ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
29.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR MAY 2009
Meeting Date:			June 15, 2009	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			Darby Fuerst,	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Cory Hamilton	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Approval: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: N/A

AQUATIC HABITAT AND FLOW CONDITIONS: During May 2009, Carmel River streamflow conditions for fish migration were good for smolts, marginal for adults, and favorable for juvenile fish rearing with continuous flow to the ocean.

During May 2009, the mean daily streamflow recorded at the District’s Carmel River at Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station averaged 38.4 cubic feet per second (cfs) and ranged from 27 to 52 cfs. During May 2009, 0.42 inches of rainfall (95% of the long-term May average of 0.44 inches) were recorded at California American Water’s San Clemente Dam (SCD). The rainfall total for Water Year 2009 through May is 18.06 inches, which is 84% of the long-term average of 21.4 inches for the water year to date.

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON: The lagoon sand bar was breached by Monterey County Public Works crews on February 16, 2009, after the lagoon’s water-surface elevation (WSE) rose to approximately 10.5 feet above mean sea level. The breach was accomplished by having the County’s bulldozers dig a short channel in a north-westerly direction across the south-central portion of the beach and allowing the rising lagoon to spill into it. The outlet channel quickly down cut and shifted to the center within eight hours, eventually re-establishing an exit to the southwest.

During May 2009, the lagoon’s WSE ranged from approximately 1.35 to 9.41 feet above mean sea level. The lagoon was closed to the ocean for a period of 24 hours or more, three times in May (see 1^st graph below). On May 18, the California Department of Parks and Recreation used heavy equipment to build up the sandbar and create an outlet channel to the south, with hopes of stabilizing the lagoon elevation. On May 28, heavy equipment was used again to build the sandbar up, in order to continue efforts to stabilize the lagoon elevation.

ADULT STEELHEAD COUNT AT SCD: The fish counter and video camera were installed at the SCD ladder in January 2009. The first fish was recorded on February 15, 2009; through the end of May, 95 adults had been counted (see 2^nd graph below). By comparison, 412 fish had been counted by the end of May 2008. May 30 is typically the end of the migrating season.

ADULT STEELHEAD COUNT AT LOS PADRES DAM: Through the end of May 2009, 21 adult fish had been captured and transported above Los Padres Dam (LPD) by California American Water staff (see 3^rd graph below). By comparison, 158 fish had been counted at LPD by the end of May 2008.

SLEEPY HOLLOW STEELHEAD REARING FACILITY: During May 2009, staff completed all preparations needed to get the Facility ready for the 2009 juvenile steelhead rescue and rearing program. Staff anticipates the first rescued fish arriving at the Facility in mid-June.

U:\staff\word\boardpacket\2009\20090615\InfoItems\29\item29.doc