Appendix_6_-_SAV_Monitoring_Plan.pdf

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Monitoring Plan Treasure Island/Long Key Nourishment

DEP Permit No. 0221569-020-JM

1. INTRODUCTION

All submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) resources within the influence of the Blind Pass or the Grand Canal portions of the Treasure Island/Long Key Nourishment Project (Permit No. 0221569- 020-JM) that have not been mitigated for previously shall be monitored in accordance with this plan. Monitoring shall include all resources within areas that may be impacted due to dredging or dredging-related sloughing, sedimentation, and turbidity. The monitoring area shall include resources within 150 meters of the dredging template (or within the authorized mixing zone, whichever area is greater), submerged pipeline route(s), ingress / egress areas, and any other portions of the project area where project-related impacts are reasonably likely to occur.

Purpose: Document any unmitigated project-related impacts that may occur.

Objectives:

• Identify all SAV resources in the project area.

• Map resources to document any changes in their spatial distribution / acreage.

• Quantitatively assess the condition of resources pre- and post-construction to document changes in community structure.

2. MONITORING PROTOCOLS

2.1 Timing of Monitoring Surveys

All SAV resources (including seagrasses and rhizophytic macroalgae) that are within the influence of the project shall be monitored before and after each maintenance dredging event. All monitoring surveys shall be completed during the peak growing season (between June 1 and September 30) to capture the maximum spatial extent and cover of SAV.

If construction occurs during the growing season, then SAV surveys shall be conducted immediately prior to construction and immediately after construction has been completed, within the same growing season. However, if construction occurs outside of the growing season, then monitoring shall be done during the growing season immediately prior to construction and the growing season immediately following construction; in this scenario, the post-construction survey(s) shall be done as close as possible to the same time of year as the pre-construction survey to avoid seasonal differences. If construction continues for more than a year (extends over more than one growing season), then a survey shall be completed each growing season until construction has been completed.

2.2 Reconnaissance Survey

Prior to each construction event, biologists shall conduct a reconnaissance survey to identify any SAV resources within the areas required to be monitored (see Section 1). All available information (e.g., historical aerial photography, data from all previous surveys) on resources in the project area shall be compiled and reviewed prior to initiation of field work for the reconnaissance survey. This information shall be used to identify all potential SAV habitats and to determine the spatial extent of the reconnaissance survey. Potential SAV habitats include areas known to be currently vegetated, as well as areas that have historically supported SAV and currently possess the appropriate water environment and sediment characteristics necessary for SAV growth.

A reconnaissance survey shall be conducted throughout all potential SAV habitats within the influence of the project to identify currently vegetated areas. A grid of transects running perpendicular to and parallel with the proposed project boundaries is recommended for this purpose. Reconnaissance surveys may be completed using a towed video camera, only if the video is watched in real-time by observers on the vessel to ensure the camera is positioned at the appropriate angle and towed at the appropriate speed, and that the video is of sufficient quality to identify resources. Alternatively, video surveys may be completed by towed divers. In-water surveys by divers are preferred to video surveys in areas where water clarity is low, if resources are sparse or small in stature (and therefore unlikely to be detected on video); in this case, divers can traverse the area, visually assess resource boundaries, and collect representative photos. Spacing between survey tracks should be minimized to the maximum extent practicable to thoroughly survey the benthos (e.g., transects spaced at 10-meter intervals). The coordinates of the survey track lines shall be reported along with the visibility of the site on the date of the survey. If SAV resources are identified during reconnaissance surveys, these resources shall be surveyed as described below (Section 2.3).

The reconnaissance survey may be completed concurrently with the pre-construction monitoring event (Section 2.3). If a recent reconnaissance survey has been conducted, the permittee should coordinate with FDEP staff to determine if a new reconnaissance survey is required.

