Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-064L `9l1{' o, O 16.- .D v.D Aot5-4044/ WORK ORDER NUMBER 8 SECTOR 3 BEACH AND DUNE RESTORATION PROJECT 2015 POST CONSTRUCTION BIOLOGICAL MONITORING SERVICES This Work Order Number 8 is entered into as of this 24th day of March 2015 pursuant to that certain Continuing Contract Agreement for Professional Services entered into as of March 19, 2013 ("Agreement"), and amended March 17, 2015, by and between Indian River County, a political subdivision of the State of Florida ("COUNTY") and The Transet Group, Inc. D.B.A Ecological Associates, Inc. ("CONSULTANT"). The COUNTY has selected the Consultant to perform the professional services set forth on Exhibit 1, attached to this Work Order and made part hereof by this reference. The professional services will be performed by the Consultant for the fee schedule set forth in Exhibit 2, attached to this Work Order and made a part hereof by this reference. The Consultant will perform the professional services within the timeframe more particularly set forth in Exhibit 2, attached to this Work Order and made a part hereof by this reference all in accordance with the terms and provisions set forth in the Agreement. Pursuant to paragraph '1.4 of the Agreement, nothing contained in any Work Order shall conflict with the terms of the Agreement and the terms of the Agreement shall be deemed to be incorporated in each individual Work Order as if fully set forth herein. ' IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Work Order as of the date first written above. CONSULTANT Ecological Associates, Inc. OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS By: ��� �%I/Vt.P.J— By: Robert G. Earnest Title: Chief Operating Officer Date: C>3 –1 C.– 2,01 Bv: Wesley S. avis, • airman Comptroller By:6211/1,C (2,0, P/10 LC/Sr) (Seal) Deputy Clerk Approved: . Baird, County A.. ' istrator A roved as to form and ga] sir ciency: By: I William K.DeBraal, Deputy County Attorney 'i• {i,1►17 Attest: Jeffrey R. Smith, Clerk of Co• R�►�ER C0� Mr. James D. Gray, Jr. Coastal Engineer Indian River County Public Works 1801 27th Street Vero Beach, Florida 32960 !WEAI ECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES, INC. March 9, 2015 Re: Scope of Work and Cost Proposal for Sector 3 Post -construction Sea Turtle and Hardbottom Monitoring, Indian River County, Florida — 2015. Dear Mr. Gray: Ecological Associates, Inc. (EAI) is pleased to submit its Scope of Work (SOW) and Cost Proposal for providing Professional Environmental Support Services in support of Indian River County's Sector 3 Beach and Dune Restoration Project. Services described herein conform to biological monitoring requirements stipulated in Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) JCP Permit #0285993 -001 -JC and applicable U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Biological Opinions (BOs) for the Sector 3 Project. This work will satisfy requirements for: ➢ Year of construction monitoring for the Sector 3 Dune Repair Project (R-24 to R- 55); and i Year 3 annual post -construction monitoring for that portion of the previously completed Phase 2B fill area that did not receive additional fill during the Sector 3 Dune Repair Project (R-20 to R-24). EAI will perform the following tasks under this SOW, with support from its sub- contractor, CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. (CSA), as detailed in Exhibit A: > Weekly post -construction escarpment monitoring; > Post -construction sea turtle monitoring; ➢ Marking and monitoring of a representative sample of nests to determine nest fate and reproductive success; • Quarterly in -water sea turtle monitoring; i Nearshore hardbottom monitoring; > Post -construction UMAM analysis of hardbottom impacts; and • Data management and reporting, as conditioned in regulatory permits for the project. All sea turtle monitoring activities will be performed under FWC Marine Turtle Permit MTP -15-010 in accordance with current or future superseding conditions and guidelines issued by the permitting agency. Ecological Associates, Inc. • Post Office Box 405 • Jensen Beach, Florida 34958 Phone: (772) 334-3729 • Fax: (772) 334-4925 • Email: info©ecological-associates.com Indian River County Sector 3 Sea Turtle Monitoring — 2015 Page 2 Scope of Work — March 9, 2015 Records of monitoring activities during 2015 will be provided to the County in a form and at frequencies mutually agreed upon. Monthly data reports and a year-end summary reports will be provided to the County in accordance with Exhibits B (Deliverables) and C (Schedules). EAI will submit its monthly billings for services to the County in accordance with the fees set forth in Exhibit D (Costs). No deposit or retainers are required. Implementation of EAI's services is contingent upon receipt of a Notice to Proceed. Ecological Associates, Inc. appreciates the opportunity to be of continued service to Indian River County. Please feel free to give me a call should you have any questions regarding EAI's proposed services or associated costs. Sincerely, v'{Irt 4.0W1k0*-- Robert G. Ernest Chief Operating Officer RGE/re enclosure c: Stan DeForest/President R.E. Martin/Scientific Director Niki Desjardin/Senior Project Manager EXHIBIT 1 EXHIBIT A Indian River County Sector 3 Sea Turtle Monitoring — 2015 ECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES, INC. P.O. BOX 405 JENSEN BEACH, FLORIDA 34958 SCOPE OF WORK 1) Project Boundaries. The area to be monitored (Project Area) extends from R-20 south to R-68 in Indian River County (Sector 3). This includes the Sector 3 Dune Repair Project, the Phase 2B Project Area, and a control beach. Construction of the Dune Repair Project (R-24 to R55) is nearing completion, and Phase 2B (R-20 to R-24) was completed in 2012. The control beach, immediately south of the Sector 3 Project Area, extends from R-60 to R-68. 