Minutes of the
Environmental Management Program
Coordinating Committee
Quarterly Meeting
Radisson Hotel
Minutes from the
Janet Sternburg moved and
Martin Konrad seconded a motion to approve the draft minutes of the
Program Management
FY 08 Year-End Report
Marv Hubbell reported that, for FY 08, EMP received an
initial appropriation of $16.851 million and additional allocations totaling $7
million for emergency flood damage repairs.
Carry-in funds from FY 07 added $12.263 million to the FY 08
scheduled expenditures, which totaled $36.114 million. Flood-related construction delays, as well as
receipt of the emergency flood repair funds, significantly reduced the FY 08
expenditure and obligation rates, relative to recent years. The FY 08 rates are as follows:
|
|
Expenditure Rate |
Obligation Rate |
|
Overall EMP |
56 |
66 |
|
Not
accounting for the emergency funds received |
66 |
86 |
|
Not
accounting for the emergency funds or delays in construction |
73 |
98 |
Hubbell noted the following EMP highlights from FY 08:
§
Adoption of
System Ecosystem Goals
§
Development and
adoption of the FY 10-14 LTRMP Strategic Plan
§
Joint Water Quality/
Ecosystem Restoration Workshops
§
2008 floods —
overall, projects performed well, though impacts to construction schedules and
to some projects under construction were significant
§
Meetings with
program partners, in conjunction with the LTRMP strategic planning effort
§
Status and Trends
Report
§
Retirements of
individuals who had long histories with the EMP
§
Restoration
Handbook
FY 09 Outlook
Hubbell reported that the Corps is being funded under
a continuing resolution authority (CRA), for at least the first portion of FY
09. Under the CRA, the Corps has $18 million
in current year obligation authority for EMP.
This full amount is available during the CR period, which runs through
March 6. Hubbell explained that this is
a departure from previous CRs, where the Corps could expend at a pro-rated
amount. Hubbell observed that this
approach affords the Corps greater flexibility in obligating funds. However, he noted that the EMP’s funding for
the year could increase or decrease when Congress acts on the balance of FY 09. In response to a question from Jim Fischer,
Hubbell said there was no savings and slippage and no recission in the
CRA. This is consistent with
Congressional practice over the last couple of years, according to
Hubbell.
Assuming the EMP’s FY 09 appropriation remains at $18
million, Hubbell said the funding would be allocated as follows:
§
Total
appropriation — $18 million
o
Regional
management — $712,000
- Regional management (EMP & LTRMP) — $350,000
- Program database — $50,000
- Independent Technical Review Committee/SET — $75,000
- Report to Congress — $60,000
- UMRBA — $67,000
- HREP/ LTRMP integration — $70,000
- Public outreach — $40,000
o
LTRMP —
$5,428,432
o
HREPs —
$11,859,568
- Program Model Certification — $100,000
- MVP — $3,527,870
- MVR — $4,703,828
- MVS — $3,527,870
Hubbell noted that there is a new Corps requirement
for models to be certified. Thus,
Hubbell said he is allocating $100,000 in FY 09 to obtain the necessary
certifications for the models used in HREP planning and design. In response to a question from Janet
Sternburg, Hubbell said that models only need to be certified once, unless they
are modified substantially. Jeff Janvrin
suggested updating the models currently employed in the EMP prior to initiating
the certification process.
Tim Schlagenhaft requested an update on the efforts to
enhance the HREP program’s access to, and use of, LTRMP data and
information. Looking just within MVR,
Hubbell said Jason Rohweder has been involved in post-project monitoring for
Fischer asked if the EMP database would be available
this year. Hubbell said the Corps is
currently working to link the database to GIS and expressed hope that it would
be available online this year. Fischer
stressed the value of this tool.
Gretchen Benjamin asked if the Corps’ priority on
restoring levees in
Draft Bathymetric and LiDAR plans
Karen Hagerty reported that there has been limited
progress since the August quarterly meeting on the draft bathymetric and LiDAR
plans. For the draft bathymetric plan,
cost estimates have been developed using in-house resources, but the Corps also
plans to compare those costs with other estimates using outside contracts. A draft LiDAR plan is currently out for
review by technical experts with comments due on
Martin Konrad asked Hagerty if she had any indication
of whether processing the bathymetry data in-house or through a contractor
would be less expensive. Hagerty said
the in-house option would likely have a lower associated cost, but observed
that using the in-house option could present schedule conflicts due to limited
staff availability. Hagerty said she
would likely prepare the bathymetry plan assuming more expensive contract
labor. Then, if in-house personnel can
be used for all or part of the work, that would produce welcome cost savings
relative to the plan’s estimate.
