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Home My WebLink About1975 - Biological Assessment�- State of Florida �y�9ls DEPART/`\ENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES HARMON W. SIi1F.LDS CROWN BUILDING / 202 BLOUNT STREET / TALLAHASSEE 32304 Executive Director February 10 , 1975 Mr. J. W. Landers, Jr., Director Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund Elliot Building Tallahassee, Florida 32304 -- Governor - - DOROTHY W. GLISSON Secretary of State ROBERT L. SHEVIN Attorney General FRED O. DICKINSON, 7R. Comptroller THOMAS D. O'MALLEY Treasurer DOYLE CONNER Commissioner of Agriculture RALPH D. TURLINGTON Commissioner of Education Dear Mr. Landers: n1 .3 T.I.I.T.F. File No. 31-39-3139, City of Sebastian, Indian River County, 23 The staff of the Office of Survey and Management has reviewed the subject project and provides the following comments: BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT The applicant proposes to enlarge a city park by filling 80 ft. waterward of the mean high water line along 370 ft. of shore, install a vertical seawall along new shorelines, and construct a boat ramp, pier, and a 50 ft. wide,350 f�. long and 4 ft. deep access channel in the Indian River. The subject area is south of Sebastian Inlet, adjacent to an Aquatic Preserve and Pelican Island Wildlife Refuge. Numerous long piers, extending to navigable waters, exist in the vicinity. Subject shores (Photo 1), as well as others in the area, are vegetated by Spartina aZternifZora and inhabited by oyster communities. Submerged bottoms within 150 ft. of shore are sandy, less than 3 ft. deep (proposed fill area is less than 1 ft. deep), and vegetated by Cuban shoalweed (haZoduZe) and marine algae. Waterward, bottoms are sandy, unvegetated, and gradually slope toward the Intracoastal Waterway. DIVISIONS / ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES • ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PROTECTION • INTERIOR RESOURCES V♦D IIJU Duclni I —1.1Q u1:/lug: 1 TIC%M•M n P A a VQ E Mr. J. W. Landers, Jr. TIITF #31 -39 -3139, S/M 723 Page Two February 10, 1975 C1 Oysters and associated organisms (amphipods serpulids, xanthid crabs, snapping shrimps, barnacles, ribbed mussels), portunid and pagurid crabs, trumpet worms, grass shrimp, mullinia clams, small gastropods, comb jellies, schools of young mullet, and other small fish inhabit proposed fill area. Bottom samples within the pier and channel site collected polychaetes, nassa mud snails, mullinia clams, and quahog clams. Osprey, brown pelican, and ring - billed gull were observed in the subject area. The proposed project would eliminate and deepen productive shallow river bottoms that serve as habitat for various marine species. Bulkheads, if installed, should be located along the high tide line to preserve valuable shallows and natural shoreline. Rip -rap sloped -at the toe of vertical seawalls provide additional marine attachments and minimize scour and wave reflection. HYDROGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT A hydrographic survey is not required. This project will create an abrupt discontinuity in the existing shoreline and the following changes are expected: (1) wave induced scour and profile lowering adjacent to the toe of the bulkhead, (2) moderate shoreline recession adjacent the ends of the fill area; unless stabilized (in which case, profile lowering would be expected), and (3) creation of stagnant areas at both ends of the fill project which will become sinks for floating debris and settleable suspended solids. 1 Mr. J. W. Landers, Jr. TIITF #31 -39 -3139, S/M 723 Page Three February 10, 1975 It is improbable that the proposed pier construction or channel excavation will have significantly ad- verse hydrographic effects. TS /RK /ya Enclosure Photo qc: Captain H. C. Morgan Lloyd and Associates City of Sebastion, Florida Field Biologists Mr. Joseph D. Carroll, Jr. Mr. E. L. Arnold, Jr. Mr. R. D. Dunford Mr. Robert W. Hall Mr. Gary L. Nelson Dr. John L. Taylor Mr. Ralph R. Clark ly, Tomas , ief. rvey an Man t emen anV Ma s r4,e s ^ 7� • `n4� l J PETER P. BALJET EiECUTIVE DIRECTOR STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF POLLUTION CONTROL 2562 EXECUTIVE CENTER CIRCLE, EAST MONTGOMERY BUILDING TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 32301 City of Sebastian, Florida - c/o Lloyd and Associates 1835 20th Street Vero Beach, Florida 32960 W.D. FREDERICK, JR Subject: 31 -39 -31931 City of Sebastian, City Park, Boat ramp, pier across access channel, and bulkhead, Indian River, Indian River County. Dear Sir: This office has received and reviewed the report of the field evaluation. The field review contains the following items for consideration so that there will be no objections to the project and a "Water Quality Certification" can be issued for the subject project: 1. The channel be no deeper than four feet WM Wi+h sloping sides; 2. The dredged material to be used as fill. Additional fill, if required, for park area shall be hauled in from another source; 3. Natural rip -rap needs to be used for sides of boat ramp and to retain filled area in lieu of concrete.bulkheading; and 4. The rip -rap is to be placed at the approximation of the existing shoreline. John R. Middlemas Mark D. Hollis Y. E. Hall BOARD MEMBER BOARD MEMBER BOARD MEMBER Susan Uhl Wilson BOARD MEMOER CHAIRMAN April 22, 1975 Indian River County MC Dredge and Fill -< o 31 -39 -3193 ry Cp n n, C En C.�- .� Subject: 31 -39 -31931 City of Sebastian, City Park, Boat ramp, pier across access channel, and bulkhead, Indian River, Indian River County. Dear Sir: This office has received and reviewed the report of the field evaluation. The field review contains the following items for consideration so that there will be no objections to the project and a "Water Quality Certification" can be issued for the subject project: 1. The channel be no deeper than four feet WM Wi+h sloping sides; 2. The dredged material to be used as fill. Additional fill, if required, for park area shall be hauled in from another source; 3. Natural rip -rap needs to be used for sides of boat ramp and to retain filled area in lieu of concrete.bulkheading; and 4. The rip -rap is to be placed at the approximation of the existing shoreline. John R. Middlemas Mark D. Hollis Y. E. Hall BOARD MEMBER BOARD MEMBER BOARD MEMBER Susan Uhl Wilson BOARD MEMOER Page 2 City of Sebastian • April 22, 1975 Please contact Eric Nuzie of our Sub - Regional Office in Fort Pierce (305) 464 -8525 to discuss any questions concerning the stipulations to meet the Department's criteria for approval by May 9, 1975. Sincerely, Robert W. Hall, Administrator Dredge and Fill Section RWH /dwc cc: Board of Trustees SE Region