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Home My WebLink About20060030 Ver 2_Vegetation Survey_20090501is Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Survey Pecan Grove Elevated Boat Ramp Pender County, North Carolina 9--.. S - Prepared for: Mr. David Greer 133 Gazebo Court Wilmington. NC 28401 Prepared by: Environmental Services, Inc. 524 S. New Hope Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27610 May 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS 10 Project Description 20 Protect Purpose 30 Qualifications 40 SAV Survey Methodology 50 SAV Survey Results 60 Summary 70 Literature Cited 1 1 1 2 2 3 4 5/26/2009 Environmental Services, Inc Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Survey Pecan Grove Elevated Boat Ramp Pender County, North Carolina 1.0 Project Description and Current Status Environmental Services, Inc, (ESI) was asked to conduct a submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) survey for the proposed Pecan Grove elevated boat ramp located on Pelican Walk in Pender County, North Carolina This SAV survey is intended to update a previous SAV survey conducted by another consultant in 2007 The applicant, Mr David Greer, prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Pecan Grove elevated boat ramp in early 2008 and the EA is still in the review process N C Division of Coastal Management (DCM) recently requested that an updated SAV survey be conducted to aid in the ongoing EA review process The original EA (and subsequent revisions to said EA) contains a detailed description of the project study area and the history of the subject property Therefore, this SAV survey report will not restate that information The reader can refer to the EA documents for more detailed background information if necessary 2.0 Project Purpose The purpose of tlus updated SAV survey is to document the presence or absence and to quantify any SAV located in close proximity to the intended location of the elevated boat ramp and the proposed small channel that will connect to an existing deep water channel The proposed elevated boat ramp was originally proposed in the EA as a means to provide water access to Pecan Grove while avoiding direct impacts to SAV identified in the 2007 SAV report prepared by others It is our intent that this report help the reviewing agencies conclude that the proposed project will have minimal effects on the environment so that a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the project can be supported 3.0 Qualifications ESI biologists Jeff Harbour and Todd Milani conducted the SAV survey described in this report Mr Harbour has a B S in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina and currently serves as a Senior Scientist and Ecology Division Manager for ESI He is a certified Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS) and has over 15 years of professional experience working from south Florida to Virginia Mr Harbour has conducted numerous SAV surveys in both Florida and North Carolina including a 3 -mile long survey across the Curntuck Sound as part of a natural gas pipeline crossing Mr Milam has a M S in Natural Resources from the College of Charleston and currently serves as a Project Scientist with ESI He has over 3 years professional experience and previously worked with N C Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as a stormwater and erosion control inspector 5/26/2009 Environmental Services, Inc 4.0 SAV Survey Methodology Prior to conducting the SAV survey, ESI contacted N C Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) to determine if it was an acceptable time to assess the area for SAV Mr Rich Carpenter (DMF) indicated to Mr Jeff Harbour (ESI) that it was an appropriate time to conduct the SAV survey Therefore, ES1 conducted the SAV assessment on May 12, 2009 using a slightly modified protocol based on NOAA's Coastal Ocean Program document entitled Guidelines for the Conservation and Restoration of Seagrasses in the United States and Adjacent Waters (1998) The SAV survey was conducted between 1000 — 1330 during sunny weather conditions The tide was rising during the survey with high tide in New Topsail Inlet at 1032 on May 12 Due to the morning high tides during the week of May 11, it was decided to conduct the SAV survey from a small aluminum flat -bottom boat equipped with an electric trolling motor Prior to surveying the area, a Secchi disk was used to determine the water clarity The Secclu disk depth identified in several locations ranged from —2 0' to —2 5' Thirty-five (35) sample plots were evaluated throughout the project study area The data for each sample plot location was collected with a Trimble GeoXT GPS unit The location of the plots is not represented as survey grade data, but rather sub -meter Density of SAV was estimated as percent cover using a 1 -m x 1 -m sample plot constructed from PVC pipe that was tethered to the boat and sunk to the bottom SAV species composition and percent cover was recorded for each sample plot through differing means depending on the water depth A commercial Aqua Scope that allows users to see through the water column to the bottom substrate was used to evaluate the shallower depths Once the water depths increased beyond the limits of the Aqua Scope, the sample plots were assessed by use of a rake and a remote underwater video camera manufactured by Atlantis The approximate location and extent of any identified SAV was approximated and is provided with this report 5.0 SAV Survey Results The results of the survey indicate that roughly half of the thirty-five (35) sample plots investigated contain at least a minimal of SAV, eelgrass (Zostera mariana) Those sample plots located near the end of the existing pier /gazebo contained 1% - 3% coverage Several plots closer to the shoreline contained slightly higher coverage (5% - 10%) Minimal SAV coverage occurs from Just beyond the existing shoreline to ,lust slightly beyond the terminus of the existing pier /gazebo (Figure 1) The SAV occurs in water depths ranging from approximately —10' to —2 0' mean low water In addition to occupying the same footprint as is currently occupied by the pier /gazebo, the proposed elevated boat ramp would need to span an additional 12 -15 feet that contains 1 % -3% P4 5/26/2009 Environmental Services, Inc coverage at the terminus Total square footage of SAV spanned that is not currently within the footprint of the existing structure would total approximately 180 feet2 In addition to the seagrasses, several species of red and green algae were also identified within many of the sample plots The red alga consisted primarily of Gracilaria sp and the green alga consisted of Ulva sp and Codium sp 6.0 Summary The replacement of the existing pier /gazebo with the elevated boat ramp will cover the same approximate footprint that results from the existing structure An additional 180 feet' of SAV (1 % -3 %) will be spanned by the terminus of the elevated boat ramp The replacement of the existing pier /gazebo with the elevated boat ramp is not expected to have significant detrimental impacts to the aquatic resources present in the project study area The proposed structure will be constructed to allow for sufficient light penetration as previously requested by the agencies and as documented in the EA and work will be done during penods of high water to minimize disturbance No SAV was identified in the area where a small amount of dredging is proposed to occur in order to reach the existing access channel located slightly south of the proposed terminus of the elevated boat ramp Additionally, the applicant is willing to discuss possible mitigative measures that may be used to compensate for spanning the small area of SAV This may involve relocating some of the SAV that may be spanned as has been done previously by North Carolina Department of Transportation Plantmg new SAV may also be a viable option if an acceptable source can be identified and approved by the regulatory agencies M 5/26/2009 Environmental Services, Inc 7.0 Literature Cited [NCDCM] North Carolina Division of Coastal Management 2002 CAMA Handbook for Development in Coastal North Carolina Raleigh, NC [NMFS] National Marine Fisheries Service 1994 Rooted Vascular Beds in the Albemarle - Pamlico Estuarine System (Project No 94 -02) Beaufort, NC 103 pp [NMFS] National Marine Fisheries Service 1999 Essential Fish Habitat Consultation Guidance National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland [NOAA) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2001 Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Data Development and Applied Uses NOAA - Coastal Services Center Charleston, SC CD -ROM 4