Survival, growth, and yield of brown trout stocked as fingerlings in Hot Creek, California

Four groups of fin clipped brown trout (Salmo trutta) fingerlings were planted in Hot Creek over a six year period. Survival and growth were estimated by fall and/or spring mark-and-recapture surveys. Yield to the angler for two of the tour groups stocked was estimated by stratified random creel surveys. Fingerling survival from the midsummer stocking period to fall averaged 51 %. Overwinter survival from young-of-the-year to yearling fish averaged 49%. Angler harvest of two groups of fingerlings stocked at densities of 16,082 fish/mile averaged 1,704 trout/mile (10.6%) and 194 lbs/acre. Abundant cover and microhabitat suitable tor young trout, ice-free winters, and rapid growth were factors viewed as contributing to high yields. Results do not suggest a change is needed in the general policy of not stocking brown trout fingerlings in California streams. Results do show that fingerlings stocked in Hot Creek, and presumably other productive streams with abundant cover, can effectively fill a void created by limited recruitment. (PDF contains 24 pages.)

A 30-Year History of Tide and Current Measurements in Elkhorn Slough, California

Elkhorn Slough was first exposed to direct tidal forcing from the waters of Monterey Bay with the construction of Moss Landing Harbor in 1946. Elkhorn Slough is located mid-way between Santa Cruz and Monterey close to the head of Monterey Submarine Canyon. It follows a 10 km circuitous path inland from its entrance at Moss Landing Harbor. Today, Elkhorn Slough is a habitat and sanctuary for a wide variety of marine mammals, fish, and seabirds. The Slough also serves as a sink and pathway for various nutrients and pollutants. These attributes are directly or indirectly affected by its circulation and physical properties. Currents, tides and physical properties of Elkhorn Slough have been observed on an irregular basis since 1970. Based on these observations, the physical characteristics of Elkhorn Slough are examined and summarized. Elkhorn Slough is an ebb-dominated estuary and, as a result, the rise and fall of the tides is asymmetric. The fact that lower low water always follows higher high water and the tidal asymmetry produces ebb currents that are stronger than flooding currents. The presence of extensive mud flats and Salicornia marsh contribute to tidal distortion. Tidal distortion also produces several shallow water constituents including the M3, M4, and M6 overtides and the 2MK3 and MK3 compound tides. Tidal elevations and currents are approximately in quadrature; thus, the tides in Elkhorn Slough have some of the characters of a standing wave system. The temperature and salinity of lower Elkhorn Slough waters reflect, to a large extent, the influence of Monterey Bay waters, whereas the temperature and salinity of the waters of the upper Slough (>5 km from the mouth) are more sensitive to local processes. During the summer, temperature and salinity are higher in the upper slough due to local heating and evaporation. Maximum tidal currents in Elkhorn Slough have increased from approximately 75 to 120 cm/s over the past 30 years. This increase in current speed is primarily due to the change in tidal prism which has increased from approximately 2.5 to 6.2 x 106 m3 between 1956 and 1993. The increase in tidal prism is the result of both 3 rapid man-made changes to the Slough, and the continuing process of tidal erosion. Because of the increase in the tidal prism, the currents in Elkhorn Slough exhibit positive feedback, a process with uncertain consequences. [PDF contains 55 pages]

Hypoxic and low pH water in the nearshore marine environments of Monterey Bay, California: characterizing a decade of oxygen and pH, and drivers of variability.

A decade-long time series recorded in southern Monterey Bay, California demonstrates that the shallow, near-shore environment (17 m depth) is regularly inundated with pulses of cold, hypoxic and low pH water. During these episodes, oxygen can drop to biologically threatening levels, and pH levels were lower than expected. Weekly water chemistry monitoring revealed that the saturation state of aragonite (the more soluble form of calcium carbonate) was often below saturation and had a moderate positive relationship with pH, however, analytical and human error could be high. Pulses of hypoxia and low pH water with the greatest intensity arise at the onset of the spring upwelling season, and fluctuations are strongly semidurnal (tidal) and diurnal. Arrival of cold, hypoxic water on the inner shelf typically occurs 3 days after the arrival of a strong upwelling event and appears to be driven by upwelling modulated by internal tidal fluctuations. I found no relationship between the timing of low-oxygen events and the diel solar cycle nor with terrestrial nutrient input. These observations are consistent with advection of hypoxic water from the deep, offshore environment where water masses experience a general decline of temperature, oxygen and pH with depth, and inconsistent with biochemical forcing. Comparisons with concurrent temperature and oxygen time series taken ~20 km away at the head of the Monterey Canyon show similar patterns but even more intense hypoxic events due to stronger semidiurnal forcing there. Analysis of the durations of exposure to low oxygen levels establishes a framework for assessing the ecological relevance of these events. Increasing oceanic hypoxia and acidification of both surface and deep waters may increase the number, intensity, duration and spatial extent of future intrusions along the Pacific coast. Evaluation of the resiliency of nearshore ecosystems such as kelp forests, rocky reefs and sandy habitats, will require consideration of these events.

