HomeMy WebLinkAboutC2006-475 - 10/10/2006 - Approved
CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI
RINCON BAYOU DIVERSION PROJECT -
BIOLOGICAL MONITORING YEAR 6: 2006-2007
CONTRACT FOR SERVICES
The City of Corpus Christi, Texas, hereinafter called "City", and The University of Texas at Austin, on
behalf of the Marine Sciences Institute, hereinafter collectively called "UT" hereby agree to the following
amendment of the original contract approved June 25,2002 (M2002-179), amended November 19, 2002
(M2002-398), amended November 18. 2003 (M2003-415) and amended November 9, 2004 (M2004-408) and
amended October 25. 2005 (M2005-369) as follows
Section II, Scope of Services. Paragraph B IS amended to read:
B RESEARCH PLAN AND METHODS
The specific research plan and methods for 2006-2007 are set forth in the Research Contract Proposal
incorporated as Exhibit A of this amendment
Section II, Scope of Services Paragraph C the first sentence is amended to read:
C PRODUCTS
Ui will deliver an annual written report by January 2008.
Section II, Scope of Services. Paragraph D is amended to read
D ORDER OF SERVICES
The monitoring periOd will be for 12 months, from October 1, 2006 through September 30,2007.
Section III Fees Authorized is amended to read
III FEES AUTHORIZED
The City will pay UT a total fixed fee amount not to exceed $207,764 for Amendment NO.5. This fee will be full
and total compensation for all services provided and expenses incurred in performing the tasks specified in
Section II. The restated total contract fee for the original contract as amended is not to exceed $1,175,972 for
providing all services This fee consists of
the original contract fee in the amount $118,192;
a fee for Amendment No 1 in the amount of $165,748;
a fee for Amendment No 2 in the amount of $191,545;
a fee for Amendment No 3 in the amount of 228,296;
a fee for Amendment No 4 in the amount of $264,247; and
a fee for Amendment No 5 In the amount of $207,764
Invoices Will be submitted to the Director of Engineering Services. Invoices will be submitted no more
frequently than once per month for services rendered. All invoices shall be accompanied by a cover letter
summarizing project status and the tasks undertaken during the time period covered by the invoice. Invoices
will be sequentially numbered for each project, state the project name (Rincon Bayou Diversion Project-
Biological Monitoring - Year 5), and City project number (8443). The letter shall state the number of the
current Invoice, the total authorized fee, the amount previously invoiced, and the current amount due.
Statements will be based upon percent of project completed. However, a final payment of $3,500 will be
. . . . e final report
2006-475
10/10/06
\12006-330
1S of the June 25, 2002 contract between the City and Engineer, and of any
which are not specifically addressed herein shall remain in full force and effect.
t T
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
on behalf of
C~v OF CORPUS CHRIST TH~ARINE SClENC~INSTITUTE.
BY:~'-rl.~\~~~~.----::\. ~'t-II ..')trx:, BYL' ~~'=Id~ 1/;5'1 -;)Clo So-
Ronald F Massey rn.mW~!..llate^U' "v. ''''1' S/isan W. Sedwick, Ph.D.
ASslstan~~ti~Y Manager IY f'lJlJ""H-__.lJ.!j.L'?~t'0 Director - Office of Sponsored Projects
!tt:-
._.- ~"""';",~PfROVED AS T9IFORM
-- I";;f-I:~tf I All I \J JJIt>.i,t{A; ~~
C'tyze tary Date Assistant City Attorney
,..-" I P'/)/C? C
H H \ . \r,FN\WA TFR' RINrh~?()()R. ?rW'7\1 ITMSIYrRrnntr::lrt rlnr
;t::::. ( ~ /0 3/~,J.
Itl Lti ~
Date
ifF!, f l)\ ,]'( )'\)\ 'REI' 1'1\( Jit(
1 HI : 'f'J! F R'> r! () fIT \ A'
AUSTlr<
IT) "0110'. )(,. ':itll, ('\.' .~ )~72().!)J1OIj{(512!4~!-()<l4.Fax(512)471-6564.(mcA9000)
;f;
'\ p'opusdl to fund research at Thl UniversIty of Texas at l'\ustin is enclosed for your review. This proposal has the
approvd' ,f coglllzant officials (Jr'-he Univ!>,rsily
LEGAl IDENTITY
The Unl versit: of Texa~ at Austin IS an agency of the State of Texas and a component institution of The University
of Texa.s System, governed by the Boarc of Regents. All awards and agreements must be executed by an
authorized officlaJ of The I fmver,ity and m The University's legal name: "The University of Texas at Austin."
Indl viduab, Departments or Organ Ized Research Units may not directly enter into sponsored research agreements
Of' kga1!v hind The UniverSlt)
OfTICE OF SPONSORED PROJECTS
rhe Office of Sponsored Projects, OSPI serves as the coordinating office for externally funded research projects
submitted by The University of Texas at Austin. All proposals to external funding sources for sponsored projects
musl be submitted through OSP and all awards received for sponsored research must be processed by aSP.
Campus
Overnight Delivery
Address
Mailmg A.ddress
Telephone Number
FILX Number
The Umversity of Texas at Austin
Office of Sponsored Projects
North Office Building-A
tOlE 2711 Street
Slilte 4.30x (Mail Code A9(00)
;'\,ustin. Texas 78712
The University of Texas at Austin
Office of Sponsored Projects
Post Office Box 7726
Austin. Texas 7871 \-7'26
(512) 47 I -( ,424
(512) 471-(.564
FURTHER INFORMATION
Please contact Cuurtney Frazier a 512/47 .-2336 or bye-mail at c_frazier@mail.utexas.edu if you have any
questlOm concernmg administrative or contractual matters about this proposal. Additional information concerning
the ()ffice of Sponsored Projects. Its personnel, sample forms. asp Handbook and other information can be
ohtained hy visiting the asp Home Dage wet site located at http://www.utexas.eduJresearch/ospl.
Exhibit A
Page 1 of 15
H;
ITI I E:
C< is I:
PFRIOD
PROPOSA I #:
F F 0 VI:
PRINCIPAL
INV] 'STl(,A TOR.
