ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORT
23.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR NOVEMBER 2021
Meeting Date:			December 13, 2021	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: This action does not constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378.

AQUATIC HABITAT AND FLOW CONDITIONS:  Dry, warm weather returned in November slowing the downstream advancement of the river front. Rearing conditions for juvenile steelhead remain fair.

November’s mean daily streamflow at the Sleepy Hollow Weir ranged from 5.9 to 8.5 cfs (monthly mean 6.8 cfs) resulting in 406 acre-feet (AF) of runoff, while the river at the Highway 1 gage remained dry. The Los Padres Reservoir water surface elevation continued to slowly rise, reaching approximately 1,024 feet (spill is at ~1,040’).

There were 0.22 inches of rainfall in November as recorded at the San Clemente gauge. The rainfall total for WY 2022 (which started on October 1, 2021) is 2.30 inches, or 81% of the long-term year-to-date average of 2.84 inches. 

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON:  During November, the lagoon mouth remained closed. The water surface elevation (WSE) dropped from 9 to 7.5 feet (North American Vertical Datum of 1988; NAVD 88) (See graph below).

Water quality depth-profiles were conducted at five sites on November 23, 2021, while the lagoon mouth was closed, water surface elevation was ~7.8 feet, and river inflow was 0.0 cfs. Steelhead rearing conditions were generally “good”. Salinity increased with depth, ranging from 6 - 22 ppt, dissolved oxygen (DO) levels ranged from 1 – 11 mg/l, while water temperatures were lower this month, ranging from 54 - 62 degrees F.

SLEEPY HOLLOW STEELHEAD REARING FACILITY:  The first rescued fish were brought to the facility on May 27, 2021. By the end of November, 6,212 fish had been stocked in the rearing channel, including 5,219 young-of-year (yoy) fish (small/medium size) and 993 age 1+ fish. The survival rate has remained high at 93%, indicating the new upgrades to the Facility, along with the modified stocking and handling protocols, are working.

Carmel River Lagoon Plot:

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