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PBSD Clam Bay Committee Minutes 01/09/2020 PELICAN BAY SERVICES DIVISION CLAM BAY COMMITTEE MEETING JANUARY 9,2020 The Clam Bay Committee of the Pelican Bay Services Division met on Thursday, January 9 at 1:30 p.m. at the SunTrust Bank Building, 801 Laurel Oak Drive, Suite 302,Naples,Florida 34108. In attendance were: Clam Bay Committee Denise McLaughlin Susan O'Brien, Chairman Rick Swider Pelican Bay Services Division Staff Lisa Jacob, Project Manager Neil Dorrill, Administrator Barbara Shea, Interim Operations Analyst Chad Coleman, Operations Manager Also Present Jennifer Bobka, Earth Tech Mohamed Dabees, Humiston & Moore APPROVED AGENDA (AS AMENDED) 1. Roll call 2. Agenda approval 3. Approval of 11/14/19 meeting minutes 4. Audience comments 5. Clam Bay a. 2019 Monitoring Report* b. Canoe trail marker 6 signage c. Scaevola treatment proposal d. Tidal gauge at marker 26 e. Update on County boater safety signage 6. Clam Pass a. 2019 Physical and Tidal Monitoring Report* b. December tidal ratio report c. Video of H&M report d. Timeline for dredging-related activities 6.5.Beach Renourishment (add-on) 7. Water Quality a. Copper results b. Second and third water quality report c. 2019 Annual Water Quality Report d. FDEP Water Quality findings 8. Next meeting: March 12 or 13, 2020 9. Adjournment 1 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting January 9,2020 ROLL CALL All members were present and a quorum was established AGENDA APPROVAL Ms. McLaughlin motioned, Ms. O'Brien seconded to approve the agenda as amended with the addition of agenda item #6.5. The motion carried unanimously. APPROVAL OF 11/14/19 MEETING MINUTES Ms.McLaughlin motioned,Ms. O'Brien seconded to approve the 11/14/19 meeting minutes as presented. The motion carried unanimously. AUDIENCE COMMENTS Mr. Joel Johnson, President of Beach Renourishment, Inc. commented on his beach renourishment patent pending product which utilizes wind and waves. He requested a future discussion of beach renourishment with the committee. CLAM BAY 2019 MONITORING REPORT Ms. Bobka, Environmental Consultant with Earth Tech,provided a discussion of the 2019 Annual Clam Bay Monitoring Report, including recommendations. Highlights included: • Clam Bay annual monitoring revealed no stark red flags. • Overall, the mangroves are demonstrating further recovery since Hurricane Irma. • A few areas showing mangrove distress are a result of a lack of nearby drainage. • Annual hand-dug channel maintenance is recommended to be continued. • Overall seagrass acreage is slightly down; however, certain areas are exhibiting greater density. • Drone aerial footage has identified four new areas of stressed mangroves;two of the areas are in transition from black to red, and the other two areas will be monitored closely. • A reduction in the number of gopher tortoise burrows was observed. This may be in response to Hurricane Irma, which caused a shifting of burrows eastward. • Extensive scaevola has been mapped. SCAEVOLA TREATMENT PROPOSAL Ms. O'Brien commented that we will be looking at future funding for scaevola removal which hopefully will be included in the FY2021 PBSD budget. She questioned whether we could piggyback any similar County scaevola removal project, County contract, or grant opportunity. TIDAL GAUGE AT MARKER 26 Ms. O'Brien commented that tidal gauge marker 26 is still down. Mr. Coleman confirmed that Locher will schedule an inspection of this tidal gauge shortly. UPDATE ON COUNTY BOATER SAFETY SIGNAGE Ms. O'Brien commented on a staff meeting with Chris D'Arco (County Coastal Zone Management)and our Environmental Consultant Tim Hall to discuss boater safety signage in Clam 2 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting January 9,2020 Bay. She suggested that staff documents the details of the meeting discussion and what our expectations are as a result of this discussion. CLAM PASS 2019 PHYSICAL AND TIDAL MONTORING REPORT Ms. McLaughlin requested that the final 2019 Physical and Tidal Monitoring Report be posted on the PBSD website, replacing the existing "draft"report. Dr. Dabees,Environmental Consultant with Humiston and Moore provided a discussion of the annual 2019 Physical and Tidal Monitoring Report. Highlights included: • Tidal ratios remained very steady throughout 2019. • Existing sand in the template is approximately the same magnitude as last year. • Indicators are stable; we will continue to monitor on a monthly basis. • The annual bathymetric survey is scheduled for May 2020; a spot check will occur in Dec. • An ebb shoal visible at low tide should correct itself over the near-term. Ms. O'Brien provided a document entitled "Clam Pass Dredging, Total Volume of Sand" to the committee, which was added to the record. This document shows the volume of sand in Sections A, B, and C at five different times during the past two years. Dr. Dabees commented on the data and noted the stability of the volume of sand from 11/6/18 through 11/22/19. DECEMBER TIDAL RATIO REPORT Dr. Dabees commented that tidal ratios continue to remain steady. VIDEO OF H&M REPORT Mr. Dorrill made a note to follow up on producing a video of the H&M Report on Clam Pass dredging (previously presented to the County Manager's Office and Commissioner Solis). TIMELINE FOR DREDGING-RELATED ACTIVITIES Dr. Dabees commented that he has been working with Ms. Jacob on a timeline of the activities required to complete a maintenance dredging event. A