ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
25.	QUARTERLY CARMEL RIVER RIPARIAN CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REPORT
Meeting Date:			April 20, 2020	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: This action does not constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines section 15378.

IRRIGATION OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION: Supplemental watering of riparian mitigation plantings took place in late February and early March, but has been on hold since the rains resumed.

Water Use in Acre-Feet (AF)
January - March 2020	0.20 AF
Year-to-date	0.20 AF

MONITORING OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION: During the winter season, the District suspended the riparian vegetation monitoring program. The monitoring of soil moisture, groundwater levels, and canopy defoliation (a measure of vegetation moisture stress) will resume in June 2020. During the months of June through October, staff will take monthly measurements of depth to groundwater and canopy vigor in areas where willow and cottonwood trees may be impacted by lowered water levels caused by groundwater extraction. The areas monitored are in the vicinity of California American Water’s (Cal-Am) Cañada and San Carlos wells, and the District’s Valley Hills (next to Cal-Am’s Cypress Well) and Schulte (next to Cal-Am’s Schulte Well) Restoration Projects. The District’s monitoring provides insight into the status of soil moisture through the riparian corridor by collecting and analyzing monthly readings from the District’s array of monitoring wells and pumping records for large-capacity Carmel Valley wells in the Cal-Am system.

OTHER TASKS PERFORMED SINCE THE JANUARY 2020 QUARTERLY REPORT:

1. Carmel River Basin Hydrologic Model: District staff continue to work on the Carmel River Basin Hydrologic Model. Multiple presentations have been given to National Marine Fisheries Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife to help them understand model performance and how it could be used for specific water supply scenarios. Work is currently underway to run various model scenarios with regards to Los Padres Reservoir alternatives.

2. Sleepy Hollow Intake Retrofit: District staff have been testing various pumps and equipment at the Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility. All of this work is being done to get the facility ready for the fish rescue season that is expected to start in June. In addition, netting has been set up over the rearing channel to help prevent predation of young of the rear steelhead that will be placed there this summer.

3. Steelhead Permit Reporting Requirements: The District has been uploading steelhead rescue data from last years steelhead rescue season to state and federal databases. This reporting is required to keep the District’s Scientific Collecting Permits valid as well as help regulators understand the current state of steelhead on the Carmel River.

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