1. www.sonomacountywater.org Russian River Estuary Management

2. Goals and Objectives Enhance habitat for rearing steelhead and salmon Minimize flood risk to low-lying properties Balance management of other public and natural resources

3. Estuary Management Lagoon Management – Period: May 15 – Oct 15 – Lagoon Outlet Channel – Target water level of 7 feet to increase habitat for fish Artificial breaching to reduce flood risk Jetty Study evaluation – if jetty affects formation of barrier beach and estuary water surface elevations (groundwater movement through beach) – feasibility of jetty modification

4. Work Areas Beach managementJetty study Jetty

5. Project Development Section 7 consultation between NMFS, Corps, SCWA, and CESA consultation with CDFW over 10 years Biological assessment included interim reports presented to public and regulators on the Public Policy Facilitating Committee NMFS Russian River Biological Opinion in 2008 CDFW Consistency Determination in 2009 CEQA – EIR completed in 2011 Biological, water quality, and physical processes monitoring over the last 10 years, in addition to 5 years in late 1990s.

6. Project Implementation Implement Biological Opinion to avoid jeopardizing steelhead populations and their critical habitat while minimizing flood risk Project is adaptively managed to meet habitat enhancement and flood risk objectives while: Maintaining harbor seal haulout, beach public access, and water quality Continuing long term monitoring Annual adaptive management evaluation

7. Marine Mammal Protection Act IHA Incidental Take Authorization allows low-level disturbance at haulout, no injury Measures to avoid and minimize impacts during beach management activities, including pupping season Twice monthly baseline monitoring, in addition to monitoring during beach management activities, to monitor changes in haulout use

8. Harbor Seal: Disturbance

9. Beach Access Goat Rock State Beach parking lot and beach always open Beach management activities limited to Mon-Thurs unless flooding imminent Temporary signage and tape placed near management activity for public safety

10. Water Quality

11. Regulatory Oversight Local, state and federal agencies maintain oversight of the project Sonoma County – LCP consistency State Parks – Right of Entry (year to year ROE and extensions) State Lands Commission – General Public Lease (3 yrs) California Department of Fish and Wildlife – LSAA (4 yrs) North Coast RWQCB – Section 401 permit pending CDP; currently on permit extension NMFS Marine Mammal Protection Act – IHA (annual) US Army Corps of Engineers - Section 404 CWA permit pending CDP; currently on permit extension NMFS Biological Opinion and CDFW consistency determination (15 yrs)

12. Future Management Continue to work cooperatively with resource agencies to adaptively manage the Estuary to avoid jeopardizing listed salmon species and minimizing flood risk, while balancing other issues of concern. Annual lagoon outlet channel adaptive management plan provides check in with resource agencies, including NMFS, CDFW, Corps, RWQCB, and Commission. Continue to provide updates to the public via annual PPFC and community meetings, emails, and local news outlets.

13. www.sonomacountywater.org Russian River Estuary Management