ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORT
23.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR APRIL 2021
Meeting Date:			May 17, 2021	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:  Dry conditions continued in April, marking the third dry month in a row. By month’s end, river flows were less than 20 cubic-feet-per-second (cfs) in the lower valley, resulting in poor adult and smolt migration conditions and fair rearing conditions.

April’s mean daily streamflow at the Sleepy Hollow Weir fell from 35 to 19 cfs (monthly mean 25.2 cfs) resulting in 1,500 acre-feet (AF) of runoff, while the Highway 1 gage fell from 36 to 16 cfs (monthly mean 23.5 cfs) resulting in 1,400 AF of runoff.

There were 0.04 inches of rainfall in April as recorded at the San Clemente gauge. The rainfall total for WY 2021 (which started on October 1, 2020) is 10.85 inches, or 53% of the long-term year-to-date average of 20.43 inches. 

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON:  During April, the lagoon mouth closed twice, raising the water surface elevation (WSE) to >10 feet as the low river inflow was insufficient to keep the sandbar open. The WSE ranged from approximately 3.6 to 10.8 feet (North American Vertical Datum of 1988; NAVD 88) (See graph below).

Water quality depth-profiles were conducted at five sites on April 26, 2021 while the lagoon mouth was closed, water surface elevation was 7.67 feet, and river inflow was 19 cfs. Steelhead rearing conditions were generally “good”, especially in the upper water column. Salinity ranged from 1 - 26 ppt, dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were excellent, ranging from 6 – 13 mg/l, and water temperatures were generally in the upper 50’s, ranging from 55 - 66 degrees F.

RESISTANCE BOARD WEIR:  As part of the District’s steelhead life cycle monitoring program, FishBio Consulting was hired to design and install a fish weir in the lower river to temporarily trap upstream migrating adult steelhead for tagging and measurement.

The weir began operating February 2, 2021 and the first fish were captured on February 3rd. The weir was removed for the summer on April 30, 2021.

As of April 30, 123 adult, sea-run steelhead had been captured, with 100 of those being PIT tagged. There were also four recaptured fish. Lengths ranged from 400 mm to 775 mm (ave. 586 mm) (16 – 31 inches). (See graph and photos below).

LOS PADRES DAM ADULT COUNTS:  Cal-Am maintains a fish ladder and trap at the Los Padres Dam site. All adult steelhead captured in the trap are trucked to the reservoir and released.

The first sea-run adult steelhead arrived at the trap on February 4, 2021. As of April 30, 63 adults (34 males/28 females/1 unknown) have been captured and translocated above the dam.

STEELHEAD REDD SURVEYS: Fisheries staff completed two redd (nests) surveys in the Carmel River mainstem in March (Rosie’s Bridge to the lagoon) and April (LPD to the lagoon). Results will be discussed in the June staff note.

Carmel River Lagoon Plot:

Resistance Board Weir:

New Assistant Fisheries Biologist, Riley Gallagher, with one of the captured and tagged adult steelhead.

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