ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEM/STAFF REPORT
26.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR MARCH 2022
Meeting Date:			April 18, 2022	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 conditions continued in March as the watershed received below normal precipitation for the third month. Carmel River steelhead migration conditions were “poor” in the mainstem and tributaries, while rearing conditions are “fair”.

March’s mean daily streamflow at the Sleepy Hollow Weir ranged from 39 to 17 cfs (monthly mean 23.5 cfs) resulting in 1,440 acre-feet (AF) of runoff, while the streamflow at the Highway 1 gage ranged from 40 to 16 cfs (monthly mean 22.1 cfs) resulting in 1,360 acre-feet (AF) of runoff.  

There were 1.69 inches of rainfall in March as recorded at the San Clemente gauge. The rainfall total for WY 2022 (which started on October 1, 2021) is 11.65 inches, or 62% of the long-term year-to-date average of 18.69 inches.

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON:  During March, the lagoon water surface elevation (WSE) ranged from ~ 3.9 to 13.0 feet as the river mouth opened and closed (North American Vertical Datum of 1988; NAVD 88) (See graph below).

Water quality depth-profiles were conducted at five sites on March 21, 2022, while the lagoon mouth was closed, water surface elevation was 8.80 feet, and river inflow was 22 cfs. Steelhead rearing conditions were generally “good”. Salinity increased with depth, ranging from 1 - 30 ppt, dissolved oxygen (DO) levels ranged from 6 - 10 mg/l, while water temperatures were warmer this month, ranging from 56 - 65 degrees F.

LOS PADRES DAM ADULT STEELHEAD COUNT:  Los Padres Reservoir filled and spilled on December 14, 2021, reaching a peak daily mean outflow of 629 on December 23, 2021.  The fish ladder and trap began operating on December 22, 2021. To date, there have been 33 adult steelhead counted (January - 1, February - 8, March - 24), including nine recaptured (previously tagged) fish.

RESISTANCE BOARD WEIR:  As part of the District’s steelhead life-cycle monitoring program, a fish weir was installed in the lower river to temporarily trap upstream migrating adult steelhead for tagging and measurement. The weir was installed January 6, 2022, and the first fish were captured on January 7th.

Through March, 71 adult, sea-run steelhead have been captured, including 56 PIT tagged fish and three recaptured fish. Lengths ranged from 450 mm to 750 mm (avg. 654 mm, 26 inches) (18.4 – 30.7 inches).

Carmel River Lagoon Plot:

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