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Ecotech <br /> ATTACHMENT 1 <br /> Consultants, Inc. <br /> ENVIRONMENTAL <br /> SCIENCES & ENG/NEER/NG <br /> 09 July 2013 <br /> Mr. Vincent Burke <br /> Utility Director <br /> Indian River County <br /> 1801 27th Street <br /> Vero Beach, Florida 32960 <br /> RE : Pilot Oyster Reef Project for Nutrient Removal and Habitat Restoration <br /> Dear Mr. Burke : <br /> Presented below is our proposal to permit and construct an oyster reef in the Indian River at a <br /> location adjacent to the northeast corner of the Spoonbill Marsh. <br /> The Indian River Lagoon (Lagoon) is one of the most diverse coastal ecosystems in the <br /> continental U. S . Recent changes in the density and distribution of seagrass communities have <br /> negatively affected potential habitat and refugia for select invertebrates and juvenile fish species <br /> in the Indian River (River) section of the Lagoon between the C .R. 510 Bridge and the S .R. 60 <br /> Bridge. Such changes, if persistent, may eventually negatively influence fisheries in this section <br /> of the River. <br /> Changes in water quality conditions may be linked to decreased seagrass occurrence between the <br /> two bridges . Indian River County (IRC) constructed the Spoonbill Marsh (SBM) in part to <br /> remove nutrients directly from the River. This nutrient removal is accomplished by pumping <br /> water from the River to a static mixer on the SBM site where it is blended with demineralization <br /> concentrate from the North County Water Treatment Plant and then discharged into SBM. The <br /> blended water then flows through the SBM and eventually back into the River. <br /> An oyster colony has been developing in SBM since the project went on -line in August 2010 . <br /> Water quality conditions in the River have had no negative effect on the oyster population in <br /> SBM, In fact, oyster are now distributed throughout the SBM and provide potential habitat and <br /> refugia for many invertebrate and juvenile fish species. SBM now supports a significant <br /> population of Snook, Red Drum, Mangrove Snapper, and blue crabs . <br /> This project proposes to construct a small oyster reef in the River that would be similar to the <br /> one developing in the SBM . The oyster reef in the SBM has not been negatively affected by the <br /> water quality conditions in the River over the past two years. Therefore, the proposed oyster reef <br /> is not expected to be influenced by similar water quality conditions . <br /> P. O. Box 690265 • Vero Beach, Florida 32969 • (407) 466=6989 <br /> r <br />