Carmel River Steelhead Association (CRSA)

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An environmental summary created by the ENVS 560/L Watershed Systems class at CSUMB.

CRSA Logo. Image: www.carmelsteelhead.org

Background

The Carmel River Steelhead Association(CRSA) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization with volunteers and conservationists dedicated to the restoration of the Carmel River and its native Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).[1]

Projects

The projects taken on by the Carmel River Steelhead Association are Fish Rescues, Habitat Improvements, and Water Advocacy.[2]

Fish Rescue

Every year, CRSA members & volunteers go out and search the areas known to go dry and strand fish for steelhead trout. They relocate these fish to the mainstem Carmel River that will not go dry. [3]

In addition, they provide fish rescue results by year on their website. [3]

Habitat Improvements

The focus of these habitat improvement projects are to provide favorable habitat to survive and thrive. In 1997, the American Rivers listed the Carmel one of many endangered rivers in the US.

Completed Habitat Projects listed on the CSRA website include[4]:

  • CRSA Gabion Project
  • Extending Los Padres Dam Spillway
  • Notching Los Padres Dam Spillyway Lip
  • Removing Los Padres Dam Spillway Boulders
  • Building Ladder and Trap
  • Large Woody Debris. Phase 1
  • Finch Creek Fish Passage Barrier Removal
  • Supplemental Water for the Lagoon
  • Helping Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project

Current Habitat Projects listed on the CSRA website include [5]:

  • Large Woody Debris, Phase II
  • Carmel Watershed Cleanups
  • Supplmental Water, Phase II

Planned Habitat Projects listed on the CSRA website include [6]:

Water Advocacy

As the Carmel River has been a main water source for the Monterey County area resulting in excess pumping of the aquifer. The need for this limited water source has led CRSA to be an advocate to keep some water for the fish. The association says that they attend meetings, comment of environmental documents, protest excess water withdrawals, bring up illegal actions to appropriate bodies, and in general fight for the rights of fish.

Some of their listed Water Advocacy accomplishments are [7]:

  • 2009 SWRCB Water Order 09-60
    • The CSRA filed a complaint with SWRCB about Order 95-10 not being enforced and illegal pumping was occurring. The complaint led to hearings with Cal Am and resulted in the SWRCB issuing theWater Order 09-60.
  • 2014 Cease and Desist Order Extension
    • CSRA lobbied for significant mitigations should the Water Order 09-60(Cease and Desist Order) be extended. Cal Am agreed to spend up to $2.5 million for these mitigations. The projects that Cal Am agreed to included additional spawning gravel injections below Los Padres Reservoir, improvements to the existing upstream fish passage ladder at Los Padres Dam, installation of a fish screen on Los Padres Dam, a pit tagging program, and a survival study for Los Padres Reservoir.
  • 2015 Pacific Grove Local Water Project
    • The City of Pacific Grove created a Pacific Grove Local Water Project (PGLWP)[9] that would treat wastewater for use on the Pacific Grove golf course and a local cemetery. In 2015, Pacific Grove issued a draft supplemental EIR for the project asking for more water. CRSA protected the supplemental EIR. The SWRCB authorized the City of Pacific Grove's one percent loan but due to the Cease and Desist Order did not allow hookups for new or expanded water use.

References

  1. Carmel River Steelhead Association Social Media Account - Facebook
  2. Carmel River Steelhead Association - Project Overviews
  3. 3.0 3.1 Carmel River Steelhead Association - Fish Rescues
  4. Carmel River Steelhead Association - Completed Projects
  5. CSRA Current Projects
  6. CRSA - Future Projects
  7. Carmel River Steelhead Association Website Page on their Water Advocacy Accomplishments
  8. Carmel River Steelhead Association Lagoon Notice of Intent to Sue
  9. City of Pacific Grove Local Water Project Website

Links

Disclaimer

This page may contain student work completed as part of assigned coursework. It may not be accurate. It does not necessary reflect the opinion or policy of CSUMB, its staff, or students.