Dr\l[':
'\PPRO\'F D
RESEARCH CONTRACT PROPOSAL
ivlr. Kevin St!)WtT~. Contracts/Funds Admimstrator
City ,)fCorpus Chnsti
EngJ!leenng/Dircctnr's OtTice. 3rd Floor
1201 Leoparc1 Street. Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Telephone (.~61 \ ~~O-3506, Fax: (361) 880-3501
RINCON BA VOL DIVERSION PROJECT,
BIOLOGICAL I\IONITORING, YEAR 6: 2006 - 2007
$207.764
I Oc:ober 201)!) - ~(i September 2007
2116(1.0201:6
The Iniversn) of I exas at Austill
Manrle Science Institute
750 ( 'hannel \'ie\\ Drive
Port \ransas. Texas 7R373
Fax: 361) 749-6777
Kenneth H. Dunton. Ph.D.
Telephone (36\ ) 749-6744. c-mail: dunton@utmsi.utexas.edu
20 A Jgust 2():J6
~w ' ,j -td...lUw,-", ___ Date: !~J! G ;3 ., 2006
Susan W. S Cl vick. Ph.D.. Director
Office of S son:d Projects
Thcniversit\ of Iexas at Austlll
N0I1!\ Office Bldg. Ste 4.300, 101 E. 27th, Austin, TX 78712
Ur
Po. Box 7726, Austin, TX 78713-7726
Telephone (~12) 471-6424, e-mail: oSP({lJ,mail. utexas.edu
Exhibit A
Page 2 of 15
I
RINCON BAYOU DIVERSION PROJECT
BIOLOGICAL MONITORING YEAR 6: 2006 - 2007
lJniversit~ of Texas l\1arine Science Institute
ST A TEMENT OF WORK
S UIvlM{\R '{
In ')uuth] exas, Icm annual rainfall. high evaporation, and diversion of river water to support
gn '\\ mg municipaL agricultural and lI1uustrial needs have substantially reduced freshwater
ini10w int(' the Nueces ESlllary {,.)w freshwater intlow results in hypersaline waters and soils
thi1! dre diluted onl~ through direl:t precipitation or by tlooding of the Nueces River during
extreme hvdrographlc events. "uei1 as the paSS1l1g of a tropical storm or hurricane (Texas
DepartmenT of Wate! Res(urces. I ')f\2; Bureau of Reclamation, 2(00). Hypersaline conditions
comprOIliI:-e productlVlty )f phyuplankton and emergent vegetation, eventually impacting
pr, .ducti' It at higher tropnic levels including finfish and shellfish. A previous demonstration
pr, 'Ilet \",]'; conducted Ouober I Y94 through December 1999 by the Bureau of Reclamation
(B\ no. Ihe BOR cunclud,_'d that freshwater additions to the upper reaches of the Nueces Marsh
hal POSltl e impach including dl'creased soil and water column salinity, improved habitat
qUJllty Jnd a\ailahilitv. md II1crcased producll\It) of some estuarine species (Bureau of
RhJlma:]( !tL 20(0)
In lctot<e: 200 I the (it) of ( orpus ('hristi (CIty) elected to continue freshwater diversions
thmugh lh,~ Nueces Ri\er ; )vert1()\I Channel (NOC). which was initially created as the primary
di\ ,;rsior. lhannel 111 the BI)R proJect. rhe City rc-dug this channel to a depth of 0.3 m above
ITIldli se;l level (1\,1 SL) 10 ]:,crease :reshwater intlows into Rincon Bayou, the natural headwater
of the eS1Udl). Futur~ dl\crsio11 pl;illS lllclude installation of a pipeline that can deliver up to 3.7
111 riot 13.flOt acre-it 1110 ") from ('alallen Pool to Rincon Bayou. To further understand
thl mp(lCh of thesi.. freshvater diverSions. the Cit) has undertaken a long-term monitoring
pr"g:'am \10111lOrJnt,: 1S I cquircd under the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
II TQi operating rule f<)r the N\lCCCS Estuary adopted 4 April 2001. Specifically, the rule
requ res the City lC"lInpk'ment all on-going monitoring and assessment program designed to
fcl\:I tate an adaptive manaL':ement program for freshwater intlows into the Nueces Estuary." This
pr:)!')sal supports lh,l( mOl1ltoring r\:quirement. \1onitoring objectIves include detecting changes
Ifl.\lter i.';)lum11. emerger vegct,l'!on. and soil characteristics at several study stations along
RJi:l,m Bayou and lhe "\Ueces Rl\ Lir \lonitoring at many of these stations began during the
B(l!< DcmonstratlOll Proyct and ~'ontinued dunng the Allison Wastewater Treatment Plant
I-'til,em DiverSIon De1110n'tratlOn l'rOjl'ct I EDDP"
) MONJTORlNG (fOAl 2
I\1nnitoring goals:
I De1ermme )1' "no hdrm" occurs a" a result of freshwater diversion from the Nueces River
111t() Rincon Bayou
Exhibit A
Page 3 of 15
3
\s;...css the bt:nefits If the C1I version on primary productivity in Rincon Bayou.
'l De'. dop an ()ptim,d opera; JOllal management procedure for freshwater pass-throughs
ba:-.ed on sound scitnce
i j AS~~
'1 'J ,lchieve the abo\ e stated goal~. the follc)wing tasks will be performed:
i Phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll a) and water chemistry (e.g., nutrients, salinity,
klllperature) will b,' measUl ed monthly in the Nueces River, along Rincon Bayou, and in
the Nueces Ba\
_) Water depth and water c!1emlstry (salinity. conductivity, temperature, pH) will be
cil1ltinuously monitdred at (ne location (Station 463) in the Rincon Bayou approximately
hallway bem een tlL' NOC and Nueces Bay.
) Species compositicn, percent cover and distribution of emergent marsh vegetation along
Rincon BaYl '\1 and the mitus:atJ()!l channel will be quantified in relation to tidal flat and
SIll pore\'v ate 1 parameters (t .goo salinity. soil moisture and inorganic nitrogen).