Janet Sternburg asked how the LiDAR data for Pools
8-24 will be served. Hagerty said this
will be a challenge due to the significant size of the datasets, but said she
anticipates having the data available in ArcGIS. Mike Jawson added that the LiDAR data are
requiring more post-processing than originally anticipated.
Dru Buntin stressed the need to avoid duplication and
asked if there is a mechanism for coordinating with states’ LiDAR acquisition
plans. Hagerty said she is communicating
with the USGS Spatial Data Liaison in each state, and is actively seeking
potential partners in
Hubbell outlined the status
of three key data sets:
§
Land use/land
cover — camera acquisition underway and agreement in place with USFWS to obtain
the aerial photography by the end of FY 10.
§
LiDAR — in
progress, with about one-third of the system coverage complete or
underway. The cost estimate to
obtain the remainder of the systemic coverage is $700,000-800,000.
§
Bathymetry —
completing a systemic bathymetric coverage would cost $1 million or more.
Sternburg asked if there are partnership opportunities
with other programs that might offset the costs of obtaining any of these
data. Hubbell said that EMP has looked
for funds within the Corps and elsewhere.
So far, only cooperative arrangement with Iowa DNR to obtain LiDAR has
proved viable. In response to a question
from Sternburg, Hagerty explained that the EMP has used existing bathymetric
data from the Corps’ channel maintenance program extensively. However, those coverages are restricted to
the main channel. For restoration purposes,
the EMP needs bathymetric data on side channels, backwaters, etc.; and these
are data that the channel maintenance program has no reason to acquire. Thus, Hagerty explained, the bathymetric cost
estimate Hubbell cited is to complete those elements of a systemic coverage
cannot be obtained from the channel maintenance program.
Jawson cautioned that the longer term issues and costs
related to managing and serving LiDAR data must also be examined. He also added that the camera acquired for
the land cover/land use photography may be able to do contour-level work as
well, offering a possible alternative to LiDAR, depending on the level of
resolution needed by managers. Tim
Schlagenhaft said he favors further evaluation of the issues Jawson raised.
Jim Fischer said river managers in
Hubbell said some of the issues in the preceding
discussion were being raised for the first time — e.g., might the digital
camera might be able to capture topography?
He agreed that it was important to get clarity on some of these issues
before proceeding, and said the Corps would do so and report back to the
partnership.
Schlagenhaft asked if the A-Team has been engaged in
discussions about prioritizing data needs.
He suggested A-Team members’ input be requested in determining the
LiDAR resolution needed for managers and the relative priorities of LiDAR and
other data needs. Sternburg said Hank
DeHaan gave a presentation at an A-Team meeting related to LiDAR, but the
A-Team has not been asked to provide input.
Sternburg also emphasized that Corps project design staff have important
insights regarding data needs that should be included in identifying priorities
and developing acquisition plans. Brian
Markert emphasized the value of systemic LiDAR in project planning, and noted
that LiDAR data will have a longer shelf life than bathymetry. Jeff DeZellar said he shares Markert’s
perspectives on the utility of systemic LiDAR.
Given LiDAR’s applications in project planning, Jawson
asked if the HREP program should share in the cost of acquiring the data. Brian Markert said the HREP program does fund
LiDAR and other data acquisition at a project scale, and said this is quite
distinct from the broad utility of systemic LiDAR. Hubbell said systemic LiDAR is well within
LTRMP’s sphere of responsibility, given LTRMP’s legislative mandate. Specifically, Hubbell noted:
Schlagenhaft proposed asking both the A-Team and
project planners to identify LiDAR’s major applications, as well as their
relative priority for LiDAR and bathymetry and the desired resolution for LiDAR
data. Hubbell said the Corps also would
like input from other UMRS scientists and managers. He asked partners to direct their input to
Hagerty, and said the Corps will report further on the LiDAR and bathymetry
proposals at the EMP-CC’s February 2009 meeting.
Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement
Projects
District HREP Reports
Marv Hubbell reported that
there will be 16 projects in planning and design and 7 projects in construction
during FY 09. He emphasized that the
House Appropriations Committee’s FY 08 language prohibiting new project starts
under the EMP will begin to constrain the program’s capability if it is
extended.
Brian Markert reported that
MVS is continuing its planning efforts on the Ted Shanks and Rip Rap Landing
HREPs. The Pools 25 and 26
Hubbell announced that Jeff
DeZellar is temporarily assuming duties as MVP’s HREP Manager, since Tom Novak
is on detail in
Marv Hubbell highlighted
MVR’s four FY 09 planning priorities:
Charlie Wooley said the
coordination effort between personnel from Iowa DNR, USACE, and USFWS has been
tremendous in addressing the damage at
Schlagenhaft asked that the
EMP-CC consider having a future agenda item about ways that climate
change-related considerations, such as carbon sequestration and energy
consumption, might be addressed in the context of HREP planning and
prioritization. Hubbell said he would be
pleased to discuss these issues at an upcoming meeting.
HREP
Showcase — Pool 11
Jeff
Janvrin, Mike Griffin, Mike Steuck, and Rick Frietsche showcased the Pool 11
Islands project, with a planning area of approximately 10 miles and 10,500
acres in the lower pool. Janvrin
explained that, historically, lower Pool 11 had several islands and side
channels. But, as a result of
impoundment, many of the islands were inundated and the diversity of
off-channel habitat was significantly reduced over time. The drainage of four tributary streams from
agriculture-intensive basins also contributed to the problems of high sediment
and turbidity. Janvrin outlined the
project goals and objectives, including reducing sediment resuspension,
increasing flow and depth diversity, increasing abundance and diversity of
aquatic vegetation, reducing backwater sedimentation, improving habitat and
food resources for migratory waterfowl, and reducing island erosion. Janvrin said lessons learned from other
projects helped to improve the design of the Pool 11 Islands project, including
the placement of islands and dredge cuts.
Mike
Griffin described the construction designs at Sunfish and
Mike
Steuck described a special multi-pool study that included an opportunity to
evaluate the fisheries response to the Pool 11 Islands project. The initial objectives for the study included
determining spatial, temporal, physical, and chemical aspects of winter habitat
selection in several species of panfish.
The study also sought to provide background data for the Habitat Needs
Assessment and for use in designing future HREPs with fish habitat
objectives. Steuck said that the fish
were tracked using radio telemetry; and at each location, dissolved oxygen,
temperature, flow, and depth data were collected to help determine the fishes’
preferred habitat characteristics. The
results showed that characteristics of preferred habitat include: no current velocity, water that is 3-5
degrees warmer than in the main or side channels, greater than 3 feet in water
depth, and area of about 0.5 to 30 acres.
Information from this study led to modification of flow management at
Brown’s
Steuck
reported that post-monitoring results on
Tim
Schlagenhaft asked if any conclusions could be drawn from the monitoring
results about the Pool 11 HREP’s impacts on overall pan fish populations
in lower Pool 11. Steuck and Janvrin
said cost considerations precluded gathering true population data. Janvrin noted that catch per unit effort has
been used as an indicator of pan fish populations. Steuck said increases in size structure and
age class will provide additional insight.
Dave Bierl added that an increase
in angler use of lower Pool 11 is another indicator of improved pan fish
populations. Schlagenhaft emphasized the
importance of determining whether HREPs increase fish populations, or simply
redistributed them, even though this may require increased funding for
monitoring. Steuck said pre-monitoring
would be needed to answer this question.
Rick Frietsche said the Pool 11 Islands project has
been quite successful in restoring both fish and waterfowl habitat in Sunfish
and
Martin Konrad asked if there is a summary of the
successes at Pool 11 Islands. He
emphasized the importance of documenting the results of all HREPs so they can
be shared with partners and others.
Hubbell said such summaries are not currently available, but will be an
important part of the message in the 2010 Report to Congress.
Jim Fischer said Steuck’s presentation illustrates
that the EMP partner agencies do considerable work in the areas of project
development, evaluation, permitting, etc.
