|
ITEM: |
INFORMATIONAL ITEM/STAFF REPORT |
||||
|
|
|||||
|
42. |
CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR MAY 2021 |
||||
|
|
|||||
|
Meeting Date: |
June 21, 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 May, marking the fourth
dry month in a row. By month’s end, river flows were less than 10
cubic-feet-per-second (cfs) in the lower valley, resulting in poor adult and
smolt migration conditions and fair to poor rearing conditions.
April’s mean daily streamflow at the Sleepy Hollow Weir fell from 19 to 8.4 cfs (monthly
mean 12.9 cfs) resulting in 783 acre-feet (AF)
of runoff, while the Highway 1 gage fell from 16 to 3.3 cfs (monthly mean 8.9 cfs)
resulting in 549 AF of runoff.
There were 0.00 inches of rainfall in May as recorded at the
San Clemente gauge. The rainfall total for WY 2021 (which started on October 1,
2020) is 10.85 inches, or 52% of the long-term year-to-date average of 20.83
inches.
CARMEL RIVER LAGOON: During May, the lagoon mouth remained closed. The
water surface elevation (WSE) rose from approximately 9.2 to 11 feet (North American Vertical Datum of
1988; NAVD 88) (See graph below).
Water quality depth-profiles were conducted at
five sites on May 18, 2021, while the lagoon mouth was closed, water surface
elevation was 10.75 feet, and river inflow was 8.7 cfs. Steelhead rearing
conditions were generally “good”, especially in the upper two meters of the water
column. Salinity ranged from 1 - 27 ppt, dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were
good, ranging from 3 – 9 mg/l, while water temperatures were higher than last
month, ranging from 62 - 73 degrees F.
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. The trap was turned off for the summer on May 6th due to
low water conditions in the river. Two additional adults were captured on May 5th,
for a season total of 63 adults (36 males/28 females/1 unknown).
STEELHEAD REDD
SURVEYS: Fisheries staff completed two redd (nest) surveys
in the Carmel River mainstem in March (Rosie’s Bridge to the lagoon) and April
(LPD to the lagoon). Overall, 115 steelhead redds were observed, primarily
above Robinson Canyon Road bridge. Thirteen adult fish were seen, as well as
many fry, throughout the upper reaches of the river. Additionally, 151 lamprey
redds were observed, also primarily upstream of Robinson Canyon.
CARMEL RIVER
MAINSTEM STEELHEAD RESCUES: Mainstem rescues began on May 27, 2021. Staff
completed 2 days of fish rescues in the lower river in May in the Rancho Canada
reach. A total of 242 juvenile steelhead were rescued including: 210
young-of-the-year (Fry), 32 age 1+ fish. All fish were transported to the
Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility.
SLEEPY HOLLOW
STEELHEAD REARING FACILITY: The first rescued fish were brought to the facility on
May 27, 2021. Due to the very small size
of most of the fish, fry will be reared in the rectangular “rearing troughs”
until they are large enough to be transferred to the rearing channel. By the
end of May, 32 fish (small/medium size), had been placed in rearing channel and
179 fry are in the troughs.
Carmel River Lagoon Plot:
U:\staff\Boardpacket\2021\20210621\Informational
Items\42\Item-42.docx