-+ I I andscape-scale changes in coyer type and vegetation communities will be assessed by
glTlmdtruthing. inkrpreting. ancl classifying aerial images acquired 1 November 2005.
fhl' results \\ 111 be \ompared tc' images acquired in September 1997.
.t RESfu\RCH elAN AND1,/lE1IK)J)
..+ 1. L\PERIMENT AI DESIG'\
Studies \VI II be conducted il1 the N ueces Estuary, Corpus Christi, fexas. Sampling stations are
ICK11ed 1t sites where b,lselinc (lata are available. which will facilitate the assessment of
ee'8v'stem changes. Samp! mg methodologies will be similar to monitoring performed during the
B<)}< Dcmunstratiun Proje,.t and the Ff)[)P. The scope of the BaR Project was limited to an
area appwximately f,A kn downsneam from the NOC. Presumably, the effects of freshwater
di ersion through the' ChaIl1eb wi! decrease with increasing distance from the Rincon Overflow
Channel (ROC) and NOt \\ihile the potential for marine forcing will be greatest at distances
ch-.;cst tn the bay rhe pwposed s,nnplmg strategy includes areas from above the NOC to areas
wnl1!11 !\iucces Bay. appn;\imatel) L~ ~ km downstream (Figure 1). The NOC connects the
Nueces Ri ver to upper Rincon Ba~ ou. the headwater of the estuary. Following construction in
2011 . flu\\ through the N(IC occur..; \VhCll river water elevation reaches 0.6 m above MSL (1929
Datum) I he ROC connects upper Rincon Bayou to an area of hypersaline tidal flats. Discharge
cLceding 11.9 m' s I and reachin,:,- Ie\els of 1. 14m above MSL activates the ROC. Inflow
Ihll)Ugh lh~' NOC IS measured at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Rincon Gauge
Exhibit A I
Page 4 of 15 I
4
I
\
C:::X.:c:c
)::J
'>I
alctH~ '
,-:< & ,~ ,.,.
~
,',
-~~--
,<' GOUlh Lake
~~-~
"\,
'Jxirl.:il'
;..:jiometer~
-===-
f.
Figure 1. LocatIOlls of the Rincon dayou Diversion Project monitoring stations, the Nueces
()\ ,~rtlo\\ ('hannel ('\OC). the RincJn (herflow Channel (ROC), and the Calallen Gauge.
](Killed 111 Rmcon Bayou n~ar Calallen (Station OS2115(3). This gauge was originally installed
111 \!ldy 1996, renwvcd in J\ugust 2(100. and re-installed in June 2002.
M. l!1ltonn~: will he \.,'onducted at :-'CVL'r,!1 stations located throughout the study area (Table 1,
FiE-ure I . Water c()lumn characteristics and phytoplankton biomass will be measured monthly at
fourteen s1dtions: t(,ur stal ions 11 (-,X, 10'+. 104A. 10.+B) along the Nueces River system, five
st,,1iilns (4()6C '+001' 463. 451 anc 450) along Rincon Bayou at various distances downstream
tl'C'll: the l\()C ont' :->tatlon 3(1) <Illhe cunfluence of Rincon Bayou and Nueces Bay, one station
(3( 13 \\ ltl1ll1 Nueccs Ba) and three stations (252. 254, 272) associated with the Allison
Wlslewater Effluem Dive: sion Demonstration Project (EDDP). Several stations in the lower
NUL'leS Delta (450, 451. 2'2, 252. ami 254), Nueces River (104, 104A, 104B) and Nueces Bay
(30 I! \ven.:' funded and s<lmpJed <'s pan of the Allison Wastewater Treatment Plant EDDP.
A.lthough mtensive monitcring of 'he FDDP eneled as of 1 October 2003, a reduced level of
m(\!1ilOnng IS required by the peJ1111ts. Funding for monitoring these stations will be transferred
to ,he RID,-on Pnl.!ed COl1llac1. All stations to be monitored by UTMSI as part of the Rincon
Pr\'jcct as If 1 Octoher 20(16 are lisled l!1 [able 1
Exhibit A i
Page 5 of 15 !
5
Table L ~amp]jng paranlL'ters and corresponding sampling stations.
~_....._.,- -------.---..-.-,.---..-
Sampling parameter___L
'I,ntinw)us \Vater Level pH. .
::'(1ndllClivity!SaliI~, T:mp i
.. --- _ - --i-
\1ol1tl1]y PhylOplankt. '11 .
and
.:Vater_ Q~~!L!2__ _.
Lmergent Vegetation and
SedIment Characteristh.:s
,,- FDDP stations
Stations
463
10'+ ] 04A. 104B. ] 68.272*,254*,252*,301, 303, 400F,
463. 450, 451,466C
254*.2~2*.450,451,463,501, 562
\1 .~ach stillIOn. v,ater dep1 il, water clarn). temperature, conductivity, salinity, dissolved oxygen,
pl-1 'hlorophyll II. dnd in( 'rgal11c l1utrients (ammonium, nitrate+nitrite, silicate and phosphate)
WI he measured monthly Monthly sampling IS recommended because it is a practical, cost-
efkctive samplll1g frequen\ y for dc'\cumenting annual \'ariation.
Emergent \egeta1iop and . elated I'hysll)chemical parameters will be documented quarterly at
se\ ell statHlI1s: one retereilce ;;1atlon 1')1)1) located up gradient of the NOC and ROC; four
statl\ 'ns 15(,2.463.4" I. 45( i) locate,] at increasing distance downstream from the NOC; and three
statilll1s 12 -2. 254) associat,-~d with 'he [DDP.
