Attachment 1 - Specs_2012 LC Mussel Monitoring.docx

AG-4670-S-12-0095

LONG CANE MUSSEL MONITORING

AG-4670-S-12-0095

LONG CANE MUSSEL MONITORING

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION / SPECIFICATION / WORK STATEMENT

C.01. SCOPE OF WORK

Contractor shall furnish all equipment, supplies, transportation, labor and supervision necessary to survey freshwater mussel species (including Carolina heelsplitter, brook floater and others) within the project creek. Contractor shall conduct surveys at the level required to obtain accurate mussel identification. The Contractor shall be responsible for determining the method and intensity level of surveys to determine freshwater mussel population trends over time. All mussel species encountered shall be documented.

C.02. PROJECT LOCATION

The project location consists of approximately 8.9 miles of Turkey Creek beginning at the SC-35 (Walker Road) crossing and proceeding downstream to Key Bridge. The project creek is located within the boundaries of the Long Cane Ranger District in McCormick and Edgefield Counties, South Carolina. See attached map of the project creek.

C.03. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Contractor shall survey freshwater mussel species (including Carolina heelsplitter, brook floater, and others) on the Long Cane Ranger District, Sumter National Forest, within the designated project creek. Contractor shall provide a detailed report that includes the status of freshwater mussel populations (trends) over time using data from all previous surveys and the current survey. The report shall also include a discussion of reproduction trends, current and past habitat descriptions and habitat suitability assessments. Contractor shall hold a valid collection permit for mussel fauna as issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and any other applicable Federal or State permits.

Data collected and reports prepared under this contract are the property of the Forest Service. Data publication is prohibited without prior consent of the Forest Service. The Forest Service reserves the right to edit any potential publications. The Forest Service shall be acknowledged in any publications using such data.

C.04. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY

The Government shall make available to the Contractor the following material:

1) Long Cane District map

2) Applicable Forest Service GIS layers

C.05. SPECIFICATIONS

1) Contractor shall furnish all equipment, supplies, transportation, labor and supervision necessary to survey freshwater mussel species (including Carolina heelsplitter, brook floater and others) within the project creek. Contractor shall conduct surveys at the level required to obtain accurate mussel identification. The Contractor shall be responsible for determining the method and intensity level of surveys to determine freshwater mussel population trends over time. All mussel species encountered shall be documented.

2) Contractor shall report on the status of freshwater mussel populations, including Catch per Unit Effort data, over time using data from all previous surveys and the current survey. Population trends shall be discussed for all mussel species (including Carolina heelsplitter, brook floater and others).

3) Contractor shall include a narrative discussion of population trends (using data from all previous surveys and the current survey), as well as a presentation of the data in table and/or graph form. Tables and/or graphs shall include at least the following data:

a. Common name (if available) and scientific name

b. Number of live specimens

c. Number of shells

d. Number of juveniles

e. Location of samples

f. Population data trends

4) Contractor shall summarize in table form all known freshwater mussel surveys that have been previously performed within the project creek. Table shall include at least the following data:

a. Survey year

b. Agency for which survey was conducted

c. Project name

d. Number of survey sites within project creek per year

e. Number of reaches per year

f. Number of Carolina heelsplitter documented per year

5) Contractor shall address in the report freshwater mussel reproduction trends and observations based on data collected during previous and current surveys. Contractor shall display results in table and/or graph form.

6) Contractor shall address in the report any results of sampled tagged mussels versus untagged mussels. Contractor shall display results in table and/or graph form.

7) Contractor shall include maps that depict survey reaches and points for each year surveyed within project creek. A separate map shall be provided for each survey year.

A map shall also be provided that depicts all Forest Service funded (and other agencies if available) mussel surveys previously performed on the Long Cane District.

Contractor shall label maps with station numbers, all mussel species detected (including scientific name and number of individuals), survey time, stream names and all reference location names (e.g., road numbers, creek names) that are discussed in the report. All maps shall include the Forest Service land ownership layer.

8) Contractor shall place a descriptive summary of current habitat conditions for individual mussel species in the main body of the report. Current habitat conditions shall be discussed in relation to habitat conditions during all previous surveys (i.e., compared and contrasted). Contractor shall provide data for all conclusions if available.

Habitat descriptions shall include riparian vegetation and stream channel description and a habitat suitability assessment for the project creek (why it is or is not suitable for freshwater mussels). Contractor shall provide a definition of each habitat characteristic used in the report (e.g., what is the definition of wood debris?) and quantify the description of each habitat characteristic (e.g., what number(s) does “low” woody debris represent?).

9) Under “Substrate” habitat characteristic, Contractor shall list each substrate in order of dominance.

10) Under “Riparian Vegetation” habitat characteristic, Contractor shall note (a) dominant composition of wooded overstory (e.g., pine, hardwood, or mixed hardwood/pine), (b) successional stage of wooded overstory vegetation (e.g., early, middle, late), (c) dominant composition of shrub/brush layer, and (d) percent stream bank occupied with privet.

11) Contractor shall provide a GPS coordinate of (a) the beginning and end of each survey reach and (b) each individual/group occurrence of all mussel species.

12) Contractor shall submit the most updated GIS shapefiles for all data (past and present) collected during Forest Service surveys. Data collected during surveys conducted for other agencies is requested.

13) Contractor shall provide individual station survey results and habitat/mussel photos and other taxa observed.

14) Final report is due April 1, 2013.