ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
22.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT
Meeting Date:			December 13, 2004	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			David A. Berger,	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Beverly Chaney/Dave Dettman	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Approval: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: N/A

AQUATIC HABITAT AND FLOW CONDITIONS: During November 2004, Carmel River streamflow conditions were poor to good for juvenile steelhead rearing. By the end of August, the river had dried up approximately to California American Water’s (Cal-Am’s) Begonia Well (River Mile [RM] 7.8). But by late November, the river had advanced to Cal-Am’s Cypress Well (RM 5.4) in response to cool weather, reduced riparian vegetation evapotranspiration, lower Cal-Am pumping in the mid-valley reach, and unusually heavy October rains and runoff. The November mean daily streamflow recorded at the District’s Carmel River Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station averaged 17.3 cubic feet per second (cfs) and ranged from 16 to 20 cfs.

In November 2004, 0.90 inches of rainfall were recorded by Cal-Am at San Clemente Dam (SCD), about 40% of the long term November average of 2.3 inches at this site.

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON: The Carmel River Lagoon mouth was closed throughout November with the water surface elevation ranging from 5.2 feet to 6.0 feet above sea level, as shown below.

Carmel River Lagoon Water Surface Elevation (feet NGVD) – November 2004

BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE BIOASSESSMENT PROGRAM: During November 2004, Staff completed fall sampling of aquatic benthic macroinvertebrates at five sites on the Carmel River, including above Los Padres Reservoir, Cachagua Community Center, in the vicinity of Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility (Facility), near Stonepine Resort (below Tularcitos Creek) and at the Red Rocks Project Area. In addition, a sample was taken from the rearing channel at the Facility. Since 2000, this information has been collected on a semi-annual basis to help evaluate the water quality and physical habitat conditions in the Carmel River and to establish a baseline that can be used to assess potential effects of future land and water use activities.

SLEEPY HOLLOW FISH REARING FACILITY: Staff began stocking fish at the Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility on May 11, 2004. Through October 31, 2004, a total of 16,137 fish have been stocked, including 15,481 young-of-the-year and 656 yearlings. Staff began releasing fish from the Facility on November 9, 2004. As of December 1, 2004, staff has released approximately 5,200 fish including 4,641 from the rearing channel and 587 fish from the rearing tanks. Based on release numbers and catches in the channel, it appears that the survival of fish in the channel is less than previously calculated based on daily retrievals of moribund or dead fish. The lower survival rates are most likely due to the disparity in growth of some individual fish, which have reached smolt size, approximately 6-10 inches. These larger fish may have reduced overall survival by preying on smaller juvenile steelhead in the channel.

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12/9/2004 9:27 AM