ITEM:		INFORMATIONAL ITEM/STAFF REPORT
19.	CARMEL RIVER FISHERY REPORT FOR OCTOBER 2025
Meeting Date:			November 17, 2025	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			David J. Stoldt,	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Cory Hamilton	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: During October, a couple of small rain events increased base flows to the Carmel River. This caused the river to start rewetting approximately 2 miles of intermittent and dry area. The mainstem river is still intermittent from the Palo Corona reach to just below the Rancho San Carlos area. The lagoon mouth was closed for the entire month (see graphic below). Rearing conditions were adequate in the upper river and are improving in the lower river. Los Padres Reservoir stopped spilling on June 13, 2025 and we began using storage to meet flow requirements. The water surface elevation at the end of the month was 1015.53 feet. Flow out of the reservoir at the end of the month was 5.1 cfs.

October’s streamflow at the Sleepy Hollow Weir gaging station ranged from 4.1 to 7.0 cfs (mean 5.45 cfs), while flows at the Highway 1 gage ranged from 0.9 to 0 cfs (mean 0.04 cfs).

There was 1.11 inches of measurable rainfall in October as recorded at the San Clemente gauge. The total rainfall for Water Year (WY) 2026 (which started October 1, 2025) is 1.11 inches., which is 150% of normal to date.

FISH RESCUE: On May 16, 2025, District staff started fish rescues due to drying conditions in the tributaries. On June 27, 2025, staff started conducting fish rescues in the mainstem Carmel River, impacted areas include the Crossroads area to the Shulte Bridge area, as well as the Trail and Saddle club area, for a total of approximately 5 miles. As of the end of October, a total of 7,470 fish have been rescued (6,475 YOY, 968 1+ year olds, 3 adult kelt and 24 mortalities). Fish are being released and tagged this season in a variety of locations in order to track which produces the best return rates (part of the Rescue and Rearing Management Plan’s release strategy). These release areas are the lagoon, perineal waters of the mainstem and the Sleepy Hollow Steelhead Rearing Facility.

CARMEL RIVER LAGOON: In October, the lagoon’s Water Surface Elevation (WSE) ranged from approximately 6.6 to 9.0 feet (NGVD 1988) (see graph below). Water quality depth-profiles were conducted at five sites on October 28, 2025, while the lagoon mouth was closed, water surface elevation was 8.75 feet at the time of sampling, and river inflow was approximately 0 cfs. The north arm of the lagoon was disconnected from the main lagoon with intermittent pools. Lagoon stratification was observed at about 0.5 meters depth at all sites. Salinity levels ranged from 10.5-23.5 parts per thousand (ppt), throughout the lagoon. Water temperatures ranged from 57.5-64.7 degrees Fahrenheit, and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels ranged from 1.31-19.1 mg/l.

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