ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
23.	QUARTERLY CARMEL RIVER EROSION PROTECTION AND RESTORATION PROJECTS REPORT
Meeting Date:			October 17, 2011	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			Dave Stoldt,	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 August 4, 2011. 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: Execution of a $995,000 grant agreement with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has continued to be delayed as MPWMD staff responds to requests by DWR staff for changes in the scope, budget, and schedule. District staff also worked with DWR and the Monterey County Water Resources Agency to allocate $54,200 from the IRWM planning grant to study the feasibility of placing a barrier along the north side of the Carmel River Lagoon to protect homes and reduce the need for mechanical breaching of the beach. District staff expect to execute an agreement in the near future with DWR. The grant from DWR will be used for water resource planning purposes in the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay, and South Monterey Bay Region.

DWR recently announced draft recommendations for awards of grant funds from the first round of Proposition 1E. Just over $163 million in grants were awarded. However, the project submitted by the Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA) for $7.5 million to complete the Lower Carmel River Floodplain Protection and Enhancement Project was not awarded funds. The District, Big Sur Land Trust, MCWRA, and the Department of State Parks have cooperated to move this project forward, which would reduce flood potential in areas to the north of the Carmel River, re-connect the floodplain upstream of Highway 1 with the Carmel River lagoon, and create an additional 50 acres of riparian forest and wetlands. The Big Sur Land Trust is in danger of losing $8 million in grants that have already been committed to the project, which is estimated to cost $18.3 million.

Design of Sleepy Hollow Ford Removal and Bridge Replacement Project: District staff executed three consultant agreements and began field work in September.

Carmel River Lagoon: MPWMD staff continue to monitor the Carmel River State Beach, lagoon water levels quality and quantity and provide information to the Lagoon Technical Advisory Committee. California State Parks learned on July 14, 2011 that no State Parks equipment would be available to close the lagoon for the dry season. The Carmel River Watershed Conservancy (CRWC) and Carmel River Steelhead Association (CRSA) offered to donate equipment and operator time to perform the work. State Parks expressed concerns about accessing the beach due to the loss of sand adjacent to the parking lot this past winter and spring and that the permits issued for the work do not allow access from any location other than the parking lot. Lagoon inflow conditions for the week of July 25-29 were predicted to be in the desired range for closing the lagoon as described in the State Parks project for spring/summer closing. The Lagoon TAC held a teleconference on July 22, 2011 and agreed to a site visit on July 27, 2011. Most parties affected by beach management, including regulators and property owners were in attendance.

The CRL-TAC concluded from the past experience of State Parks and Monterey County Public Works that at least three bulldozers would be needed to conduct a successful effort. State park also announced that it was unlikely it would be able to fund the spring closure in the foreseeable future, and another party/agency should start planning to take over the effort in 2012, using State Parks’ permits, with their delegated authority. Discussion of a summer closure concluded with no action possible to close the lagoon.

District staff worked with DWR and MCWRA to transfer $54,200 from involved in regulating However, it appears that descision-making have worked with the CPLPA and other non-profit and public agencies to seek funding and support for these solutions.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Regional General Permit (RGP) for Carmel River Maintenance and Restoration: District staff have been working with the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) to renew the 401 Water Quality Certification that is required in order to renew the RGP. The RWQCB has requested a considerable amount of new information and has proposed additional reporting requirements and mitigation measures in order to process the request. District staff have asked that these requirements be reviewed by senior level officials at RWQCB as some of these request have not occurred in the past 25 years during which MPWMD has obtained Corps permits for Carmel River work.

San Clemente Dam Removal Project: District Engineer Larry Hampson and Senior Fisheries Biologist Kevan Urquhart continue to participate in the design reviews conducted by the Technical Review Team. MPWMD staff are concerned about potential impacts from releases of sediment from the site that could affect operations at the Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility. In addition, MPWMD questioned the feasibility of the fish rescue plan for dewatered areas. An additional review is tentatively scheduled for the end of October 2011.

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