.c\ 2. _\~,SESSMFNT OJ HYDROGRAPHY. NUTRIENTS AND PHYTOPLANKTON
In salt marsh ecos\-stems changes 111 'xater depths and water column chemistry can have
signIficant Impacts on watlt quality. phytoplankton biomass, and productivity. Water levels may
directly Jl1J1uence salmity ,l1ld temperature stratifications, \\'hich in turn affects biota. High water
le\ cl" thrOLlghout the Ril1l.)J1 lI1undatc adjacent marshes. The frequency and duration of these
1l1undatwn.-, han:' a LTitical dfcet on marsh soil and vegetation. To continuously measure water
le\ c! a y~ I datasonde witL a water depth recorder (::!:: 0.18 111) was installed at Station 463, which
lsxated .lpproxllnate!v h.dfway hetwccn the NOC and Nueces Bay. The sonde also monitors
sal iluy.:l.nductivl!\ . and :1H. The purpose of collecting more frequent water depth information
IS ) gain ,1 more complete understeil1dlllg of the potential effects of freshwater diversions on this
ce!!trallocdion. Water le\\1 recorders (Onset Hooos) were installed in the tidal flats adjacent to
stalIi'ns "0 J and :'62 111 lall fall 20( 5. Ihese pressure-oased units record water depth hourly, thus
pr;\ ,ding nformatlOl1 reg a ding thl tidal hydrology of these high marsh stations.
Ch,lLges n salil11t) can alter pnytuplankton composition and abundance. In the BOR
Demonstration Project, ph\ toplanktol1 productivity was inversely correlated to salinity (Bureau
of Reclamdtion. 2(00) Hlgh wate" column salinity stresses phytoplankton because internal salt
reguiation ,'cquires energy that eouid l,therwise be allocated to growth and reproduction. Lower
sal1mties alleviate stress and thus tend to lllcrease hiomass production.
Addltionalwater quality.haractel'lstlcs such as nutrient concentrations, phytoplankton, and
Welter cianI)' are expected to ehan~c as a result of freshwater inflows. We expect the diluting
Exhibit A
Page 6 of 15
6
eft i..-T i 01 treshwater will decrease nutrients levels. High nitrogen and phosphorus levels can
stimulate fliomass produdion and promote algal blooms. Water clarity also affects
ph- {llplanklon pruduL'tivit~ Jue to IS intluence on light intensity and depth of the photic zone.
~t S!ation -1-63, hourly walLT qualit' (conductivity, salinity. depth, and temperature) is measured
WI i1 a \~l 600XL\1-S nlUlti-pardmcter datasonde. The following parameters are recorded
! al ,;urac md units i COI1C1UClJ\lty (t II (i() 1 mScm). salinity (:I:: 0.1 ppt), depth (:I:: 2 cm), and
tenperatUl,: (:f: i) j':;C)
M\ll1lhly phytoplankton b omass I chlorophyll a I and water quality will be analyzed using
methods c\lmparable to prn'ious studies (Whitledge, ] 991). including the Rincon Demonstration
Pr, ,ject (Bureau clf Reclamation. 2( I()O, Chlorophyll a concentrations will be analyzed using a
nOlhlcidrtication telhl11qu, as detl11ed hy Welschmeyer (1994; EP A method 445.0). Water
salilr'les \\ ill be filtered tlr'ough \\hat111an GFF filters and the filters will be extracted with
llwdnn(J Chlorophvll-u .mcenlr,t1ions will be measured with a Turner Design Model lO-AU
tllhlllmdtr calihrakd tn ,l ,econdal\ s,,]id standard (Turner Designs).
NUiJ't:nt ,malysis \\ 111 he conducled WIth a LaChal QC 8000 ion analyzer with computer
controlled "ample sl,1ectiOl and pe<lk processing (Zellweger Analytics, Inc.). Chemistries are as
SPL'Ci tIed the manuf,h lurer alld have ranges as follows: nitrate+nitrite (0.03-5.0 11M;
Qu ikchcm method '1-10; 04- -A . silicate (0.03-5.0 flM: Quikchem method 31-1l4-27-l-B),
ammo11lun; (0.1-1 Ci pM: Quikchull method ~ 1- ](Y'-06-5-A) and phosphate (0.03-2.0 flM;
Qli ikchem method:' I-lIS. l] -3-A.)
Dhcete hvdrographlc measurements will be made monthly at each station with a multi-
parameter iJlstrumeni (YS 60(IXL and 610 OM Probe; Yellow Springs Instrument Co.) just
bencath :Ik water surface iJld at lh. hollom. The following parameters are recorded (accuracy
ann units) temperature (:: 1.15C , pH (~ 0.1 units). dissolved oxygen (mg/l :I:: 0.2 and percent
saturation, depth ( o.on m). sa] nit\ (t 0.1 pptl. and conducti\'ity (:I:: 0.001 mS/cm). Water
cbrJ!Y and depth \\111 be m,'asured '\ ith ;\ secchi disk
43. FI\IERGEN'I VEC ETATH)N '\NO SOIL CHARACTERISTICS
Emergem vegetation play,- an lIltegral rok in salt marsh ecosystem dynamics. As plants shed
thl'll leavl.'s throughout lile gro\\ II1g season, hiomass accumulates on the marsh surface.
Mk~loorgallJsms decompc1'-.\': the pb'tt liller. and the resultant detrital material provides the basis
\ If the s:lI; marsh [ilod \\'h. L\ lntuallv. some of the energy contributed by these plants is
transferrL~G to higher trophic le\'.'ls and provides the necessary fuel for an economically
prpc!uctJ \t commerc tal and recn.:,!tional fishing industry (Burkholder and Burkholder 1956;
Odul11 and \Vilson 1962. Teal ] )62) Marsh plants also provide shelter for many small
organisms such as crabs, n iollu:-;cs dnd lelTestrial animals. A variety of permanent and migratory
birch. induding songb1rds. ..,horebirJs, ducks and geese depend upon marsh vegetation for habitat
and r"ood (Henle) and Rauschbauc' 1l)~]) Vegetation also stabilizes marsh sediments, thereby
redlL:ing ntensi\e t\)()d d:lInage aId ewsion, and protecting downstream water quality.