The quest for temperature records in California free of urban heat island effects [abstract, figures, and tables]

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): The data of this paper differ from the Jones and Bradley papers [of 1982-1986] in that it represents an attempt to select thermal pollution free records rather than to include all available records. The specific long-term trends that this paper is trying to avoid are those illustrated by the heat islands of fast growing urban locations. One other major difference in this paper is that all of the records reported of this study are complete for the entire study period.

Interdecadal variability in the spatial structure of wind and SST in the California Current system

The physical environment of eastern boundary current systems is rarely uniform in time. ENSO and other perturbations produce profound anomalies in the atmosphere and ocean on interannual to decadal and century time scales. ... The objective of this paper is to describe the temporal variability in the spatial texture of the California Current system, a major eastern boundary current system off the west coast of North America, to provide a base from which to evaluate the effect of climate change - in the recent past, at present, and for the future.

Study of the rocky intertidal communities of central and northern California: Years III and IV

The study objectives are to describe seasonal and successional variation in rocky intertidal community structure; determine the response of rocky intertidal communities to natural and human-induced disturbances and correlate these responses with successional, seasonal, and latitudinal variation; and correlate life history information and oil toxicity data with data from this and other relevant studies. The Year III and IV report is for the third (1987) and fourth (1988) years of a five-year field experimental study investigating two biological assemblages, the Mytilus assemblage and the Endocladia/Mastocarpus papillatus assemblage, that are being studied at six sites along the California coast. Volume I includes the report, Appendix A, and Appendix B. Volume II includes Appendix C. Volume III includes Appendix D. Volume IV includes Appendix E and Appendix F. Volume V includes Appendix G, Appendix H, and Appendix I.

2007 Annual Report: Hydrologic Conditions in Baseflow Reaches Pursuant to Conditions 14 and 15, Santa Lucia Preserve, Monterey County, California

This report presents the results of the 2007 baseflow condition surveys of the four major streams flowing through Santa Lucia Preserve- Las Garzas, Portrero, San Jose, and San Clemente Creeks. This report has been prepared for the Santa Lucia Conservancy and is primarily intended for the staff of Monterey County and California Department of Fish and Game, in accordance with the baseflow monitoring and reporting requirements outlined in County Conditions 14 and 15. The scope of this report is limited to the presentation and evaluation of existing baseflow conditions as required by Conditions 14 and 15, and is not intended as a comprehensive analysis. However, data presented here are an important part of the long term data set that will be used for future in depth watershed analyses. (Document contains 13 pages & 14 figs)

Comments on the Friends of the Sea Otter critique of the State of California sea otter proposal

Written in response to "A proposal for sea otter protection and research and request for the return of management to the State of California" report published by the California Department of Fish and Game in 1976. (52 page document)

A report of biological observations at Topanga artificial reef and Santa Monica Bay artificial reef

(Document pdf contains 25 pages)

Biological surveys of five southern artificial reefs: Oceanside #1, Oceanside #2, Carlsbad, Pacific Beach, and Mission Bay

(Document pdf contains 19 pages)

A report of biological observations at Pacific Beach artificial reef, Oceanside artificial reef, and Santa Monica Bay artificial reef

(Document pdf contains 16 pages)

A report of biological observations at Oceanside #1 and #2 artificial reefs, Carlsbad artificial reef, Pacific Beach artificial reef, and Mission Bay Park artificial reef

(Document pdf contains 22 pages)