ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
32.	QUARTERLY IRRIGATION PROGRAM AND RIPARIAN PROJECTS REPORT
Meeting Date:			January 28, 2010	Budgeted	N/A
From:			Darby Fuerst,	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Thomas Christensen	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: N/A

IRRIGATION OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION: The supplemental watering of riparian restoration plantings resumed in April of 2009 at nine Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (District) riparian habitat restoration sites. The following irrigation systems were in use April through October: Trail and Saddle Club, Scarlett, Begonia, Schulte South, Schulte Bridge, Schulte, All Saints, Valley Hills, and Dow.

Water Use in Acre-Feet (AF)

(preliminary values subject to revision)

January - March 2009 0.00 AF

April - June 2009 1.76

July – September 2009 3.53

October – December 2009 0.37

Total in 2009 5.66 AF

MONITORING OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION: During May through October 2009, staff recorded weekly observations of canopy vigor on target willow and cottonwood trees to provide an indication of plant water stress and corresponding soil moisture levels. Four locations (Rancho Cañada, San Carlos, Valley Hills, and Schulte) are monitored every week for canopy ratings based on a scale from one to eleven. This scale evaluates characteristics such as yellowing leaves and percentages of defoliation (see scale on Exhibit 32-A). A total of 12 willows and 12 cottonwoods at these locations provide a data set of established and planted sample trees that are representative of trees in the Carmel River riparian corridor. Soil moisture measurements are conducted at all four sites using tensiometers. Soil moisture values are measured at four stations with 18-inch and 36-inch tensiometers in the soil column. Combined with monthly readings from the District’s array of monitoring wells and pumping records for large-capacity Carmel Valley wells in the CAW system, the District’s monitoring provides insight into the status of soil moisture through the riparian corridor.

Monitoring results for the 2009 monitoring season show that riparian vegetation experienced moisture stress in some areas. Signs of yellowing and defoliation were noted for willows and cottonwoods during this fall, but the overall riparian corridor still showed resilience given the soil moisture conditions. The graphs in Exhibits 32-A and 32-B show average canopy ratings for willows and cottonwoods in selected restoration sites in the lower Carmel Valley and impacts to water table elevations.

The types of monitoring measurements made during May through October 2009 are as follows:

Monitoring Measurement

Canopy Ratings (See Exhibit 32-A for trends.)

Soil moisture (tensiometers)

Groundwater levels (monitoring wells) (See Exhibit 32-B for trends.)

Groundwater pumping (production wells)

OTHER TASKS PERFORMED SINCE THE OCTOBER 2008 REPORT:

1. Carmel Valley Ranch Revegetation and Violation Remediation: District staff assisted Carmel Valley Ranch with revegetation efforts on a section of their property that was recently cleaned up after being cited for a dumping violation by Monterey County. Carmel Valley Ranch was required to clean up the site, which had long been a dumping ground from maintenance activities at Carmel Valley Ranch. The site, located along the north bank of the Carmel River just upstream of the Robinson Canyon Road Bridge, has recently been cleaned up and is now being revegetated with native riparian plants.

2. Woods/Marotta Access Ramp Revegetation: District staff revegetated an access ramp and areas associated with the Woods and Marotta bank stabilization project that occurred this summer.

EXHIBITS

32-A Average Willow and Cottonwood Canopy Rating

32-B Depth to Groundwater

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