Exhibit A
Page 7 of 15
7
Ahh\Jugh scientists have ](Ing recognized the importance of coastal salt marshes, acreage of these
ani'- cont1l1ues to dl.:'cline 111 a worldwide basis, Direct conversion of these habitats to support
hunnn {ICl.upancy \.:Ilmbin,.:d \,ith destruction of wetlands to prevent pestilence have claimed
Clhl 50"0 .)f Ci)asta \Vetblds In tlle United States (Weinstein and Kreeger 2000). Additional
anlilJOpogcnic activities in luding damIllll1g, diversion. and nutrient loading of rivers, indirectly
all\.'! edaphic condJtlOlls,uch as salinitv, soil moisture and nutrient availability. Vegetation
re"pi ll1d~ t\ j these changes n IlUl1lemus ways, me luding increases and decreases in productivity
(Z,'(iier q~ 1: /cdlc; [98_' '. shifts lt1 dominant species (Allison 1992), and changes in species
compOSItl\.il (C01111C et al 19X 1 ) l'(t1eme variations can reduce \egetation cover, creating bare
Sp.1CC and nnitmg tht", dl1l0 iIlt (if blll1lass available to higher trophic levels,
Changes I the (hstnbut](!l and ai)undance of emergent vegetation in estuaries can serve as
mdlcators jf long-tnm en ,'ironmental t:onditions. Such changes, in conjunction with relevant
ph. s,ochellllca] data can h: used tu assess the impacts of water t10w modifications and evaluate
till l'ffecti' eness of management plUgrallls, We propose to quantify the effects of the diversion
on change:, il1 pOre\\:lter sa inity, nh,isturc. and nutrient content and to relate these parameters to
em'':lgen! \ egetatwn speCll" composlti(ln. cover. and dIstribution.
fc "chIn,. thIS 12(\11. II1h'nsi\e Sil11pllllg will he conducted at seven stations (Table 2): a
rekr-:nct "cation I,Sf) ) up .2radient (If the NOC. an area in the upper tidal t1ats (562), the central
Rllll.)!1 Havou (463) two ;tatlOn 111 the lower Rincon Bayou (451, 450), and two station in the
Sc'utl lah' area (.2 ':;,;L 2. 7 ), Sampling and methodologies will bc similar to those previously
Lls,'d (Alc\ander and Dun (In. ~On2: BOlt 2(00). and results will be compared to previous
SWd1;";S.
W propo:--,c to mea:-.ure pl.Tcent CO\ er l:tllnposition. and distribution of marsh vegetation using
transect;ampling, (ienen!ily. sampling \\ ill occur in late spring (May), late summer (August),
mId-fall 1 !\ovember and mid-wlI1tcr (February), Transects will be similar to those employed in
the liOR Demonstralion P'ojeeL eqablished June 1995. In the upper delta (501, 562 and 463),
tnHb\.~c1s are 50-In long and X-m -,ide (400 m~) and in the lower delta (254, 272, 450, 451)
transects a!e 20-111 ong an, I R-m \\ Ide ( ! 60 m\ All transects run perpendicular to the adjacent
ti(td creek (Figure =~ [n 11e lippel delta. vertical transect lines are spaced at 2-m intervals from
I) ',) 26 111 and at 4-m mtc!vals fn-nl .26 1\) 50 m. for a total of 20 transect lines. In the lower
deiw vert cal trans\.".'t lint s arc splccd tjt 2-m II1tervals through the entire 20-m transect. All
transects \\ ill be sampledlt 2-m !1ltenals along hOrizontal transect lines. A 0.25-m2 quadrat
suhdividec mto [1)0 0:; x 5 l.in cells '\ ill he used to estimate percent cover of each species and
hare are,; t each sampling pom! l J1\'(~gctated. submerged. or wrack-laden cells will be counted
as i),re arc.ls
Table 2. !~mergenl vegetltion, tidal creek. and ~oiJ characteristics to be measured quarterly at
se\ en stati, ll1S.
'j
'~,
Exhibit A
Page 8 of 15
s
On.:reascs 111 pore\vater sa] nity and mcreases in soil moisture and inorganic nitrogen levels often
C01!hlde \\ lth increased gr\ wth anc reproduction l)f salt marsh vegetation species. Additionally,
10'\ ered "CH] salinities can acilitate expansion of vegetation into previously bare areas, providing
ne IlablUlt and detritus 1 the marsh food web Physiochemical parameters associated with
ve~e:ati(\n growth dnd SUi vival (p"rewater salinity. moisture and inorganic nitrogen) will be
ml:,hured it each statllm. At eacn transect. seven soil cores will be collected at a depth of
apc'l'iximalely 10 ..:n1. at rdndom I< cations along the transects. Four of these cores will be used
to Jl'ternnne pOreW.ller salmit: ant' in\)rganic nitrogen. and three will be used to determine soil
m( 'smrl'
.
: I
.
.
,~
~ 0
oi\
..6. 8 m
'D
;.
.
.
.
20'11
'Tl
Figure 2. Layout and dilTIl'nsions (,1' a vegetation sampling transect in the lower delta. Each dot
represents J samplll1g pOint for \ egetation parameters (i.e. percent cover and composition).
Tnangles denote transect" sampled je)l' porewaler salinity and inorganic nitrogen, and soil
mt'lsture
Soil mOisture is detennine,j by the ralicl of dry weight to wet weight. Grab samples from the
tidj] creek-. and pnrewater salinity wdl he measured with a refractometer (Reichert Scientific
Instrument.." Buffalo. NY) Soil samples will be centnfuged at 10,000 rpm for 20 min to extract
porewater Porewater wili be ana]\zed tor NH.j' and NO~' -+- NO.- using standard colorimetric
technJque~ (Parsons ,( al 9R4)
Vegdatl\ll1 and sntl ~.haraCleristics ]rc Illlluenced by porewater moisture, salinity and nutrients.
Tb~'se qualities are iargely determilled In climate and hydrology, particularly the frequency and
dWa!lOn tidal and ri\erille tloodi'1g. precipitatic)I1 and evaporation. Inundation at any location
a]( -IL' a lra!lSect IS depende'lt upon lh 1'1e\ ation above MSL During FY 2004-2005, we obtained
GI'S dc\ alions referenced to a tn,l' L]enltion datum (NA V088) This was accomplished by
cSlahlisb!l1;,2: two base stal lJnS referenced to first order survey monuments. Semi-permanent
c0I111 0] p\)lnts were then c:-,tabl1she, I at each station as a reference for future elevation readings.
