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Minutes 12/19/2016 PELICAN BAY SERVICES DIVISION CLAM BAY COMMITTEE MEETING DECEMBER 19,2016 The Clam Bay Committee of the Pelican Bay Services Division met on Monday, December 19 at 1:00 p.m. at the SunTrust Bank Building, 801 Laurel Oak Drive, Suite 302, Naples, Florida 34108. In attendance were: Clam Bay Committee Bohdan Hirniak Susan O'Brien, Chairman Gary Ventress Pelican Bay Services Division Staff Mary McCaughtry, Operations Analyst Neil Dorrill, Administrator Lisa Jacob, Associate Project Manager Marion Bolick, Operations Manager Barbara Shea, Recording Secretary Also Present Mohamed Dabees, Humiston& Moore Mike Shepherd, PBSD Board Tim Hall, Turrell, Hall, & Associates Jeremy Sterk, Earth Tech Mary Johnson, Pelican Bay Foundation APPROVED AGENDA (AS PRESENTED) 1. Roll call 2. Agenda approval 3. Approval of 11/09/16 meeting minutes 4. Audience comments 5. 2016 annual reports 6. Mangrove die-off a. THA November report and December observations b. H & M November tidal ratio data c. Water level logger data d. Elevation of surface water in Clam Bay e. Exhibits of hand-dug channels f. Conservation easement near the Strand and property line, set- back and as built plans for Bay Colony Drive and retaining wall g. Minutes from April 2002 committee meeting re: original mangrove die-off h. Intervention strategies 7. Clam Bay monitoring in 2017 a. Recommended changes to 2016 monitoring b. Additional monitoring of mangrove plots in die-off area c. Bathymetric survey of interconnecting waterway between Inner and Upper Bays d. Water quality monitoring 1 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting December 19,2016 i. Two or four reports on TN & TP ii. Using Dr. Tomasko for TN & TP reporting iii. Soliciting quotes for WQ monitoring 8. Next meeting: February 2, 2017 9. Adjournment ROLL CALL All members were present and a quorum was established AGENDA APPROVAL Mr. Ventress motioned, Ms. O'Brien seconded to approve the agenda as presented. The motion carried unanimously. APPROVAL OF 11/09/16 MEETING MINUTES Mr. Hirniak motioned, Mr. Ventress seconded to approve the 11/09/16 meeting minutes as presented. The motion carried unanimously. AUDIENCE COMMENTS None 2016 ANNUAL REPORTS Ms. O'Brien reported that the Clam Bay Annual Monitoring Report (completed by Earth Tech) and the Clam Pass Annual Physical & Tidal Monitoring Report (completed by Humiston & Moore) have been submitted to the PBSD and included in the agenda packet. The Clam Bay Annual Water Quality Report (subcontracted by Turrell Hall to Dr. David Tomasko of E.S.A.) is expected to be received within the next week. The committee agreed that these three reports would be provided to the PBSD full board at the January 2017 board meeting. Ms. O'Brien highlighted good news in the Clam Bay monitoring report including, (1) archeological sites are undisturbed, (2) canoe trail markers are in good condition, (3) the locations of exotics have been mapped, providing the ability to target these areas, (4) the population of gopher tortoises has increased, (5) the acreage of sea grasses has increased to 5.5 acres from 4.7 acres, (6) a comprehensive list of protected species in Clam Bay has been compiled, and (7) eight new monitoring plots have been added in the mangrove die-off area. Mr. Jeremy Sterk commented that the mangrove die-off area appears stable at 11.5 acres. He has observed some additional areas of"stressed mangroves" which cannot be detected in the aerial photos. Despite zero rain during the past two months, water levels have not receded. Dr. Mohamed Dabees commented that Clam Pass is healthy and in good condition from a hydraulic standpoint. Mr. Dorrill asked for comments on the current existing beach escarpment. Dr. Dabees commented that his observations show that the escarpment is currently self- correcting and does not meet the turtle nesting corrective action requirements. He concluded that no action should be taken at this time. MANGROVE DIE-OFF THA NOVEMBER REPORTS AND DECEMBER OBSERVATIONS 2 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting December 19, 2016 Mr. Tim Hall reported that the original mangrove die-off area remains steady at 11 V2 acres, with one additional small stressed area just south of Marker 36. He recommended obtaining an elevation survey to include the die-off areas and the area adjacent to the wall along the Strand. Committee members endorsed the recommendation for the elevation survey. Subsequent to Mr. Hall's review of an elevation survey, he will re-evaluate the need for additional hand-dug channels. Ms. O'Brien suggested that staff obtain a rough estimate for the elevation survey to provide to the full board for discussion. Ms. O'Brien commented on ABB's recent reporting that water is draining from Bay Colony into the conservation area. She suggested that staff meet with Bay Colony management staff to address this issue. WATER LEVEL LOGGER DATA Mr. Sterk commented that the loggers have indicated high water levels since July. EXHIBITS OF HAND-DUG CHANNELS Mr. Hall commented that he has observed no blockages in the hand-dug channels and believes the channels are functioning properly. He believes the mangrove die-off is a result of last year's constriction of Clam Pass, and that it will take time for the recruitment of red mangroves into the die-off area. CONSERVATION EASEMENT NEAR THE STRAND AND PROPERTY LINE No further discussion. Discussed under agenda item#6a. APRIL 2002 COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES Ms. O'Brien commented that the minutes from the April 2002 committee meeting were included in the agenda packet as background information. These minutes included committee discussion points on the original mangrove die-off Ms. O'Brien highlighted (1) our current drainage issues are similar to those in 2002, and (2) these minutes specifically state that "mangroves cannot tolerate standing water over a long period of time." Ms. Mary Johnson expressed concerns regarding sea level rise and possible effects on Clam Bay. Mr. Shepherd commented on the possibility of straightening water flow by "cutting" the oxbows. Mr. Hall commented that this strategy would require permitting and proof that such a project would directly solve the mangrove die-off. INTERVENTION STRATEGIES Ms. O'Brien recapped the intervention strategies agreed upon by the committee as (1) PBSD staff will meet with Bay Colony management staff to address their clogged drainage systems, and (2) staff will obtain a rough estimate of an elevation study of the die-off areas and the area adjacent to the wall along the Strand. CLAM BAY MONITORING IN 2017 RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO 2016 MONITORING Mr. Sterk recommended the following changes to the 2017 Clam Bay monitoring: (1) increase monitoring of the mangrove plots in the die-off area to semiannually, (2) discontinue monitoring the remaining Lewis plots, (3) add tortoise population monitoring, (4) add scaevola 3 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting December 19,2016 (type of exotic plant) monitoring in order to target removal, and (5) add additional mapping of hand-dug channels. ADDITIONAL MONITORING OF MANGROVE PLOTS IN DIE-OFF AREA Mr. Sterk recommended semiannual monitoring of mangrove plots in the die-off area. BATHYMETRIC SURVEY OF INTERCONNECTING WATERWAY BETWEEN INNER AND UPPER BAYS Dr. Dabees suggested the cost effectiveness of obtaining a bathymetric survey of Clam Bay to include areas of Inner Clam Bay and Upper Clam Bay, to be completed simultaneously with the elevation survey,by the same surveying crew. WATER QUALITY MONITORING After discussion,the committee decided to delay a decision on change in frequency(from quarterly reporting to semiannual reporting) of water quality monitoring by Dr. Tomasko until after the 2016 Annual Report is received and reviewed. NEXT MEETING: FEBRUARY 2,2017 By consensus, the committee agreed that the next meeting of the committee would be held on February 2 at 1:00 p.m. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 2:49 p.m. r Susan O'Brien, Chairman Minutes approved F 1 as presented OR [ 1/ 1 as amended ON [ /1 1 date 4