Bibliography Background About KRIS
Hypothesis #6: Low flows limit the production of salmonids in Americano, Stemple, Walker, Lagunitas and Redwood Creeks
The Mediterranean climate of the West Marin-Sonoma Area is responsible for dry summers that naturally limit the potential of some streams for salmonid production. However, the frequency and severity of low flows may have increased since historic times due to water withdrawals, soil compaction and changes in vegetation.
Americano Creek was once perennial, but is now ephemeral in all or almost all years (Buell & Associates 1988). Stemple Creek was considered by one old-timer to have been a “well-moving” creek (UCCE 1995). Flow studies were conducted in both watersheds for the Santa Rosa Subregional Long-term Wastewater Project funded by the City of Santa Rosa and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Questa 1996, MSC 1996). These studies characterize current hydrologic conditions but do not quantify any changes over time.
Alteration of flows in Walker Creek has contributed to the decline of salmonids. In 1959, the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) noted that limited flows in the summer seriously restricted the size of the fishery and in 1969 noted that low flows was one of the factors appearing to limit fish populations (CDFG 1959, 1969). In the mid to late 1970’s Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) commissioned studies to determine potential impacts for the future enlargement of the Soulajule Reservoir. A resultant study (Kelley 1976) stated that land use had eliminated summer flow, and that major limitations for the restoration of salmonids were zero summer and fall flows and low winter flows between storms. This document also produced salmonid rearing habitat indexes and outlined a restoration plan which included flow releases from Soulajule Reservoir. An agreement between MMWD and CDFG was entered into during 1976, after the raising of the reservoir, which provided for the maintenance of summer and winter flows. Emig (1984) sampled fish populations to determine the effects of these enhancement flows and found that these flows substantially improved populations, but much less than anticipated by Kelley. Surveys conducted in 1984 (Kelly 1984, Bratovich 1984) noted that flow augmentation seemed to be providing sufficient streamflow. However, the extent of success for this flow augmentation program in restoring salmonid populations has been questioned (Rich 1989, UCCE 1995). In addition, Bill Cox, with the California Department of Fish and Game, has questioned whether enhanced flows may be limiting the production of salmonids (Cox, pers. comm. 2003). The effect of enhanced flows can best be visualized in the KRIS Topics listed below that chart the hydrograph near Tomales on a log axis.
The Lagunitas Creek watershed has also been considered to have flows which limited salmonid production. In 1979, MMWD and CDFG entered into an agreement for interim operation of the enlarged Kent Lake to begin biological, hydrological, and geomorphic studies to determine mitigation strategies to address the possible degradation of the creek. This included the development of rearing indexes for various flows (Kelley, D.W. and D.H. Dettman. 1980). In 1982, the State Water Resources Control Board set interim instream flows of Lagunitas and required further investigation into flow requirements (CRWQCB 1982). An electrofishing survey (Emig 1985) by the California Department of Fish and Game partially attributed steelhead increases to these recently enhanced summer flow releases. MMWD conducted further studies on adequate flows needed for various salmonid life stages, including migration, spawning, and juvenile rearing (Bratovich and Kelley, 1988 and Kelley and Entrix, 1992). During this time CDFG (Smith 1986) also completed an assessment of flow requirements for salmonid spawning and rearing. These studies were summarized by the State Water Resources Control Board Order 95-17 (SWRCB, 1995), which outlined the mitigation activities required of Marin Municipal Water District for the expansion of Peters Dam. Mitigation requirements included the establishment of final flow releases, as well as streamflow gaging (see several associated KRIS topics) and the monitoring of salmonid populations to gage the success of mitigation efforts.
CDFG noted that low flows limit the juvenile salmonid carrying capacity in Redwood Creek (CDFG 1956, 1976). Arnold (1971) commented that well pumping was reducing flow in lower Redwood Creek, which could have significant effects on the salmonid populations in this region. A later study by Hofstra and Anderson (1989) reported that the most immediate threat to the stream’s fishery resources was water withdrawal, which affects volume and quality of juvenile fish habitat and adult upstream migration. This study noted isolated stagnant pools near the Muir Woods Monument and proceeding downstream. CDFG stated that salmonid resources have declined significantly below historic levels due to water diversion and streambed alterations in the lower watershed. CDFG established preliminary preferred flows for salmonids, which were noted to have low occurrence (Snider 1984). Recent studies by Smith (1994, 1994, 1997, 2001 and PWA et al. 1994) have also found a loss of flow from drought and well pumping, which had significant adverse effects on salmonids. Surveys comparing electrofishing results during July and October of 1994 showed steelhead numbers had substantially declined due to low flow conditions. A more detailed flow study provided a flow-duration curve derived for the watershed which showed the occurrence of naturally dry periods, but also determined that well pumping could significantly increase the frequency of low or no flow conditions (Schanz et al. 1995). Martin (2000) verified that the Muir Beach Community Services District well caused streamflow depletion. Note that in 1995, Golden Gate National Recreation Area ceased the use of the Banducci pumps (PWA 2000) and that the water rights of Muir Beach Community Services District are now subject to special terms and conditions.