2) Monitoring Period. Post -construction monitoring activities will commence April 1, 2015 and will continue through approximately February 2016, as stipulated below. 3) Weekly Post -construction Scarp Monitoring (FDEP Special Condition No. 24). Escarpment (scarp) surveys will be conducted on a weekly basis within the Phase 2B Project Area from April 1 through September 30, 2015. In accordance with FWC protocol, scarps are functionally defined as an abrupt change in beach slope (greater than 45°) at least 18 inches in height that persists for a distance of 100 feet or more. The location of both the northern and southern terminus of each scarp will be recorded by GPS and average scarp height assigned to one of three categories (0 to 2 feet, 2 to 4 feet, and 4 feet or higher). Additionally, the maximum height of each scarp will be measured. The location (relative to R monuments), approximate length, height category, maximum height, and percentage of beach scarped will be presented in tabular and/or graphic format for reporting purposes. EAI will submit weekly reports of scarp monitoring data to FWC (marineturtle(&mvfwc.com). EAI will also notify the County of any persistent scarps within the Project Area that may interfere with sea turtle nesting. The County shall be responsible for notifying FWC of the presence of those scarps and for coordinating any remediation measures, if required. 4) Post -construction Nesting Beach Sea Turtle Monitoring (FDEP Special Condition No. 29). Daily early morning nesting surveys will be conducted throughout the Sector 3 Project Area beginning April 1 and continuing uninterrupted through September 30, 2015. Thereafter, the surveys will ,be conducted three days each week until the last marked nest has been evaluated. During the daily surveys, all emergences (turtle crawls) apparent from the previous night will be interpreted to determine which species of turtle came ashore and whether or not it nested. Crawls will be denoted as being either above or below the previous high tide line. 1, 1, EXHIBIT A Indian River County Sector 3 Sea Turtle Monitoring — 2015 Throughout the period of monitoring, all nests and false crawls will be enumerated by pre -established survey zones and their approximate geographic locations determined by GPS (general accuracy of 3-5 meters). Each false crawl will be categorized as to the stage at which the nesting attempt was abandoned in conformance with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) requirements for beach restoration projects. Additionally, all obstacles (e.g., scarps, seawalls, etc.) encountered by turtles during their emergences onto the beach will be documented. EAI will coordinate its monitoring activities with other FWC Marine Turtle Permit Holders within the Project Area to ensure that it does not interfere with their data collection efforts. EAI will also coordinate its monitoring activities in a manner that best supports the County's Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and will furnish data collected under this Scope of Work to the County's HCP Coordinator in a format compatible with the HCP database. 5) Nest Marking and Monitoring (FDEP Special Condition No. 29). A representative sample of nests within the Phase 2B and Dune Repair Project Areas, as well as the control, will be marked between April 1 and September 15, 2015 and monitored throughout their incubation periods to determine nest fate and reproductive success. The clutch of each marked nest will be located and surrounded by a series of small stakes connected by brightly colored surveyor's tape. 6) In -water Sea Turtle Monitoring (FDEP Specific Condition No. 32). EAI will assess sea turtle population levels in the nearshore area within and adjacent to the Sector 3 Project Area. This assessment will be conducted quarterly during the following time frames: April -May 2015, June -August 2015, September - November 2015, and December 2015 -February 2016. The surveys will employ the same methodology and transect locations used since 2007. The methodology will include concurrent sampling of the Project Area and an appropriate control area to permit isolation of potential project effects from natural background variability. In -water surveys will be conducted from a boat equipped with an elevated observation platform and a GPS navigational system to allow constant monitoring of speed and location. The boat will traverse a series of 3 -kilometer long transects (three each within the Treatment and Control sites) at slow and constant speed (5-6 knots). Two experienced biologists will be positioned on the platform and will make observations at an eye level of approximately 12 ft above the water; one will monitor the port side and the other the starboard side. When a turtle is sighted, the position of the vessel at the time of the sighting will be recorded by GPS. The position of the turtle will be mapped based on the position of the boat and the observer's estimate of the distance and bearing to the turtle. In addition to recording the position of the turtle, the observer will also record the EXHIBIT A Indian River County Sector 3 Sea Turtle Monitoring — 2015 time the turtle was first observed, the species, its relative size, and whether it was at the surface or submerged. Surveys will only be conducted when weather conditions are acceptable for survey accuracy and safety. To eliminate the effect of day-to-day variability in turtle sighting conditions on the data set, surveys of the Treatment and Control sites will be conducted on the same day. If deteriorating weather conditions do not allow for a complete -survey of both sites to be conducted in the same day, the entire survey effort will be repeated on the next acceptable date at no additional costs to the County. 7) Weekly Shorebird Monitoring (FDEP Specific Condition No. 35). EAI will perform weekly surveys for breeding shorebirds within the Sector 3 Project Area (Phase 2B and Dune Repair) from April 1 through August 31, 2015. The surveys will be conducted by ATV concurrent with daily sea turtle monitoring. All potential nesting habitat within the Project Area will be monitored. Any observed breeding activity will be reported to the FWC Regional Species Conservation Biologist within 24 hours of sighting and to the Florida Shorebird Database within one week of data collection. 8) Nearshore Hardbottom Monitoring (FDEP Specific Conditions No. 48 through 54). CSA will perform nearshore hardbottom monitoring within and surrounding the as -built Phase 2B Project Area, which extended from R-20 through R-26.5, and a reference area to the south (R-63 to R-65) to fulfill requirements for "Nearshore Hardbottom Monitoring" identified in the FDEP approved Biological Monitoring Plan (dated April 2009) and FDEP JCP Specific Conditions 48 through 54. This task, which constitutes Year 3 annual monitoring of the Phase 2B Project Area, will consist of two elements: field surveys along previously established transects, and mapping of the nearshore hardbottom edge. Monitoring will include the survey of eight previously established permanent cross -shore transects (R-21, R-22, R-24, R-25, R-26, R-28.5, Ref. R-63, and Ref. R-65). Along each transect, video, still photographs, and repetitive in situ quadrat data will be collected. The monitoring also will include the mapping of the landward edge of hardbottom along the entire length of the Phase 2B Project Area and south to R-28.5 (approximately 8,500 ft). 9) Preparation of an Annual Biological Monitoring Report (FDEP Specific Condition No. 54). Following the completion of Task 7, CSA will analyze transect and quadrat data in accordance with the FDEP Biological Monitoring Plan and prepare a summary report. The report will include appropriate graphics, tables, statistical analyses of the collected data, comparisons to previous years' survey data, and an assessment of project -related impacts to hardbottom communities. 10) Aerial Imagery Ground-truthing and Interpretation/mapping (FDEP Specific Condition No. 53). CSA will coordinate with the County's selected contractor to EXHIBIT A Indian River County Sector 3 Sea Turtle Monitoring — 2015 schedule aerial imagery collection during a period of optimal site conditions to maximize data quality and allow concurrent in situ diver ground-truthing for habitat verification. CSA will perform ground-truthing using bounce dives and/or cross -shore video transects. Geo -referenced field positions will be included in copies of the ground-truthing photography and/or transect video record to be provided to the County and FDEP. The aerial images obtained from the contractor will be digitized by CSA (as needed) to produce GIS -based habitat maps (ESRI shape files) and facilitate further analysis. CSA will use its ground-truthing to interpret the aerials used to produce the GIS -based habitat maps. These maps will then be used by CSA to assess post -construction hardbottom impacts (physical burial) likely attributable to Phase 2B of the Sector 3 Project. 11) Post -Construction UMAM Analysis of Hardbottom Impacts. Based upon the assessment of hardbottom impacts prepared under Task 8 and aerial imagery interpretation in Task 9, CSA will conduct a Uniform Mitigation Assessment Methodology (UMAM) analysis, pursuant to Chapter 62-345, F.A.C. The UMAM analysis will include qualitative descriptions of impacted communities and associated ecological functions, and quantitative estimates of the extent of impacts. CSA will confer with FDEP staff during and upon completion of the UMAM analysis to access any actual hardbottom impacts or the absence of impacts potentially attributable to the Project. 