ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
32.	QUARTERLY CARMEL RIVER EROSION PROTECTION AND RESTORATION PROJECTS REPORT
Meeting Date:			January 27, 2011	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 October 14, 2010. Final minutes of this meeting 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: In September 2010, the District filed a grant application with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) requesting $995,000 for planning purposes on behalf of the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay, and South Monterey Bay planning region (Region). DWR announced in an initial recommendation in December 2010 that a grant would be awarded to the Region. A final announcement is expected in mid-January 2011. The work plan for the grant funds includes the following tasks (with the responsible agency or group of agencies shown in parentheses):

· An update of the IRWM Plan adopted in 2007 to Proposition 84 standards (MPWMD)

· An update to the 1977 Canyon Del Rey watershed portion of the Monterey County Master Drainage Plan (MPWMD, Monterey County Water Resources Agency, City of Seaside)

· Development of a salt and nutrient management plan for the Seaside Groundwater Basin (MPWMD)

· Assessment of steelhead passage barriers in portions of four tributaries to the Carmel River main stem (MPWMD)

· Geographic Information Systems Internet Mapping Site Development (MPWMD)

· Inter-Regional Coordination Between the Greater Monterey County IRWM Plan and the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay, and South Monterey Bay IRWM Plan (MPWMD, Marina Coast Water District, Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation)

· A watershed assessment for San Jose Creek watershed (Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District)

· An analysis of alternatives to reduce stormwater discharges to the Pacific Grove Area of Special Biological Significance (Cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove)

· Development of an integrated surface and groundwater model for the Carmel Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MPWMD)

Work must be completed within two years of executing an agreement with the State for grant funds. MPWMD would be responsible for administering the grant funds locally and would also be responsible for completing several tasks.

In January 2011, the District filed a grant application with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) requesting $6.13 million in Implementation Grant funds for seven local projects (see table below).

The District is one of four regions in the Central Coast funding area that submitted applications for project implementation (the funding area consists of six planning regions that include coastal watersheds between Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara counties). Approximately $11.56 million is available in Round 1 of the Implementation Grant program funded through Proposition 84 bond funds. Awards will be made on a competitive basis. Initial funding recommendations are expected to be announced in April 2011 with final recommendations expected in June 2011. If awarded a grant, MPWMD would be responsible for administering grant funds locally.

California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) Fisheries Restoration Grant Program (FRGP): After consulting with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the California Coastal Conservancy, CDFG has decided not to fund the design of the removal of the Old Carmel River Dam at this time. Instead, the removal design will be completed by Cal-Am and the Coastal Conservancy as part of the Carmel River Reroute/San Clemente Dam Removal Project. CDFG has indicated that the proposal to design the removal of the Sleepy Hollow Ford and replacement of the stream crossings with a bridge will move forward and a grant agreement is expected to be ready in February or March 2011. If the project is awarded funds, design work could commence in mid-2011. Funds for the work would come from the Settlement Agreement among Cal-Am, NMFS, and CDFG for projects that will enhance the survival and restoration of Carmel River steelhead.

Carmel River Lagoon Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Meeting: On Nov. 15, 2010, District Engineer Andy Bell and Senior Water Resources Engineer Larry Hampson met in the field with several members of the Lagoon TAC and with representatives of the Carmel River Steelhead Association (CRSA) to consider options for managing the lagoon outlet that would reduce impacts to steelhead. In response to concerns expressed by CRSA about breaching of the barrier beach to reduce the potential for flooding, Monterey County Public Works Director Yazdan Emrani stated the County would attempt to manage an outlet through the beach to the north (as opposed to grading an outlet to the south). An outlet to the north was favored by CRSA and NMFS with the intention that the lagoon would drain more slowly and not be evacuated as has occurred on several occasions in the past when the lagoon outlet was graded to the south.

In addition, District staff continued to provide Monterey County officials with regular updates on ocean and Carmel River watershed conditions.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Regional General Permit (RGP) for Carmel River Maintenance and Restoration: The Public Notice for a renewal of this RGP was re-issued by the Corps on October 8, 2010, with a comment period ending November 7, 2010. In early January 2011, the District was informed that the Corps was working on the documentation required for the issuance of the RGP.

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