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ITEM:
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INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF
REPORTS
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22.
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MONTHLY CARMEL
RIVER FISHERY
REPORT
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Meeting Date:
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February 25, 2010
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Budgeted:
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N/A
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From:
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Darby Fuerst,
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Program/
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N/A
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General Manager
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Line Item No.:
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Prepared By:
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Cory Hamilton
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Cost Estimate:
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N/A
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General Counsel Review: N/A
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Committee Recommendation: N/A
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CEQA Compliance: N/A
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AQUATIC HABITAT AND FLOW
CONDITIONS: Streamflow conditions for
fish migration were marginal for adults during the first half of January 2010,
and optimal for smolts and juvenile fish with continuous flow to the lagoon
throughout the month. A storm event in the middle of January increased flows
and improved migration conditions for adults through the rest of the month.
During January 2010, the mean
daily streamflow recorded at the District’s Carmel River
at Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station averaged 342 cubic-feet per second (cfs) and
ranged from 39 to 1,670 cfs. Unimpaired
runoff at San Clemente Dam (SCD) for the month of January 2010 was 21,074 acre-feet, which was 164% of the January mean of 12,850 AF. Unimpaired runoff at SCD for Water Year (WY)
2010 to date, which started the first of October 2009, has totaled 32,008 AF or
about 162% of the long-term average to date for this site, and 47% of the long-term
annual average of 68,627 AF. During January
2010, 7.96 inches of rainfall were recorded at California American Water’s (Cal-Am)
SCD gage. The rainfall total for the
month of January was 181% of the normal mean of 4.40 inches at SCD. The rainfall total for WY 2010 is 15.66 inches,
which is 140% of the long-term average to date at this site, and 73% of the long
term annual average of 21.3 inches.
CARMEL RIVER LAGOON: During January 2010, the lagoon’s water-surface
elevation (WSE) ranged from approximately 1.3 to 9.9 feet above mean sea level
(see graph below). The lagoon sand bar was
breached by Monterey County Public Works Department crews on January 13th 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 1 to 1.5 meters of depth and deeper. At this depth, the high saline
waters become stressful for young-of-the year fish. Although stressful for
young-of-the-year fish, it may be a good acclimation area for smolts preparing
to enter the ocean waters. Water temperature and dissolved oxygen in the lagoon
remained adequate at all depths for steelhead.
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 35 fish recorded passing the counter, two in October, five in
November, three in December and 25 in January (see graph below). There have
been no fish reported at the Cal-Am Los Padres Dam Fish Trap as of January 31,
201
0.
U:\staff\word\boardpacket\2010\20100225\InfoItems\22\item22.doc