ITEM:

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS

 

28.

QUARTERLY IRRIGATION PROGRAM AND RIPARIAN PROJECTS REPORT

 

Meeting Date:

April 18, 2011

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 has been on hold during this quarterly period (January through March 2011) at the eleven Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (District) riparian habitat restoration sites because of sufficient soil moisture.

 

            Water Use in Acre-Feet (AF)

January - March 2011             0.00 AF

            Year-to-date                            0.00 AF

 

MONITORING OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION: During the winter season, the District suspended the riparian vegetation monitoring program.  The monitoring of soil moisture, groundwater levels, and canopy defoliation (a measure of vegetation moisture stress) will resume in May 2011.  During the months of May through October, staff will take weekly measurements of depth to groundwater and canopy vigor in areas where willow and cottonwood trees may be impacted by lowered water levels caused by groundwater extraction.  The areas monitored are in the vicinity of California American Water’s (CAW) Cañada and San Carlos wells and the District’s Valley Hills (next to CAW’s Cypress Well) and Schulte (next to CAW’s Schulte Well) Restoration Projects.  The District’s monitoring provides insight into the status of soil moisture through the riparian corridor by collecting and analyzing weekly readings from the District’s array of monitoring wells and pumping records for large-capacity Carmel Valley wells in the CAW system.

 

OTHER TASKS PERFORMED SINCE THE JANUARY 2011 QUARTERLY REPORT:

 

1.         Carmel River Clean Up: District staff removed plastic bags and trash from long reaches of the Carmel River starting at Esquiline Bridge and extending downstream to the Highway One Bridge.

2.         French Broom (Genista) Eradication in District Restoration Projects:  District staff (Mark Bekker and Matt Lyons) have been removing an invasive weed (French broom, or genista) from the riparian corridor along the Carmel River from the mid-valley area to Rancho San Carlos Road Bridge.  French broom competes with native plants and can become problematic if left unchecked.

 

3.         Public Outreach and Education: On February 22 and 24, 2011, District staff presented information on the Monterey Peninsula Water Resource System, Mitigation Program, and Carmel River Lagoon Dynamics to seniors of Environmental Science classes from Robert Louis Stevenson School. Highlights included teaching over 35 students about the importance of habitat restoration and water quality.

 

EXHIBITS

None

                       

 

 

 

 

 

             

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