general discussion of the timeline for such an event included the following highlights: • The beginning of the timeline is triggered either by the monthly tidal ratios or by the May bathymetric survey. • It takes 6—9 months to get a dredging contractor in place. • Ideally, work would begin in early winter and end before the following spring; sea turtle nesting season from April—October must be accommodated. • A dredging event requires approval by the PBSD Board, the PBF Board,the TDC, and the Board of County Commissioners. • Both a maintenance dredge and an emergency dredge are an"eligible use" for TDC funds. • The benefits from maintaining the health of Clam Pass and the mangroves are priceless. • Generally,the sand from a dredging event is placed on the south side of Clam Pass. When sand is placed on the PBF beach, the PBF is required to pay for the sand. Ms. Jacob commented that she is in the process of completing her work on the dredging timeline and will provide it to the committee at the next committee meeting. She also commented that based on a recent conversation with the County Procurement Dept., it will not be possible to 3 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting January 9, 2020 pre-qualify dredging contractors. Going through the process of pre-qualifying dredging contractors would most likely increase our dredging costs. BEACH RENOURISHMENT (ADD-ON) Ms. O'Brien commented that at the Jan. 8 board meeting, it was suggested that beach renourishment may become a responsibility of the Clam Bay Committee. Dr. Dabees provided a discussion of the beach renourishment process; highlights included: • If Vanderbilt Beach is healthy, over time, our PB northern beaches will be healthy. • It is ill advised to do a North Beach project without a Vanderbilt Beach project; it is most cost-effective to piggyback a Vanderbilt Beach project. Sand will disappear if an isolated project is completed. • If infrastructure is vulnerable,only then could a project be completed in isolation,and only as a stop-gap measure. • The TDC funds beach renourishment for public beaches, not private PB beaches. • The County's Coastal Zone (CZM) Dept. measures and monitors all County beaches. Ms. Mary Johnson commented that the County added the beach renourishment responsibility to the PBSD in 2013. She commented in favor of adding the beach renourishment responsibility to the Clam Bay Committee. Ms. O'Brien commented that former PBSD Board member, Dr. Trecker in past years would provide information he received from the CZM Dept. to the Beach Renourishment Committee as Chairman of this committee. She asked if staff could request a representative from the CZM Dept. to attend the next Clam Bay Committee meeting and provide information on their future beach renourishment plans, including an update on their super-renourishment plans. Mr. Dorrill commented that staff receives the annual beach width survey completed by the CZM Dept. Dr. Dabees commented that the CZM Dept. has the state permits for beach renourishment, and that the PBSD should ensure that we have the appropriate permits to be eligible to be included in a County project. Dr.Dabees commented that he would be happy to provide a tutorial on beach survey results to Ms. McLaughlin, at her convenience. Ms. McLaughlin motioned, Ms. O'Brien seconded that beach renourishment is added to the responsibilities of the Clam Bay Committee. The motion carried unanimously. WATER QUALITY COPPER RESULTS Ms. O'Brien commented that the copper results provided are the same as those provided in the last meeting's agenda packet. SECOND AND THIRD QUARTER WATER QUALITY REPORT Ms. O'Brien commented that we have not received Dr. Tomasko's final 2nd and 3rd quarter combined water quality report. 2019 ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT 4 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting January 9, 2020 Ms. O'Brien commented that the final Tomasko 2019 annual water quality report is pending. FDEP WATER QUALITY FINDINGS Ms. O'Brien provided a document entitled "FDEP Water Quality Findings — Clam Bay— June 25, 2019," which was added to the record. She noted that she has had a discussion on these findings with Ms. Rhonda Watkins, in the County's Pollution Control Dept. PHOSPHORUS LEVELS IN CLAM BAY Ms. McLaughlin commented on her recent discussion with the Conservancy regarding possible methods to reduce phosphorus levels in Clam Bay. She commented that they recommended that we recommend an absolute ban on fertilizer during the rainy season (although this is not in the County ordinance). Ms. Johnson commented on the appropriateness of the site- specific FDEP standard for phosphorus levels in Clam Bay. Ms. McLaughlin commented on her recent discussion with Dr. Trecker, who commented on a Clam Bay sedimentation analysis completed five years ago which revealed a significant amount of phosphorus in the sediment. Dr. Trecker concluded that (1) sediment phosphorus continuously goes back into solution, (2) it is not realistic to see any improvement as a result of the phosphorus contained in the sediment,and(3) elimination of phosphorus in fertilizer may only provide a slight amount of improvement in phosphorus levels. NEXT MEETING: By consensus, the committee agreed that the next meeting of the committee would be held on Mar. 12, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 3:20 p.m. I Susan O'Brien, Chairman Minutes approved I t/as presented OR [ 1 as amended ON [ 3 P/a d 02 0 1 date 5