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ITEM: |
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS |
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19. |
CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR JULY 2011 |
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Meeting Date: |
August 15, 2011 |
Budgeted: |
N/A |
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From: |
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Program/ |
N/A |
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General Manager |
Line Item No.: |
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Prepared By: |
Kevan Urquhart |
Cost Estimate: |
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: During July 2011, the mean daily streamflow recorded at the District’s Carmel River at Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station averaged 35 cubic feet per second (cfs) and ranged from 26 to 49 cfs. Carmel River streamflow conditions for fish migration were adequate for the movement of juvenile life stages of steelhead, until the last four days of the month. Based on the field experience, Fisheries staff believes that juvenile fish passage begins to be impaired below approximately 30 cfs in the river reach below the Narrows at Scarlett Road. Passage conditions were inadequate for adult steelhead in the lower river below the Narrows throughout July.
Rainfall recorded at California American Water’s (CAW) San Clemente Dam (SCD) during July 2011 totaled 0.0 inches and brings the cumulative rainfall total for WY 2011 to 24.73 inches, which is 116% of the long-term average through July of 21.23 inches. Estimated unimpaired runoff at SCD during July 2011 totaled 2,211 acre-feet (AF) and brings the cumulative runoff total for WY 2011 to 100,023 AF, which is 146% of the long-term average through July of 68,519 AF.
CARMEL RIVER LAGOON: During July 2011, the lagoon’s water-surface elevation (WSE) ranged from less than the gage’s approximately 1.3 foot minimum recording level to almost 8.5 feet above mean sea level (see graph below). There were three natural closures for three days or more in July, in contrast to the short closures of a day or less in June. Due to the State budget, the California Department of Parks and Recreation has indicated it cannot afford to close the lagoon this year as usual, in order to sustain maximum lagoon levels through the fall. An interagency meeting was held on the beach on July 27, 2011, and concluded that modifying the existing permits to allow lagoon closure in a different manner by the Carmel River Watershed Conservancy and Carmel River Steelhead Association could not be completed in time for it to be useful. Surface water quality was sampled on July 5, 2011. Surface water temperatures during sampling were between 64-67 degrees Fahrenheit, which is suboptimal for steelhead. Dissolved oxygen and salinity were mostly within adequate range for steelhead rearing, except for a) salinity below 3.75 feet of depth increasing rapidly to reach ˝ to nearly full strength seawater on the bottom, and b) dissolved oxygen declining below 5 parts per thousand near the bottom of the North Am and southern-most area of the new South Arm of the Lagoon. The lagoon mouth was closed during this month’s water quality sampling.
FISH RESCUES: Staff is monitoring river conditions for any possible critical riffles that might disrupt out-migration of adults and smolts moving downstream. Staff is also preparing for the upcoming 2011 fish rescue season, which likely will start in mid-August. This will be one of the two latest start dates on record since 1989.
SLEEPY HOLLOW STEELHEAD REARING FACILITY: Staff has been undertaking maintance, repairs and testing of the Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility for the upcoming 2011 fish rescue and rearing season.
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