FwUlc lllicro-ele\'ation measurements will be made with a laser level and stadia rod. Thesc
recently i)htained (iPS ell'" atioJ)s \111 he con-elated to results of vegetation sampling and other
pa! dmekr"
Exhibit A
Page 9 of 15
9
4,.1 \EHL\L IMAGERY I\.JTERPRETAfION AND CLASSIFICATION
Larg~-scak, long term challges 111 the landscape and marsh vegetation can be monitored by aerial
ph<\tilgraphic survey.;. Tile Nueces Estuary Advisory Council (NEAC) advised that aerial
surveys he performed onCL every tive tll ten years and compared with previous surveys. High
re:-:ul ution ,olor infrared em) aerial imagery was first acquired in September 1997. True-color IR
1I11.1gery \\.\s acqUlrt'd agal 1 No\<.~mher 2005 followed by the acquisition of ground truth data
thrilughou! the stuch area [,hest d.na \\ t!l be used in 2006/2007 to classify the imagery and to
vel' j tlw ,lccuraC) <)1' the l. iassltlcatlO11 Appropriate image processing software (Erdas Imagine)
\Vl ')e used to ;ud III the lassificatio!1 (,1' the images A GIS data layer will be created using
\n Info ,-~pntain1l1g the rc,ults of this classification. and draft image classifications will be
pn's\:ntcd III the FY ~006-_ 00'" monitorIng report. Detailed photo-mterpretations of the imagery,
comhmed \vith av,ulable Lievatlon data as well as a change analysis, will be included in the
andh sis.l his spl.'citie conq)()!lcnt "managed by Mr Mike Rasser (B.S., M.S.), a PhD student
supervised by projeCt PI Kl'n DuntCin.
~ \PDl [JONAL N t.EDS
" ]
As \\ lth al field sampling advers\' field conditions or climatological conditions may interfere
with pwjeet plans. andhanges In sampling stations or schedules may be necessary to
ac,umpl1sh study t(lsb. Sl.~vera1 s,lIllplmg stations are currently located on private property.
M\lllitorin!-! of hlOloglcal pdrameter" requires that UTMSI personnel access this property during
sampling periods (month] for \\ ateI' column parameters, phytoplankton and quarterly for
emergent egetatloJ\! Prc\iously. the stations were accessed with either a 4x4 truck, 6x6 all
tenail1 \ CblCle, ,)1' ai dlrb( ,at By land, sampling requires passage through at least two private
pn'pertlL's If nece-;sary. we wi!1 contact the City so they can make arrangements with
Jand,\wrh..T' to a1lm\ he sCie'nutic pdrtic5 to access the land when necessary. Currently, access to
th, ~ampllllg statlolb requ res .....acl member of the scientific party to sign a liability waiver to
en1.er Wyan Propel1ies. I\rmissiol is verbally gained to enter the Sorenson properties. UTMSI
requl'sts lh.lt the em obtaI 1I from Lmdo\\ ners, if necessary, the contact numbers and gate codes
or h.l'VS S,) stations can be ;kcessed Many roads can only be accessed if lock codes are known or
the ,t:atc'- are len t1lh:n pn, T tu our ,trri \ a I A current list of landowner conditions for entering
these prupntles shmdd be : 'ro\lded along with basic information that addresses advance contacts
o( \\ hom vehlcuLlI aece,s 10 roads meluding wet periods}, gate access and times, restricted
art' J" ell.
In .luditlur the 1l1\\Tf RII1L 1I1 IS aCi:essed hy airboat which is launched from property controlled
11) the Port Authorn) P oad constructIon in this area may require new access procedures.
UT!\! SI requests that the ( fty assisr UTMSl in obtaining access to a suitable launch site, if road
construc!W!1 prevents us fn ,m uSlllg the usual access location.
10
6. (~()Nll"'!UED Mc)l'-IITURING OF ALLISON STATIONS AND ISOTOPE ANALYSES
I I W.\TER Ql .\LIT' AND PHYTOPLANKTON
:\> pre\ \(\usly stated. \\ '-' wIll contlllue to monitor water column measurements and
pb\'ll)planhton biomass al diversi,m stations 272. 254 and 252 on a monthly basis. The
paiall1etcr~ measured wlll)-,: the same as those measured for the Rincon Project.
(.2 \ H3ETA lION A~ D SOIL PARAMETERS
W 'vill c. mtinue to monililr vegetation parameters on a quarterly basis at 272 and 254. Long
term sampling and ill1alyscs are necessary to understand how changes in soil conditions affect
ve:..'etatwn composltl\m and cover Leaf A.rea Index (LAI) and biomass are no longer monitored
bel.ause Ihest' parameters ,.re costl: and do not appear to contribute significantly to our overall
findings '-)ampling 111eth('ds and i;llalyses at these stations will be identical to those employed
ta! tile R mean Prole,,'t
i 3 1')( iTOPE \\.AL'I '-)ES
Vv vill Include sampling of plants and animals in the diversion channel for nitrogen stable
IS. :wpe ;uulyst's as part. r the required annual sampling for EDDP. DTMSI acquired some
ISld()pe ..law in the past hat helped the City show that nitrogen concentrations within the
emergent' egetation decredse quid Iy as ,)ne moves downstream from the wastewater diversion.
n'l~ data I'Llrther~]](\w tlut plant~ expc)sed to wastewater readily uptake and assimilate the
nilrogen into bIomass. Additional prelimmary data suggest that wastewater nitrogen remains in
the l\\od \\ eb at higher tmphic knls and does not stay in the water column. Recently, we have
ut:li/edt :le\V l11eth\)do!ch::y that d1l0WS us to accurately measure wastewater nitrogen in the
W,lier colllrnn.'\nllllal isot'1pe sampling (mduding water, plants and animals samples) at stations
25,,;, n the diverslOl1 chanLd and a a i..'ontrol statIOn (450 in Rincon Bayou) would provide the
(') \ neces.,ary data '() detumine if wastewater releases into the delta are causing eutrophication
or t the !1l1rogen is readil) assimibted into organisms within the ecosystem. This data would be
espec'jall\ useful dll1e ('it\ mtends to dnert more wastewater into the delta in the future.
\\; propo"'e to cunduct ti'llphlC stLidies at stations 254 and 450 during summer 2007. We will
co It:..:t ('r~anisms lrtll1l ai trophtl lne]s as \vell as water and sediment porewater samples.
