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PBSD Clam Bay Committee Minutes 10/27/2020 PELICAN BAY SERVICES DIVISION CLAM BAY COMMITTEE MEETING OCTOBER 27, 2020 The Clam Bay Committee of the Pelican Bay Services Division met on Tuesday, October 27 at 1:30 p.m. at the Community Center, 8960 Hammock Oak Dr., Naples, Florida 34108. In attendance were: Clam Bay Committee Rick Swider Susan O'Brien, Chairman Michael Weir Denise McLaughlin (absent) Pelican Bay Services Division Staff Karin Herrmann, Operations Analyst Neil Dorrill, Administrator Lisa Jacob, Project Manager Chad Coleman, Operations Manager Barbara Shea, Admin. Assistant Darren Duprey, Assoc. Project Manager (absent) Also Present Jennifer Bobka, Earth Tech Tim Hall, Turrell, Hall &Associates Mohamed Dabees, Humiston& Moore Jeremy Sterk, Earth Tech Michael Fogg, PBSD Board APPROVED AGENDA (AS PRESENTED) 1. Roll call 2. Agenda approval 3. Approval of 03/12/2020 meeting minutes 4. Audience comments 5. Clam Pass a. Station 14 tidal gauge repair update b. Clam Bay Management Plan Dredging Policy c. Tidal ratio data for 2016-2020 d. Bathymetric survey report May 2020 e. Aerial photos from 2017 and 2018 f. Timeline to dredge Clam Pass g. Intervention strategies 6. Water Quality a. 2019 annual WQ report b. 2020 WQ report for April, May & June c. Copper results 7. Clam Bay a. Update on spring and fall mangrove monitoring b. Update on hand-dug channel maintenance c. Canoe trail marker 6 signage d. Scaevola treatment proposal e. County boater safety signage 1 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting October 27, 2020 8. Dates for annual reports a. Clam Bay: December 18 b. Clam Pass Physical and Tidal monitoring: December 18 c. Water Quality: March 12, 2021 9. Next meeting 10. Adjournment ROLL CALL Ms. McLaughlin was absent and a quorum was established AGENDA APPROVAL Mr. Weir motioned, Ms. O'Brien seconded to approve the agenda as presented. The motion carried unanimously. APPROVAL OF 03/12/2020 MEETING MINUTES ---1 , Mr. Swider motioned, Ms. O'Brien seconded to approve the 03/12/2020 meeting minutes as presented. The motion carried unanimously. AUDIENCE COMMENTS None CLAM PASS STATION 14 TIDAL GAUGE REPAIR UPDATE Ms. Jacob commented that the tidal gauge at station#14 went down about two weeks ago. The replacement equipment is expected to be delivered tomorrow, and will be installed by Earth Tech by the end of the week. CLAM BAY MANAGEMENT PLAN DREDGING POLICY Ms. O'Brien commented on four pages from the Clam Bay NRPA Management Plan (October 2014), included in the agenda packet,which describe the criteria which could necessitate dredging Clam Pass. She noted that this management plan was approved by the BCC in January 2015. TIDAL RATIO DATA FOR 2016-2020 Ms. O'Brien commented on the tidal ratio data for 2016-2020 included in the agenda packet. She noted that tidal ratios throughout 2019 were consistently above .5;typically a reading below .6 would trigger a dredging event. Dr. Dabees consultant with Humiston & Moore, commented that in October overall ratios fell below .5 (similar to readings in March/April 2020); Marker 4 is now at .4. CURRENT CONDITIONS AND POSSIBLE INTERVENTION STRATEGIES A 10/13/2020 memo from Dr. Dabees discussing October Clam Pass conditions and recommendations was provided to the committee and added to the record. Dr. Dabees commented that the County's late 2019 sand renourishment project south of Clam Pass has resulted in sand migrating north and accumulating in the entrance of Clam Pass. He noted that the constriction is 2 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting October 27,2020 concentrated in Section A; there is not an abundance of sand in Sections B and C at this time. Dr. Dabees suggested that we may need to do a maintenance grading project each year to cope with County sand renourishment projects. His recommendation is to file a request for a Notice to Proceed from the DEP to regrade the inlet mouth following the turtle nesting season. Conditions will be reassessed in the Spring to determine whether a full dredge event of Sections A, B and C is needed. Mr. Dorrill commented that our intent is to avoid an emergency dredge in the Spring. Mr. Dorrill commented that once Dr. Dabees completes the scope of work for the operational maintenance and grading work, staff will utilize the County's marine contractor services contract to request quotes from the four approved contractors for this project. He noted that we are tentatively included on the Nov. 23 TDC agenda to seek approval for funding of this project. We will not be seeking "emergency approval." Mr. Dorrill commented that our goal is to complete the project before Christmas. Dr. Dabees suggested that when the project is bid out, we could allow for the annual grading of the Clam Pass inlet banks. Mr. Dorrill expects to provide the marine contractor quotes for the project at the Nov. 12 PBSD Board meeting. Ms. O'Brien commented that according to the Clam Bay Management Plan, it is the responsibility of the PBSD Board to advise the BCC on significant Clam Bay issues and secure their approval for dredging events. Mr. Dorrill noted that the County Manager's Office and our County Commissioner were briefed on our Spring Clam Pass maintenance regrading work. Mr. Weir motioned,Mr. Swider seconded to recommend to our full board that we do a small dredge grading event soon and then gear up to do a full dredge in possibly next April. The motion carried unanimously. WATER QUALITY 2019 ANNUAL WO REPORT & 2020 WQ REPORT FOR APRIL, MAY & JUNE Ms. O'Brien provided five pages from the 2019 annual WQ report, included in the agenda packet,prepared by Dr.Tomasko and Ms.Keenan,consultants with Environmental Science Assoc. (ESA). She highlighted good news on copper and total nitrogen results, while total phosphorous results were not so good. Mr. Hall, consultant with Turrell, Hall & Assoc., commented that although phosphorus levels remain high, they have improved over prior years. He noted that the months of January and April show the highest levels which were also months with heavy rainfall events. Mr. Hall is of the opinion that remaining Hurricane Irma debris in Clam Bay is causing the high phosphorus levels, and that it generally takes years to flush out hurricane debris. Mr. Hall noted that Dr. Tomasko will be less involved in future ESA WQ reports, while Ms. Emily Keenan will become more involved in the preparation of these reports. CLAM BAY UPDATE ON SPRING AND FALL MANGROVE MONITORING Mr. Sterk, consultant with Earth Tech, commented that overall, the spring and fall mangrove monitoring events show plots to be steady or improving. He noted that there are a few areas of concern on the west side which are being closely monitored. Ms. Bobka, consultant with Earth Tech, is in the process of comparing the 2020 infrared photo of Clam Bay to the 2019 infrared photo. UPDATE ON HAND-DUG CHANNEL MAINTENANCE 3 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting October 27,2020 Mr. Sterk reported that this year's hand-dug channel maintenance included 2.1 miles of targeted areas. CANOE TRAIL MARKER 6 SIGNAGE Mr. Sterk commented that he is working with Ms.Jacob and County personnel on the repair of canoe trail marker #6 signage. He noted that the poles on several canoe trail markers are reaching the end of their life, and that County staff has indicated that they plan on replacing these poles with fiberglass poles, at their expense. SCAEVOLA TREATMENT PROPOSAL Ms. O'Brien asked for an update on the status of a scaevola treatment proposal and whether funds were included in the FY2021 budget for a scaevola treatment project. Ms.Jacob commented that she is working on a project for exotic removal for $78,000, which does not include scaevola. She commented that she was not aware of any FY2021 funds specifically budgeted for scaevola removal. Mr. Fogg commented that there are plenty of funds in the Clam Bay Fund, resulting from FY2020 carryover funds. He suggested that staff come up with a plan,with possible options and related proposals,to bring back to this committee and/or the board. Mr. Sterk offered to work with Ms. Jacob to develop a scaevola removal project for an initial phase. Additional phases could be spread over future years. Ms. O'Brien motioned,Mr. Weir seconded to ask staff to come up with a proposal for scaevola treatment in Clam Bay by December 14. The motion carried unanimously. COUNTY BOATER SAFETY SIGNAGE Ms. O'Brien commented that she recently attended a meeting with Mr. Hall,Mr. Coleman, Ms. Jacob, and County Coastal Zone Management (CZM) staff to discuss obtaining speed restriction signage for Clam Bay. She noted that ultimately PBF approval is required for all Clam Bay signage. Mr. Hall commented that putting signs on the three bridges, a sign at the kayak launch, and a sign on the PBF beach were discussed at the meeting and that we will continue to work with CZM staff to achieve our goal of obtaining all the signage that we are entitled to. The County is suggesting that all signs should say "slow speed" instead of"idle speed." DATES FOR ANNUAL REPORTS CLAM BAY: DECEMBER 18 Ms. O'Brien suggested a due date of Dec. 18 for the Annual Clam Bay Report. Mr. Sterk agreed to this date. CLAM PASS PHYSICAL AND TIDAL MONITORING: DECEMBER 18 Ms. O'Brien suggested a due date of Dec. 18 for the Annual Clam Pass and Tidal Monitoring Report. Dr. Dabees suggested a mid-January due date in light of the probable December regrading event. WATER QUALITY: MARCH 12,2021 4 Pelican Bay Services Division Clam Bay Committee Meeting October 27,2020 Ms. O'Brien suggested a due date of Mar. 12 for the Annual Clam Pass and Tidal Monitoring Report. Mr. Hall suggested that it is unlikely that the County will provide all of the water quality data in time to meet this deadline. NEXT MEETING: By consensus, the committee agreed that the next meeting of the committee would be held sometime in January. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m. I i Si'°Cam,.-- ---13"/A:a;,_.1 Susan O'Brien, Chairman Minutes approved 12(1 as presented OR [ 1 as amended ON [ ©I//o2/20 21 1 date 5