2.3 Monitoring Methods

2.3.1 Delineation of SAV / Mapping

During each monitoring event (pre- and post-construction), the edge of each SAV patch shall be delineated in situ by divers; divers shall visually assess and record the position of the edge as accurately as possible using a sub-meter accurate DGPS unit. The positioning data shall be recorded and the total acreage of SAV within each patch/bed shall be reported. A continuous track-line is preferred, but if this is not possible, then individual data points (waypoints) may be collected (e.g., at 5-meter intervals or major inflection points) to document the position of the edge. The method used during the pre-construction survey shall be used for post-construction survey to ensure consistency. For projects where SAV is extensive and continuous, it is sufficient to delineate only the SAV edge that is proximate to the construction template (e.g., within 150 meters of the dredged area).

Pre- and post-construction delineation data shall be used to evaluate changes in the distribution and acreage of SAV within the project area over time. The post-construction SAV acreage shall be compared to the pre-construction SAV acreage. Any signs of physical impacts shall be noted.

Additionally, water depth for each area shall be measured, corrected for tidal height, and reported to DEP in metric units. The SAV map shall clearly distinguish between areas containing distinct resource types based on qualitative and quantitative data collected within each patch / bed (described below).

2.3.2 Qualitative Assessment

Site conditions of each SAV area shall be visually assessed and indicators of function such as canopy height, epiphyte coverage, flowering, disease, drift algae, bioturbation, propeller scars, shoaling, water quality, clarity and visibility shall be observed and noted. Density of SAV shall be observed and reported as either sparse (<5% cover), moderate (25-50% cover), or dense (50- 100% cover); if density varies within the site(s), this should be described in the reports. Any signs or indicators of potential impacts, such as sloughing, scouring, exposed rhizomes, burial or sediment accumulation shall be reported. A detailed description of the current conditions shall be provided, including a description of any visually conspicuous changes in the condition of resources compared to previous surveys. Representative photographs of each patch (or discrete area) shall be taken to document site conditions. Additionally, water depth shall be measured, corrected for tidal height, and reported in metric units.

2.3.3 Quantitative Assessment

2.3.3.1 Sampling Design

Seagrass areas identified within the authorized project area are comprised of distinct patches;

therefore, quantitative assessments of SAV shall be completed using quadrats that are distributed in a stratified-random manner within the survey areas. The number of quadrats to be sampled within each seagrass area shall be based on the size of each patch and shall follow the most recent FDEP guidance for SAV monitoring (FDEP, 2020), shown in Table 1, with a minimum of 5% area sampled for large patches and greater sampling coverage for smaller patches. For each patch, the same number of quadrats shall be used during the post-construction survey as was used in the pre-construction survey, even if the patch size has declined.

Table 1. Guidance on approximate number of quadrats to be sampled within SAV patches (source:

FDEP, 2020)

Patch size (acres) Patch size (square meters) Number of quadrats (1 m x 1 m) < 0.01 < 40 3

0.01 to 0.025 40 - 101 5

0.025 to 0.05 101 - 202 10

0.05 to 0.1 202 – 405 20

0.1 to 0.25 405 – 1012 50

0.25 to 0.5 1012 – 2024 100

0.5 to 1 2024 – 4047 200 > 1 acre > 4047 300 or 5% of the areas, whichever is less

2.3.3.2 Quantitative Assessment of Cover-Abundance

The canopy height and cover-abundance of SAV shall be visually assessed within 1 m2 (1 m x 1 m) quadrats. Cover-abundance (percent cover) of SAV shall be visually assessed and reported to the nearest 5%. Any drift algae within the quadrat shall be recorded in the field notes as sparse, moderate, or abundant and then carefully removed prior to visually assessing rooted or anchored SAV taxa (seagrass and rhizophytic macroalgae, respectively). Once drift algae have been removed from the quadrat, the biologist shall assess the total cover-abundance of SAV, which is the total cover of all seagrass and rhizophytic macroalgae taxa. The total cover-abundance of all seagrass species and the total cover-abundance of all rhizophytic macroalgae genera shall also be reported. The biologist shall also report the cover-abundance of each seagrass species and each rhizophytic macroalgae genera present within the quadrat. The results of this assessment should be used to calculate the frequency of occurrence (percentage of all quadrats that contained SAV), the density (average cover-abundance for all quadrats sampled) and the abundance (average cover-abundance for only those quadrats containing SAV). These metrics shall be calculated for 1) all SAV, 2) all seagrass, 3) all rhizophytic macroalgae, 4) each seagrass species and 5) each rhizophytic macroalgae genera.

