ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEM/STAFF REPORT
10.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR OCTOBER 2020
Meeting Date:			November 16, 2020	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: This action does not constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378.

AQUATIC HABITAT AND FLOW CONDITIONS:  Carmel River flows held relatively steady in October, providing fair rearing conditions for steelhead young-of-the-year (YOY) in the mid to upper watershed and poor conditions in the lower valley. 

October’s mean daily streamflow at the Sleepy Hollow Weir ranged from 5.3 to 11 cubic-feet-per-second (cfs) (monthly mean 7.2 cfs) resulting in 445 acre-feet (AF) of runoff. The Highway 1 gage is now dry.

There were 0.00 inches of rainfall in October as recorded at the San Clemente gauge. The rainfall total for WY 2021 (which started on October 1, 2020) is 0.0 inches, or 0% of the long-term year-to-date average of 0.77 inches. 

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON:  The lagoon mouth closed for the summer on June 16, 2020. During October, the lagoon water surface elevation (WSE) slowly dropped from approximately 7.5 to 6.5 feet (North American Vertical Datum of 1988; NAVD 88) (See graph below).

Water quality depth-profiles were conducted at five sites on October 27, 2020 while the lagoon mouth was closed, water surface elevation was 6.75 feet, and river inflow was 0 cfs. Steelhead rearing conditions were generally “good” above 1.5 meters depth and “fair to poor” in the deeper water and upper south arm. Salinity ranged from 2 - 14 ppt, dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were variable ranging from 0.1 – 9.5 mg/l, and water temperatures were cooler, ranging from 52 - 68 degrees F. 

SLEEPY HOLLOW STEELHEAD REARING FACILITY:  Facility upgrades were completed in mid-July and the first rescued fish were brought to the facility on July 27, 2020. By the end of October, 5,098 fish had been placed in the rearing channel including: 123 large fish (age 1+ years [1+]), 669 medium sized 1+ fish, and 4,306 young-of-the-year (YOY) fish. Overall facility survival is currently 66%. Very hot weather and warm river water contributed to the mortalities.

Carmel River Lagoon Plot:

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