THE CARMEL RIVER TASK FORCE
The Carmel River Task Force (CRTF) is a group that meets three times each year to discuss issues concerning the Carmel River Watershed and to prioritize the Action Plans to preserve and restore the watershed. The CRTF includes representatives from local, state, and federal agencies, from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and individuals with a special interest in the watershed, such as researchers and graduate students. The Carmel River Watershed Conservancy and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District collaborate to organize and host the CRTF meetings. The CRTF constitutes an exceptional opportunity for the watershed stakeholders to get together and learn about all the projects and programs that are taking place, and provides a unique platform for networking and collaboration. In addition, the CRTF is collaborating on a Watershed Report Card project that will track our progress in restoring the watershed and regularly report that progress to the public in an accessible format. Find the updated (September 2021) CRTF priority list below.
In past years the CRTF set its priorities through a periodic survey of its members, who rank ordered the original Action Plan items from the Watershed Assessments we and others conducted. We are gradually replacing that survey method of rank ordering Action Plan items with a "gap analysis" from the Watershed Report Card. The Report Card will display key indicators of watershed health and how close to the goal of "healthy" each indicator has advanced. Because the Report Card is based on systematically collected verifiable data, it is a much more rigorous and science-based method of evaluating our watershed's health than the previous Task Force member surveys. We share the periodic updates of the Report Card with the Task Force and encourage their questions and comments as well as their provision of new data to continuously improve the accuracy of the key indicator ratings.
CARMEL RIVER ACTION PLAN
CRWC chairs the Carmel River Task Force, which to periodically identifies the most important actions to help restore the Carmel River and its watershed. The most recent Action Plan update (September, 2021) is shown below.
The Action Plan is based on scientific studies, mission statement objectives and input from our prospective partners and the Public. Recognizing that many of the problems are related we also introduced a Cross Cutting Category (CC) that consists of 14 items. We have identified eight Action categories in order of sequence to the Watershed. These are Flows, Groundwater, Habitat, Sedimentation, Steelhead, Education, Public Safety, and Water Quantity.
In this original Action we had not attempted to establish priorities across or within each of the categories. We have the conviction that conservation efforts should be managed on a watershed basis if that geographic unit has the people and organizations capable of adopting adaptive management techniques. CRWC has agency support from the Monterey County Resource Conservation District (MCRCD) and the Planning and Conservation League Foundation for forming a Carmel River Task Force to review the Action Plan and set priorities. This Task Force includes representatives from many of the local, state, and federal agencies with authority over or responsibility for the Carmel River watershed, as well as some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with an interest in our watershed. Among its agenda topics will be the question of allocating resources and grant monies to the best use in the watershed.
In addition, CRWC in collaboration with the Planning and Conservation League Foundation (PCLF), published a Supplemental Action Plan specifically addressing the plans for the removal of the San Clemente Dam. The original Assessment and Action Plan identified the San Clemente Dam as a major impediment to fish passage for the South Central Coast Steelhead and a major blockage to transport of sediment and the cobble that the steelhead depend on for healthy spawning grounds.
The Action Plan is based on scientific studies, mission statement objectives and input from our prospective partners and the Public. Recognizing that many of the problems are related we also introduced a Cross Cutting Category (CC) that consists of 14 items. We have identified eight Action categories in order of sequence to the Watershed. These are Flows, Groundwater, Habitat, Sedimentation, Steelhead, Education, Public Safety, and Water Quantity.
In this original Action we had not attempted to establish priorities across or within each of the categories. We have the conviction that conservation efforts should be managed on a watershed basis if that geographic unit has the people and organizations capable of adopting adaptive management techniques. CRWC has agency support from the Monterey County Resource Conservation District (MCRCD) and the Planning and Conservation League Foundation for forming a Carmel River Task Force to review the Action Plan and set priorities. This Task Force includes representatives from many of the local, state, and federal agencies with authority over or responsibility for the Carmel River watershed, as well as some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with an interest in our watershed. Among its agenda topics will be the question of allocating resources and grant monies to the best use in the watershed.
In addition, CRWC in collaboration with the Planning and Conservation League Foundation (PCLF), published a Supplemental Action Plan specifically addressing the plans for the removal of the San Clemente Dam. The original Assessment and Action Plan identified the San Clemente Dam as a major impediment to fish passage for the South Central Coast Steelhead and a major blockage to transport of sediment and the cobble that the steelhead depend on for healthy spawning grounds.
Carmel river watershed assessment and action plan archive
In March, 1999, the Carmel River was listed as one of North America’s 10 most endangered rivers of 1999 by the group American Rivers. The nomination was based upon threats to the river that include over-pumping, non-point source pollution, continued development in the floodplain, the proposed development of a new dam on the river, and the need for greater public awareness of issues affecting the river. The Carmel River is part of the South Central Steelhead Trout (SH), “Oncorhynchus mykiss” Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU) and has historically supported a run of now federally listed steelhead.
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The original Carmel River Watershed Plan of 2014 was adopted from the Morro Bay CCMP and State Coastal Conservancy plan for the Stakeholders in the Morro Bay National Estuary Program.
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In 2016, the Carmel River Watershed Assessment and Action Plan was updated by CRWC and the Carmel River Task Force, with support from the Resource Conservation District.
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