ITEM:

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS

 

27.

QUARTERLY CARMEL RIVER RIPARIAN CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REPORT

 

Meeting Date:

January 23, 2020

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 was carried out for the dry season in 2019 at six Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (District) riparian habitat restoration sites.  The following irrigation systems were in use April through November: Sleepy Hollow, deDampierre, Trail and Saddle Club, Begonia, Schulte, and Rancho San Carlos.

 

            Water Use in Acre-Feet (AF)

            (preliminary values subject to revision)

           

            January - March 2019             0.00 AF

            April - June 2019                    0.65

            July – September 2019           1.61

            October – December 2019      1.71 AF

           

            Year-to-date                            3.97 AF

 

MONITORING OF RIPARIAN VEGETATION:   Starting in June 2019, 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 27-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.

 

Monitoring results for the 2019 season show that riparian vegetation was below threshold moisture stress levels because of adequate soil moisture. The graph in Exhibit 27-A shows average canopy ratings for willows and cottonwoods in selected restoration sites in lower Carmel Valley.  The graph in Exhibit 27-B shows impacts to water table elevations.

 

The types of monitoring measurements made during June - October 2019 are as follows:

 

            Monitoring Measurement                                       

 

            Canopy ratings                                                (See Exhibit 27-A for trends.)          

            Groundwater levels (monitoring wells)          (See Exhibit 27-B for trends.)          

            Groundwater pumping (production wells)

 

OTHER TASKS PERFORMED SINCE THE OCTOBER 2019 QUARTERLY REPORT:

 

1.      On December 13, 2019, District staff presented information on Carmel River Lagoon dynamics, steelhead habitat, and the District’s mitigation program to approximately 60 students from the International School of Monterey.

 

2.      District staff have been testing various operational modes of the Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility as well as coordinating the completion of final tasks associated with the Sleepy Hollow Intake Upgrade.

 

EXHIBITS

27-A    Average Willow and Cottonwood Canopy Rating

27-B    Depth to Groundwater

                       

 

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