ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
27.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR MAY 2016
Meeting Date:			June 20, 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:  Dry weather in May reduced river flows substantially, but flow conditions in the lower Carmel River remained good to fair for migration and rearing for all but adult steelhead life stages.  

Mean daily streamflow at the Sleepy Hollow Weir dropped from 47 to 20 cubic feet-per-second (cfs) (monthly mean 33.4 cfs) resulting in 2,050 acre-feet (AF) of runoff, while flows at the Highway 1 gage dropped from 40 to 13 cubic feet-per-second (cfs) (monthly mean 25.1 cfs), resulting in 1,540 acre-feet (AF) of runoff.

Two small storms in early May brought 0.21 inches of rainfall as recorded at Cal-Am’s San Clemente gauge (49% of the long-term April average). The rainfall total to date for WY 2016 (which started on October 1, 2015) is 22.25 inches, or 107% of the long-term year-to-date average of 20.80 inches.

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON:   May water surface elevations (WSE) ranged from approximately 4.5 to 11.3 feet above mean-sea-level as the lagoon filled and re-opened May 10 before forming a low-flow out-channel for the remainder of the month (see graph below).

Water-quality profiles were conducted in mid-May at five lagoon sites. Overall, water conditions were only “fair” for steelhead rearing with water temperatures between 62 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, dissolved oxygen (DO) ranging from 2 - 12 mg/L, and low salinity levels (down to 2.0 meters depth) ranging from 1 to 30 parts per thousand (ppt). 

ADULT STEELHEAD COUNTS:  The DIDSON camera was installed in the lower valley on January 12, 2016. The data are currently being reviewed and preliminary results will be reported once available. The DIDSON was removed for the year on May 24, 2016.

No adult steelhead have been observed at the Los Padres Dam fish ladder through May.

STEELHEAD REDD SURVEYS: Staff completed two full-length Carmel River (Highway 1 to Los Padres Dam [LPD], 23 miles) redd (nest) surveys in February and May 2016. The comprehensive surveys looked at the number and location of redds, the presence of any steelhead (adults, smolts, juvenile, fry, carcasses), river conditions such as spawning gravel location and movement, and passage barriers, as well as keeping an eye open for any possible illegal activities like poaching. Additionally, a large number of Pacific Lamprey (a species of special concern) redds and adults were observed this year so detailed notes were taken on those.

Overall, 42 steelhead redds were observed between Quail Golf Course (River Mile [RM] 5.25) and a half-mile downstream of LPD (~RM 24.3). Five adult steelhead, as well as a number of smolts and fry were also observed.

Interestingly, of the 74 lamprey redds counted, 10 were observed above the San Clemente Dam removal site – the first known occurrence of this species there since the dam was built in 1921.

STEELHEAD RESCUES: Staff is preparing to start summer steelhead rescues in the main-stem, once flows drop below 10 cfs at the HW1 Bridge, likely in mid-June. Rescue activities started in the lower reaches of several tributaries in late May.

SLEEPY HOLLOW STEELHEAD REARING FACILITY: Staff expects to rear rescued steelhead at the Facility this summer and was preparing and testing all the operating systems in May.

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