ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEM/STAFF REPORT
37.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR MAY 2023
Meeting Date:			June 20, 2023	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:  May was mostly dry and cool, keeping river flows far above the long-term median for the month. The upper tributaries continued to flow to their confluence with the river and Los Padres Dam was spilling at 56 cubic-feet-per-second (CFS) and 65 degrees F. Adult and smolt migration conditions remained good to excellent and rearing conditions were excellent throughout the watershed.

Due to a series of ‘atmospheric rivers” that battered the central California coast, the 2023 Carmel River winter steelhead migration season was classified as “Extremely Wet” and was one of the five wettest winters in recorded history. The river remained too high to safely walk for redd surveys until late May. Many steelhead redds were potentially lost in the large March storms (See USGS Near Carmel Gage graph of December 1, 2022 to June 1, 2023 below).

May’s mean daily streamflow at the Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station dropped from 207 to 70 cfs (monthly mean 115 cfs) resulting in 7,040 acre-feet (AF) of runoff, while flows at the Highway 1 gage dropped from 200 to 102 cfs (monthly mean 138 cfs), resulting in 8,480 acre-feet (AF).

There were 0.41 inches of rain in early May as recorded at the San Clemente gauge. The rainfall total for WY 2023 (which started October 1, 2022) is 35.02 inches, or 168% of the long-term year-to-date average of 20.88 inches.

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON:  The lagoon water surface elevation (WSE) ranged from approximately 6.1 to 10.3 feet in May as the north-flowing lagoon mouth closed several times (North American Vertical Datum of 1988; NAVD 88) (See graph below).

Water quality depth-profiles were conducted at five sites on May 22, 2023, while the lagoon mouth was open to the north, water surface elevation was 7.75 feet, and river inflow was 113 cfs. Steelhead passage conditions were good, and rearing conditions were good to fair. Salinity levels were generally low (<4 ppt down to 2-meters), water temperatures ranged from 60-69 degrees F, and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were variable, ranging from <1–9 mg/l.

REDD SURVEYS: Fisheries staff completed a one-pass survey from Rosie’s Bridge down to Highway 1, plus the Sleepy Hollow area. Only 19 steelhead redds (nests) were observed, likely due to early season spawning that later high river flows covered/erased. Conversely, increasingly higher numbers of Pacific Lamprey (a species of special concern) redds have been seen each year. This year staff observed a record 516 lamprey redds and approximately 15 adults.

SLEEPY HOLLOW STEEELHEAD REARING FACILTY: The rearing channel rehabilitation project was mostly completed in May. The work involved removal and replacement of 700 feet of an underground six-inch drain line, removal and disposal of the existing 800-foot long Hypalon liner, removal and reinstallation of a cobble layer in the riffle sections, installation of a concrete bottom with a new EPDM liner, and approximately 2,400 feet of air, fresh water, and saltwater lines. Flood damaged pumps in the RAS building were also reinstalled in May.

Staff will be conducting testing and maintenance of the rearing channel, pumps, and other Facility equipment in the coming months. Due to the wet winter and continued high river flows, we do not anticipate the need to operate the Facility in 2023.

USGS Near-Carmel Gage. December 1, 2022 to June 1, 2023:

Carmel River Lagoon Plot:

U:\staff\Boardpacket\2023\20230620\Informational Items\37\Item-37.docx