ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEM/STAFF REPORT
20.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR DECEMBER 2023
Meeting Date:			January 22, 2024	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:  After a series of moderate storms in mid-December, Los Padres Reservoir filled and spilled on December 22, 2023, with a peak flow of approximately 74 cubic-feet-per-second (cfs) on December 30th.

December’s daily streamflow at the Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station ranged from 12 to 92 cfs, while flows at the Highway 1 gage ranged from 11 to 85 cfs.

There were 3.29 inches of rainfall in December as recorded at the San Clemente gauge. The total rainfall for Water Year (WY) 2024 (which started October 1, 2023) is 5.49 inches, or 81% of the long-term year-to-date average of 6.79 inches.

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON:  To prevent local flooding, Monterey County crews conducted sandbar management work on November 29^th, cutting a pilot channel to the south, but high surf filled it in several days later. On December 12^th the channel was recut to the south using an excavator and hand crews. The river front reached the ocean that afternoon, keeping the lagoon’s WSE at approximately 10 feet (NGVD 1929) for a week (see graph below). The lagoon finally “popped” open on December 19, draining three feet of head before starting to refill from both the river flow and high waves. Extremely high surf the final days of the month (>30’ waves) brought the lagoon WSE up to 12’ causing local flooding to the parking lot and surrounding area (see photos below). Late on December 28^th, the lagoon mouth opened again.

Water quality depth-profiles were conducted at five sites on December 15, 2023, while the lagoon mouth was slightly open to the south, water surface elevation was 10.3 feet, and river inflow was 12.5 cfs. Steelhead rearing conditions were fair. Salinity levels were low down to 3.5m depth (<10 ppt), water temperature ranged from 49-59 degrees Fahrenheit, and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were variable, ranging from 0 (below 2m depth) to 8 mg/l.

Carmel River Lagoon during high surf event, December 28, 2023. BC photos.

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