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ITEM: |
INFORMATIONAL
ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS |
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22. |
CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR APRIL
2015 |
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Meeting Date: |
May 18, 2015 |
Budgeted: |
N/A |
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From: |
David J. Stoldt, |
Program/ |
N/A |
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General Manager |
Line Item No.: |
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Prepared By: |
Beverly Chaney |
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
April 2015, flow conditions in the lower river were inadequate for migration of
all steelhead life stages. Mean daily streamflow at the MPWMD Highway 1 gage (HW 1) ranged
from an estimated 7 to 22 cfs (mean 11 cfs) with 595 total acre-feet (AF) of
runoff, while the Sleepy Hollow Weir ranged from 15 to 35 cfs (mean 20 cfs).
During April, 1.29
inches of rainfall were recorded at California American Water’s (Cal-Am) San
Clemente Dam (SCD) gage. The rainfall
total for WY 2015 (which started on October 1, 2014) is 15.56 inches, or 76% of
the long-term year-to-date average of 20.42 inches.
CARMEL RIVER
LAGOON: On December 12, 2014, the
lagoon filled and opened to the sea for the first time since May 24, 2013. After a final breaching in late March 2015,
the beach berm built up and the lagoon started slowly filling. The lagoon’s
water-surface elevation (WSE) in April ranged from approximately 5.5 – 8.6 feet
above mean sea level (see graph below).
Water-quality profiles
were conducted in mid-April at five lagoon sites. Conditions were generally “fair”
for steelhead rearing with water temperatures ranging from the low to mid-60’s and
dissolved oxygen (DO) ranging from 8 – 10 mg/L.
Salinity levels were generally lower than last month due to the lagoon
filling with fresh water, and ranged from 1 - 4 parts per thousand (ppt) down to 2.5 meters depth.
SLEEPY
HOLLOW STEELHEAD REARING FACILITY: Due to extreme drought conditions and expected summer
release river flows of less than 2 cfs, the Facility will not be operated in
2015, however, annual maintenance and upkeep work at the site have
continued.
Intake Upgrade Project – The existing intake system at the Facility is out of date
and not capable of operating when the river flow is very low or very high. Using a grant from the State Coastal
Conservancy sourced from Cal-Am settlement funds, the District has selected Tetra
Tech, Inc. consulting firm to do the design and permitting work on an upgraded
system. Tetra Tech will also be looking
at the possibility of adding a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) to the
rearing channel to allow for year-round operation with improved water quality.
DIDSON
CAMERA: The DIDSON was removed on April 20 due to low river flows. Daily fish counts are still being analyzed
and results will be reported as available.
ADULT STEELHEAD AT LOS PADRES DAM: The fish ladder and trap
are operational.
Through
the end of April 2015, there have been zero sea-run adult fish recorded in the trap.
ADULT
STEELHEAD AT SAN CLEMENTE DAM: The steelhead counter and video camera were installed and
tested at the ladder in early December 2014.
Due to concerns regarding excessive water leakage from the top several
bays, the ladder was shut down on March 16th. The bypass pipe was then activated to keep
the lower two-thirds of the ladder flowing. After consulting with the Division of Safety
of Dams (DSOD), the District, and National Marine Fisheries Service, Cal-Am
decided to cease normal ladder operations and continue the use of the bypass
pipe for the remainder of the season.
The total 2014-15 adult steelhead
count at SCD is seven, including two in December, zero in January, three in
February, two in March, and zero in April.
Not counting 2014, when the river did not reach the ocean, this was the
lowest adult count since 1991 (see graph below).
Since the counter was deactivated in
March, and the entire fish ladder will be removed this summer as part of the
San Clemente Dam Removal Project, District staff removed the fish counter,
camera, and downstream bypass chute from the ladder on April 29th (see
photos below). Since its installation in 1994 after the last major drought, the
District’s SCD adult steelhead counter has recorded 8,429
adult steelhead.
Adult steelhead will now be counted only
at the District’s DIDSON camera site in the lower river and Cal-Am’s fish trap
at Los Padres Dam.
SCD Ladder fish counter and downstream bypass chute in operation (2010).
SCD Ladder after decommissioning of fish counter and downstream bypass
chute (2015).
U:\staff\Boardpacket\2015\20150518\InfoItems\22\Item
22.docx