ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
23.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 2011
Meeting Date:			March 21, 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 the first half of February 2011, Carmel River flows at the Highway 1 Gage decreased from 72 cubic-feet-per-second (cfs) to 48 cfs. During this time period, streamflow conditions likely became impaired for adult migration. On February 16, storm activity returned to the Central Coast, increasing streamflow and altering conditions for adult migration from impaired to optimal. Flows were adequate for smolt and juvenile migration during the entire month.

During February 2011, the mean daily streamflow recorded at the District’s Carmel River at Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station averaged 262 cubic-feet per second (cfs) and ranged from 44 to 807 cfs. Unimpaired runoff at San Clemente Dam (SCD) for the month of February 2011 was 14,561 AF. Unimpaired runoff at SCD for Water Year (WY) 2011, which starts on October 1, has totaled 34,431 AF or about 50% of the long-term annual average of 68,900 AF. During February 2011, 5.31 inches of rainfall were recorded at California American Water’s (CAW) SCD. The rainfall total for WY 2011 is 15.72 inches, which is 73% of the long-term annual average of 21.41 inches.

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON: During February 2011, the lagoon’s water-surface elevation (WSE) ranged from approximately 1.7 to 9.3 feet above mean sea level (see graph below). The lagoon’s WSE varied widely during February due to river inflow, diel tidal cycles, variations in beach sand accumulation caused by onshore wave action that cycles the lagoon open and closed, and breaches by the Monterey County Public Works Department (MCPWD) to avoid inundation of lagoon-side homes. The cause of the February 9 lagoon opening is unknown. The possibility that this could have been an artificial breach has not been confirmed, by MCPWD.  The District confirmed with MCPWD that they did manually breach the lagoon on February 14 because it was approaching flood stage. District staff sampled water quality on February 11 at a WSE of approximately 5 feet. Data from this sampling show that the salinity measurements were adequate for steelhead rearing down to approximately 1 meter of depth. Below 1 meter of depth, salinity increased to suboptimal conditions with a maximum observation of 20.5 parts per thousand (ppt). Dissolved oxygen was within adequate rearing range with the exception of the bottom 0.5 meter. Water temperatures ranged from 49 to 54 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 155 fish recorded passing the counter, 10 in December 2010, 42 in January 2011, and 103 in February 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 28 fish recorded at the trap, 9 in January and 19 in February.

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