KRIS Topics
The following Topics in KRIS West-Marin Sonoma provide data relevant to the hypothesis. The two-letter abbreviations refer to the sub-basin where the topic is located. From each topic, the Info Links tab provides access to background information and relevant documents.
(AC) Flow: Americano Creek Estimated Average Monthly Flows
(SC) Flow: Stemple Creek Estimated Average Monthly Flows, 1996
(WC) Flow: Walker Creek near Tomales 1960-1972 log scale
(WC) Flow: Walker Creek near Tomales 1960-1972 log scale
(LC) Flow: Lagunitas Creek at Pt Reyes Station, Monthly Average 1975-2001
(LC) Flow: Lagunitas Creek at Pt Reyes Station, Season 5/1-6/15, Medians
(RC) Flow: Redwood Creek Salmonid Preferred Flows 1983
(RC) Flow: Redwood Creek Instantaneous U/S & D/S of Wells 1993-1994
(RC) Fish: Redwood Creek Juvenile Salmonid Abundance (Fish/100ft) 1994 Jul
(RC) Fish: Redwood Creek Juvenile Salmonid Abundance (Fish/100ft) 1994 Oct
References
Arnold, J. R. 1971. A study of the silver salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum) and steelhead trout Salmo gairdneri gairdneri (Richardson) in Redwood Creek, Marin County, California. Prepared for U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service. 44 pp. Note: Citation only.
Bratovich, P. M., H. Brooks, and D. Kelley. 1984. Investigations on Lagunitas Creek, Marin County, California. Second progress report. Note: Citation only.
Bratovich, P. M. and D. W. Kelley. 1988. Investigations of salmon and steelhead in Lagunitas Creek, Marin County, California. Volume 1. Migration, spawning, embryo incubation and emergence, juvenile rearing, and emigration. In Summary of study results and proposed mitigation measures, Lagunitas Creek basin, Marin County, California, October 1988. Prepared for the Marin Municipal Water District. Corte Madera, CA. 206 pp. [1.7Mb]**
Buell and Associates. 1988. Estero Americano study, reclamation alternative evaluation. Freshwater resident/anadromous fisheries development potential. Prepared for David W. Smith Consulting. 70 pp. Note: Citation only.
California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). 1956. Redwood Creek (Pacific Ocean tributary) stream survey, 21 March 1956. Unpublished CDFG file memo by C.K. Fisher. Yountville, CA. 6 pp. [238k]**
California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). 1959. Walker Creek (Tomales Bay tributary) stream survey, 14 December 1959. CDFG unpublished file memo by J.T. Allen. Yountville, CA. 3 pp. [54kb]**
California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). 1969. Memo regarding complaint received about dam on Arroyo Sausal Creek, August 7, 1969 . CDFG unpublished file memo by W.E. Jones. Yountville, CA. 3 pp. [32kb]**
California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). 1976. Redwood Creek (Pacific Ocean tributary) stream survey, June 1976. Unpublished CDFG file memo by R. Curtis and G. Scoppettone. Yountville, CA. 7 pp. [624kb]**
California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). 1976. Status of steelhead and salmon in Redwood, Pine Gulch, Lagunitas and Corte Madera Creeks. Unpublished CDFG file memo by G. Scoppettone. Yountville, CA. 2 pp. [13kb]**
California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). 1976. Summary of observations and comments concerning fisheries potential in Golden Gate National Recreation Area, 23 November 1976. Unpublished CDFG file memo by K.R. Anderson. 5 pp. [20kb]**
California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). 1982. Water rights decision 1582. In the matter of application 26242 to appropriate water from Lagunitas Creek, and petitions for extensions of time for permitted applications 9892, 14278 and 17317. Marin County, CA . 74 pp [1.2Mb]**
California State Water Resources Control Board. 1995. Order amending water rights and requiring changes in water diversion practices to protect fishery resources and to prevent unauthorized diversion and use of water. Order WR 95-17, Lagunitas Creek, Marin County. 126 pp. [2.7Mb]**
D. W. Kelley & Associates and Entrix Inc. 1992. Habitat recommendations for Lagunitas Creek, California. Prepared for the Marin Municipal Water District. Note: Citation only.
