ITEM:

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS

 

25.

QUARTERLY CARMEL RIVER RIPARIAN CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REPORT

 

Meeting Date:

January 27, 2016

Budgeted:

N/A

 

From:

Dave Stoldt,

Program/

N/A

 

General Manager

Line Item No.:

 

 

Prepared By:

Thomas Christensen and

Cost Estimate:

N/A

 

Larry Hampson

 

 

                            

General Counsel Review:  N/A

Committee Recommendation:  N/A

CEQA Compliance:  N/A

 

IRRIGATION OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION: The supplemental watering of riparian restoration plantings continued through the summer and early fall season in 2015 at nine Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (District) riparian habitat restoration sites.  The following irrigation systems were in use April through October: deDampierre, Trail and Saddle Club, Begonia, Schulte, Schulte Bridge, Cal-Am’s Schulte Well, Valley Hills, San Carlos, and the Dow property.

 

            Water Use in Acre-Feet (AF)

            (preliminary values subject to revision)

           

            January - March 2015             0.21 AF

            April - June 2015                   1.31

            July – September 2015            4.42

            October – December 2015      1.09

           

            Year-to-date                            7.03 AF

 

MONITORING OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION:   During May through October 2015, staff recorded bi-monthly observations of canopy vigor on target willow and cottonwood trees to provide an indication of plant water stress and corresponding soil moisture levels.  Four locations (Rancho Cañada, San Carlos, Valley Hills, and Schulte) are monitored bi-monthly for canopy ratings based on a scale from one to ten. This scale evaluates characteristics such as yellowing leaves and percentages of defoliation (see scale on Exhibit 25-A).  A total of 12 willows and 12 cottonwoods at these locations provide a data set of established and planted sample trees that are representative of trees in the Carmel River riparian corridor. Combined with monthly readings from the District’s array of monitoring wells and pumping records for large-capacity Carmel Valley wells in the California American Water service area, the District’s monitoring provides insight into the status of soil moisture through the riparian corridor.

 

Monitoring results for the 2015 season show that riparian vegetation experienced increased stress levels associated with groundwater pumping and the drought. Stress is exhibited in areas showing yellowing leaves and defoliation. It is anticipated that many trees will sprout back next spring with some dieback on their outer most branches.  However, it should be noted that the District is irrigating in the vicinity of Cal-Am’s major municipal production wells to help offset the impacts to riparian vegetation in the critical drawdown areas. The graph in Exhibit 25-A shows average canopy ratings for willows and cottonwoods in selected restoration sites in the lower Carmel Valley.  The graph in Exhibit 25-B shows impacts to water table elevations.

 

The types of monitoring measurements made during May through October 2015 are as follows:

            Monitoring Measurement                                        

            Canopy ratings                                                (See Exhibit 25-A for trends.)          

            Groundwater levels (monitoring wells)          (See Exhibit 25-B for trends.)           

            Groundwater pumping (production wells)

 

OTHER TASKS PERFORMED SINCE THE OCTOBER 2015 QUARTERLY REPORT:

 

1          Public Outreach: District staff presented information on the District’s Vegetation Management Program at two public meetings this fall in preparation for the 2015 to 2016 El Niño season. The District presented before and after pictures of recent vegetation management work and explained the regulatory process for work in the Carmel River.  District staff also attended a public meeting held by Monterey County concerning winter preparations along the Carmel River.  More than 150 people attended and staff answered many questions about the District’s vegetation management along the river.

 

2.                  Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility Upgrade: Staff reviewed a Basis of Design report with TetraTech, Inc., the consultant for the project, the Coastal Conservancy, and the National Marine Fisheries Service.  The preliminary estimate for construction is approximately $1.7 million, which is about $0.4 million more than the Coastal Conservancy budgeted for the project.  This additional cost is equal to the cost of adding a recirculating aquaculture system that would allow the facility to operate at a larger range of flows than it currently does.  The consultant has agreed to present an estimate with optional elements in order to prioritize elements of the reconstruction.  The design portion of the project is nearly on schedule and at budget, currently.

 

3.                  Proposition 1 Grant Programs:  Staff worked with the City of Monterey and the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency on a proposal to submit a planning grant application to the State Water Resources Control Board for a $250,000 grant to develop a Stormwater Resource Plan for the Monterey Peninsula.  The focus of the plan is to identify opportunities to recycle stormwater for water supply.

 

Staff also worked with the other five Central Coast Integrated Regional Water Management groups to develop a funding area agreement to share IRWM implementation grant funds.  If successful, the Monterey Peninsula could be eligible for up to about $4 million Prop. 1 in implementation grant funds from the Department of Water Resources.

 

4.                  Los Padres Dam and Reservoir Long-Term Plan: Staff circulated a draft scope of work to Cal-Am and regulatory agents for a study of the feasibility of installing volitional steelhead upstream passage at Los Padres Dam.  The effort will be co-funded and co-managed with Cal-Am.  A final scope of work may be ready in the first quarter of the year to solicit proposals from consultants.

 

5.                  Carmel River Thalweg Profile: Staff contracted with Whitson Engineers, Inc. to gather additional elevation data along the Carmel River channel bottom upstream of Schulte Bridge.  The data will be compared with previous similar profiles to monitor long-term changes to the channel profile.

 

6.                  North Monterey County Drought Contingency Plan and Carmel River Basin Study: Staff worked with consultants and representatives of the Bureau of Reclamation (the federal agency that is contributing grant funds) to integrate the detailed work plans for the two projects, which are estimated to cost more than $2 million with Reclamation contributing $1.2 million in grant funds.  The projects will take up to three years to complete.

 

EXHIBITS

25-A    Average Willow and Cottonwood Canopy Rating

25-B    Depth to Groundwater

 

 

 

U:\staff\Boardpacket\2016\20160127\InfoItems\25\Item-25.docx