ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
25.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR DECEMBER 2009
Meeting Date:			January 28, 2010	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			Darby Fuerst,	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Cory Hamilton	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: N/A

AQUATIC HABITAT AND FLOW CONDITIONS: Streamflow conditions for fish migration were poor for adults, marginal for smolts and good for juvenile fish during the first half of the month, a storm event in the middle of the month improved migration conditions for smolts and adults with continuous flow to the lagoon throughout the month. However, the flows never reached 200 cubic feet per second (cfs), which is considered the hypothetical attraction flow at the lagoon.

During December 2009, the mean daily streamflow recorded at the District’s Carmel River at Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station averaged 61.3 cfs and ranged from 20 to 274 cfs. Estimated runoff at San Clemente Dam (SCD) for the month of December 2009 was 3,779 AF, which was 73% of the December mean of 5,150 AF. Unimpaired runoff at SCD for Water Year (WY) 2010 to date, which started October 1, 2009, has totaled 10,934 AF or about 157% of the long-term average to date for this site, and 16% of the long-term annual average of 68,627 AF. During December 2009, 2.37 inches of rainfall were recorded at California American Water’s (CAW) SCD. The rainfall total for the month of December was 60% of the mean of 3.94 inches at SCD. The rainfall total for WY 2010 is 7.7 inches, which is 114% of the long-term average to date at this site, and 36% of the long-term annual average of 21.3 inches.

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON: During December 2009, the lagoon’s water-surface elevation (WSE) ranged from approximately 1.5 to 10.1 feet above mean sea level (see graph below). The lagoon sand bar was breached by Monterey County Public Works crews on December 7 and December 29 after the lagoon’s WSE rose to approximately 10 feet above mean sea level. Water quality in the lagoon was adequate for steelhead rearing with the exception of two meters of depth and deeper. At this depth, salinity becomes an issue for young-of-the year fish. Water temperature in the lagoon remained optimal at all depths for steelhead. Dissolved oxygen was adequate at all sites except the south arm, where water becomes closer to anoxic at the bottom meter.

SLEEPY HOLLOW STEELHEAD REARING FACILITY: A total of 12,759 fish were stocked at the Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility (SHSRF) during the 2009 Rescue Season. Staff started releasing fish on November 6, 2009 and finished on December 1, 2009. Staff released 8,802 fish, 4,711 into the South Arm Lagoon (fish length 6 inches and greater), 50 into SCD (fish length greater than 11 inches with resident characteristics) and 4,041 were stocked in the lower river from approximately river mile 10.8 to 5.4 (fish length less than 6 inches). The survival rate at SHSRF for the season was 69%.

ADULT STEELHEAD AT SCD: The fish counter and video camera were installed at the ladder on October 17, 2009. The first fish recorded over the counter was on October 17. There have been a total of 10 fish recorded passing the counter, two in October, five in November and three in December (see graph below). There have been no fish reported at the CAW Los Padres Dam Fish Trap as of December 31, 2009.

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