PBSD MSTBU Minutes 02/21/2012p RRn139 W 3
MAY 1011 ' O
CLAM BAY SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2012 $Y
LET IT BE REMEMBERED that the Clam Bay Subcommittee of the Pelican Bay Services Division Board met on
Tuesday, February 21 at 4:00 p.m. at the Community Center at Pelican Bay located at 8960 Hammock Oak Drive,
Naples, Florida 34108. The following members were present:
Clam Bay Subcommittee ✓
Dave Trecker, Chairman Susan O'Brien Fiala 1
Tom Cravens Mary Anne Womble Hiller
Henning J
Pelican Bay Services Division Board Coyle
Geoffrey S. Gibson Michael Levy Coletta
Pelican Bay Services Division Staff
W. Neil Dorrill, Administrator Mary McCaughtry, Operations Analyst
Kyle Lukasz, Operations Manager Lisa Resnick, Recording Secretary
Also Present
Tim Hall, Senior Ecologist & Principal, Turrell, Hall & Associates, Inc.
Jim Hoppensteadt, President, Pelican Bay Foundation
Kenneth K. Humiston, P.E., Humiston & Moore Engineers
In the audience: thirteen (13) attendees.
AGENDA
1. Roll Call
2. Permits and Regulatory Updates by Dave Trecker, Chairman
3. Clam Bay Tidal Monitoring Procedures & Purpose; Update on Status of 2011 Annual Report
by Kenneth K. Humiston, AE., Humiston & Moore Engineers
4. Clam Bay Restoration 2011 Annual Report
by Tim Hall, Senior Ecologist & Principal, Terrell, Hall & Associates, Inc. Misc. CweS:
5. Public Comments
6. Adjourn Date --717-1411'2.
ROLL CALL Item #: It.o'=' 2f Z,-1
The Clam Bay Subcommittee was all present.
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INTRODUCTION BY CHAIRMAN TRECKER
Chairman Trecker explained the purposes of the workshop were to receive updates on bathymetric and mangrove
monitoring and provide an opportunity for those in the audience to ask questions and make suggestions.
PERMITS & REGULATORY UPDATES BY DAVE TRECKER, CHAIRMAN
Chairman Trecker gave a brief presentation about Clam Bay matters including: 1) Services Division's Army Corps
of Engineers (USACE) and Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Clam Bay channel and mangrove
maintenance permits and responsibilities; 2) Seagate appealed the FDEP decision denying an administrative hearing and the
lawsuit is still pending; 3) water quality regulations that would define site specific nutrient limits in Clam Bay were
approved by the FDEP and Florida Legislature, but approval by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pending
and environmental groups are challenging the legislation; and 4) Collier County applied to USACE and FDEP for a Clam
Bay dredging permit to provide a framework to maintain the Clam Bay estuary, and use sand for beach renourishment.
Triggers for dredging are hydrologic, but not quantified. There are no biological "triggers." Approval is pending.
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Clam Bay Subcommittee Meeting Minutes
February 21, 2012
CLAM BAY TIDAL MONITORING PROCEDURES & PURPOSE; STATUS OF 2011 ANNUAL REPORT
BY KENNETH K. HUMISTON, P.E., HUMISTON & MOORE ENGINEERS
Mr. Kenneth K. Humiston, P.E. gave a presentation about Clam Bay tidal monitoring procedures and purpose, and
the status of the 2011 Annual Report. He explained the purpose of tidal monitoring is to maintain tidal flushing and to keep
the Clam Pass inlet open. Prior to monitoring, the inlet was unstable and would close and need to be dredged frequently, so
the 1998 Clam Bay Restoration and Management plan was developed and implemented to stabilize it. Gauges are deployed
throughout Clam Bay to measure tidal range and phase lag. The smaller the phase lag is the more efficiently water is
flowing through the inlet. The larger the tide range is in the bay the more efficiently water is flowing through the inlet. This
data tells whether shoaling in the inlet is going to interfere with circulation important to water quality, the health of
mangroves, and other environmental issues. Inlets have a natural equilibrium condition that is determined by measuring
velocity that helps indicate whether dredging is necessary. The higher the velocity is the better and indicates the Pass will
stay open longer. The Pass was dredged twice since 1998 in 1999 and 2007. In his opinion, the current entrance channel
dredge cuts are appropriate to maintain tidal flushing.
Mr. Humiston explained that due to malfunctioning gauges, the tidal data is incomplete. However new
gauges were deployed and will be retrieved for analysis prior to coming to any conclusions or making any
recommendations.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS
Ms. Marcia Cravens was concerned about dredging cut parameters in the new permit application.
Mr. John Domenic asked what the function of the ebb shoal is. Mr. Humiston explained the ebb shoal is the
platform allowing sand to be transported across the inlet to naturally maintain tidal flushing.
Ms. Mary Johnson asked how the inlet cross- section survey was done and was concerned whether increasing the
width of the dredge cut would contribute to beach erosion. Mr. Humiston said cross - section surveys are done using GPS
kinetic systems and appropriate dredge cut width is between 40 -80 feet to maintain tidal flushing and minimize beach
erosion.
CLAM BAY RESTORATION 2011 ANNUAL REPORT
BY TIM HALL, SENIOR ECOLOGIST & PRINCIPAL, TURRELL HALL & ASSOCIATES INC
Mr. Tim Hall presented the 2011 Clam Bay Restoration and Management Project Status & Monitoring Report. He
explained the Services Division has two permits in place allowing the activities required for continued health and recovery
of the Clam Bay system including: 1) maintenance of flushing channels; 2) monitoring of nutrients and other compounds to
indicate water quality; and 3) biological monitoring of mangroves growth and density, and presence of seagrass to indicate
physical recovery, as well as ongoing monitoring of white mangroves susceptible to boring beetle damage. Additional
activities being done include removing exotic vegetation and clearing fallen trees. He concluded that with the exception of a
few areas, the mangrove restoration plan is a success and the Clam Bay system is healthy. Recommendations made were to
continue monitoring and maintenance activities, and in regards to tidal monitoring to consider purchasing new equipment
or put redundancies in place to improve data collection and minimize data loss.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS
Audience comments included questions about testing for herbicides and whether there was any evidence of
damage from oil spills. Mr. Hall replied that testing for herbicide byproducts was done once, but results showed they were
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Clam Bay Subcommittee Meeting Minutes
February 21, 2012
not present and there is no evidence of any oil spill damage within the system. Other comments made expressed support for
the Services Division to continue to monitor the Clam Bay system.
SUBCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO THE PELICAN BAY SERVICES DIVISION BOARD
Mr. Cravens made a motion to make a recommendation to the full Board to support requests to hold a
collaborative Army Corps of Engineers workshop. The Subcommittee agreed clarification of the process was needed.
Mr. Cravens made a motion, second by Chairman Trecker for the Clam Bay Subcommittee to make a
recommendation to the full Pelican Bay Services Division Board that cite "PBSD/MSTBU Board
acknowledges, supports and endorses requests for a collaborative Army Corps of Engineers Clam Pass
- Clam Bay Dredging Permit Workshop with their Federal Permit Consultant Agencies that allows
meaningful participation by the Sierra Club, Conservancy of SWF, Mangrove Action Croup, and
Collier Audubon Society and others to review and propose remedies of deficiencies in permit
application materials': The Subcommittee voted unanimously in favor and the motion was passed
ADJOURN
Discussion concluded and the meeting was adjourned.
Dave Trec r, Cfiairman Minutes by Lisa Resnick 3/7/201210:06:09 AM