Attachment 7 Monitoring Plan 260331.pdf

Appendix B: Proposed Turbidity Monitoring Plan

OVERVIEW

This monitoring plan is proposed for the replacement of the existing road stream crossing structure at site WR135 across the Williams River with a new multi-span bridge to access the

Tea Creek Campground and other recreational interests on the Monongahela National Forest

(Forest).

Two types of on-site monitoring will occur during project implementation as indicated by BMP

#24 and #26 in the Biological Assessment (BA) for Priority FY2022 GAOA Road Stream

Crossing Projects.

1. Species Monitoring (Candy Darter): monitoring associated with species surveillance during in-channel project activities and candy darter capture/relocation efforts.

2. Turbidity Monitoring: monitoring of temporary increases in stream sedimentation associated with project activities.

In addition, Forest engineers or their surrogate will perform routine on-site contract administration duties associated with project implementation to ensure compliance with contract specifications, including inspection of erosion and sediment controls (ESC). Inspections of contract performance will be documented daily and this information will be available for review by the Service upon request. If contract inspections or other official reviews of project implementation indicate contract provision associated with the protection of aquatic environments are not being met, the Forest agrees to require a qualified environmental inspector to help monitor and advise on compliance with contract specifications that address conservation measures required for candy darter though consultation with the Service and the resulting

Biological Opinion (BiOp). Minimum qualifications for the environmental inspector are:

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in natural or applied science,

• Five (5) years of experience performing environmental inspection on projects of similar scope, and

• Trained to proficiently perform required tasks associated with this assignment.

The Forest and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) must review and approve the following items prior to utilizing these during project implementation. Reviews and associated comments by the Service will be completed within 6 working days of receiving documents, provided that no more than 2 such documents are received during any 6-day review period.

• Electrofishing and Relocation Plans for candy darter

• Dewatering and Diversion Plans for project work sites

• qualifications of on-site lead personnel to serve as Species Monitor, Electrofishing and

Relocation Plan, Sedimentation (Turbidity) Monitor, and Environmental Inspector (if needed)

SPECIES MONITORING

Item #24 in Table 3 (Best Management Practices (BMPs) / Conservation Measures) of the BA states that qualified personnel who are trained and familiar with the candy darter and its habitat will be present during all in-channel operations that occur beyond the limits of a secured, isolated, and dewatered work cell. This includes structure demolition and construction activities that may occur over the stream channel without the benefit of a protective debris shield.

Minimum qualifications of the candy darter monitor include:

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in natural or applied science,

• Five (5) years of experience performing fish surveys, with particular experience observing and identifying small benthic fish in the wild, especially in turbulent waters, and

• Previous experience identifying candy darters.

Qualifications of the Species Monitor will be submitted for review and approval to the Service and Forest prior to monitoring efforts. The Species Monitor will monitor project sites to ensure that all the Conservation Measures and terms and conditions of the reasonable and prudent measures pertaining to the candy darter are always followed.

Electrofishing and Relocation

Project sites associated with in-channel work are required to be physically isolated from stream flows and dewatered during project repair work. All candy darter (and other aquatic organisms) are to be captured, removed from these isolated work cells, and relocated to suitable habitat.

Standardized electrofishing techniques used to sample candy darter populations will be used to effectively capture candy darter and remove them from areas to be developed as isolated work cells.

A plan that details the means and methods of electrofishing, capturing, transporting, and relocating candy darter and the qualifications of the biologist performing the activities associated with electrofishing and relocation of candy darters will be provided to the Service and Forest for review in a separate document. Personnel performing the electrofishing and relocation of candy darters may be the Species Monitor or they may be other personnel. If the same person will be doing both activities, the commitment for the Species Monitor to be present during all in-channel activities will continue to be met.