Or~(lnism~ collectc(: wil! incluck phytoplankton (particulate organic matter), algal mats,
eniCI ~en' egetat!()ll !;loriankwn. benthic infaUlR crabs. shrimp and both planktivorous and
ca:w vor\)U~ fIsh
7. DELIVERABLES
An annual report will be submitted to the City Engineer by January 2008. This report will be a
UTj"TSI technical report that incorporates current year results with data from previous years.
Temporal Jnd spatial comparisons 1hat display significant correlations or patterns among various
Exhibii'A:!
Page 11 of 15 !
11
pardll1etcr~ will be presenkd in graphic I)r tabular fonnat. Comparisons with past studies and
otli;.;'l neIghboring :;tudlCS v. III be nude where possible Data from EDDP stations will be used in
thl anal) SlS of Rllh.:on Sa. ou parameters when necessary, but a synopsis of data collected as a
eontll1Ual1(ln of EDDP will be presented separately. Data analyses will be presented to the City
and ,ther IIlterested parties at an annual meeting. Recommendations and suggestions for project
Chdlh!eS \v1l] be presented dl1d discussed at this meeting. If requested, a brief presentation to the
Nux es l ,,'uary \c1\ "ory ( .mned v 111 bl' given.
X. it'-TE(iEATEO.sYNTHESIS Of_PRi!}ECT DATA
fh..., monIloring program !s designed to document water column and emergent vegetation
biedc'gical .:hanges that occur as a result of diversion of freshwater from the Nueces River to the
upper reaches or the Nu,-~ces M,irsh. Data sets contain valuable information on various
parametcr~ includll1g prim.lry ,emergent vegetation) and water column characteristics. Other
rek\ant cl!!natologlcal dat.i (i.e. ralnfalL .Iir temperatures, and river flow) are available from the
C'(HT\US Christ InternatIOnal Airport ((CIA) and the lJnited States Geological Survey (USGS).
While: l>ll.1 data,ct alone cont.l1n~ Important intormation, an accurate and meaningful
undlTstandmg of the eHects of t!1e heshwater diversion cannot be achieved without data
synthesi~ dl1d interpretation on mU'ti-le\cls. However. this can only be accomplished through
lI1t,:lhlH. data management. comprehensive data analyses and reporting and active
corrL~poncience h: ,dl p,llticipating mstitutions To efficiently and effectively utilize the
ew,rmous lmount infclrrnation available, Susan Schonberg will oversee the compilation and
uq,'zilllzalic 'n of the h~'drography/phvtoplankton and emergent vegetation data, communicate with
thl (thel I 'articipalillg coni.ractors '\ ith respect to database formats, and assemble and organize
oth-:,! rek\ .mt data ie cllinatologlcal data) that may be useful in interpreting the effects of the
eli, .,:'! sic1l1roject (he d;/ta mani1gel\ ill work with each principal investigator to produce
relh)!ts all( presentations II a timel;. manner
9. EgJDGIT JUSTIfiCATION
Th,-' ..:stimated project cost tor '{eal !) is approximately $207,000, which includes aerial imagery
lI1tcrpretatj()n and classification. Salarv support is requested for PI K. Dunton (1.5 months), a
re~earch a~sociale \ S Schonberg for 1 months), a part-time techmcian (K. Jackson, 9 mas) and
a (rnduatl Student (RaSSe,l who \\ ill \vork with imaging and GIS analysis. A total of $7,000 is
requ\:sted '0 defer tUItion l dStS for M. Rasser. Travel funds ($1,260) are requested annually for
fidei tra\ Ci and Ic)c;t! meetings \\ chine budgeted $6,400 for the purchase of software and
maleriai alld supplit's dJrectly associated with field and laboratory work. This includes filters,
na~.b, (<)leS, chemkals. hatteries. wet suits, booties. protective weather and safety gear, cell
phune charges for d Jedicated field phone, chm1s, storage bags, renewal of the image processing
sott\\are licenses, lnaintellance and repair costs for field instruments, etc. Other requested
supplies are clearl~ denoted on the hudget page. Analytical costs associated with sample analysis
(nutnent~ .md stable Isotope analyses) are also included. A total of $4,925 is budgeted for small
bOdt fees (25 trips S I ~~ trip) anJ vchicles (6 trips $50 trip) These fees reflect the recent
inLTease~ in fuel C(lstS.
Exhibit A I
Page 12 of 15 I
I 0 REF1~ENCE~
'\kxmder H. D and K H Dunton 2002 Freshwater inundation effects on emergent vegetation
()1 hypersal11le sal1 marsh. Estuanes 25(68): ] 426-1435.
AI,:-:,m." K. 1992. lhe in1luence dralllfall variability on the species composition ofa northern
( alif()rnia sal1 marsh plant assemblage. Vegetatio 101: 145-160.
Bweau Ill' Reclamatl\ll1. 2()1 '0. Cone luding Report: Rincon Bayou Demonstration Project.
\ o!ume 11: Flndmg., United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation,
Okiahoma- I c,<as Aea Offill'. Austin, Texas.
Burkholder P. R. and L M Burkh('lder. 1956. Vitamin BI2 in suspended solids and marsh muds
1] iected a](mg the 'oaSl of ',e(1rgJa. Limnology and Oceanography 1 :202-208.
CCl1lier. \\ H...I. (j (iosse!ink and R. I Parrando. 19SI. Comparison of the vegetation of three
I !Hlisiana swamp SIIes with ditTerent floodmg regimes. American Journal of Botanv
(1~( ~ I: 32()-,'n
FC;ik R
1964 Pel!'olog~ of Sedimentar:y Rocks Hemphill's Press. Austin, Texas. 155 pp.
Henley. l) Land [} G. Rauschube: I YX Freshwater needs of fish and wildlife resources in the
l\u:,'ces-Corpus Chnsti Bay L\rea rexas: a literature synthesis. U. S. Fish and Wildlife
SC1\'lce. Offi\:e of Hlologica Services. Washington, D. C. FWS/OBS-80/l 0.410 pp.
Md Ln, [\1 A. and Pacr!, H W 1992 Lfleets of vanable irradiance on phytoplankton
prnductJ\ it\' ill shal 0\\ estuaries. Limnology and Oceanography, 37(1): 54-62.
