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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11694 ORD - 09/12/1973JRR:e:9 /11/73 1st AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD TO CONTINUE THE CORPUS CHRISTI BAY AND ESTAURINE INVESTIGATION PROGRAM BEGUN IN THE FALL OF 1972 AS PER THE ATTACHED CONTRACT AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS: SECTION 1. That the City Manager be, and he is hereby C7 authorized to execute a contract with the Texas Water Development Board providing for the continuance of the Corpus Christi Bay and Estaurine Investigation Program which began in the fall of 1972, as set forth in said contract, a copy of which is attached hereto and made a part hereof for all pertinent purposes. SECTION 2. The necessity to authorize the execution of the aforesaid contract so that this investigation program may continue without interruption creates a public emergency and an imperative public necessity requiring the suspension of the Charter rule that no ordinance or resolution shall be passed finally on the date of its introduction but that such ordinance or resolution shall be read at three several meetings of the City Council, and the Mayor having declared such emergency and necessity to exist, and having requested the suspension of the Charter rule and that this ordinance be passed finally on the date of its introduction and take effect and be in full force and effect from and after its passage, IT IS ACCORDINGLY SO ORDAINED, this the 12th day of September, 1973. ATTEST: Ci y Secr t y APPROVED: 12TH D Y F PTEMBER, 1973: / City Attorney MA R THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS 11694 • TWDB Contract No. 03 -4896 I THE STATE OF TEXAS j Texas Water Development Board and COUNTY OF NUECES j , City of Corpus Christi This Contract and Agreement, made and entered into by and between the Texas Water Development Board, hereinafter called the Board, and the City of Corpus Christi, . hereinafter called Cooperator, in a Cooperative Estuarine Investigation Program under the following terms, conditions and considerations, WITNESSETH: ARTICLE I 1. The Board, at the request of the Cooperator, and for the consideration hereinafter expressed, agrees and covenants to cause to be extended gLnd continued for an additional period of one year. beginning September 1, 1973, the program of Estuarine Investigations described and initiated in that certain contract dated September 1, 1972, between the Board and the Cooperator, being Texas Water Development Board Contract No. 03 -3737, to which contract reference is here made. The said program is a cooperative effort by federal and state agencies, and is described as follows: A. The Board has an estuarine data - collection program currently underway in cooperation with the U. S. Geological Survey. Under this program, field and laboratory data - collection is performed by U. S. Geological Survey staff and Board staff using watercraft and equipment of the Geological Survey. Repetitive surveys are to be taken in the Corpus Christi and Aransas- Copano Bay systems including collection of field data (dissolved oxygen, temperature, conductivity, pH) and samples for laboratory analyses of a wide range of organic and inorganic water quality parameters at carefully selected sites throughout the estuarine systems. r B. The Board is presently involved in the development and verification of mathematical hydrodynamic and transport (salinity) models of the Corpus Christi and Aransas - Copano Bay systems, .Intensive inflow - exchange -water quality studies involving simultaneous measurement of current velocities, net exchange through tidal passes, river and tributary inflows, meteorological data - collection, and channel profile surveys have been conducted to provide data for accurate verification of these models. ' When fully verified the models will simulate the distribution of salinity and the variations in the hydraulic behavior of the bays • under any prescribed hydrologic and meteorologic condition. 2. The said program of estuarine investigations is more particularly described in, and shall be carried out in strict accordance with, Attachment A, entitled: CORPUS CHRISTI BAY -- BENTHOS AND PLANKTON STUDY Ecological Studies of Corpus Christi Bay and Contiguous Waters • Including Evaluation of Estuarine Productivity and Nutrient Budgets Under Varying Seasonal Conditions The said Attachment A is appended hereto and made a part of this contract for all purposes. 3. Funding of these cooperative studies and programs will provide for an expansion of the biological data - collection, which is considered essential to fully describe and understand the total estuarine ecosystem -- including the complex food chain. The complex ecological interactions must be fully understood in order to develop meaningful correlations between fresh water (including nutrients) and Gulf water inflows to the estuaries. 