Mile (RM) = 2.0).

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