American River Group Thursday, April 18th, 2019 1:30 PM Central Valley Operation Office, Room 302 3310 El Camino Ave. Sacramento, CA 95821 Conference Line: 1 (866) 718-0082; Passcode 2620147 JOIN WEBEX MEETING https://bor.webex.com/bor/j.php?MTID=m976285cf88d1078f4d1bdb60a280b92a Meeting number (access code): 907 429 279; Meeting password: CmfUCmGm 1. Participant Introductions (1:30-1:40) 2. Fisheries Updates (1:40-1:55) Cramer Fish Sciences Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission CDFW 3. Operations Forecast (1:55-2:10) SMUD PCWA Central Valley Operations 4. Temperature Management (2:10-2:25) Central Valley Operations 5. Discussion (2:25-2:55) Upcoming Presentations May - Climate Change, Dr. Swain 6. Schedule Next Meeting The next meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, May 16th, 2019 8. Adjourn American River Summary Conditions – March (On-going): • Snowpack is 165% of average for this date. • Flood control diagram now allowing filling of Folsom Reservoir. We are on our way up! Storage/Release Management Conditions • Releases to manage storage during fill and try to avoid excessive flow fluctuations. • Beginning water storage for next years operational needs. • Will be operating to new Army Corps flood control diagram on an interim basis until new Water Control Manual is signed, per letter from USACE. • MRR for April is 1,750 cfs. Temperature Management: • Upper Shutters in place on Units 2 and 3. Unit 1 is not in service. Upper shutters will be placed before it is returned to service. American River Operations Group (ARG) April 18st, 2019 Meeting Notes Attendees: USBR: Spencer Marshall, Levi Johnson, Peggy Manza, Ian Smith CDFW: Jeanine Phillips, Duane Linander, Ken Kundargi Water Forum: Rod Hall SWRCB: Juliana Spector Delta-Mendota/Westlands: Tom Boardman SMUD: Arthur Starkovich, Paul Olmstead PCWA: Ben Barker SARA: Felix Smith CFS: Kirsten Sellheim PSFMC: Eric Bradbury City of Folsom: Marcus Yasutake cbec: Chris Hammersmark DWR: Mike Ford Handouts: • Agenda • American River Summary Conditions, Storage/Release Management Conditions, and Temperature Management (USBR) • Fisheries Update (CDFW) • Bi-weekly Spawning and Stranding Report (CFS) • Lower American River RST Catch Summary (PSMFC) • Upper American River Project Update (SMUD) • Reservoir Storage and Precipitation (SMUD) • MFP Ops Overview (PCWA) • Middle Fork Project – Snowpack and Reservoir Storage (PCWA) • Lake Spaulding (PCWA) • American River Basin Snow Sensor Index (PCWA) • Daily CVP Water Supply Report (USBR) • Temperature Control Report –January 1 through February 20 (USBR) • Folsom Lake Temperature profiles (USBR) • Folsom Lake Isothermobaths (USBR) • Folsom Cold Water Pool • iCPMM 90% Forecast Modeling • iCPMM 50% Forecast Modeling • 90% and 50% Runoff Exceedance Outlook (USBR) • Sign-in sheet Fishery Update: • CDFW o Approximately 200,000 brood year 2018 Chinook salmon experimental release from Nimbus Fish Hatchery into the Lower American River took place on April 12. 100% marked (adipose fin clip) and Coded Wire Tagged (CWT). o Experimental release will help to increase survival. • Cramer Fish Sciences (CFS) - Bi-Weekly Spawning and Stranding Report o During spawning surveys conducted the week of April 2, a total of 2 steelhead and 2 lamprey redds were identified. o During the stranding survey conducted on March 19, a total of 30 stranding pools, 90 steelhead, and 3,190 Chinook were identified. • Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) - Lower American River RST Catch Summary o Total captures as of April 15 are 14,457 length-at-date (LAD) fall-run, 62 LAD spring- run, and 18 LAD winter-run Chinook salmon, and 41 LAD late fall-run Chinook salmon. Operations Forecast: • SMUD o SMUD currently operating to meet minimum elevations. o There is less water in reservoir than this time last year because of the current snowpack o There is a high likelihood that flashboards will be installed this year. • PCWA o PCWA operating to keep reservoir levels low to attenuate future snowmelt. o Modeling shows about 30 thousand acre-feet (TAF) of spill. • CVO o Currently about 805 TAF of water in Folsom Reservoir. o CVO operating to make releases as flat as possible to avoid wide swings in flows Temperature Management: • CVO o No foreseeable temperature management issues in May and June o TCD may need to be adjusted in July o Significant inflows in June expected o Higher releases in August may be required as a result of Fall X2 o September flows selected to avoid potential redd dewatering o Flows near 11,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) may be needed for salinity control o July through September releases selected to meet potential Delta needs