ITEM:

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS

 

22.

CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR APRIL 2011

 

Meeting Date:
May 16, 2011

Budgeted: 

N/A

 

From:

Darby Fuerst,

Program/

N/A

 

General Manager

Line Item No.:

 

 

 

Prepared By:

Cory Hamilton

Cost Estimate:

N/A

 

General Counsel Review:  N/A

Committee Recommendation:  N/A

CEQA Compliance:  N/A

 

 

AQUATIC HABITAT AND FLOW CONDITIONS:  During April 2011, Carmel River streamflow conditions for fish migration were adequate for all life stages of steelhead.  The Carmel River Lagoon was open to the ocean the entire month allowing unimpeded upstream adult migration.

 

During April 2011, the mean daily streamflow recorded at the District’s Carmel River at Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station averaged 243 cubic-feet per second (cfs) and ranged from 122 to 588 cfs.  Unimpaired runoff at San Clemente Dam (SCD) for the month of April 2011 was 14,488 AF.  Unimpaired runoff at SCD for Water Year (WY) 2011, which starts on October 1, has totaled 86,831 AF or about 126% of the long-term annual average of 68,900 AF.  During April 2011, 0.37 inches of rainfall were recorded at California American Water’s (CAW) SCD.   The rainfall total for WY 2011 is 22.47 inches, which is 105% of the long-term annual average of 21.41 inches.

 

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON:  During April 2011, the lagoon’s water-surface elevation (WSE) ranged from approximately 1.33 to 6.59 feet above mean sea level (see graph below).  The lagoon mouth was open at the south end the entire month. During high tidal events, seawater was observed entering the lagoon.  At the end of March, the Monterey County Public Works Department (MCPW) built up a sand levee which isolated the north arm and part of the main body of the lagoon in order to reroute the river to a more southern outlet.  This was as an emergency effort to save the State Parks parking lot and the sand bluffs armoring Scenic Road. By mid-April, the sand levee was removed and the northern areas of the lagoon were partially reconnected with rest of the lagoon.  A shallow sand ledge remained, likely reducing the quantity of freshwater exchange between the two sections of the lagoon.  The lagoon water quality was sampled on April 29, 2011.  During the April sampling, all sites and depths were relatively fresh (low salinity), except for the main body site where the salinity reached 17 parts per thousand (ppt) at 1-meter depth due to the sea water pouring into it during high tidal events.  All sites had fair to very good dissolved oxygen (DO) levels near the surface, but sites in the south arm degraded to 1.1 (or less) mg/L near the bottom.  Water temperature varied little with depth at all sites, and ranged from 52 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit, which is considered optimal for steelhead.

ADULT STEELHEAD AT SAN CLEMENTE DAM:  The fish counter and video camera were installed and tested at the ladder on December 6, 2010.  The first fish recorded over the counter was on December 20.  Through the end of April, there have been a total of 451 fish recorded passing the counter, 10 in December, 42 in January, 103 in February, 234 in March, and 62 in April.

 

ADULT STEELHEAD AT LOS PADRES DAM:  The fish trap has been operational since December 2010.  The first fish recorded at the trap was on January 14, 2011.  Through the end of April there have been a total of 204 fish recorded at the trap, 9 in January, 19 in February, 102 in March, and 74 in April.