An Introduction to the Overview Monterey Peninsula Water - PDF document

Riparian Restoration on California's Coast November 3, 2005 An Introduction to the Overview Monterey Peninsula Water Management District’s • MPWMD mission and boundary Restoration Program • What does MPWMD manage? • Why is restoration necessary on the Carmel River • Design concepts for river restoration projects • The Schulte Restoration Project • Conclusion www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us Mission Statement MPWMD Boundary The mission of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management Carmel River District is to manage, augment, and Watershed protect water resources for the benefit Boundary of the community and the (255 square miles) environment. The Relationship between What does the MPWMD manage? Cal-Am and MPWMD • 40 water distribution systems • Cal-Am provides water to 95 percent of the • California American Water (Cal-Am) customers and produces 80 percent of the total comprises some of these water distribution supply within the District • The State Water Resources Control Board systems regulates most of Cal-Am’s Water production • 900 private wells that derive their supply • Order 95-10 requires Cal-Am to offset the from sources within the District unlawful diversions from the Carmel River (10,730 acre-feet) before any water is allocated for • Sources within the District include the new construction Carmel River, its tributaries, the Carmel • MPWMD and Cal-Am have cooperated to develop River Alluvial Aquifer and Seaside Coastal innovative water conservation measures to keep Subareas water use within established state limits Coastal Training Program Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Page 1 of 8 1

Riparian Restoration on California's Coast November 3, 2005 Why is Restoration Necessary on the MPWMD’s Environmental Carmel River? Protection Program • Annual steelhead rescues from approximately eight miles of the drying river • Sleepy Hollow steelhead rearing facility • Spawning gravel injection • Carmel River restoration • Carmel River channel maintenance • Monitoring surface water flow and quality • Monitoring groundwater storage and quality A Riparian-Wetland Area is Candidate for Restoration Impacts to Bank • when it can’t – dissipate stream energy during high flows Stability – filter sediment and capture bedload – improve flood-water retention – develop root masses that stabilize streambanks San – develop diverse ponding and channel characteristics Clemente – support greater biodiversity Reservoir 2001 Evolution of an Incised Channel Impacts to Riparian Species (Schumm, et al., 1984) • Dam Building • Diversions • Channel Incision • Groundwater Removal • Vegetation Clearing • Livestock Grazing • Urban Encroachment Coastal Training Program Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Page 2 of 8 2

Riparian Restoration on California's Coast November 3, 2005 Looking Upstream Above Robinson Groundwater Pumping Canyon Bridge (1980) depressed water table January 10, 1982 Design Concepts for River Restoration Projects • Historical aerial photos showing channel alignment • Fluvial Geomorphology and the role it plays in channel design – Functioning floodplains (bankfull discharge) – Sediment transport (width to depth ratio) – Sinuosity • Flood frequency and return intervals • Habitat components (revegetation and large wood) Upstream of Schulte Bridge Bankfull Elevation Red Rock Project 2002 (2- to 3-year return interval) Top of point bar FLOODPLAIN (2- TO-3 YEAR Coastal Training Program Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Page 3 of 8 3

Riparian Restoration on California's Coast November 3, 2005 Sinuosity = Width-to-Depth River Length / Valley Length Measuring Sinuosity "OXBOW" Approximate location area of present day (2003) Carmel Valley Road Carmel Valley Road - 1939 (Rancho Fiesta - 2003) GARLAND RANCH VALLEY LENGTH History of Schulte Restoration 1976-77 DROUGHT Project • 1959 Large-scale municipal pumping of groundwater • 1976/77 Severe drought leads to die-off of streamside vegetation • 1978-1986 Moderate river flows erode approximately 100 acres of land in eight year period • 1983 Carmel River Management Plan adopted • 1987 Schulte demonstration restoration project • Schulte project functions during high river flows in January 1995 (9,800 cfs), March 1995 (16,000 cfs), and February 1998 (12,000 cfs) Coastal Training Program Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Page 4 of 8 4