o CDFW has requested a model run showing a 56F degree target by November 1st. Reclamation has stated it is not within their capabilities to provide such a model run. Discussion • Upcoming presentation o May – Climate Change, Dr. Swain Schedule Next Meeting The next meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, May 16th, 2019 at Central Valley Operations Office, 3310 El Camino Ave., Sacramento, CA 95821, in Room 302, at 1:30pm. State of California – Natural Resources Agency GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE CHARLTON H. BONHAM, Director North Central Region 1701 Nimbus Road Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 www.wildlife.ca.gov Date: April 11, 2019 To: Distribution List From: Jay Rowan Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisor-Hatcheries North Central Region Subject: Planned release of brood year 2018 Chinook Salmon into the Lower American River at Sunrise Boat Ramp. On April 12, 2019, the Department of Fish and Wildlife will release approximately 200,000 brood year 2018 Chinook salmon from Nimbus Fish Hatchery into the Lower American River at Sunrise Boat Ramp. This release will include 100% marked (adipose fin clip) and Coded Wire Tagged (CWT) fish (Table 1). This experimental early release will help to inform future decisions regarding the timing of in-river releases from the hatchery. For questions concerning this release, please contact Jay Rowan (916) 358- 2883 Table 1 – Planned release summary of Nimbus Fish Hatchery Chinook Salmon. CWT Code Fork length Date Location Fish/lb. With Mark Total Fish or mark (mm) Ad Clip 4/12/2019 Sunrise Boat Ramp 110 78 199,965 199,965 06/19/94 Conserving California’s Wildlife Since 1870 Bi-weekly Spawning and Stranding Report Survey Week Steelhead Chinook Lamprey Unidentified Unknown Test Total 01/07/2019 5 1 0 3 11 0 20 01/21/2019 6 0 0 0 7 2 15 02/04/2019 7 0 0 0 12 1 20 02/18/2019 5 0 0 1 0 0 6 03/04/2019 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 04/02/2019 1 0 1 0 2 0 4 04/03/2019 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Table 1. Different types of redds identified (Pre-DFA) during spawning survey Survey Week # of Stranding Steelhead Chinook Pools 02/18/2019 9 5 90 03/04/2019 7 8 142 03/13/2019 24 7 1,367 3/19/2019 30 90 3,190 Table 2. Stranding survey data Survey Week Steelhead Chinook Lamprey Unknown Test Total 01/07/2019 16 3 0 1 0 20 01/21/2019 11 2 0 0 2 15 02/4/2019 19 0 0 0 1 20 02/18/2019 0 0 0 0 0 0 03/04/2019 0 0 0 0 0 0 04/02/2019 2 0 2 0 0 4 04/03/2019 0 0 0 0 0 0 Table 3. Different types of redds identified (Post-DFA) during spawning survey The next scheduled spawning survey will occur 16-18 April Lower American River RST Catch Summary Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission Charts summarize cumulative catch data through 4/15/2019 on the American river at the Watt Avenue location. Thus far we have captured a total of 14,457 length-at-date (LAD) fall-run, 62 LAD spring-run and 18 LAD winterrun Chinook salmon, and 41 LAD late-fall run Chinook salmon. Discharge data obtained from the USGS monitoring station at Fair Oaks SMUD Upper American River Project Update Conditions – 16 April 2019: April precipitation through 4/16/2019 7:00:00 AM is 4.36 in., which is 90% of the April average of 4.84”. Precip for the water year to date is 62.16” which is 124% of average to date (50.00”) and 108% of the entire water year average of 57.32”. Reservoir storage for Loon Lake, Union Valley and Ice House Reservoirs: • 286,091 acre feet • 75% capacity • 104% historical average (16 April historical average: 275,969AF / 72.8%) • 4% storage increase since last week Individual reservoir storage: • Loon Lake: 34,847 AF • Ice House: 25,014 AF • Union Valley: 226,230 AF Last year today, storage was at 92.4 % (350,218 AF). *Total capacity of the three reservoirs is 379,174 acre feet. March releases: • 3,328 cfs average flows below Chili Bar • 204,658 total AF released below Chili Bar April releases (Apr 1-16): • 3904 cfs average flows below Chili Bar • 116,171 total AF released below Chili Bar Runoff into the storage reservoir basins is 135% of median to date through Apr 15. The snowpack is 136% of average at selected snow sensors. Operational notes: recreational (boating) flows on weekends, avoiding spill, snowpack peaked on April 1 (as is typical) Historical Max. % from Average RESERVOIR Capacity Maximum Reservoir Spill last STORAGE (acre- Capacity Capacity Elevation Elevation week feet) (%) (%) Loon Lake Reservoir 69,309 49% +5% 59% 6,380.3 6,410.0 Ice House Reservoir 43,496 55% +5% 66% 5,416.6 5,436.5 Union Valley Reservoir 266,369 84% +3% 75% 4,854.7 4,855.0 Total 379,174 74% +4% 71% A year ago, we were at 91.6% of capacity.