The BA estimated the number of individual candy darter that may be encountered during efforts to capture and remove fish from individual areas where isolated in-channel work cells would be needed. Incidental Take of candy darter associated with these actions is identified in the following table for each isolated work cell and summed for the cumulative total number of candy darter for all isolated work cells. If it appears the total number of individual candy darter needing to be removed from the isolated work cell areas will exceed the estimated cumulative total number from the BA, fish removals shall cease prior to exceeding the estimated cumulative total number, the Forest and the Service will be notified, and actions will be taken as directed to remedy the situation.

Williams River - Site WR135

Isolated Work Cell Area Estimated Incidental Take for Candy Darter intermediate pier (glide habitat) 5 individual candy darter remove the existing crossing structure (riffle and run habitat) 25 individual candy darter new bridge abutment on river left (glide habitat) 5 individual candy darter new bridge abutment on river right (dry) 0 individual candy darter

Cumulative Total for All Work Cell Areas 35 individual candy darter

TURBIDITY MONITORING

Controlling sediment input during construction projects is often accomplished by setting limits on turbidity increases above “natural background levels.” While turbidity monitoring is recognized as having some limitations (Jeff Bash, Cara Berman, and Susan Bolton, 2001), it is more easily utilized in the field than direct measurement of total suspended solids for assessing project effects.

Turbidity monitoring will be utilized during the WR135 project to ensure potential stream sediment impacts associated with this project remains within the estimated spatial extent that was analyzed as a habitat surrogate for the incidental take of candy darter for this project.

Stream (Project Site) Estimated Incidental Take for Candy Darter (downstream habitat surrogate associated with increased turbidity)

Williams River - Site WR135 0.55 miles (2,917 feet) of occupied habitat

Qualifications and experience of personnel used to conduct turbidity monitoring associated with this plan will be provided to the Service and Forest for review and approval prior to in-channel work requiring water quality monitoring. The Forest or their contractor(s) will retain an independent water quality monitor to inspect and monitor turbidity levels. Qualifications of this personnel may include:

1. Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in natural or applied science,

2. Five (5) years of experience performing environmental inspection on projects of similar scope, and

3. Trained to proficiently perform required tasks associated with this assignment.

The Turbidity Monitor will have authority to stop project work or authority to direct corrective action to ESC devices when project activities are determined to be contributing to non-compliance with conditions specified for candy darter as a result of project consultation.

Turbidity monitoring will occur as follows:

• Project operations that actively disturb in-channel locations will be continuously observed to monitor for project induced turbidity (or sediment plumes).

o Anticipated in-channel project operations include site preparation, excavation, placement of geo-textile, rock installation, cofferdam installation/removal, temporary stream channel diversions installation/removal, drilling, installation/removal of forms for cast-in-place concrete work, and pouring concrete.

• Turbidity sampling will consist of using a large mouth container to collect a simple representative grab sample of stream water at specified locations.

o Sample vials must be cleaned and thoroughly rinsed with distilled water and allowed to air dry before use.

o Due to relatively shallow water depths during low-flow conditions prescribed for in-channel activity on this project and the typically homogenous distribution of suspended sediment in the water column of flowing streams associated with this project area, collecting multiple water samples at different depths of the water column is unlikely to be practical or more informative than collecting a single sample.

o Stream water samples collected for turbidity monitoring will be obtained from just beneath the water surface (to the extent practicable) and in the portion of stream flow across the channel width that visually appears to represent the project’s greatest effect on turbidity (if an observable difference exists).

o A field turbidity meter will be used to measure turbidity in Nephelometric

Turbidity Units (NTU).

▪ All manufacturer’s specifications will be followed including instructions for equipment calibration, operation, and care/maintenance.

• Standard Turbidity Sampling Locations: these three locations are sampled as a package set.

1. Downstream Extent of the Project Action Area

For WR135, this is located 0.55 miles (2,916 feet) downstream of the project site at the pool tail-crest of habitat unit 8 from the project’s habitat sequencing assessment.

