ITEM:

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS

 

16.

CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR  SEPTEMBER 2011

 

Meeting Date:
October 17, 2011

Budgeted: 

N/A

 

From:

David J. Stoldt,

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 September 2011, Carmel River streamflow conditions for fish migration were adequate for all life stages of steelhead, with the exception of adults, due to insufficient flows for migration the entire month. Flow to the lagoon was continuous the entire month, which is atypical for this time of year.

 

During September 2011, the mean daily streamflow recorded at the District’s Carmel River at Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station averaged 15.5 cubic-feet per second (cfs) and ranged from 14 to 17 cfs.  Unimpaired runoff at San Clemente Dam (SCD) for the month of September 2011 was 632 AF.  Unimpaired runoff at SCD for Water Year (WY) 2011, which starts on October 1st, has totaled 101,769 AF or about 147% of the long-term annual average of 69,199 AF.  During September 2011, 0.00 inches of rainfall were recorded at California American Water’s (CAW) SCD.   The rainfall total for WY 2011 is 24.73 inches, which is 115% of the long-term annual average of 21.45 inches.

 

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON:  During September 2011, the lagoon’s water-surface elevation (WSE) ranged from approximately 5.46 to 7.56 feet above mean sea level (see graph below). Water quality was sampled on September 29, 2011. The lagoon remained closed and river inflow was continuous the entire month.  During the late September sampling, all sites were quite deep as the lagoon sandbar was still closed.  All sites showed increased salinity levels compared to August due to the recent large swells spilling into the lagoon.  Salinity levels across all sites increased with depth reaching maximum concentrations of 19 parts per thousand (ppt) at the main lagoon site and 26.5 ppt at the south arm site, near the Carmel Area Wastewater District (CAWD) pipe.  Dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were variable – dropping to 1.56 mg/l and 0.37 mg/L in the north arm and at the CAWD pipe, respectively.  The Odello Channel had the highest DO levels increasing with depth to a maximum of 12.56 mg/L and 14.95 mg/L, respectively.  Water temperatures across all sites decreased with depth below 0.75 meters, ranging from 68°F at the surface to 61°F at the bottom. Although typical for this time of the year, the water temperature at all sites was suboptimal for fish survival.

 

FISH RESCUES:  On August 5, 2011, staff began fish rescues, starting at Highway 1 Bridge and working up to Via Mallorca Bridge (RM 3.24) by the end of August.  Through September, a total of 1,751 fish were rescued, 1,670 young-of-year, 81 yearlings and 0 mortalities.  Staff transported 1,734 fish to the Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility and 17 fish were released in the mainstem Carmel River at Garland Park.

 

SLEEPY HOLLOW STEELHEAD REARING FACILITY:  All fish brought into the facility go through a quarantine process, after which they are recounted and stocked into the rearing channel.  During this process there are some numerical differences between what is brought in for quarantine from the field and what is stocked into the channel.  These differences represent fish that are consumed by other fish during transport and while in the quarantine tank or numerical counting errors in the field during rescue.  As of September 30, 2011, staff has stocked a total of 1,685 fish into the rearing channel; 1,610 young-of-year and 75 yearlings. There have been 169 mortalities through September.  The survival rate in the rearing channel through the end of September was 90%. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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