ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
24.	QUARTERLY CARMEL RIVER EROSION PROTECTION AND RESTORATION PROJECTS REPORT
Meeting Date:			April 19, 2010	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			Darby Fuerst	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Larry Hampson	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: N/A

Carmel River Advisory Committee: The Carmel River Advisory Committee met on January 28, 2010, and is scheduled to meet again on April 22, 2010. Final minutes of these meetings will be provided to the MPWMD Board of Directors under Committee Reports in a future Board packet (see Informational Items in monthly Board packets).

State Propositions 84 and 1E Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Grant Program: The California Department of Water Resources, which is administering the IRWM grant program, released draft guidelines and three Proposal Solicitation Packages for Proposition 84 funds. The Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay, and South Monterey Bay planning region has an adopted IRWM plan and is eligible to apply for grant funds. MPWMD staff is organizing meetings of the Regional Water Management Group and stakeholder group to discuss options for completing applications and revising the IRWM plan proposal.

California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) Fisheries Restoration Grant Program (FRGP): The District was encouraged by CDFG and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to consider applying to the FRGP for funds to analyze and design the removal of the Sleepy Hollow Ford and Old Carmel River Dam along the Carmel River and replacement of the stream crossings with bridges. Funds for the work would come from the Settlement Agreement between California American Water, CDFG, and NMFS for projects to improve steelhead habitat. District staff will complete the grant applications in-house. The grant application deadline is April 8, 2010. If the projects are awarded funds, design work would likely commence in mid-2011.

Presentation to the Carmel River Steelhead Association (CRSA) on Engineered Wood: Senior Water Resources Engineer, Larry Hampson, gave a presentation on engineered logjams (ELJ) in rivers at the February 10, 2010 CRSA meeting held at the Carmel Area Wastewater District office.  The presentation was attended by ten members of the CRSA and highlighted the use of large wood as an alternative to traditional channel and streambank erosion protection materials such as rock rip-rap and gabions.  Presentation materials were garnered from District files and from a week-long ELJ workshop held in September 2009 on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington.  A copy of the presentation can be downloaded from the District web site at: http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/programs/river/erosion_potential/erosion_potential.htm.

Presentation on Carmel River Lagoon Projects: On January 26, 2010, Senior Water Resources Engineer Larry Hampson gave a presentation on proposed Carmel River lagoon projects in Carmel Valley village as part of an informational meeting sponsored by the Carmel River Watershed Conservancy. About 25 people were in attendance.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Regional General Permit (RGP) for Carmel River Maintenance and Restoration: The District submitted a request and application to the Corps seeking renewal of RGP 24460S to continue to conduct routine maintenance and restoration activities within an 18.6-mile segment of the Carmel River from the Carmel River lagoon at River Mile (RM, measured from the ocean) 0.0 to the San Clemente Dam at RM 18.6, but not including the dam. As in RGP 24460S, MPWMD is also seeking re-authorization from the Corps to act as an administrator for the permit on behalf of the Corps for projects conducted along the Carmel River by other parties, including private property owners, public and private entities, and non-profit organizations. If approved, the permit would allow up to approximately 0.7 miles of channel restoration activities in any single year and up to approximately three miles per year of vegetation management activities in any single year. The RGP would also allow habitat enhancement projects such as spawning gravel injection and large wood installation.

EXHIBITS

None

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