4. Supplementary funds provided for in Article III of this contract by the Cooperator will be used to expand staff to conduct an expanded program of ecological studies. An estimated expense summary for the program for the 1973 -1974 fiscal year is given in Attachment A. Specifically, investigations -2- and surveys will be initiated to define existing standing crops of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and benthic organism's and seasonal variations in abundance and species of such organisms - -as influenced by varying physical, water quality, and related environmental conditions in the estuaries. Chemical, physical and biological data will be collected at representative stations within the Corpus Christi Bay system at monthly. intervals. All data will be analyzed to determine ecological changes in the estuary resulting from variations in inflow into the estuarine systems. ARTICLE II The expanded program is estimated to cost Fifty -Five Thousand Five Hundred Eighty -Nine and 84 /100 ($55, 589. 84) Dollars. Cooperator, in consideration of the foregoing agreement and undertaking on the part of the Board, hereby covenants and agrees to pay to the Board the sum of Thirty Thousand ($30, 000.00) Dollars on demand after the date of execution of this agreement as its share of the said estimated cost of the program. ARTICLE III The parties hereto agree that this Contract is subject to the availa- bility of funds to the Board, provided, however, that should such funds be not available, this Contract shall be null and void, and funds contributed by the Cooperator shall be refunded in full. ARTICLE IV It is mutually agreed and covenanted that if the Cooperator shall fail to make payment as herein provided, the Board may cancel and terminate the remainder to this Contract by giving Cooperator written notice. If this Contract is terminated prior to the time of full performance, the Cooperator shall be obligated to'pay the Board for work already performed hereunder, or as appropriate, the Board shall refund all that portion of Cooperator's contribution which has not already been expended, or which the Board is not obligated to expend on work that has already been performed -3- hereunder up to the date of cancellation and termination. ARTICLE V The parties hereto,further agree that this Contract may be altered or amended upon the advance written agreement of each party to exclude. work being performed or to include additional work to be, performed and to adjust the consideration to be paid hereunder by virtue of such alterations or amendments. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Contract and Agreement to be duly executed in triplicate, this the 1st day of September, 1973, TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD By: Harry P. Bur igh,•Executive Director CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI By: ATTEST: City Secretary APPROVED: 12T15 PAY OF EPTE``MBER, 1973: City Attorney -4- -- ATTACHMENT A • CORPUS CHRISTI BAY -- BENTHOS AND PLANKTON STUDY Ecological Studies of Corpus Christi Bay and Contiguous Waters Including Evaluation of Estuarine Productivity and Nutrient Budgets Under Varying Seasonal Conditions I. Introduction Investigators at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute are presently engaged in a study of the benthic and planktonic communities in the Corpus Christi Bay complex. All principals involved in the design and funding of the present research agreed that a minimum of three years would be necessary to investigate the complex variations of benthic and planktonic populations in Corpus Christi Bay. The first year of research is nearing completion. II. Objectives The objectives of the second year of this study will continue to be the same as in the original proposal. They are: 1) A survey of benthic and planktonic communities and their sea- sonal fluctuation in the Corpus Christi Bay complex; 2) Definition of the nutrient budget of the estuarine system, using data collected under the existing Texas Water Development Board -- United States Geological Survey cooperative estuarine program, and supplemented as necessary with field and laboratory data developed by the Project Director; 3) Definition of the primary biological productivity of the Corpus Christi Bay system for the project period, and 4) Correlation of the nutrient supply and primary productivity of the estuarine system with fresh water inflows. U -2- • III. Proposed Research The investigation will continue using the same .techniques and sam- pling sites. (See Appendix A for present methods.) Benthos and plankton samples are being collected from 30 stations in the Corpus Christi Bay