2. 25-feet Upstream of Active In-channel Project Work

This location is sampled each time a sample is collected from 0.55 miles downstream of the project area.

3. 25-feet downstream of Active In-channel Project Work

This location is also sampled each time a sample is collected from 0.55 miles downstream of the project area.

• Turbidity Sampling Frequency:

o Baseline turbidity samples will be taken and analyzed for turbidity at all three standard turbidity sampling locations each day prior to the start of any in-channel work activity.

o In additional to the baseline turbidity samples, subsequent samples will be taken at least two more times during the workday once in-channel project activities have begun. These subsequent samples will coincide with project activities that exhibit the greatest potential to increase turbidity downstream of the project area.

o If a project-generated sediment plume is observed to have an obvious visual effect on stream turbidity approximately 2,000 feet downstream of in-channel work at the project site, the following actions will be taken for any project work that is assessed to be contributing to the increased stream turbidity:

1. Review the project site for proper installation, operation, and maintenance of required erosion/sediment control measures.

2. Pursue corrective actions on required ESC measures as necessary.

3. Replicate the standard turbidity sampling used to establish baseline turbidity measurements for the project site prior to initiating project work on that day.

• If comparisons of baseline and follow-up turbidity monitoring indicate project activity may be causing West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) water quality standards for turbidity to be exceeded at 0.55 miles (2,916 feet) downstream of the active work area for WR135, in-channel work will stop.

o If the in-channel work activity is confirmed to be the source of the increased sediment input, the Service and Forest will be notified and corrective actions will be implemented prior to restarting work.

o Corrective actions may include changes in work methods, installation of additional BMPs, and/or postponing in-channel work until environmental conditions become more conducive to controlling stream turbidity.

o Prior to resuming in-channel activities, follow-up turbidity samples will be taken to confirm that corrective actions were effective in reducing sediment inputs and decreasing turbidity to an acceptable level.

• If comparisons of baseline and follow-up turbidity monitoring indicate project activity is not causing West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) water quality standards for turbidity to be exceeded at 0.55 miles (2,916 feet) downstream of the active work area for WR135, in-channel work may continue.

However, the trend and downstream progression of turbidity should be closely monitored (visually or with sampling, as appropriate) for early detection of further deterioration of turbidity levels at 0.55 miles (2,916 feet) downstream of the project site.

• Turbidity Reports:

o All results from turbidity monitoring efforts will be recorded and shall be available for review by the Service and Forest upon request.

o A summary report of turbidity monitoring results will be provided to the Service and Forest within 30 days of completing the project.

• Turbidity Standard: When turbidity levels measured at 0.55 miles downstream of WR135 in-channel work areas are consistent with the following conditions, the level of incidental take that was estimated and analyzed in the BA is not being exceeded. These conditions are based on the WVDEP water quality standards (47CSR2), section 8.33 (2016).

o When background turbidity levels are at 50 NTUs (Nephelometric Turbidity

Units) or less, turbidity measurements at 0.55 miles downstream of WR135 will not exceed 10 NTUs over the background measurement taken 25-feet upstream from WR135; OR o When background turbidity levels are higher than 50 NTUs, turbidity measurements at 0.55 miles downstream of WR135 will not exceed a 10% increase (plus 10 NTU minimum) over the background measurement taken 25-feet upstream from WR135.

DEFINITIONS

In-channel work: Any physical alteration or manipulation that occurs within a stream channel from the top of bank on one side to the top of bank on the opposite side regardless of the presence of water.”

Top of Bank: The elevation along the banks of stream channels that represents the height of the water surface during regularly recurring flows that are responsible for creating and maintaining stream channel morphology; this is synonymous with the highest elevation of the cross-sectional profile of the approximate 1.5-year bankfull channel (Rosgen 1994).

Low-flow Conditions: The quantity of stream discharge that can be effectively managed during project operations to prevent harm to candy darter from exceeding the level of take that is permitted in a Biological Opinion (BiOp).