ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
12.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR JULY 2014
Meeting Date:			August 18, 2014	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			David J. Stoldt,	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Beverly Chaney	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: N/A

AQUATIC HABITAT AND FLOW CONDITIONS:  During July 2014, Carmel River streamflow at the MPWMD Highway 1 gage (HW 1) was 0 cubic-feet per second (cfs).   As of July 31, the wetted front remained near Robinson Canyon Road Bridge (River Mile, [RM], 8.46) with occasional isolated deep pools in some reaches down to the Quail Lodge area (RM 4.3). An additional mile of stream was dry or intermittent between DeDampierre Park and the Carmel Valley Trail and Saddle Club (~RM 13.6).

Mean daily streamflow in July at the District’s Carmel River at Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station ranged from 1.9 to 6.8 cfs, with a mean monthly flow of 3.95 cfs.  During July, 0.0 inches of rainfall were recorded at California American Water’s (CAW) San Clemente Dam (SCD).  The rainfall total for WY 2014 (which started on October 1, 2013) is 10.42 inches, or 49% of the long-term annual average (to date) of 21.11 inches.

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON:  In July 2014, the lagoon’s water-surface elevation (WSE) remained relatively steady between 2.8 - 3.4 feet above mean sea level (see graph below).  Surface inflow to the lagoon ceased on May 24, 2013. Since that time, there has been no river inflow to the lagoon and the mouth has remained closed.

Water quality profiles were conducted in late July at five sites. Water temperatures were quite warm, ranging from 72 - 78 degrees F, dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were high at 9 - 22 mg/l, while salinity levels remained low at 1.5 - 2.8 ppt.

Striped bass continue to be an issue in the lagoon. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is conducting depletion fishing efforts.

LOWER RIVER STEELHEAD RESCUES:  Staff began steelhead smolt and juvenile rescues on March 3, 2014, the earliest rescue start since 1991. By the end of July, a total of 2,982 fish had been rescued, including: 873 smolts, 1,962 non-smolted juveniles, 142 young-of-year (YOY), and five adults. The YOY fish are progeny from non-sea run spawning adults – possibly the large fish released from the Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility last fall. The smolts and adults were acclimated to seawater then released into the ocean at Stewart’s Cove, near the Carmel River mouth. The juveniles and YOY were transported farther upstream and released.

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