He suggested that the value of this work should be documented, not for
the purpose of seeking reimbursement, but rather to demonstrate the partners’
contributions to the program. Hubbell
agreed that the partners’ in-kind contributions are essential to the EMP’s
success.
Long Term Resource Monitoring Program
Program
Update
Mike
Jawson described the following LTRMP 4th quarter product highlights:
§
A manuscript on
the habitat use of breeding Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) on the
§
Three completion
reports: 1) Indirect Evidence of Fish
Migration to Upper Mississippi Backwaters in Late Fall, 2) Estimating Temporal
Trends Using Data Derived from LTRMP’s Submersed Aquatic Vegetation Rake
Sampling Method, and 3) Fish Assemblages in Off‑Channel Areas of the
Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers.
§
The 2008 Status
and Trends Report, which is at the printer.
Jawson reported that a list
of current LTRMP completion reports can now be found through the A‑Team
corner link on the LTRMP home page, or by going directly to http://www.umesc.usgs.gov/ltrmp/ateam/ltrmp_completion_rep_list.html. The full completion reports are available
upon request by contacting Jennie Sauer or Karen Hagerty. Recent visitors to UMESC have included a
collaborative group of agencies from
Jawson announced that the
following FY 09 APE proposals have been selected for funding:
§
The effects of
river nutrient concentrations on metaphyton, submersed aquatic vegetation, and
dissolved oxygen across a connectivity gradient.
§
Developing LTRMP
landscape metrics.
§
Movement of
unionids over sloped and un-sloped areas in the
§
Have the recent
increases in aquatic vegetation in Pools 5 and 8 been the result of water level
management drawdowns, HREPs, or natural fluctuations?
All four of these APE
proposals had been ranked as “high” by the Corps, USGS, and A-Team. If additional funding becomes available,
Jawson said it may be possible to fund some additional top quality proposals.
Jawson noted that the Status
and Trends Report is currently at the printer and should be available soon.
Martin Konrad thanked Sauer,
Hagerty, and others for their efforts to make the project completion reports
more readily available. In response to a
question from Janet Sternburg, Jawson explained that the completion report
titles and abstracts will be available online.
There will also be instructions on how to request full reports. As discussed at previous EMP-CC meetings,
the full completion reports will not be directly accessible online in order to
avoid conflicts with the journal publication process.
Marv Hubbell reports that the
Corps has received 35 applicants for the LTRMP Manager position. Final interviews are scheduled for this
afternoon. Hubbell said he expects that
a decision will be announced in the near future.
A-Team Report
Sternburg reported that the A-Team meeting previously
scheduled in October has been rescheduled to December 4, 2008. The meeting will include presentations and
discussions on developing biological indicators to evaluate ecosystem
health. She contrasted this with the use
of indicators to measure project performance.
FY 10-14 Operating Plan
Hubbell reported that the Operational Planning Team had
its first meeting on
Martin Konrad asked Hubbell to summarize feedback
received and insights gained from field visits with partners. Hubbell indicated that a written summary is
pending, and described the main messages he took from the meetings as
follows: 1) communication and engagement
between field stations, USFWS, and USACE needs to be enhanced; 2) many valuable
things are being done at field stations that should be captured in future
scopes of work; 3) full cost accounting may be artificially increasing the cost
of the restored monitoring, and there appear to be ways of doing this work at
minimal incremental cost; and 4) the LTRMP needs to better met the information
needs of the USFWS.
Jawson expressed appreciation to all the field
stations and Service personnel for their time in attending the field
meetings. He said he found the meetings
quite helpful, and concurred with Hubbell’s summary of the major messages. Jawson added that the uniqueness of each
field station was demonstrated at the different meetings, and that every field
station has shown a strong commitment to doing the highest quality work. He said there is a challenge in meeting
program needs while also accommodating individual station/center needs, but
expressed optimism that improved dialog among the partners will help in this
regard.
Hagerty said she found the visits to be tremendously
helpful, and expressed her hope that they would be repeated again in the
future. Konrad stressed the importance
of reflecting the insights gained in the forthcoming Operating Plan.