com- plex. Analysis of the first year's data may indicate that some of the present stations are not providing useful data, if so they will be dropped, but no less than 25 stations will be sampled monthly, as per the original proposal. The project will continue to be administered by the T. W. D. B. and be coordinated with the existing US.G.S. - -T. W. D. B. cooperative estuarine program and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biological sampling program. Chemical, physical and biological parameters will be collected on a coordinated basis. Results of the project will provide data essential for the ultimate development of management programs for the estuarine system, particularly as these relate to the quality and quantity of fresh water„ and nutrient inflows required. Monthly progress statements and quarterly reports concerning research status will be made to the T. W. D. B. Twenty -five copies of a final report of all research and results of the project will be submitted to The Board at the completion of the project. The report shall include all basic data derived from the project. The proposed research will begin on September 1, 1973 and ter- minate August 31, 1974. Additional research, at least a third year, will be necessary to adequately define the benthic and planktonic community seasonal progression. • -3- • IV. Explanation of Expenses Expendable equipment and supplies -- Expendable equipment and supplies will include those required to collect, preserve, store and analyze _ benthos and phytoplankton samples. Boat time, travel and publication costs- -Boat expense is based on use of The University of Texas research boat, the SHORTHORN, a 19 ft. out- board, for 4 days (at $50 per day) each month over, a 12 month period. Travel money is included to cover expenses of research personnel: as trips for con- sultation with the T. W. D. B. personnel or others and for library research have proven necessary. Publication costs will cover the expense of produc- ing and printing the final report. Salaries - -As outlined, salaries of personnel involved in this proj -. ect are at or near the University of Texas minimums for the positions. The increase in salaries this year reflects University of Texas salary increases, an increase in the Project Coordinator's time spent on the project, and an increase in number of project personnel. The Principal Investigator is not asking for remuneration for his time on this project. The work load for the past year has indicated that the requested number of personnel is necessary to perform the research competently. Manpower requirements- - Level % of Type of experience Title Time Project coordinator Ph. D. & research Research Assoc. IV 100 Benthos Associate Master's & research Research Assoc. I 100 Zooplankton Associate Master's & research Research Assoc. I 100 Phytoplankton Assistant B. S. & research Research Asst. I 100 Lab. Assistant High School Grad. Lab. Asst. I 100 • -4- • V. Expense Summary A. Salary ' 1. Research Assoc. IV - $15, 372:00 2. Research Assoc. I - 10, 308.00 3. Research Assoc. I - 10, 308.00 '4. Research Asst.I - 61810.00 5. Lab. Asst. I - 4,600.00 Total Salaries . . . . . . . . $47,398.00 B. Fringe Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,541.84 C. Expendable equipment and supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200.00 D. Boat time (48 days at $50 /day) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1,200-00 E. Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500.00 F. Publication costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500.00 G. Communication costa (telephone and xerox charges) . 250.00 TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . $55,589.84 Appendix A Field and Laboratory Techniques I. Benthos Field -- Bottom samples (a ft3) are collected with a Petersen grab and placed in 6 -gallon plastic containers. Formalin (37 %) is stirred into the samples to approximate a 57o mixture. The samples are carried back to the outdoor lab where they are washed with a gentle stream of fresh water, using a washing table which has a screen with mesh of a inch openings and a bag with mesh of 1/32 inch open- ings. Larger specimens are picked off the screen and placed in small con- tainers with 70 % ethanol (or isopropanol). Rocks and shells which have serpulid worm tubes or barnacles are placed in a bucket also containing 7016 alcohol. Whatever remains in the mesh bag (specimens, dead shell. debris) is placed in buckets (1 to many, depending on the amount present) and mixed with 70% alcohol. All buckets and containers are labeled with station number and date of collection. Laboratory - -The sample buckets containing "serpulid rocks" are checked in their entirety for barnacles or worms or other organisms clinging to them. Oysters are counted. A partial