12) Summary Spreadsheet of Sea Turtle Nesting Activity (FDEP Specific Condition No. 29). At the end of the 2015 nesting season, an Excel spreadsheet of all nesting activity and reproductive success will be prepared and submitted electronically to FDEP and FWC. Data will be reported separately for each phase of the Sector 3 Project and the control beach. 13) Final Interpretive Report. Upon conclusion of sea turtle data analyses for the 2015 nesting season, a draft interpretive report, including an assessment of project impacts, if any, will be submitted to the County. This assessment will be based on statistical and other comparisons of nesting and reproductive success data between treatment and control areas. EAI will meet with the County to review and identify any changes warranted in the interpretive report. After such changes are made by EAI, a final report will be prepared and submitted to the County. I! EXHIBIT B Indian River County Sector 3 Sea Turtle Monitoring — 2015 ECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES, INC. P.O. BOX 405 JENSEN BEACH, FLORIDA 34958 DELIVERABLES Unless otherwise specified below, all reports will be delivered in a format (hard and/or electronic) and in such quantities as requested by the County. All reports will be submitted to the County in accordance with Exhibit C. Sea Turtle and Shorebird Monitoring Scarp Monitoring: Data will be reported electronically each week to FWC and the County. The County will also be notified by phone or electronically of any scarps that persists for two consecutive weekly surveys. Results of surveys conducted each month, including locations, heights, and lengths will tabulated for inclusion in the Monthly Reports. Monthly Reports: Records of daily sea turtle and shorebird monitoring activities, including names of monitoring personnel and times of monitoring will be maintained for the duration of monitoring. Within two weeks following the end of each calendar month, EAI will submit a summary report to the County that will include, a log of sea turtle/shorebird monitoring activities, number of sea turtle nests and false crawls by species, number of sea turtle nests marked and evaluated, and results of scarp monitoring. Nesting Database: All sea turtle data collected during the project will be incorporated into an Access database maintained by EAI. This data will be provided to the County in an electronic format, as mutually agreed upon, for incorporation into the County's HCP database. Appropriate QA measures will be implemented to ensure that data are completely and accurately transferred from field data sheets to the electronic database. In -water Sea Turtle Monitoring: Data collected during in -water monitoring will be tabulated and transmitted to the County at the conclusion of each quarterly survey effort. At the conclusion of 2015/2016 monitoring, data will be analyzed and marine turtle abundance will be compared between the pre -construction baseline and the current year's data for each individual transect and for the sites as a whole (all transects combined) for both the Treatment and Control sites. Data for green and loggerhead turtles will be analyzed and presented separately. This annual report will present methods, results and conclusions of the monitoring effort. Summary Spreadsheet: Upon completion of all field monitoring activities, an Excel spreadsheet tabulating sea turtle monitoring results, as required by FDEP Specific Condition No. 29, will be prepared and submitted to the County and FWC. EXHIBIT B Indian River County Sector 3 Sea Turtle Monitoring — 2015 Final Interpretive Report: Upon conclusion of data analyses for the 2015 nesting season, a draft interpretive report, including an assessment of project impacts, if any, will be submitted to the County. This assessment will be based on statistical and other comparisons of nesting and reproductive success between treatment and control areas. EAI will meet with the County to review and identify any changes warranted in the interpretive report. After such changes are made by EAI, a final draft of the report will be submitted to the County. Hardbottom Monitoring Hardbottom Monitoring Report: Following completion of the field survey effort, CSA will analyze the transect and quadrat data per FDEP Biological Monitoring Plan requirements and prepare a draft summary report. The report will include appropriate graphics/tables, statistical analyses of the collected data, comparisons to previous years' survey data, and an assessment of project -related impacts to hardbottom communities. The report will be provided in both hard copy and digital format. Data deliverables on portable hard drive will include frame - grabbed images from all transects, PointCount files and associated data, Excel spreadsheets of PointCount data, and Excel spreadsheets of in situ quadrat data. UMAM Analysis: A UMAM report will be provided to the County that will include qualitative descriptions of impacted communities and associated ecological functions, and quantitative estimates of the extent of impacts. The UMAM spreadsheets, in