Status and Trends Report
Hubbell reported that the Status and Trends Report is
at the printer and will be distributed to the partnership in the near
future. A follow-on After Action Report
will address the following issues: 1) communication
differences; 2) the lack of goals and objectives for the system and reaches, as
well as identified indicators; 3) the use of all available data; 4) adding more
detail to the statements of work; 5) better defining target audiences; 6)
providing opportunities for review and comment throughout the process; and 7)
developing a “report card” format.
Jawson added that USGS and USACE will seek input on how to improve
future Status and Trends Reports.
APE
Project Showcase — Off-Channel Fish Assemblages and Implications for
Restoration
Brent
Knights presented an APE project that evaluated relationships between fish
assemblages and various environmental factors, with the goal of better
understanding what drives production and how to enhance management and
restoration efforts. LTRMP fisheries,
vegetation, water quality, and GIS data were used in multivariate and
single-factor models. Findings from the
project include:
§
Fish assemblages
can be used to indicate local environmental conditions.
§
Off-channel areas
enhance fish production and diversity in large river systems, and they are
degrading on the UMRS.
§
Pool 8 had the
most balanced centrarchid populations and other like-habitat species,
suggesting that similar conditions [low total suspended solids (TSS) and total
nitrogen (TN), moderate amounts of moderately deep water, high dissolved
oxygen, low connectivity, and aquatic vegetation] should be sought in other
pools if this is the desired fishery.
§
Watershed
programs may be most effective at reducing high TSS and TN levels and enhancing
fish assemblages.
§
Current
management efforts to enhance physiochemical conditions and vegetation in
off-channel areas have the greatest potential for success in areas less
affected by TSS.
Jeff
Janvrin noted that these results are evident in non-LTRMP pools and findings
from other related studies. Jim Fischer
lauded the study, saying it reflected top quality, creative work. He said it demonstrates the utility of the
LTRMP monitoring design and data.
Other Business
Karen Hagerty announced that the third annual National
Conference on Ecosystem Restoration will be held on July 20-24, 2009 in
·
February 2009
–
o
UMRBA — February 17
o
EMP-CC —
February 18
o
Joint EMP-CC
and NECC — afternoon of February 18 (if needed) [not scheduled]
o
NECC/ECC — February 19
·
May 2009 –
o
UMRBA — May 19
o
NECC/ECC — May 20
o
Joint EMP-CC
and NECC/ECC — afternoon of May 20 (if needed)
o
EMP-CC — May
21
· August 2009 –
o
UMRBA — August 4
o
EMP-CC — August 5
o
Joint EMP-CC and
NECC/ECC — afternoon of August 5 (if needed)
o
NECC/ECC — August 6
With no further business, the meeting adjourned at
EMP-CC Attendance List
November 20, 2008
EMP-CC Members
|
Charles Barton |
|
|
Charlie Wooley |
|
|
Mike Jawson |
|
|
Rick Mollahan |
Illinois Department of Natural Resources |
|
Martin Konrad |
Iowa Department of Natural Resources |
|
Tim Schlagenhaft |
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources |
|
Janet Sternburg |
Missouri Department of Conservation |
|
Jim Fischer |
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources |
|
Bill Franz |
|
Others in Attendance
|
Terry Smith |
|
|
Jeff DeZellar |
|
|
Marvin Hubbell |
|
|
Karen Hagerty |
|
|
Jan Hodges |
|
|
Darron Niles |
|
|
David Bierl |
|
|
Brian Markert |
|
|
Rick Nelson |
|
|
Jon Duyvejonck |
|
|
Rick Frietsche |
|
|
Rob Middlemis-Brown |
|
|
Kirk Hansen |
Iowa Department of Natural Resources |
|
Mike Griffin |
Iowa Department of Natural Resources |
|
Mike Steuck |
Iowa Department of Natural Resources |
|
John Fleig |
Iowa Department of Transportation |
|
Dru Buntin |
Missouri Department of Natural Resources |
|
Jeff Janvrin |
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources |
|
Tom Boland |
MACTEC |
|
Garry Loss |
CDM |
|
Gretchen Benjamin |
The Nature Conservancy |
|
Doug Blodgett |
The Nature Conservancy |
|
Brad Walker |
Izaak Walton League |
|
Barb Naramore |
|
|
Dave Hokanson |
|
|
Kirsten Mickelsen |
|