REGULAR MEETING OF THE CARMEL RIVER ADVISORY COMMITTEE

December 5, 2002, 10:00 A.M. Mid-Carmel Valley Fire Station

1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL

MEMBERS PRESENT: Susan Rogers, Rod Mills, Chuck McKay, John Dalessio, Richard Rosenthal, Tom House, David Dilworth

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

PUBLIC PRESENT: Charles Kemp (Cal-Am)

Jonathan Berkey (Carmel River Watershed Council Coordinator) STAFF PRESENT: Thomas Christensen, Larry Hampson

2. PUBLIC COMMENT – David Dilworth passed out an article from a United Nations committee which recognizes water as a social good.

3. CONSENT CALENDAR – McKay made a motion, seconded by House, to approve the minutes of the September 5, 2002 and October 17, 2002 meetings. Approval was unanimous. [Note: Dilworth abstained from voting, as he was not present for the meetings.]

4. UPDATE FROM CHARLES KEMP, CAL-AM OPERATIONS MANAGER, ON THE SAN CLEMENTE DAM REMEDIATION PROJECT

Mr. Kemp handed out a short article he wrote titled “The San Clemente Dam and Watershed Issues” and brought the Committee up to date on progress toward a retrofit project. Decision makers on which alternative will move forward include California Division of Safety of Dams, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, California Department of Fish and Game, and Cal-Am. Mr. Kemp reported that Cal-Am has developed an emergency response plan in cooperation with the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services and the Camel Valley Fire Department. Cal-Am also plans to improve the warning system for a dam break by installing a 24-hour video camera on the dam that is linked to the Cal-Am operations center in Monterey.

5. REPORT BY JONATHAN BERKEY, CARMEL RIVER WATERSHED COUNCIL

Mr. Berkey reported on Carmel River Watershed Council outreach efforts, including future workshops on ecological farming (January 2003), sustainable ranching (March 2003), and sustainable agriculture (June 2003).

6. STAFF REPORTS – Staff updated the Committee on the irrigation program, riparian vegetation planting, and made a slide presentation of the installation of instream habitat structures at the deDampierre Project.

7. ITEMS TO BE PLACED ON FUTURE AGENDAS – Dilworth suggested that the Committee (a) discuss establishing an electronic forum for Carmel River management issues, (b) consider recommending that the MPWMD Board of Directors have regular presentations on the Carmel River ecosystem at Board meetings, and (c) receive an update on the Habitat Conservation Plan for the Carmel River watershed.

A field trip to the San Clemente Dam was tentatively set for February 2003. [Note: Due to security concerns, the field trip was subsequently postponed indefinitely by Cal-Am.] The next regular meeting was scheduled for mid-March 2003.