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48 degrees average

Bear Creek Project

Did you know? MWD releases water from the Lake to support the fishery in the creek below Bear Valley Dam.

In 1990, California Trout, Inc. (CalTrout) filed a complaint against Big Bear Municipal Water District (MWD), requesting huge increases in the amount of water released from Big Bear Lake into Bear Creek to keep the fish in the stream in good condition. In 1993, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) held a public hearing in Big Bear where Bear Valley residents turned out in overwhelming numbers to express their feelings about the devastating impacts which a lower Lake level would have on their community. In subsequent hearings, the MWD presented testimony that releases of the magnitude requested could actually empty Big Bear Lake.

German Brown Trout Typical of the Trout Found in Bear Creek

The complaint was finally resolved in February 1995 with the issuance of Order No. 95-4 by the State Board. The Order found that the fish in Bear Creek were in good condition but some additional flows might be beneficial, especially in dry years. Minimum stream flow requirements were established at two locations; 300' below Bear Valley Dam (.3 cfs.. cubic feet per second) and further downstream where West Cub Creek merges with Bear Creek (1.2 cfs).

Bear Creek

The MWD must now maintain the required flows by releasing Lake water when necessary. To verify compliance, the Order required the construction of a flow metering device at each of the two locations in Bear Creek. Since the flows are to be monitored continuously, a sophisticated telemetry system has been installed to maintain computerized 24-hour flow readings and to adjust the flows as needed.

One of Two Flow Metering Stations in Bear Creek

Design and construction of the two flow metering devices was completed in November 1997. Construction of the measuring device just below the dam presented only minor access difficulties. However, the West Cub Creek site, located a little more than a mile below Bear Valley Dam, posed extremely difficult access problems for delivery of construction materials. The only way to and from the area is a winding, narrow, unmarked trail. Therefore, helicopters were used to deliver material and equipment to the site. Every effort was made to minimize disturbance to the surrounding terrain.

In addition to establishing minimum stream flows, the Order also required that fish monitoring studies be conducted in the stream for at least five years. These activities included the collection of habitat data, along with such information regarding fish size, numbers and locations.

A Group Taking Part in Fish Monitoring

The State Board did not establish a time limit for the fish monitoring and flow metering activities. The duration of the data collection was dependent upon many factors such as weather patterns, stream flows and the amount and validity of the data collected. However, per the fish monitoring workplan, the District was directed to produce a final report at the conclusion of five years of monitoring activities in which a synthesis of all data collected during the previous five years was to be produced.

The District actually monitored the fishery for six years, collecting data during very wet cycles and also during one of the driest years on record. In March 2003, a request was submitted to the State Board for discontinuation of the monitoring activities, as the monitoring results indicated the fishery remained in “good condition” with the mandated releases. A final report was submitted to the Board in June 2003, after which a 30 day comment period was initiated. Comments received from the interested parties supported the MWD’s request to discontinue monitoring activities and relief was granted in July 2003.

In spring 2005, after many months of not receiving data transmissions from Station A, District staff visited the site and found it had been severely damaged by the storms of the previous winter. The weir was bent and covered by boulders and the telemetry had been washed away. The District determined it would be extremely costly to repair the facility with no guarantee it would not be similarly damaged in the future. As an alternative to reconstructing the facility, a strategy was developed in which flows at Station B could be maintained at a level that would also ensure compliance at Station A. This involved creation of a formula identifying specific monthly flow requirements based on the year-to-date precipitation (water year – October 1 through September 30) totals and year type (dry, below normal, above normal and wet). On the first day of each month, the flow at Station B can be set in compliance with the chart. If needed, Lake releases can made to achieve the required flow. A major component of the plan was to verify compliance with Station A flow requirements with the installation of a pressure transducer at Station A to collect flow data. The flow information from the winter months could then be downloaded from the transducer in early spring, and then monthly through October (weather permitting). Should this data indicate that the flow management plan is not supplying sufficient water, the flows can be adjusted accordingly.

A petition to modify Order No. 95-4 to authorize the adoption of the above flow management plan was filed with the State Board in June 2006. This was following authorization from the State Board to implement the plan on an interim basis for the 2006 season while the petition was being prepared. The petition received the support of the Department of Fish and Game with the condition that flow data be collected at Station A for a period of ten years. The petition is still under consideration by the State Board but approval is anticipated before the end of 2006.

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