Email conversation about jupiter Dredging

[PuraVida]

Dear Mr. Tichenor, (Ed)

While there may be more than one way to measure sediment depth, our preferred method and current monitoring protocol, is provided below:

Standing Sediment Depth Protocol
Standing sediment depth on the hardbottom communities within each of the three
stations will be performed with repeated direct measurements at regular intervals along
the transects. A ruler, graduated in millimeters (0 mm to 300 mm), will pressed through
the sediment until it reaches refusal. Sediment depth shall be recorded to the nearest
millimeter. Measurements greater than or equal to 300 mm are recorded as 300 mm.
Sediment accumulation will be assessed at 2-meter intervals along each of the three, 20-
meter transects within each station. At each 2-meter interval, three measurements will be
taken for a total of 99measurements per station during each monitoring event.

Have you had a chance to read the emails that I sent you last week, per your request? I know that there was a number of emails. Do you have any questions about any of them?

You may not be aware, but it is my responsibility to handle questions relating to monitoring and compliance for JCP permits. Please feel free to contact me at JCPCompliance@dep.state.fl.us . If I don’t have the answer to your question right away, I will research it and get back with you as soon as I can.

Thank you,

Charlotte M. Hand
JCP Compliance Officer
Bureau of Beaches and Coastal Systems
Department of Environmental Protection
3900 Commonwealth Blvd., M.S. 300
Tallahassee, FL 32303
(850) 414-7716
Please send all email correspondence to:
JCPCompliance@dep.state.fl.us


From: Etichscuba@aol.com [mailto:Etichscuba@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 1:09 PM
To: Kosmynin, Vladimir; jgarbose@bellsouth.net
Cc: Barnett, Michael; Seeling, Martin; Martinello, James; MacLeod, Steven; Neely, Merrie; Buda, Benjamin R.; Andreotta, Jason; Godfrey, Brett; divenarcosis@hotmail.com; cgasque@bellsouth.net; Collier, Chantal; Hand, Charlotte
Subject: Re: Silt accumulation on reef - Juno Beach Restoration- 0127642-001-JC



Question: Has anyone ever used imhoff cones in the field to quantify sedimentation?
Ed


From: Etichscuba@aol.com [mailto:Etichscuba@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 1:05 PM
To: Kosmynin, Vladimir; jgarbose@bellsouth.net
Cc: Barnett, Michael; Seeling, Martin; Martinello, James; MacLeod, Steven; Neely, Merrie; Buda, Benjamin R.; Andreotta, Jason; Godfrey, Brett; divenarcosis@hotmail.com; cgasque@bellsouth.net; Collier, Chantal; Hand, Charlotte
Subject: Re: Silt accumulation on reef - Juno Beach Restoration- 0127642-001-JC

I would suggest the only way to quantify sediment accumulation is to measure it.
Ed


In a message dated 1/29/2010 11:46:16 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, Vladimir.Kosmynin@dep.state.fl.us writes:
Hi Jay,

Thank you very much for the information provided in your video. Sediment cover over the reef is obvious, although to the extent that I can guess from your video the material is finer than sand. However, it is no good for reef anyway.
Coordinates that were provided in your video for the dive are 26o52.232’ N and 80o01.150’ W. The north-eastern corner of the borrow area used for Juno Beach project has coordinates 26o49’56.5” N and 80o01’25.7”. That gives the latitudinal difference (i.e. N to S direction distance approximately along the reef edge) of 2’17”, which is 2.28 nm or 4.222 km. This is the distance from northern border borrow area to the site presented in your video.
Although I would not deny that suspended silt or mud particle can travel that far from the point source of suspension with existing currents, the dispersal over this distance would be very large, the concentration of suspended matter in water would be low, and the accumulation of such material at the distance of 4.222km to almost 9 km would be very low even over period of time of a month (dredging started about a month before your visit). Dredging operation is always going south of N border of BA and up to additional 3-5km at the southern border.

Did you have a chance to visit this site recently but before last visit on January 29 (and may be record video)?

Contact me if you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,

Vladimir N. Kosmynin, Ph.D.
Environmental Consultant
Bureau of Beaches and Coastal Systems
Department of Environmental Protection
3900 Commonwealth Boulevard
Mail Station 300
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000
e-mail: vladimir.kosmynin@dep.state.fl.us
Tel: (850)414-7817
SunCom: 414-7817
Fax: (850)414-7725

p.s.



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From: Etichscuba@aol.com [mailto:Etichscuba@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 8:48 AM
To: Hand, Charlotte
Cc: Barnett, Michael; Seeling, Martin; Martinello, James; MacLeod, Steven; Neely, Merrie; Buda, Benjamin R.; Andreotta, Jason; Godfrey, Brett; jgarbose@bellsouth.net; divenarcosis@hotmail.com; Kosmynin, Vladimir; cgasque@bellsouth.net; Collier, Chantal
Subject: Silt accumulation on reef - Juno Beach Restoration- 0127642-001-JC

Charlotte,
Here is a link to a video I received from a recreational diver taken 1-28-10 on Juno Ledge (26 52.232 N, 80 01.150 W). The video shows silt beginning to accumulate on the reef. The diver tells me he has recent pre-project video from the same location showing the reef free of silt. I understand the permit turbidity monitoring protocol has a 10 NTU above background trigger to initiate inwater investigations by divers. Whether or not there have been measurements > 10 NTU above background near the borrow area I would suggest that the criteria may not capture those environmental conditions which are resulting in siltation to the nearby reef.

Video link: http://www.reef-rescue.org/video/Jun...lt_1-28-10.mpg

Ed Tichenor
Palm Beach County Reef Rescue
561 699-8559

As an added note to those monitoring cold water bleaching, we have received reports of no bleaching on PBC reefs so far.