Difference between revisions of "Steelhead Management in the Salinas Watershed"

From CCoWS Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(Summary)
Line 6: Line 6:
  
  
===Conservation Efforts===
+
==Conservation Efforts==
 
Center for Ecosystem Management and Restoration, [http://www.cemar.org/steelhead.html CEMAR] has led a steelhead restoration program along the California coast since 2001 through compilation of a digital archive of key information sources, documentation of the historical distribution and current status of salmonid populations, and  evaluation of the potential for watersheds to support restored salmonid populations <ref>Boughton DA. 2007. [NMFS] National Marine Fisheries Service. Biological Opinion, Salinas River Diversion Facility. Oyer, P.H., 1912.</ref>.
 
Center for Ecosystem Management and Restoration, [http://www.cemar.org/steelhead.html CEMAR] has led a steelhead restoration program along the California coast since 2001 through compilation of a digital archive of key information sources, documentation of the historical distribution and current status of salmonid populations, and  evaluation of the potential for watersheds to support restored salmonid populations <ref>Boughton DA. 2007. [NMFS] National Marine Fisheries Service. Biological Opinion, Salinas River Diversion Facility. Oyer, P.H., 1912.</ref>.
  

Revision as of 14:31, 10 April 2012

Summary

The steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is a rainbow trout, born in fresh water streams and spends most of its life in the sea and returns to the streams to spawn more than once in its life span [1]. Many agricultural and urban development factors are impacting the survival of steelhead in the Salinas watershed including dams, concrete in streams, road crossings, lack of vegetation, and improper management practices [2]. The U.S. Endangered Species Act listed the Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of South-Central California steelhead as a threatened species since 1997 [3]. The South-Central DPS includes all naturally spawned anadromous steelhead populations below natural and dams in streams from the Pajaro River to, but not including the Santa Maria River, California [3]. In a 2011 endangered species status update on Pacific Salmon and steelhead in the southwest region, little evidence is found to change the listing status [4].

Location

The Salinas River consists of more than 75 stream miles and drains a watershed of about 4,780 square miles in Monterey County, California. The river flows northwest from headwaters on the north side of Garcia Mountain to its mouth near the town of Marina [5]. A map of the Salinas Watershed, provided by CEMAR, depicts all of the essential streams in the watershed, streams that are available and suitable for O. mykiss habitat. [6]


Conservation Efforts

Center for Ecosystem Management and Restoration, CEMAR has led a steelhead restoration program along the California coast since 2001 through compilation of a digital archive of key information sources, documentation of the historical distribution and current status of salmonid populations, and evaluation of the potential for watersheds to support restored salmonid populations [7].

The U.S. Endangered Species Act mandated the National Marine Fisheries Service to develop and implement recovery plans for conservation of the southern California steelhead[8].

Other conservation efforts include fish counting. In 2011, FISHBIO installed an anchoring system for a fish counting weir in the Salinas River.


Resource/s at stake

The Center for Biological Diversity, fishing groups and environmental groups worked to improve protection for the steelhead trout after being listed as a threatened species in 1997. Designation of critical habitat or issue protective regulations was not issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service, so a lawsuit was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity resulting in critical habitat protections and regulations preventing illegal “take” of central coast steelhead. In 2005, the final critical habitat areas were designated and significantly reduced and excluded important riparian habitat. The areas excluded rainbow trout and steelhead trout landlocked above dams.

The viability of evolutionary unit of steelhead is at stake and the need to identify and protect minimum flows is required for their survival[9].

Timeline

U.S. Endangered Species Act Listing Status

  • Aug 18, 1997 - listed as a threatened species [3]
  • Jan 5, 2006 - threatened status reaffirmed [3]
  • Dec 7, 2011 - review determines species to remain threatened [3]

Salinas Valley Water Project

Diversion Facility

The Salinas Valley Water Project (SVWP)is a collaborative effort with Salinas Valley and the Monterey County Water Resources Agencyto address the water resources management issues within the Salinas Valley. The SVWP provides for the long term management and protection of groundwater resources by in the basin by stopping seawater intrusion, provides adequate water supplies and flexibility to meet current and future needs, and provides the surface water supply necessary balanced groundwater basin in the Salinas Valley.

The Monterey County Water Resources Agency operates an inflatable rubber dam diversion facility that inflates from April to October, creating a reservoir of water to be treated at the wastewater treatment plant operated by the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency (MRWPCA)[10]. Features of the diversion facility include a spillway gate operated with an inflatable dam, a screened diversion meeting the National Marine Fisheries Service critereia for steelhead fry to avoid entrainment, a fishway to facilitate fish passage during migration periods that coincide with steam diversion, and a low-flow passage channel to facilitate passage over the deflated structure [11].

The dam was first activated in May 2010 and resulted in $14 million for the dam as part of the $33 million Salinas Valley Water Project, which included changes to the Lake Nacimiento Dam spillway. The project was designed to divert river water, in combination with recycled water in irrigation of farmland surrounding Castroville, thereby reducing the need for groundwater in an attempt to halt seawater intrusion. In June 2011, water landing on the downstream side of the dam eroded the river bed and began to threaten the integrity of the dam [12].

References

  1. http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/faq/fishfaq2d.html
  2. http://www.us-ltrcd.org/downloads/Watershed_Fisheries_Report.pdf
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/ESA-Salmon-Listings/Salmon-Populations/Steelhead/STSCC.cfm
  4. Williams TH, Lindley ST, Spence BC, Boughton D. 2011. Status review update for Pacific Salmon and Steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act: Southwest Region. National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Fisheries Ecology Division
  5. http://www.cemar.org/SSRP/pdfs/SSRP_Monterey.pdf
  6. http://www.cemar.org/SSRP/Evaluation/Figure06_Salinas.pdf
  7. Boughton DA. 2007. [NMFS] National Marine Fisheries Service. Biological Opinion, Salinas River Diversion Facility. Oyer, P.H., 1912.
  8. National Marine Fisheries Service. 2011. Southern California Steelhead Recovery Plan. Southwest Region, Protected Resources Division, Long Beach, California
  9. George A. 2006. Threatened steelhead. Bay Nature. Ear to the ground. Accessed Apr 3, 2012: http://baynature.org/articles/apr-jun-2006/ear-to-the-ground/threatened-steelhead
  10. http://www.mrwpca.org/dwnloads/update/Update_Spring08.pdf
  11. http://www.mcwra.co.monterey.ca.us/SVWP/SVWP_Project_Description.pdf
  12. Johnson J. 2012. Salinas rubber dam repair costs soar. Monterey County Herald. News. Accessed Apr 3, 2012: http://www.montereyherald.com/portal/water/ci_19991761?_loopback=1

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.