Riparian Restoration on California's Coast November 3, 2005 LOOKING DOWNSTREAM 1978-1983 EPISODIC EROSION FROM SCHULTE BRIDGE 1976 AUGUST 1977 JUNE 1980 1983 Schulte Restoration Project Schulte Project Area 1983 Benchmarks • Project location River Mile 6.7 to 7.5 • Approximate length 4000 lineal feet • Post and wire construction • Concrete rubble covered by native material by Schulte Bridge • Excavation of fish pools and low flow channel • Extensive revegetation and irrigation • Total cost in today’s dollars would be approximately from $400,000 to $600,000 Schulte Restoration Project 1987 Permits Required for River Work • Grading permit Monterey County Planning and Building Inspection Department • Authorization from Monterey County Water Resources Agency • Regional Water Quality Control Board • California Department of Fish and Game stream alteration Existing agreement Riparian 1987 thalweg • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vegetation (3.30) acres – NOAA Fisheries – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Coastal Training Program Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Page 5 of 8 5

Riparian Restoration on California's Coast November 3, 2005 Schulte Schulte Project Area 1988 Restoration Project 1982 2005 STRUCTURAL PROTECTION Schulte Pilot AT SCHULTE BRIDGE Project over 6000 willow post and wire plantings 1987 1988 2005 STRUCTURAL PROTECTION Schulte Restoration Project AT SCHULTE BRIDGE (1987) 2001 Private property owner work 1982 1987 thalweg Restored Riparian Vegetation (7.65) acres 2001 thalweg after restoration in 2005 A 232% Increase in Cover Coastal Training Program Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Page 6 of 8 6

Riparian Restoration on California's Coast November 3, 2005 Schulte Project Area 1988 Schulte Project Area 2001 MARCH 1995 @ 16,000 CFS Long-term Monitoring • Profile and cross-section work documenting changes in topography • Stream flow and depth to groundwater monitoring • Vegetation moisture stress monitoring • Avian species diversity index monitoring • Vegetation transects monitoring understory recruitment and project diversity CARMEL RIVER CARMEL RIVER SCHULTE MONITORING SITE SCHULTE MONITORING SITE THALWEG PROFILE FROM SCHULTE ROAD BRIDGE CROSS SECTION 31 96 100 GMA 1999 SURVEY 1999 GMA SURVEY 94 MPWMD 1996 SURVEY 1988 MPWMD SURVEY ELEVATION (feet, NAVD 1988) MPWMD 1988 SURVEY 92 95 1996 MPWMD SURVEY ELEVATION (feet, NAVD 1988) 90 Schulte Road Bridge Station 0+00 88 90 86 85 84 82 80 80 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 DISTANCE UPSTREAM FROM SCHULTE ROAD BRIDGE (feet) DISTANCE ALONG TRANSECT FROM LB PIN (feet) Coastal Training Program Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Page 7 of 8 7

Riparian Restoration on California's Coast November 3, 2005 Rancho Canada Pumping vs Rubin Ground Water Level Schulte Restoration Project Species Diversity Index Shannon, C. E. and W. Weaver, 1949. Rancho Canada pumping/day Rubin Well depth to Ground Water 500000 0 4 450000 400000 5 3.5 350000 feet to water table cubic feet /day 300000 10 3 250000 SDI 200000 15 2.5 150000 100000 20 2 50000 1.5 0 25 05/01/01 05/17/01 06/02/01 06/18/01 07/04/01 07/20/01 08/05/01 08/21/01 09/06/01 09/22/01 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 date Year Conclusions • Long-term monitoring is key to successful maintenance and verification of channel design and habitat quality. • Using GIS allowed quantification of restored riparian habitat cover (232 percent increase). • An increasing SDI trend shows that this project functions as important nesting and feeding grounds for many important avian species. • A sound commitment to restoration can help shape public attitude toward river work on private property. Coastal Training Program Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Page 8 of 8 8