ITEM:

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS

 

24.

QUARTERLY IRRIGATION PROGRAM AND RIPARIAN PROJECTS REPORT

 

Meeting Date:

April 16, 2007

Budgeted:

N/A

 

From:

David A. Berger,

Program/

N/A

 

General Manager

Line Item No.:

 

Prepared By:

Thomas Christensen

Cost Estimate:

N/A

 

General Counsel Approval:  N/A

Committee Recommendation:  N/A

CEQA Compliance:  N/A

 

IRRIGATION OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION: The supplemental watering of riparian restoration plantings has been on hold during this quarterly period (January through March 2007) at the nine Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (District) riparian habitat restoration sites because of sufficient soil moisture.

 

            Water Use in Acre-Feet (AF)

            (preliminary values subject to revision)

           

January - March 2007              0.00 AF

            Year-to-date                            0.00 AF

 

MONITORING OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION: During the winter season, the District suspended the riparian vegetation monitoring program.  The monitoring of soil moisture, groundwater levels, and canopy defoliation (a measure of vegetation moisture stress) will resume in May of 2007.  During the months of May through October, staff takes weekly measurements of depth to groundwater and canopy vigor in drawdown areas (Cañada, San Carlos, Valley Hills, and Schulte) where willow and cottonwood trees may be impacted by groundwater extraction.  The District’s monitoring provides insight into the status of soil moisture through the riparian corridor by collecting and analyzing weekly readings from the District’s array of monitoring wells and pumping records for large-capacity Carmel Valley wells in the Cal-Am system,.

 

OTHER TASKS PERFORMED SINCE THE JANUARY 2007 QUARTERLY REPORT:

 

1.         French Broom (Genista) Eradication in District Restoration Projects: District staff (Bekker, Lyons, Watters and Kenner) have been removing an invasive weed (French broom, or genista) from the Schulte and DeDampierre Restoration Projects.  French broom competes with native plants and can become problematic if left unchecked.  

 

2.         Carmel River Lagoon Restoration Outreach: District staff (Christensen, Watters, and Kenner) provided students from Carmel Valley Middle School with willow cuttings for three planting days (January 31 through February 2, 2007) at the Carmel River Lagoon restoration area.  District staff presented information on the District's restoration program, proper planting techniques, and basic principles of restoration ecology to over 90 students during the three-day period.

 

3.         Carmel River Watershed Conservancy (CRWC) Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Meeting: On February 14, District staff (Christensen and Urquhart) met with the CRWC TAC, which includes representatives of the National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Planning and Conservation League Foundation, Carmel River Steelhead Association, Coastal Watershed Council, Big Sur Land Trust, Coastal Conservancy, California Department of Fish and Game, and MPWMD.  Topics of discussion included establishing a new Carmel River Task Force as a coordinating group to help implement proposed projects on the CRWC Action Plan list.  In addition, representatives of federal and state agencies commented on their current grant programs and how these funds may contribute to carrying out specific projects.

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

             

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