Title
Consider receiving an update on Re-Initiated Consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service on the "Biological Opinion for the Salinas Valley Water Project".
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Directors:
Receive the update on Re-Initiated Consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service on the "Biological Opinion for the Salinas Valley Water Project".
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
On January 11, 2019 the Agency Board of Directors (BOD) held a special board meeting to gather stakeholder feedback to help staff develop recommendations on revising the project description for the Salinas Valley Water Project Biological Opinion re-initiation. At the workshop, under the general topic of "enhancements to benefit fish passage," BOD and stakeholders engaged in small group discussions around the following topics:
* Fish passage in Dry Years
* Fish passage in all Year-Types
* Funding for staffing and the Habitat Conservation Plan
The workshop generated good information that staff is currently reviewing, and recommendations are being developed to present to the BOD. Staff will be reviewing the information at the January 22nd BOD meeting. Moving forward thoughts include:
1. The revised project description should not change any of the flow requirements or triggers currently outlined in the Flow Prescription. Any changes should be analyzed in much greater detail than can be done with existing tools. Analysis of this magnitude would be done as part of the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and accompanying CEQA/NEPA document.
2. Staff needs to meet with NMFS to discuss the fish monitoring data presented at the workshop and identify specific changes to the monitoring plan. There is uncertainty as to when the federal government shut-down will end and NMFS staff will be available.
3. The Agency is currently working on the Salinas River Long-Term Management Plan (LTMP), which will help inform the H...
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