ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
19.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR JANUARY 2011
Meeting Date:			February 24, 2011	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: During January 2011, Carmel River streamflow conditions for fish migration were adequate for adults until January 21, after which flows declined to suboptimal through the rest of the month. Flows were adequate for smolt migration for the entire month.

During January 2011, the mean daily streamflow recorded at the District’s Carmel River at Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station averaged 178 cubic-feet per second (cfs) and ranged from 57 to 1,070 cfs. Unimpaired runoff at San Clemente Dam (SCD) for the month of January 2011 was 10,933 AF. Unimpaired runoff at SCD for Water Year (WY) 2011, which starts on October 1, has totaled 19,870 AF or about 29% of the long-term annual average of 68,900 AF. During January 2011, 2.06 inches of rainfall were recorded at California American Water’s (CAW) SCD. The rainfall total for WY 2011 is 10.41 inches, which is 49% of the long-term annual average of 21.41 inches.

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON: During January 2011, the lagoon’s water-surface elevation (WSE) ranged from approximately 1.86 to 9.56 feet above mean sea level (see graph below). The lagoon’s WSE varied widely during January due to diel tidal cycles, variations in beach sand accumulation caused by onshore wave action that cycled the lagoon open and closed, or breaches by the Monterey County Public Works Department to avoid inundation of lagoon-side homes. Water quality was sampled on January 13, 2011 at a WSE of approximately 3 feet. Data from this sampling show that the salinity and dissolved oxygen measurements were adequate for steelhead rearing down to approximately 1 meter of depth. Below 1 meter of depth, dissolved oxygen gradually decreased to suboptimal conditions less than 5 milligrams per liter (mg/L) for steelhead and a halocline is observed, where salinity increases from 2.7 parts per thousand (ppt) to 20 ppt. Salinity above 10 ppt can be stressful to juvenile fish but acceptable for smolts and adults. Water temperatures ranged from 51 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit (ºF) throughout the vertical column, and are considered optimal for all life stages of steelhead.

ADULT STEELHEAD AT SAN CLEMENTE DAM: The fish counter and video camera were installed and tested at the ladder on December 6, 2010. The first fish recorded over the counter was on December 20. There have been a total of 52 fish recorded passing the counter, 10 in December 2010 and 42 in January 2011.

ADULT STEELHEAD AT LOS PADRES DAM: The fish trap has been operational since December 2010. The first fish recorded at the trap was on January 14, 2011. There have been a total of 9 fish recorded at the trap in January 2011.

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