ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
27.	QUARTERLY CARMEL RIVER EROSION PROTECTION AND RESTORATION PROJECTS REPORT
Meeting Date:			January 25, 2007	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			David A. Berger,	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Larry Hampson	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Approval: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: N/A

Carmel River Advisory Committee Meeting: On December 1, 2006, the Carmel River Advisory Committee held a Regular Meeting. Minutes from that meeting will be made available in a future Board packet.

State Proposition 50 Planning Grant:  In early December 2006, the District, in cooperation with District consultant RMC Water and Environment (RMC), completed a draft of the Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Plan for the Region, which includes the Carmel River watershed, the Monterey Peninsula, the Seaside Groundwater Basin, and other areas within the MPWMD boundary. The Draft Plan was provided to the Region’s stakeholders and on December 12, 2006, MPWMD held a workshop to review the Plan and receive input. A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), representing a broad section of the stakeholder group, was appointed to resolve questions brought up at the workshop and to improve the transparency of the project prioritization process. The TAC met on December 20 and made progress on defining a process for adopting the Plan and combining regional objectives. Additional meetings will be held in January and February 2007 to complete the final draft of the Plan. MPWMD staff has tentatively scheduled the Plan for review and consideration by the MPWMD Board of Directors at their March 19 regular meeting.

Carmel River Lagoon Sandbar Management: The District continued in its role as facilitator of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) formed to help mange the lagoon and barrier beach at Carmel River State Beach. The District coordinated a steelhead tag and recapture study in December 2006 aimed at establishing an estimate of the population (see complete report under Item 20, Carmel River Fishery Report). A draft outline for preparing a long term management plan neared completion and is expected to be ready by the end of January 2007. The TAC also agreed to locate the initial winter 2006-07 opening of the lagoon at the south end of the river mouth. The method for opening the lagoon will be changed from the past practice of using bulldozers to create a wide outflow channel through the beach. Instead, if the lagoon threatens to flood surrounding structures, a small trench will be excavated through the beach over the southern bedrock outcrop to allow the lagoon to drain slowly. It is hoped that this will also result in more water remaining in the lagoon after the water surface stabilizes.

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