|
ITEM: |
INFORMATIONAL
ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS |
||||
|
|
|||||
|
27. |
QUARTERLY CARMEL RIVER
RIPARIAN CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REPORT |
||||
|
|
|||||
|
Meeting
Date: |
July 15, 2019 |
Budgeted: |
N/A |
||
|
|
|||||
|
From: |
Dave Stoldt, |
Program/ |
N/A |
||
|
|
General Manager |
Line Item No.: |
|
||
|
|
|||||
|
Prepared
By: |
Thomas Christensen |
Cost Estimate: |
N/A |
||
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|||||
General Counsel Review: N/A |
|||||
Committee Recommendation: N/A |
|||||
|
CEQA Compliance:
This action does not constitute a
project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines
Section 15378. |
|||||
IRRIGATION
OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION: The
supplemental watering of riparian restoration plantings has resumed for the
summer season at six Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (District)
riparian habitat restoration sites. The
following irrigation systems were in use April through June: Sleepy Hollow, deDampierre, Trail and Saddle Club, Begonia, Schulte, and San
Carlos.
Water Use in Acre-Feet (AF)
(preliminary
values subject to revision)
April - June 2019 0.65
MONITORING
OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION: Starting in June 2019, staff recorded 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 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 27-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.
Current
monitoring results for the 2019 monitoring season to date show that riparian
vegetation is below threshold moisture stress levels. At present, the Carmel River is still flowing
to the Lagoon and providing plenty of water for established plants along the
riparian corridor. The graph in Exhibit 27-A shows average canopy ratings for
willows and cottonwoods in selected restoration sites in lower Carmel
Valley. The graph in Exhibit 27-B shows
impacts to water table elevations.
The
types of monitoring measurements made during June 2019 are as follows:
Monitoring Measurement
Canopy
ratings (See
Exhibit 27-A for trends.)
Groundwater
levels (monitoring wells) (See Exhibit
27-B for
trends.)
Groundwater pumping (production
wells)
OTHER
TASKS PERFORMED SINCE THE APRIL 2019 QUARTERLY REPORT:
1.
Carmel
River Vegetation Management Project Notification: On May 20, 2019, District staff notified the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and the Regional Water
Quality Control Board of six
sites that are scheduled for vegetation management activities this fall. The
goal of the vegetation management activities is to reduce the risk of
streambank erosion along riverfront properties where vegetation encroachment
could potentially divert river flows into streambanks during high
flow periods.
2.
Riparian
Irrigation Tune-up: District
staff (Daniel Atkins and Eric Lumas) have been tuning up multiple irrigation
systems along the Carmel River that are designed to water new mitigation
plantings for Vegetation Management. Tune-ups include replacement of clogged
emitters, leak repair, and trouble shooting well pumps and pressure tanks.
EXHIBITS
27-A Average
Willow and Cottonwood Canopy Rating
27-B Depth to
Groundwater
U:\staff\Boardpacket\2019\20190715\InfoItems\27\Item-27.docx