sample is then weighed and the serpulid tubes checked for polychaetes. The weight of the total sample is also determined, so that we are subsampling by weight for serpulids. The buckets containing the contents of the mesh bag are "swirled" to separate organisms from dead shell. A handful or so of the shell is placed in a bucket, water added, and then swirled around rapidly. After allowing a second or so for the heavier shell to settle, the water is poured off through screens of 10, 20 and 40 mesh size. This procedure is repeated until the water pouring off is clear. The residue is checked under a magnifying lamp for anything that may have remained behind. We find that one or two species of bivalves and one species of gastropod usually do not swirl out, but all other varieties of organisms do. Each screen is washed off and checked, and the "swirlings" are inspected under a dissecting scope. Th a organisms are sorted to species. Each species is named and counted. and if it is to be kept, placed in a vial of 7016 alcohol. We usually use 1 dram vials with plastic pop -tops, but larger specimens are placed in appropriately larger vials. Each vial is labeled with station number, date of collection and name (genus and species) of the organism (written on a slip of paper inside the vial). and each vial is sealed with hot par- affin wax to prevent possible evaporation of the alcohol. A list is kept for each station, each collection showing genus and species and numbers of organisms collected. II. Zooplankton Field -- Zooplankton samples are collected by towing a a meter diam- eter conical net constructed of #10 nylon netting (150,u openings) for one minute. The net is allowed to settle some in the water column before the towbegins, and is pulled to the surface by the end of the tow. so that an oblique tow has been made. The amount of water filtered is measured by a General Oceanics Model 2030 digital flowmeter attached to the mouth of the net. The net is washed down aboard the boat, in order to concentrate the sample in a plankton bucket. Ctenophores are retained on a screen and either counted individually or poured into a graduated cylinder and measured by volume. The sample in the plankton bucket is washed with sea water into a 32 oz. jar and 100 ml of a 50/6 buffered formalin solution added as a preserva- tive. Laboratory- -The sample is diluted to a measured volume and a 1 ml, 2 ml, 5 ml or 10 ml aliquot (depending on the density of the zooplankton) is taken with a Hensen - Stemple pipette. This subsample is inspected under 25x. The entire sample is then checked under 12x to identify and count organisms not found in the subsample. Organisms are identified to genus and species where possible and counts are reported in individuals per cubic meter. III. Phytoplankton A one liter sample of surface water is collected and fixed with 100 ml of 5% buffered formalin solution. Of this liter, 500 ml is concentrated to 35 -50 ml (depending upon the density of phytoplankton) through a Sedgwick- Rafter concentrating apparatus. A 1 ml sample of this concentrate is placed on a Sedgwick - Rafter counting cell. Species are named and individuals counted. The final result reported in cells per liter. A Nikon microscope is used for identification work. IV. Water Quality Measures Currently we are measuring water depth, dissolved oxygen, conduc- tivity and temperature. Readings are made at one foot below the surface, at mid = depth, and one foot above the bottom. Conductivity is measured with's Martek Model TDC,(Martek Instru- ments, Inc. ). Specific conductance is measured in MMHO /CM. Oxygen is measured on a YSI Model 54 oxygen meter (Yellow Springs Instrument Co.). The meter readings are converted to mg /1. I • • Corpus Christi, Texas day of 19 TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL Corpus Christi, Texas For the reasons set forth in the emergency clause of the foregoing ordinance, a public emergency and imperative necessity exist for the suspen- sion of the Charter rule or requirement that no ordinance or resolution shall be passed finally on the date it is introduced, and that such ordinance or resolution shall be read at three meetings of the City Council; I, therefore, request that you suspend said Charter rule or requirement and pass this ordi- nance finally on the date it is introduced, or at the present meeting of the City Council. Respectfully, MAYOR THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS The Charter rule was suspended by the following vote: Jason Luby James T. Acuff Rev. Harold T. Branch Thomas V. Gonzales Ricardo Gonzalez l Gabe Lozano, Sr. J. Howard Stark The above ordinance was passed by the following vote: Jason Luby James T. Acuff Rev. Harold T. Branch Thomas V. Gonzales Ricardo Gonzalez Gabe Lozano, Sr. J. Howard Stark