ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
24.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR DECEMBER 2015
Meeting Date:			January 27, 2016	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			David J. Stoldt,	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Beverly Chaney	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: N/A

AQUATIC HABITAT AND FLOW CONDITIONS: During December 2015, flow conditions in the lower Carmel River were inadequate for migration of all steelhead life stages. Mean daily streamflow at the Sleepy Hollow Weir ranged from 3 to 41 cubic feet-per-second (cfs) (mean 10 cfs) resulting in 595 acre-feet (AF) of runoff, while the river remained dry at the Highway 1 gage. 

By the end of December, the lower Carmel River had advanced a mile and a half to the Schulte Road Bridge reach at river mile (RM) 6.7, and was continuous through the DeDampierre Park to the Boronda Road Bridge reach (RM 12.7). All major tributaries below the former San Clemente Dam (SCD) remained dry at their confluences with the Carmel River.

During December, 4.17 inches of rainfall were recorded at Cal-Am’s SCD gauge. The rainfall total to date for WY 2016 (which started on October 1, 2015) is 8.16 inches, or 120% of the long-term year-to-date average of 6.79 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 December 2015 increased from 5 to 8 feet above mean sea level due primarily to waves overtopping the beach berm (see graph below).  

Water-quality profiles were conducted in mid-December (after the wave overtopping event) at five lagoon sites. Overall, conditions were variable and “marginal” for steelhead rearing with water temperatures ranging from 45 - 60 degrees Fahrenheit, dissolved oxygen (DO) ranging from 1 - 15 mg/L, and salinity levels ranging from 12 - 32 parts per thousand (ppt).

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