ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
26.	QUARTERLY CARMEL RIVER RIPARIAN CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REPORT
Meeting Date:			July 16, 2018	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			Dave Stoldt,	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Thomas Christensen and	Cost Estimate:	N/A
			Larry Hampson
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: This action does not constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378.

IRRIGATION OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION: The supplemental watering of riparian restoration plantings has resumed for the summer season in 2018 at five Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (District) riparian habitat restoration sites. The following irrigation systems were in use May through June: deDampierre, Trail and Saddle Club, Begonia, Schulte, and Schulte Bridge.

Water Use in Acre-Feet (AF)

(preliminary values subject to revision)

January - March 2018 0.82 AF

April - June 2018 3.43

Year-to-date 4.25 AF

MONITORING OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION: Starting in June 2018, staff recorded monthly observations of canopy vigor on target willow and cottonwood trees to provide an indication of plant water stress and corresponding soil moisture levels. Four locations (Rancho Cañada, San Carlos, Valley Hills, and Schulte) are monitored monthly for canopy ratings based on a scale from one to ten. This scale evaluates characteristics such as yellowing leaves and percentages of defoliation (see scale on Exhibit 26-A). A total of 12 willows and 12 cottonwoods at these locations provide a data set of established and planted sample trees that are representative of trees in the Carmel River riparian corridor. Combined with monthly readings from the District’s array of monitoring wells and pumping records for large-capacity Carmel Valley wells in the California American Water service area, the District’s monitoring provides insight into the status of soil moisture through the riparian corridor.

Current monitoring results for the 2018 monitoring season to date show that riparian vegetation is below threshold moisture stress levels. At present, the Carmel River is still flowing to the Lagoon and providing plenty of water for established plants along the riparian corridor. The graph in Exhibit 26-A shows average canopy ratings for willows and cottonwoods in selected restoration sites in lower Carmel Valley. The graph in Exhibit 26-B shows impacts to water table elevations.

The types of monitoring measurements made during June 2018 are as follows:

Monitoring Measurement

Canopy ratings (See Exhibit 26-A for trends.)

Groundwater levels (monitoring wells) (See Exhibit 26-B for trends.)

Groundwater pumping (production wells)

OTHER TASKS PERFORMED SINCE THE APRIL 2018 QUARTERLY REPORT:

1. Carmel River Vegetation Management Project Notification: On April 15, 2018, District staff notified the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and the Regional Water Quality Control Board of thirteen sites that are scheduled for vegetation management activities this fall. A total of approximately 1,800 square feet of stream encompassing approximately 0.04 acres in the channel bottom will be affected by this year’s project.  The goal of the vegetation management activities is to reduce the risk of streambank erosion along riverfront properties where vegetation encroachment could potentially divert river flows into streambanks during high flow periods.

2. Riparian Irrigation Tune-up:  District staff (Mark Bekker and Daniel Atkins) have been tuning up multiple irrigation systems along the Carmel River that are designed to water new mitigation plantings for Vegetation Management. Tune-ups include replacement of clogged emitters, leak repair, and trouble shooting well pumps and pressure tanks.

EXHIBITS

26-A Average Willow and Cottonwood Canopy Rating

26-B Depth to Groundwater

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