ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEM/STAFF REPORT
13.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 2022
Meeting Date:			October 17, 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:  September remained mostly dry with the river front in the Robinson Canyon Bridge reach in Mid-Valley. Releases from Los Padres Reservoir were reduced to 4.0 cfs and the reservoir’s water surface elevation (WSE) dropped to 1,018 feet (full is ~1,040’). Steelhead rearing conditions downstream of Rosie’s Bridge in the Village were generally “poor”.

September’s mean daily streamflow at the Sleepy Hollow Weir ranged from 2.5 to 8.3 cfs (monthly mean 3.85 cfs) resulting in 221 acre-feet (AF) of runoff, while the Highway 1 gage was dry.

There was 0.40 inches of rain in September as recorded at the San Clemente gauge. The rainfall total for WY 2022 (which ended September 30, 2022) was 13.22 inches, or 63% of the long-term year-to-date average of 21.05 inches.

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON: During September, the lagoon water surface elevation (WSE) dropped to ~ 3.3 feet before rebounding slightly at the end of the month to 3.5 feet (North American Vertical Datum of 1988; NAVD 88) (See graph below).

Water quality depth-profiles were conducted at five sites on September 27, 2022, while the lagoon mouth was closed, water surface elevation was 3.45 feet, and river inflow was zero. Steelhead rearing conditions were generally “poor” as the lagoon was very shallow with large amounts of aquatic vegetation, and low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels throughout.

CARMEL RIVER STEELHEAD RESCUES:  Mainstem rescues began on June 1, 2022. In September, Staff completed two days of fish rescues in isolated pools. For 2022 dry season: 14,212 steelhead were rescued including: 13,334 young-of-the-year (YOY), 777 age 1+ fish, two kelts, with 99 mortalities (0.7%). Most of the fish were transported to the Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility.

SLEEPY HOLLOW STEELHEAD REARING FACILITY: The first rescued fish were brought to the facility June 1, 2022.  Due to the very small size of many of the fish, the fry/YOY were quarantined and held in the rectangular “rearing troughs” until they were large and healthy enough to be transferred to the rearing channel.

Through the end of September, a total of 10,645 fish have been stocked in the rearing channel including: 9,928 (small/medium size YOY) and 717 age 1+ fish. There have been 1,019 mortalities (10%).

Carmel River Lagoon Plot:

U:\staff\Boardpacket\2022\20221017\Informational Items\13\Item-13.docx