Loading...
PBSD Clam Bay Committee Minutes 03/12/2020 PELICAN BAY SERVICES DIVISION CLAM BAY COMMITTEE MEETING MARCH 12, 2020 The Clam Bay Committee of the Pelican Bay Services Division met on Thursday, March 12 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 Sarah Hamilton, Operations Analyst (absent) Neil Dorrill, Administrator (absent) Lisa Jacob, Project Manager Chad Coleman, Operations Manager Barbara Shea, Admin. Assistant (absent) Also Present Mohamed Dabees, Humiston& Moore Jeremy Sterk, Earth Tech Tim Hall, Turrell, Hall &Associates Dave Tomasko, Environ. Science Assoc. APPROVED AGENDA (AS AMENDED) 1. Roll call 2. Agenda approval 3. Approval of 01/09/2020 meeting minutes 4. Audience comments 5. Water Quality a. Copper results b. Second and third water quality report c. 2019 Annual Water Quality Report d. Water Quality Report (add-on) 6. Clam Pass a. February tidal ratio report b. Video of H&M report c. Timeline for dredging-related activities d. Bathymetric survey (add-on) 7. Clam Bay a. Update on monitoring b. Hand-dug channel maintenance c. Canoe trail marker 6 signage d. Scaevola treatment proposal e. Update on County boater safety signage 8. Beach Renourishment a. County Survey Results b. Update on County Beach Resiliency program 9. Draft of FY2021 Clam Bay Budget 1 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting March 12,2020 9.5. Ms. McLaughlin's Beach Renourishment article (add-on) 10. Next meeting: May 12 or 14, 2020 11. Adjournment ROLL CALL All members were present and a quorum was established AGENDA APPROVAL Items #5D, #6D, and#9.5 were added to the agenda. APPROVAL OF 01/09/2020 MEETING MINUTES ---I , Ms. McLaughlin motioned, Ms. O'Brien seconded to approve the 01/09/2020 meeting minutes as presented. The motion carried unanimously. AUDIENCE COMMENTS None WATER QUALITY COPPER RESULTS Ms. O'Brien commented that we are seeing steady improvement in our Clam Bay copper results (the copper table was included in the agenda packet). SECOND AND THIRD WATER QUALITY REPORT Ms. O'Brien commented that the major takeaway from the second and third quarter water quality report is the high level of phosphorus in Clam Bay. 2019 ANNUAL WATER QUALITY REPORT After committee discussion, Dr. Tomasko, consultant with Environmental Science Associates, agreed that his 2019 Annual Water Quality Report (that he is working on) would include all of the 2019 calendar months plus the last three months of 2018. CLAM BAY PHOSPHORUS LEVELS Ms. O'Brien commented on the recent history of phosphorus levels in Clam Bay including (1) in 2016,phosphorus levels were not a problem, (2) in 2017, phosphorus levels were a little bit worse, and (3) in 2018 and 2019, phosphorus levels have continued to increase. Dr. Tomasko commented that higher levels of phosphorus in 2017 were a result of Hurricane Irma. He explained that a high level of phosphorus is not necessarily dangerous if it is not causing a related chlorophyll problem or water clarity problem. Dr. Tomasko suggested further analysis to determine whether our chlorophyll and/or water clarity are being affected by the phosphorus levels. His first focus will be to look at the data from berm stations and then each specific Clam Bay station. Dr. Tomasko emphasized that we need to determine whether our high phosphorus levels are really a problem. He will provide his report to the committee in 30-60 days. Dr. Dabees, consultant with Humiston & Moore, commented that Outer Clam Bay is a completely different system from Inner Clam Bay as they each have very different flushing timelines. Dr. Tomasko noted that the two key factors to maintaining good water quality in Clam Bay are (1) keep tannin levels high, by maintaining trees and vegetation around our lakes, and (2) 2 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting March 12, 2020 keep Clam Pass open. Dr. Tomasko commented that the main problem with a process to remove phosphorous from County reclaimed water, is the disposal of the phosphorus waste. He also noted that in the State of Florida all bodies of water must be monitored. Dr. Tomasko commented that Florida DEP does not see the water quality along the Southwest Coast of Florida as problematic. CLAM PASS FEBRUARY TIDAL RATIO REPORT The February tidal ratio report was included in the agenda packet. VIDEO OF H&M REPORT Not discussed TIMELINE FOR DREDGING-RELATED ACTIVITIES A flowchart of the timeline for a project to dredge Clam Pass was included in the agenda packet. Dr. Dabees suggested that it may be beneficial for the PBSD to have funding available for quick mechanical interventions (lasting a few days) to make minor corrections to the inlet, which would enable the system to recover quickly from weather events. The ability to make quick interventions may eliminate or delay a potential full dredge project. Ms. O'Brien suggested that we may see pushback from the community if we use our own funds for dredging activities, instead of requesting funding from the TDC. She also suggested that small interventions are not included in the Clam Bay Management Plan. Dr. Dabees commented that quick interventions are included in our permitted activities. Mr. Swider suggested that the Budget Committee would be able to set up a reserve of $25,000 for these types of interventions (if the board agreed). The committee agreed that this suggestion should be explored further. BATHYMETRIC SURVEY (ADD-ON) Dr. Dabees commented that a bathymetric survey of the Clam Pass inlet will be done in May, and will provide information on our metrics which will allow us to determine whether there is a need for pre-emptive maintenence. If necessary, a maintenance project would be completed between November and April, which would have no adverse effects on sea turtle nesting season. Dr. Dabees commented that in the past, the TDC (Tourist Development Council) has always approved funding for our dredging projects. CLAM BAY UPDATE ON MONITORING AND HAND-DUG CHANNEL MAINTENANCE Mr. Sterk, consultant with Earth Tech, commented that Earth Tech will begin mangrove monitoring work next week. This work will include an evaluation to determine what areas to focus on for hand-dug channel maintenance. CANOE TRAIL MARKER 6 SIGNAGE Mr. Sterk commented that he will follow up with County personnel on the repair of Marker #6 signage. SCAEVOLA TREATMENT PROPOSAL Ms. O'Brien suggested that we need a ballpark opinion of cost for a scaevola removal project, so that we can put in a request to the Budget Committee for FY2021 funding. Mr. Sterk 3 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting March 12,2020 commented that he will work with Ms. Jacob to calculate an opinion of cost within 30 days. He noted that Earth Tech has already mapped the scaevola throughout Pelican Bay. Mr. Sterk commented that the County Coastal Zone Management Division has discussed a possible county- wide scaevola treatment project. He noted that if left untreated, the scaevola will begin to impact the gopher tortoise habitat and the beach dune habitat. UPDATE ON COUNTY BOATER SAFETY SIGNAGE Ms. Jacob commented that she has no new updates on the County boater safety signage. Mr. Tim Hall, consultant with Turrell, Hall & Assoc., does not expect the County to address this issue until after three County dredging projects are completed. BEACH RENOURISHMENT COUNTY SURVEY RESULTS Ms. O'Brien expects that the committee will have the County's beach width survey results to review at our May committee meeting. UPDATE ON COUNTY BEACH RESILIENCY PROGRAM Ms. O'Brien is hopeful that a representative from the County's Coastal Zone Management Division will provide an update on the County's proposed resiliency program at our May committee meeting. DRAFT OF FY2021 CLAM BAY BUDGET Ms. O'Brien included a draft of the FY2021 Clam Bay budget in the agenda packet; the budget is very similar to the FY2020 budget. MS. MCLAUGHLIN'S BEACH RENOURISHMENT ARTICLE (ADD-ON) Ms. McLaughlin provided a draft of her article on beach renourishment to the committee (to be included in a future PB Post edition), and requested clarification on whether we would ever take on a beach renourishment project on our own. Mr. Hall commented that if we were to renourish an area of PB beach on our own,that the sand would migrate over time to other beaches, and therefore, would not be effective. He suggested that the PBSD might consider its own beach renourishment project, only in the event of structures being jeopardized from short beach widths. Ms. O'Brien suggested that we could only consider a small PB beach renourishment project if our beaches were critically eroded. After discussion, Ms. McLaughlin summarized (for the article) that a small PB beach renourishment project would not be effective unless the entire stretch of beach was included in a larger beach renourishment project. NEXT MEETING: By consensus,the committee agreed that the next meeting of the committee would be held on May 14, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 2:46 p.m. 1 4 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting March 12,2020 St."0 z Susan O'Brien, Chairman Minutes approved I ►� ] as presented OR F 1 as amended ON [ /0-.2 7-.20020 I date 5