Lagunitas Creek Stewardship Plan Marin Municipal Water District Final – June 2011 Table of Contents Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................v Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Terms ...................................................................................... vi Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. 1 1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 9 1.1 Outline of the Plan .................................................................................................... 10 2.0 Background ..................................................................................................................... 12 2.1 History of the District’s Involvement with Lagunitas Creek ....................................... 12 2.2 Reasons for MMWD Involvement with Lagunitas Creek ........................................... 14 2.3 Watershed Description ............................................................................................. 19 2.4 Watershed Resources .............................................................................................. 23 2.5 Life Histories and Habitat Requirements .................................................................. 25 2.6 Limiting Factors for Coho, Steelhead, and Shrimp in Lagunitas Creek .................... 35 2.7 Invasive and Non-Native Species Concerns ............................................................ 40 2.8 MMWD Operations ................................................................................................... 45 2.9 Conclusions from the Sediment and Riparian Management Plan ............................ 49 3.0 Stewardship Goals and Targets ...................................................................................... 50 3.1 Compliance with SWRCB Order WR95-17 ............................................................... 50 3.2 Optimal Habitat Conditions for Salmonids and Freshwater Shrimp .......................... 51 3.3 Habitat Conditions in the Lagunitas Creek Watershed ............................................. 52 3.4 Monitoring ................................................................................................................. 55 3.5 Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Management ........................................................... 55 3.6 Programs and Policies .............................................................................................. 55 3.7 Collaboration and Outreach ...................................................................................... 56 3.8 Evaluating the Stewardship Goals and Targets ........................................................ 56 4.0 Stewardship Actions ........................................................................................................ 57 4.1 Ongoing Mandatory Requirements of SWRCB Order WR95-17 .............................. 59 4.2 Winter Habitat Enhancement .................................................................................... 63 4.2.1 Winter Habitat Enhancement Assessment & Design ......................................... 64 4.2.2 Construction of Winter Habitat Enhancement Projects ...................................... 68 4.3 Sediment Reduction and Management .................................................................... 69 4.3.1 Lagunitas Water Quality and Habitat Improvement Project ............................... 69 4.3.2 Lagunitas Watershed Unpaved Roads Assessment Project .............................. 71 4.3.3 Roads GIS Update ............................................................................................. 74 4.3.4 Sediment Source Treatments in the Watershed ................................................ 75 4.3.5 Streambed Gravel Management ........................................................................ 76 4.4 Instream and Riparian Habitat Enhancement ........................................................... 77 4.4.1 Rearing Habitat Enhancement with Large Woody Debris (LWD) ....................... 77 4.4.2 Devil's Gulch Habitat Enhancement ................................................................... 78 4.4.3 Riparian Vegetation Enhancement .................................................................... 79 4.5 Biotechnical Bank Stabilization ................................................................................. 81 4.5.1 Lagunitas Booster Station Site ........................................................................... 81 4.5.2 Below Peters Dam Retaining Wall Site .............................................................. 83 4.5.3 Nicasio Transmission Line Retaining Wall Site in SP Taylor Park ..................... 84 Lagunitas Creek Stewardship Plan ii Final – June 2011 4.6 California Freshwater Shrimp Habitat Enhancement ................................................ 84 4.7 Monitoring ................................................................................................................. 86 4.7.1 Survey & Monitoring Workgroup ........................................................................ 87 4.7.2 Stream Flow and Water Temperature Monitoring .............................................. 87 4.7.3 Juvenile Salmonids Surveys .............................................................................. 87 4.7.4 Salmon Spawner Surveys .................................................................................. 87 4.7.5 Salmon Smolt Surveys ....................................................................................... 88 4.7.6 Coho Winter Habitat Survey .............................................................................. 88 4.7.7 Salmonid Fry Emergence .................................................................................. 89 4.7.8 California Freshwater Shrimp Surveys ............................................................... 89 4.7.9 Habitat Typing Surveys ...................................................................................... 90 4.7.10 Sediment & Streambed Monitoring .................................................................. 90 4.7.11 Water Quality Monitoring ................................................................................. 90 4.7.12 Project Site Monitoring ..................................................................................... 91 4.8 Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Management ........................................................... 91 4.8.1 Early Detection/Rapid Response ....................................................................... 91 4.8.2 Protocols for Inspections and Disinfection of AIS .............................................. 91 4.8.3 AIS Education .................................................................................................... 92 4.8.4 Invasive Plant Control ........................................................................................ 92 4.9 Programs and Policies .............................................................................................. 92 4.9.1 Roads MOU ....................................................................................................... 92 4.9.2 Woody Debris MOU ........................................................................................... 92 4.9.3 Mt. Tamalpais Watershed Management Policy .................................................. 93 4.9.4 Wells and Private Water Sources Policy ............................................................ 93 4.10 Collaboration and Outreach .................................................................................... 93 4.10.1 Lagunitas Creek Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) ................................... 93 4.10.2 Partnerships and Collaboration with Other Entities .......................................... 93 4.10.3 Public Involvement and Education ................................................................... 94 5.0 Schedule.......................................................................................................................... 95 6.0 Consistency with Other Plans & Programs ...................................................................... 96 7.0 Costs & Funding Opportunities ........................................................................................ 97 8.0 References ...................................................................................................................... 98 FIGURES ............................................................................................................................ 100 Figure 1. Map of the Lagunitas Creek Watershed. .............................................................. 101 Figure 2. Stream gages on Lagunitas Creek and San Geronimo Creek. ............................. 102 Figure 3. California freshwater shrimp. ................................................................................ 103 Figure 4. Kent Lake aquatic plants mapping, 2006. ............................................................. 104 Figure 5. Nicasio Reservoir aquatic plants mapping, 2006. ................................................. 105 Figure 6. Winter Habitat Enhancement Assessment Project