O(!um, Hand R, . Wd',on, 196~ Further studies ofreaeration and metabolism of Texas
h,I)";. 195:-\-I'j60. .Eublicatiol}s oLthe Institute for Marine Science Uniyersity of Texas
X .2 ,-)5
Pa:S\ll1s. I R" i\lall(j ) alld I_alIi. U.\1. 1984. A Manual of Chemical and Biological Methods
1'''1' Seawatcr\naly.is. Perg.!t11l1r1 Press. New 'York, 173 pp
Ted J. \1 ] 962 Encrg\ tl oW III th(' salt rnarsh ecosyslem of Georgia. Ecology 43:614-624.
Tn"...; Dcp_rrtment cd \\ate Rcsour.:es 1 q~Q. Nueces and Mission-Aransas Estuaries: An
ana lysis \)f bay segment boundanes, physical characteristics, and nutrient processes. LP-
I'n fexas Departnwnt of W,lter Resources. Austin, Texas.
W:instem. M. P and D. A Kreeger. 2000_ Concepts and Controversies in Tidal Marsh Ecology.
Kluwer Academic I'ress. Dc\rdrecht, Germany. 875 pp.
W,:,bchmever, N.:\ 1994. Fluorometnc analysis of chlorophyll a in the presence of chlorophyll
12
Exhibit A
Page 13 of 15
hand pheoplgment:- LimnolQgy and Oceanography 39(8): 1985-1992.
Wim ledgeT E. 19L) I. Biological mOnitoring of the effects of diversion of freshwater inflow
ano \vastewater retum flov,.'~ in Rincon Bayou and Nueces Delta. Report to the South
I C\dS Water AuthorIty
Zedl..r. .I~81.\[!d regior wetlands: Susceptibility to disturbance. Estuaries 4(3):262.
7edkr. J B. 19x3. Freshwater t!npa-:ts 011 normallv hypersaline marshes. Estuaries 6:346-355.
Zedkr. J 15" C. S Nordbymd B. F. Kus. 1992. The Ecology of Tijuana Estuary, California: A
Nat lonal Research Reserve. \[01\/\ Office of Coastal Resource Management, Sanctuaries
and Reserves Divisl< m. \\/as11ington. D.C
13
Exhibit A
Page 14 of 15
i 1. I~UDill:-T-=--lQ!J,CQ~_2L;OI07
CATEGORIES
TOTAL
A PERSONNEL
,,", Dunton, Res. Sl (15 mIl)
" Schonberg., Research Ass'lciate ( II mo.)
"". Jackson. Res A"51. (9 m(.l
\ 1. Rasser. (lrad. Res. Ass!. Image and GIS Analysis)
B FRINGE BFNEFIl S (30o'() 1'1' A)
rOTAJ SALARIES, WAGES. AND BENEFITS
( TRAVEL
D '.;1 )PPLlES
Post-pnlC('Ss GP'", sol1wa1>:'
, (lIS Image-procvssing sohvare
Chemlcals, glas:-\vare. computer supplies
-+ L:on~mu~~I.cation: expres~rnai1Llong-distance, photocopy
SUBTOTAL
E TUITION
F OTHER DIRECT ( 05TS
Small boat and \ t'hicle us\~ fees
., Analvtical serVlll~S
a. NutrIents, SOl parameters. chlorophyll
~-,=S!abl~ l~~t~t anal):~is _____
SUBTOTAL
I reHAL DIRECT C' )5TS
J. INDIRECT COSTS (15% of rDC)
K TOTAL COSTS
14
15,558
55,000
19,223
20,508
33,090
143,379
1,260
1,500
1,500
3,200
200
6,400
7,000
4,925
14,700
3,000
22,625
180,664
27 ,100
207,764
Exhibit A l
Page15of15
~ ~~~~
:=" _ C hnstl
CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI
DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS
------
City of Corpus Christi Ordinance 1'112, as amended. requires all persons or firms seeking to do business with the City
to provide the following informatio' Every question must be answered. If the question is not applicable, answer with
Nif\'
FIRM NAME: ~.~(.>. ~ pf r~)(O ,,-r ~h'~ ~(:~~ -X,~.(,~ I.-.sh'f"u
STREET~ ~ . i It".) .Drl'rc.. CITY: P.ft- 1Jt.~"St(s: IX ZIP: ~ ~~3 7-3
FIRM is: 1 Corporation____ 2 Partnership__ ..u 3. Sole Owner 4. Association_
5 Other 1ft ~ "', ' l J..Jcc. f7t::.L j;1I<,h'~fi'1:M
DISCLOSURE QUESTIONS
If additional space IS necessary, please use the reverse side of this page or attach separate sheet.
1. State the names of each employee of the City of Corpus Christi having an ownership interest constituting
3% or more of the ownership in the above named firm.
N;:;me Job Title and City Department (if known)
_lujiL_____ _..._. _____.__
2. State the names of each official of the City of Corpus Christi having an ownership interest constituting
3% or more of the ownership in the above named firm.
Name Title
- 1l1tL -. --.
3. State the names of each board member of the City of Corpus Christi having an ownership interest
constituting 3% or more of the ownership in the above named firm.
N:1rT18 Board. Commission or Committee
_ ^;JA.
4, State the names of each employee or officer of a consultant for the City of Corpus Christi who worked
on any matter related to the subject of this contract and has an ownership interest constituting 3% or
more of the ownership in the above named firm.
N.n,.' Consultant
.. J;Jjd _________
CERTIFICATE
certify that all Information provided is true and correct as of the date of this statement, that I have not knowingly
withheld disclosure of any Information requested: and that supplemental statements will be promptly submitted to the
City of Corpus Christi. Texas as d'anges occur
(:::ertlfying Person, J-ea..n~ tt-~ & I VY\.'"""<'.___.._
( ype or rint) .-.l
Signature of Cert Ifying Person.~. }_...{~/..Q t-:G.~i.!."'\\....Q,/.-J
Title:ll S.S"'0 :0 -f..e iJ: r~c tor'
I/J S-/dOOCo
Date: