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Home My WebLink About20080868 Ver 2_Final Agenda and Notes for Aug 2014 Science Panel Meeting_20150126 AUGUST 28 2014 PCS CREEKS STUDY SCIENCE PANEL MEETING 9:00 am, Corps of Engineers Washington Office AGENDA AND FINAL MEETING NOTES (notes in italics) Attendees: Corps- Tom Steffens CZR- Sam Cooper, Julia Berger, Randy Pulley DWR- Anthony Scarbraugh Science Panel: Dr. Terry West, ECU; Dr. Rick PCS-Jeff Furness Rheinhardt, ECU (via telecom) ECU-Dr. David Kimmel 1)TO DOs from 2013 Science Panel Meeting Minutes a)Newer aerials:  It was agreed that entire suite of monitoring location figures and the overall drainage basin figure will be updated annually after PCS has the area flown (usually completed by January) b)Addendum pages for Final PCS Creeks Monitoring Plan to reflect two modifications (hand outs)  Copies of addendum pages were handed out to all attendees (sent to Rheinhardt via email previously) for insertion in their hard copies of the final PCS creeks monitoring plan (September 2011) c)Hyperlinks to figures and tables d)Metals researcher – Jamie DeWitt  New ECU consultant for sediment and water column metals e)Status of third science panel member  Not limited to three members-ROD indicates up to five  Could use fisheries person-Anthony Overton of ECU was suggested but he has taken a new position out of state. Others mentioned included Roger Rulifson of ECU (Kimmel does not think he will be interested), Eduardo Leorri of ECU (sea level), or Joe Luczkovich of ECU (seagrasses and estuarine fish)  Terry West will be retire in May 2015. His absence will be acutely missed. 2)Executive Summary 2013 Report  Bullets were discussed briefly  PCS/CZR/Corps/DWR to meet in fall to further discuss pre vs post-Mod Alt L arrangements and the limitations of effects from only the currently permitted alternative 3)Drainage Basin Reductions for 2013 a)Figure I-C3 and Figure I-C4 2014 PCS CREEKS STUDY ANNUAL MEETING TO DISCUSS 2013 ANNUAL REPORT 15 JANUARY 2015 1  Slight edits to these figures as mentioned in report text mostly due to refinements of pre-Alt E and pre-Mod Alt L basin  Re: Croatan Clay-- PCS performed follow-up study on Croatan Clay occurrences along the South Creek side of the NCPC Tract to locate potential areas prone to formation of depressions. No additional Croaton Clay was found; no future issues from this sedimentary unit are expected. CZR to include GMA’s follow up study report as appendix in 2014 creeks report. 4)Pre- and Post-Mod Alt L creeks a)Table I-A1 (revised; handout)  A corrected version was handed out that showed 2013 for final column heading on all pages; also display of Huddles Cut vegetation sampling was corrected to reflect transition and post-transition years when data was collected (under previous pre vs post arrangement) but not included in 2013 analysis (new pre vs post shuffled transition year and post transition year for Huddles Cut).  During discussion of re-shuffled years for pre- and post-Mod Alt L, there was discussion of the value of this particular table as a potential archive which would show all data that was collected in each year of both studies-regardless of whether it was used in the current report year. This would mean that the Huddles Cut vegetation data boxes for 2010 and 2011 would go back in.  Format of this table is likely to change for next year’s report to accommodate additional column for 2014 (and subsequent years). 5)Discussion of the 404/ROD Special Condition S Six Questions a)Q1-Flow changes (CZR/PCS)  Corps and DWR suggested looking at relationship between positive water levels in the various creek system headwaters and rainfall and wind tides. DWR was also curious about the interval between water level readings (PCS = 1.5 hr vs DWR = 0.5 hr)  The hydrology section of the 2012 creeks report did discuss rainfall, wind, and Tar River discharge in relation of wetland water level. Next year, more of an effort will be made to look at positive water levels in the more upstream wells in relation to these parameters.  No mention made of changing the reading interval.  DWR also expressed concern about whether or not a reduction in flow from basin reduction would allow the salt wedge to move further upstream than it might reach without the reduction and whether that might explain some of changes in vegetation that might not necessarily be a result of sea level rise only?  Further discussion about use of a model that might help predict the answer to DWR question as well as the “ecological flow question” which is better understood/quantified in piedmont but not in coastal plain. 2014 PCS CREEKS STUDY ANNUAL MEETING TO DISCUSS 2013 ANNUAL REPORT 15 JANUARY 2015 2  West mentioned a flooding experiment done a decade or more ago by NCSU which showed no effect which was surprising. DWR has done some work on tidal influences on upland basins. USGS has eliminated local monitoring stations.  Kimmel suggested that Alex Manda (hydrologist at ECU who studies in the Alligator River) might be a good addition to the science panel and bring some expertise to this area. b)Q2-Geomorphic or vegetative character changes (CZR/PCS)  Request was made to better indicate which individual species are part of any change in dominants for a specific creek. Information should flow better between paragraphs so these species can be easily seen, e.g., second paragraph page III-E-4 ok but needs to link better the next paragraph.  Rheinhardt requested that invasive species also be noted, especially when they may represent a change in dominants or a new dominant in either control creeks or other creeks. c)Q3-Forage base changes (CZR/PCS)  Fish dendrogram groups and arrows as shown are great.  Longer discussion about benthos and how to consolidate the data further, i.e., use of dominants only instead of entire data suite is quite common, but should also include diversity indices so rarities are not missed.  Since “talking about species is just impossible” with such dense data, Kimmel suggested use of ternary diagrams based on benthic guilds (sessile vs mobile, suspension vs deposit feeders, shredder vs gatherer etc) to display difference between groups  Kimmel reminded attendees that “statistical difference does not indicate ecological relevance”  There is no readily accessible list of freshwater or estuarine benthos guilds to check against. Will have to google by species; can send list to West for gaps?  West suggested division of benthic data into upstream and downstream dendrograms which should enable addition of helpful pre- post- control arrows as done for fish dendrogram  Rheinhardt mentioned use of ordination format with different colors for spatial multidimensional scaling  Groups D and E represent huge diverse groups  Differences in numbers and species can be indicators of subtle changes or could be chronic vs acute changes. What are the serious consequences of changes or impacts- small weird assemblage may or may not use the creek; what drives differences in composition? d)Q4- Managed fish changes (CZR/PCS)  No changes of note or discussion 2014 PCS CREEKS STUDY ANNUAL MEETING TO DISCUSS 2013 ANNUAL REPORT 15 JANUARY 2015 3 e)Q5-Metals in sediment or water column (CZR/PCS)  Limits of data set (no replicates) and limits of ERM/ERL were mentioned as discussed in report text. PCS/CZR to meet with DeWitt in the fall to discuss additional ways to present data or other resources for comparisons.  Short discussion on biological availability of metals  West suggested an APNEP report done by Riggs on the Pamlico River as potential source for comparison. (Furness notified all that this report is article 127 of 149 on APNEP website documents/research policy reports page.) West also suggested an old fish study done by the NOAA Pivers Island lab as a potential additional comparative source. f)Q6-Water quality changes (Dr. Dave Kimmel)  Temporal and spatial analysis for all WQ data collected to date shows typical seasonal patterns and no long term trends except for estuary wide increase in salinity. Jacks shows no trends at all over nine years of data while Tooley and Huddles Cut show a decrease in nutrients.  The post-Mod Alt L creeks (Huddles Cut, Tooley Creek, and Drinkwater Creek) all show strong variability but stabilize over time. Vegetation plays a big role in these creeks, but nothing out of the ordinary noticed to date; no long term change that can be linked to mine activities. Changes occur as mine moves through (nutrients increase) but then stabilize with time. Kimmel noted a classic Hubbard Brooke ecosystem study  http://www.hubbardbrook.org/overview/overview.shtml which documented a small deforested watershed increased in nutrients post deforestation; as it revegetated, the nutrients decreased. 6)Suggestions for 2014 report  Ways to reduce the WQ data presentation were discussed: collapse all post data? Continue long term trend analysis; separate post years for spatial analysis? Divide into upstream/downstream groups? TO DOS: 1)ECU: New science panel members-Kimmel and West to make outreach to Rulifson, Luczkovich, Manda, Leorri, and possibly Marcelo Ardon (previously approached by Lekson but was too busy at the time- Kimmel will ask again). 2)CZR-Include GMA follow up study on Croatan Clay in 2014 report. PCS to provide to CZR. 3)CZR-Benthos- use ternary diagram and divide species into guilds and upstream/downstream. May solicit input from West for guild memberships. 2014 PCS CREEKS STUDY ANNUAL MEETING TO DISCUSS 2013 ANNUAL REPORT 15 JANUARY 2015 4 4)CZR-Vegetation- better flow between paragraphs with more examples of changes in particular species for individual creeks instead of “brackish intolerants decreased” Make note of invasive species in any creek 5)CZR-Hydrology- additional correlation with wind tides, wind direction, river discharge, and salinity 6)Corps/DWR/PCS/CZR-Pre- and Post-Mod Alt L data and Table I-A1: set up meeting to discuss. This meeting occurred on 14 January 2015 at Corps office with Tom Steffens, Anthony Scarbraugh, Jeff Furness, Randy Pulley, Sam Cooper, Julia Berger and David Kimmel. After much discussion pertaining to regulatory, scientific, ecologic concerns, it was determined to include all data in analysis which is a slight deviation from the Final Plan of Study but defendable and not a substantive deviation. The 2014 report will contain explanatory text with appropriate caveats and cautions well noted. 7)Locate Pivers Island NOAA fish study and APNEP Riggs Pamlico River metals study 2014 PCS CREEKS STUDY ANNUAL MEETING TO DISCUSS 2013 ANNUAL REPORT 15 JANUARY 2015 5