ITEM:		CONSENT CALENDAR
6.	CONSIDER ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 2015-24 IN SUPPORT OF FILING AN APPLICATION TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE, STEELHEAD REPORT AND RESTORATION CARD PROGRAM
Meeting Date:			December 14, 2015	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			David Stoldt,	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Kevan Urquhart	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: The Administrative Committee reviewed this item on December 7, 2015 and recommended approval.
CEQA Compliance: N/A

SUMMARY: The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Steelhead Report and Restoration Card (SHRCC) program is soliciting proposals for projects that monitor anadromous steelhead in the coastal watersheds of California. The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD or District) was previously co-funded by the CDFW Fisheries Restoration Grants Program in 2012 to install and operate a dual frequency identification sonar (DIDSON) imaging system to count adult steelhead immigrating into the Carmel River watershed. Applications for grant funds to help support continued operation of the DIDSON were due to CDFW on or before November 13, 2015, and submitted on November 12, 2015. Authorization from the District Board is required to enter into a contract with CDFW (see Exhibit 6-A, Resolution 2015-24).

RECOMMENDATION: If this item is approved as part of the Consent Calendar, the Board will adopt Resolution 2015-24 in support of applying for grant funding from the CDFW SHRRC Program and will authorize the General Manager to enter into a contract with the CDFW to receive grant funds.

BACKGROUND: In late 2015, CDFW acquired additional funding to expand grants made from this dedicated fund account, and issued a second Proposal Solicitation Notice for 2015 on October 19, 2015, with a due date of November 13, 2015. The Fisheries Program Supervisor responded to this solicitation with a proposal to fund the cost of supplies and labor by Water Resources Assistants to review the incoming data sets and develop the annual counts of steelhead passing the monitoring station. For the second solicitation of 2015, MD-Monitoring Status and Trends was one of the focus areas to be funded. Statewide applications for funds are in the process of being judged on a competitive basis, with a final decision scheduled for January 2016.

Reinstallation, Operation and Maintenance of a Sonic Fish Counting Device in the Lower Carmel River. Steelhead migrating upstream were historically counted at the San Clemente Dam fish ladder at RM 18.6 and Los Padres Dam at RM 24.8. San Clemente Dam was removed this year, precluding any further data collection there by prior methods. Additionally, an unknown but potentially significant number of fish (estimated at more than 40% of the annual run) may spawn in the lower river below the San Clemente Dam ladder and were not historically counted as part of the annual run. A DIDSON device is installed annually at a location in the lower three to eight miles of the Carmel River to count immigrating adult steelhead in the Lower Carmel River. This DIDSON installation allows the District to enumerate the entire Carmel River steelhead run. Ongoing monitoring with this technology can: a) prove whether or not there is a significant amount of spawning occurring below Los Padres Dam, b) conclusively document increased utilization of and spawning in the Lower Carmel River that likely resulted from decades of the District’s riparian and stream restoration projects, and c) document progress towards Endangered Species Act Recovery goals.

IMPACT ON FISCAL AND STAFF RESOURCES: No cash funds are proposed to be used by MPWMD as a local match in grant applications. However, several District staff are involved on an ongoing basis in annual reinstallation, operation and maintenance of the DIDSON; as well as data review, report writing, and managing grant contracts if the District is successful in obtaining grants. The costs for their time will be documented and reported for credit as the local funding match. In addition, the District may be eligible for reimbursement of up to 15% of the requested amount of grant funding for administrative overhead.

EXHIBIT

6-A MPWMD Board Resolution 2015-24

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