Salinas River Long-Term Management Plan
MCWRA's goal is for the Long-Term Management Plan (LTMP) to be the next step in a process to establish comprehensive solutions to water resource management along the Salinas River. MCWRA intends to develop this management strategy in partnership with all interested parties to meet the goals and objectives for the entire system, while maintaining necessary flexibility and building off the work that many have undertaken in recent years. MCWRA is preparing the LTMP with funding provided by the California State Coastal Conservancy.
Purpose and Goals
The purpose of the Salinas River LTMP is to describe a multi-benefit management program that addresses needs related to MCWRA facilities and operations, as well as related issues such as flood risk reduction, water supply, water quality, natural resource conservation, threatened and endangered species management, and federal and state Endangered Species Act compliance. The primary goals of the LTMP include all of the following:
- Identify long-term solutions for management of the Salinas River that include flood reduction, water resource management, stream maintenance, and habitat management for threatened and endangered species.
- Investigate the Salinas River Lagoon for the potential of reducing flooding and improving habitat conditions.
- Identify potential improvements to steelhead migration issues in the Salinas River utilizing management efforts and anticipated future projects.
- Develop the framework for implementing the LTMP that meets a variety of multi-benefit management goals, including implementation of the forthcoming Groundwater Sustainability Plan for the Salinas River Basin.
- Build upon and incorporate public/private partnerships, compatible with existing land and water rights and uses.
- Document the historical conditions in the lower Salinas River watershed.
- Describe the existing conditions in the lower Salinas River watershed--including the physical, biological, and chemical changes in the system over time--and to the extent possible, the sources driving those changes.
- Inform development of future documents.
Schedule
MCWRA is working with stakeholders and consultants to develop the LTMP in summer and fall 2018. MCWRA will release the LTMP in early 2019.
Stakeholder Engagement
MCWRA is committed to working with landowners, organizations, agencies, and other interested parties to develop the Long-Term Management Plan. Community and agency involvement is critical to the development of a successful LTMP. MCRWA has developed a robust stakeholder engagement process to solicit input and gather insights into issues to strengthen the LTMP. MCWRA is convening a broad-based planning group, focused working groups, and holding other conversations as needed. MCWRA will work with the planning group to develop and implement a communication and engagement plan to share information and solicit feedback from community members.
Meetings
Informational Materials
- Fact Sheet (Summer 2018)
- Fact Sheet (February 2019)
- Salinas River LTMP Presentation (February 2019)
Other Reports
- Salinas River Lagoon Fish Distribution Study: Summary of Recent Tidewater Goby Surveys
- Memorandum: Summary of Salinas River Lagoon water quality and fish population monitoring data 2010-2016
- Age Composition, Growth, and Life History Characteristics of Juvenile Oncorhynchus mykiss in the Salinas River Basin: Insights from Scale Analyses