addition to supporting documentation, will be provided in hard copy and digital format to the County for review prior to submittal to FDEP The draft Hardbottom Moniotirng and UMAM reports will be provided to the County for distribution to a 3`d party for impartial review and comment. CSA and/or EAI will then coordinate with the County and 3`d party reviewer to identify and discuss any needed changes to the draft summary and UMAM reports. After such changes are made by CSA, EAI will forward the summary report to FDEP in partial fulfillment of permit conditions. EXHIBIT C Indian River County Sector 3 Sea Turtle Monitoring — 2015 ECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES, INC. P.O. BOX 405 JENSEN BEACH, FLORIDA 34958 PROJECT SCHEDULE Deliverables. The following work products will be provided to Indian River County in accordance with the schedules specified below: Deliverable Content Delivery Date Monthly Sea Turtle Data Summaries Dates and times of monitoring, names of monitoring personnel, numbers of sea turtle emergences by species, results of escarpment monitoring, and numbers of nests marked and evaluated for reproductive success The last day of each month following delivery of services (e.g., March report due no later than April 30) Monthly Shorebird Data Summaries Dates and tines of monitoring, names of monitoring personnel, and numbers of nests marked and monitored The last day of each month following delivery of services (e.g., March report due no later than April 30) Quarterly In -water Sea Turtle MonitoringTabulated data summaries and maps depicting sighting locations Within 30 days of completion of each quarterlysurvey Data From Nearshore Hardbottom Monitoring Frame -grabbed images from all transects, point count files and associated data, Excel spreadsheets of point count data, and Excel spreadsheets of in situ quadrat data. Within 60 days of completion of corresponding field activities Hardbottom Impact Assessment An analysis of transect, quadrat, and nearshore hardbottom edge data, including appropriate graphics/tables, interpretation of aerial imagery, statistical analyses, and assessments of project -related impacts. A GIS- based habitat neap and Geo -referenced field positions (ESRI shape files) will be included in copies of the ground truthing photography and/or ransect video records. Within 90 days of completion of all field activities UMAM Analysis Statistical analyses of pre- and post -construction hardbottom exposure including net loss/gain of hard bottom, sand volume and distribution changes, accompanied by UMAM spreadsheets and supporting documentation. Within 90 days of completion of all field activities EXHIBIT C Indian River County Sector 3 Sea Turtle Monitoring — 2015 Deliverable Content Delivery Date FDEP Sea Turtle Monitoring Data Spreadsheet All nesting survey data and reproductive success data summarized in an Excel spreadsheet December 31, 2015 Sea Turtle Nesting Beach Year-end Report Final interpretive report including assessment of project effects on nesting and reproductive success February 28, 2016 In -water Sea Turtle Monitoring Annual Report Final interpretive report including assessment of project effects on sea turtle utilization of nearshore hardbottom habitat Within 60 days of completion of the final quarterly survey EXHIBIT 2 EXHIBIT D Indian River County Sector 3 Sea Turtle Monitoring — 2015 ECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES, INC. P.O. BOX 405 JENSEN BEACH, FLORIDA 34958 FEIN: 61-1747043 COST PROPOSAL — March 9, 2015 PROJECT NAME: Indian River Co. Sector 3 Sea Turtle Monitoring — 2015 (EAI Project No. 15-339) CLIENT: Mr. James D. Gray, Jr. Coastal Engineer Indian River County Public Works 1801 27th Street Vero Beach, Florida 32960 Phone: (772) 226-1344 * Email: igray@ircgov.com PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Daily sea turtle monitoring and related permit -compliance monitoring along approximately 9.1 miles of beach from R-20 south to R-68 in Indian River County, Florida, as described in EAI's Scope of Work dated March 9, 2015. PROJECT DURATION: April 1, 2015 — February 28, 2016. COSTS: All services will be provided at fixed cost (lump sum), as itemized below. TASK DESCRIPTION CHARGE 1 Escarpment monitoring (April — September 2015) $3,405.00 2 Post -construction sea turtle monitoring, including data management and QA (April — September 2015) $86,902.00 3 Nest marking, monitoring, and reproductive success $22,176.00 4 Weekly breeding shorebird monitoring $1,810.00 5 In -water monitoring, including final summary report $11,405.00 6 Nearshore hardbottom surveys $73,689.00 Nearshore hardbottom summary report $68,871.00 Aerial imagery interpretation, ground truthing, and habitat mapping $14,787.00 Sub -total nearshore hardbottom monitoring & mapping (Sub -contracted service) $157,347.00 7 UMAM analysis, including report (Sub -contracted service) $6,457.00 8 FDEP permit -required sea turtle monitoring data spreadsheet $3,290.00 9 Final interpretive report to client assessing project effects on sea turtle nesting and reproductive success $4,672.00 10 Project management $2,419.00 TOTAL COST $299,883.00