The density of seagrass shoots shall also be recorded and reported as another metric of SAV abundance. Seagrass shoots shall be counted within multiple 0.01 m2 (10 cm x 10 cm) quadrats and the density of seagrass shoots shall be reported separately for all species present within quadrats.

3. QUALIFICATIONS AND QUALITY CONTROL

3.1 Qualifications for Biologists

Documentation demonstrating expertise / experience of all individuals that will be conducting SAV monitoring shall be provided to the Department prior to initiation of monitoring tasks. All in-water survey work of benthic resources and preparation of associated deliverables shall be completed by individuals with:

i. A Bachelor of Science in either marine biology, biology with a concentration in marine sciences, environmental science with a minor in biology, or a similar degree.

ii. Professional experience and expertise in surveying SAV.

iii. Scientific knowledge of SAV.

iv. Experience and certification in SCUBA.

3.2 Quality Control/Quality Assurance

Measures shall be taken to ensure the production of high-quality data, which are accurate, complete, and consistent. Data should only be collected by qualified biologists (Section 3.1), who have cross-trained and completed in-situ calibration exercises to reduce interobserver error. The data management process should be well documented and transparent. Consistent methods should be used for all monitoring events to allow temporal comparisons to be made between datasets.

All biologists responsible for in-situ quadrat data collection shall participate in cross-training and calibration activities to verify correct species identification and survey practices. These Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) activities should be completed at the beginning of each monitoring event. The results of these QA/QC activities shall reflect consistency of at least 90% for each SAV cover metric that will be used for the project (e.g., percent cover and shoot counts);

biologists should be able to positively identify all SAV taxa (i.e., 100% agreement on seagrass species and macroalgae genera). If only one biologist will be collecting data for a project, then regular cross-training and calibration with other biologists is recommended but is not required.

During data collection, biologists shall check their field datasheets to ensure completeness, legibility, and accuracy. Biologists should initial each sheet after it has been checked in this manner. Once field datasheets are cleaned and dried at the office, data shall be entered into a project-specific Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet data shall be checked against the original datasheet (or a photocopy) to ensure data were transferred correctly. Any changes to datasheets shall be made in coordination with the biologist who collected the data; any changes to field sheets shall be done using a colored marker. Datasheets shall be electronically scanned, saved as PDF files, and submitted to FDEP with the data deliverables (Section 4.3).

4. NOTIFICATIONS, DELIVERABLES, AND REPORTING

All correspondence related to the submittal of information, data deliverables, or reports for the project should be provided to the JCP Compliance Officer (JCPCompliance@floridadep.gov). All correspondence shall reference the permit number and project name. Additionally, correspondence should reference the number of the specific condition(s) of the permit and/or section(s) of the monitoring plan that requires the submittal of the information provided in each deliverable. Email correspondence is preferable, when possible, but some deliverables may need to be submitted using other electronic delivery methods such as a file transfer protocol (FTP) website or delivery of an external hard drive. Regardless of the delivery mechanism, the permittee is responsible for ensuring FDEP receives all deliverables prior to permit-required deadlines.

mailto:JCPCompliance@floridadep.gov

4.1 Notification of Survey Initiation and Completion

The JCP Compliance Officer (JCPCompliance@floridadep.gov) shall be notified via email before the initiation of each survey and provided with an approximate date that survey work will begin.

The JCP Compliance Officer shall also be notified (via email within 48 hours) when survey work has been initiated and when each survey has been completed.

4.2 Notification of Impacts

If any unauthorized impacts to SAV occur (or are suspected to have occurred) as a result of construction activities authorized by this permit, then the permittee shall notify the JCP Compliance Officer (JCPCompliance@floridadep.gov) as soon as practicable but no later than 24 hours from the time of discovery. This correspondence should include all available information on impacts and/or incident(s) that (may) have caused impacts.

