Steelhead Management in the Salinas Watershed

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Summary

The range and abundance of Steelhead trout have declined dramatically from historical population estimates of the Salinas Watershed[1]. Loss of diverse and distinct habitats is considered a major contributor to declining steelhead populations as this reduces life history pathways and diversity while decreases ability to adapt to change. Modification and loss of habitat areas for spawning and nursing in the Salinas Watershed has been compromised by the implementation of dams, concrete in streams, road crossings, lack of vegetation, and improper management practices.[2]. Declining steelhead populations have also been linked to pollution, passage barriers, low base flows and increased water temperatures. [3]. One study has estimated that runs have been reduced from a historical 32,000‐46,000 returning adults (annual) to less than 500 steelhead adults.[4]


Location

The Salinas River consists of more than 75 miles of streams 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.


Resources 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].

==Key Dates== [10]

  • Aug 18th, 1997 - South-Central DPS Listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA)
  • June 28th 2005 - Final protective regulations issued
  • Sep 2nd, 2005 - Critical Habitat designated for the South-Central DPS under the ESA
  • Jan 5th, 2006 - Threatened status reaffirmed
  • June 21st 2007 – Biological Opinion issued by NMFS requesting steelhead escapement monitoring
  • Dec 7th, 2011 - Five-year review determined South-Central DPS should continue to be listed as threatened

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)[11]. Features of the diversion facility include a spillway gate operated with an inflatable dam, a screened diversion meeting the National Marine Fisheries Service criteria 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 [12].

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 [13].

References

  1. ↑ 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
  2. ↑ http://www.us-ltrcd.org/downloads/Watershed_Fisheries_Report.pdf
  3. ↑ http://www.mrwpca.org/dwnloads/agendas_minutes/2011-02-28_board/8%20A%20RWC%20Minutes%20and%20Attachments.pdf
  4. ↑ http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/recovery/SC_Steelhead/Final_Southern_California_Steelhead_Recovery_Plan_Jan_2012.pdf
  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.nwr.noaa.gov/ESA-Salmon-Listings/Salmon-Populations/Steelhead/STSCC.cfm
  11. ↑ http://www.mrwpca.org/dwnloads/update/Update_Spring08.pdf
  12. ↑ http://www.mcwra.co.monterey.ca.us/SVWP/SVWP_Project_Description.pdf
  13. ↑ 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.

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