D.W. Kelly and Associates. 1985. Reconnaissance survey on Olema Creek, October 16, 1985. Prepared for the National Park Service. Note: Citation only.
Emig, J. W. 1984. Fish population survey, Walker Creek, Marin County, 1981. California Department of Fish and Game. Anadromous Fisheries Branch. Administrative Report No. 84-02 . Sacramento, CA. 15 pp. [63kb]**
Emig, J. W. 1985. Fish population survey, Lagunitas Creek drainage, Marin County, 1982. California Department of Fish and Game, Anadromous Fisheries Branch. Administrative Report No. 85-05 . Sacramento, CA. 27 pp. [252kb]**
Hofstra, T. D. and D. G. Anderson. 1989. Survey of salmonid fish and their habitat, Redwood Creek, Marin County, California. Redwood National Park, Technical Services Division. Arcata, CA. 41 pp. [3.1Mb]**
Kelley, D. W. 1976. The possibility of restoring salmon and steelhead runs in Walker Creek, Marin County . Prepared for the Marin Municipal Water District . Sacramento, CA. 64 pp. [1.4Mb]****
Kelley, D. W. and D. H. Dettman. 1980. Relationships between streamflow, rearing habitat, substrate conditions, and juvenile steelhead populations in Lagunitas Creek, Marin County, 1979. Prepared for the Marin Municipal Water District. Corte Madera, CA. 49 pp. [372kb]**
Martin, L. 2000. Hydrogeology of the Muir Beach Community Services District Well Site, Frank Valley, Redwood Creek, California, Golden Gate National Recreation Area. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service Technical Report NPS/NRWRD/NRTR-2000/265. Note: Citation only.
Merritt Smith Consulting (MSC). 1996. Environmental conditions in west County waterways. Santa Rosa Subregional Long-term Wastewater Project. Prepared for City of Santa Rosa and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Prepared by MSC for Harland Bartholomew & Associates. Layfette, CA. 206 pp. [11.8Mb]
Questa Engineering Corporation . 1996. Baseline hydrology and irrigation drainage evaluation for West and South County reclamation alternatives. Santa Rosa Subregional Long-term Wastewater Project. Prepared for the City of Santa Rosa and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Note: Citation only.
Rich A.A. and Associates. 1989. Fishery resources habitat surveys in Walker Creek, Marin County. Prepared for Marin County Resource Conservation District. Point Reyes Station, CA. 25 pp. [82kb]**
Schanz, R. W., J. Florsheim, and P. B. Williams. 1995. Analysis of land use impacts on water quality and quantity in Redwood Creek. Prepared for the National Park Service, Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Phillip Williams & Associates, Ltd. San Francisco, CA. 65 pp. [778kb]**
Smith, J. J. 1994. The effect of drought and pumping on steelhead and coho in Redwood Creek from July to October 1994. Prepared for the National Park Service, Golden Gate National Recreation Area. San Jose, CA. 6 pp. [33kb]**
Smith, J. J. 1994. Effects of streamflow reductions on fish habitat quality in Redwood Creek and lagoon. Prepared for the National Park Service, Golden Gate National Recreation Area. San Jose, CA. 4 pp. [14kb]**
Smith, J. J. 1997. Distribution and abundance of coho and steelhead in Redwood Creek in Fall 1997. Prepared for the National Park Service, Golden Gate National Recreation Area. San Jose, CA. 9 pp. [51kb]**
Smith, J. J. 1998. Distribution and abundance of coho and steelhead in Redwood Creek in Fall 1998. Prepared for the National Park Service, Golden Gate National Recreation Area. San Jose, CA. 12 pp. [66kb]**
Smith, J. J. 2000. Distribution and abundance of juvenile coho and steelhead in Redwood Creek in Fall 2000. Prepared for the National Park Service, Golden Gate National Recreation Area. San Jose, CA. 8 pp. [40kb]**
University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE). 1995. The Marin coastal watershed enhancement project final report . Novato, CA. 89 pp. [1.9Mb]**
