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ITEM: |
INFORMATIONAL ITEM/STAFF REPORT |
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21. |
CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR NOVEMBER 2024 |
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Meeting Date: |
December 16, 2024 |
Budgeted: |
N/A |
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From: |
David J. Stoldt, |
Program/ |
N/A |
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General Manager |
Line Item
No.: |
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Prepared By: |
Cory Hamilton |
Cost Estimate: |
N/A |
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General Counsel Review: N/A |
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Committee Recommendation: N/A |
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CEQA Compliance: This action does not
constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act
Guidelines Section 15378. |
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AQUATIC HABITAT AND FLOW CONDITIONS: The first rains came this month, resulting in an
increase in streamflow from the mainstem as well as the tributaries. This has now stabilized base flows in the
river. Los Padres Reservoir hit a low
water surface elevation this month of 1012.34 feet and came up to 1022.20 feet
by the end of the month. Flow release out of the reservoir was 8 cfs, while the incoming flow into the reservoir was 12.2 cfs.
November’s streamflow at the Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station ranged from 8.5 to 20 cfs (mean 10.9 cfs), while
flows at the Highway 1 gage ranged from 1.9 to 17 cfs
(mean 6.8 cfs).
There was 2.9 inches of rainfall in November as recorded at
the San Clemente gauge. The total rainfall for Water Year (WY) 2025 (which
started October 1, 2024) is 2.9 inches.
FISH RESCUE: Staff
initiated an emergency fish rescue on November 4th as the reach below
the Los Padres Dam went dry when Cal Am’s diesel pumps
suction pipe failed on November 3rd, which resulted in no flow being
supplemented to a section of river. The pump was fixed and flow
returned that day in the afternoon. Staff rescued 29 fish during this period
and released them downstream to a wetted section of
river. Staff also documented a fish kill of 73 steelhead during that event and
notified Cal Am, NOAA, and CDFG. As of
the end of November, a total of 5,633 fish have been rescued this season from
drying reaches of the mainstem Carmel River and its tributaries.
CARMEL
RIVER LAGOON:
In November, the lagoon’s
Water Surface Elevation (WSE) ranged from approximately 9.5-11.75 feet (NGVD 1988)
(see graph below). Water quality depth-profiles were conducted at five sites on
November 19, 2024, while the lagoon mouth was closed, water surface elevation
was 10.6 feet at the time of sampling, and river inflow was approximately 4.3 cfs. There is a salinity stratification layer at about 1.0 meter depth, below this depth salinity increases sharply.
High salinity observations reduce the
amount of suitable habitat for juvenile fish. Salinity levels ranged from 1.4-17.5
parts per thousand (ppt), water temperatures ranged from 48-58 degrees
Fahrenheit, and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels ranged from less than one at the
bottom to a maximum of 11.5 mg/l.
U:\staff\Boardpacket\2024\12162024\Informational
Items\21\Item-21.docx