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Safeguarding the Carmel River
by Gillian Taylor
The Carmel River is already greatly diminished by over-pumping for consumptive uses. In our ongoing efforts to protect the river, its habitat and species, the Chapter is carefully monitoring two projects: Cañada Woods and Rancho San Carlos.
Cañada Woods action:
Actor-developer Clint Eastwood has filed a “Change Petition” to use Carmel River water on his Cañada Woods North (CWN) and Cañada Woods East (CWE) subdivisions and golf course. He previously gained approval from the state to use Carmel River water on his adjacent Cañada Woods project, the first of his three luxury subdivisions in Carmel Valley. (Regarding that process, the L.A. Times on 12/15/96 reported that: “. . . the chief of environmental review said he was told to ‘fast track’ Eastwood’s application, and he estimates that the actor saved two years.”) Now, if Eastwood is granted the Change Permit, it would not allow his projects to use additional water, but rather allow him to change the place of use for that water to include the other two projects.
In January 2002 the Chapter filed a formal protest on the Change Petition to the state, as did the group “Save Our Carmel River,” nationally-known fisheries expert George Boelhert, the Carmel River Steelhead Association and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District. Concerns included the impacts of wells on the river and listed species, the commitment of water to yet more consumptive uses which would make cutbacks more difficult in times of drought, moving water outside of the watershed of origin and using the water on a golf course. Subsequent to the protests, the petition was amended to limit the expansion of water use to those parts of the projects that are within the watershed of origin, and to exclude the golf course. However, the remaining aspects of the petition are still under consideration by state agencies.
Garzas Creek action:
The Chapter and the Carmel River Steelhead Association (CRSA) have long been concerned about the potential for harm to Garzas Creek, critical to both listed species and as a tributary to the source of most of the Monterey Peninsula’s water supply. When the sprawling luxury subdivision and golf course, Rancho San Carlos (RSC), was proposed for the top of that watershed in the mid-1990s, alarm bells went off. But the project was approved amid promises that the project would not cause problems.
However, in 1998 the Carmel River Steelhead Association reported and protested a fish kill due to low flows downstream from Rancho San Carlos. In the summer and fall of 2001 the creek went dry even in places that had kept flowing even in past droughts. In January 2002, The CRSA and the Chapter reported these facts and the analysis of hydrologist John Williams, who concluded that the only plausible explanation for the problem was upstream use by RSC.
At our request, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District investigated the situation, and convened a meeting of affected parties. As a result, the National Marine Fisheries Service is proposing modifications to the “protocol” governing RSC’s handling of the Moores Lake impoundment on Garzas Creek. CRSA and the Chapter want to see the effort expanded to ensure Rancho San Carlos wells do not have an adverse impact on the public trust resources. For more information visit the Carmel River Watershed website.
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