4.3 Submittal of Monitoring Data

Data (field sheets and Excel spreadsheets), ArcGIS map files (including SAV delineations), and representative photographs shall be submitted no later than 45 days after each survey is complete. All data shall be carefully checked (as described in Section 3.2) before submittal. Digital photographs submitted to FDEP shall be organized (sorted within file folders) by location (e.g., project site, patch). Monitoring data and statistical analysis must be provided directly and concurrently from the monitoring firm to the FDEP, permittee, consultants, and local sponsors.

4.4 Submittal of Monitoring Reports

A summary of the monitoring schedule and associated deliverables is provided in Table 2. A formal pre-construction report is not required, but the pre-construction deliverables shall include a georeferenced map of SAV boundaries based on the reconnaissance and mapping survey tasks, representative photographs, a description of site conditions based on the qualitative assessment and the data for the quantitative assessment of cover-abundance. A post-construction report shall be prepared and submitted to FDEP within 90 days of the completion of each post-construction survey. This report shall include the results for each monitored metric; all data collected shall be reported. The report shall describe the results of statistical analyses used to evaluate whether the spatial extent (acreage) and/or cover of SAV (as determined by quantitative assessments, Section 2.3.3.2) changed significantly between the pre- and post-construction surveys. Summary statistics, including the average and standard deviation, shall be presented.

The report shall provide a comparison of pre- and post-construction data for each area (patch) and for the entire project area. Reports shall include:

4.4.1 SAV map / Delineation data

• A georeferenced map of SAV boundaries shall be provided as either an ArcGIS Map

Package or CAD .dwg file. The map shall clearly distinguish between areas containing distinct SAV types based on qualitative and quantitative data collected within each patch / bed.

• Acreage of each SAV patch and total SAV acreage within the surveyed area.

4.4.2 Cover-Abundance Data from Quadrats

• The number of quadrats surveyed and the number of quadrats containing SAV, seagrass, and rhizophytic macroalgae shall be reported for each patch as well as for the entire project area.

• Cover-abundance summary statistics shall be reported for each of the following: 1) all SAV (seagrass and rhizophytic macroalgae), 2) all seagrass, 3) all rhizophytic macroalgae, 4) each seagrass species, and 5) each rhizophytic macroalgae genera.

• Summary statistics for cover-abundance data shall include (but is not limited to) average and standard deviation for frequency of occurrence (proportion of all quadrats containing the taxa/taxon), density (average percent cover for the taxa/taxon for all quadrats sampled), and abundance (average percent cover for the taxa/taxon including only those quadrats within which it was present).

Table 2. Summary of Monitoring Tasks and Associated Deliverables

Surveys Timeline for Completion Deliverable

Reconnaissance Survey

Growing season immediately prior to construction

Field notes and a description of reconnaissance survey methods (e.g., transects or positions inspected by biologists)

Pre-Construction Survey

Growing season immediately prior to construction

A summary of existing information based on the desktop assessment, a geo-referenced map of SAV boundaries, a narrative description of the current conditions, Excel data files, ArcGIS map files, and representative photographs

Post-Construction Survey*

Growing season immediately following construction

Post-Construction SAV Report, Excel data files, ArcGIS map files, and representative photographs

* Additional monitoring may be required if impacts are documented.

5. CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR MONITORING

5.1 Amendments to Biological Monitoring Protocols

If any amendments to this biological monitoring protocol are necessary (e.g., due to field conditions), then the permittee and the monitoring firm shall contact resource staff in the Beaches, Inlets and Ports Program. Any changes to this protocol shall be coordinated with FDEP staff, and the permittee / monitoring firm must receive written approval from FDEP prior to the implementation of revised protocols.

5.2 Post-Construction Monitoring of Impacted Areas

If a Post-Construction Survey reveals evidence of project-related impacts to SAV resources, then additional Post-Construction Surveys shall be conducted to document recovery of the areas impacted by construction activities. FDEP staff will use the results of biological monitoring to determine the number of monitoring events and spatial extent of surveys required to document recovery. Additionally, if project-related impacts are documented, then the permittee shall coordinate with FDEP to determine which (if any) corrective actions may be necessary. Corrective actions may include, but are not limited to, remediation of the impacted area and compensatory mitigation.

6. REFERENCES

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). 2020. Guidance on Surveys for Potential

Impacts to Submerged Aquatic Vegetation. Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Dec. 8, 2020.