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STANDARD FORM 330 (REV. 312013) PAGE 2 Pinnacle conducted a pre-construction seagrass monitoring survey associated with proposed bulkhead improvement activities the Park, 7 to 9 June 2017 in partial support of permit requirements. Pinnacle’s field scientists conducted the pre-construction survey to comply with the mitigation plan that accompanied the permit. To mitigate potential seagrass impacts from Project construction and construction related activities, concrete debris will be removed from select areas of the estuarine bottom along the Park's bulkhead to increase potential seagrass habitat. During the pre-construction survey Pinnacle selected and established the sites which will be used during all subsequent monitoring events. Sampling locations were determined using a stratified random sampling design. The study area is comprised of three (3) equally sized areas which include the mapped seagrass habitat that was previously deli neated during seagrass assessment survey conducted in July 2015 (Pinnacle, 2015). Semi-permanent seagrass monitoring stations were randomly selected from each of the three equally sized study areas for a total of eight (8) monitoring stations, three (3) mitigation and five (5) non-mitigation stations. At each of the eight (8) monitoring stations the width of the seagrass habitat was measured along three (3) semi-permanent transects oriented perpendicular to shore and extending across the entire width of the seagrass habitat in vicinity of the monitoring site. A scientific diver swam the length of each transect and recorded the start and st op of each seagrass bed/patch occurring along the transect. In addition to the three (3) semi-permanent transects, three (3) temporary 10-m quantitative seagrass transects were established at each of the eight (8) monitoring stations. Six (6) randomly positioned 1.00-meter2 (10.8-foot2) quadrats were deployed along each quantitative seagrass transect. At each quadrat location scientific divers collected frequency of occurrence, percent cover, blade length, and density data using multiple 10 x 10-centimeter cells of the 1.0 meter2 quadrat. H. decipiens was the only seagrass species identified during the pre-construction monitoring survey. It was found throughout the survey area; occurring in both continuous and discontinuous beds, and isolated patches. Seagrasses in the Project area appeared healthy and flowering was recorded at six (6) of the eight (8) monitoring stations. Sea grass extent along the semi-permanent transects varied from station to station, however the overall seagrass coverage for transects within a given station were similar to each other. Similar to the seagrass extent measurements, seagrass percent cover and density varied between the eight (8) monitoring stations. The data collected during the pre-construction seagrass survey will serve as a baseline for future monitoring events which will assess any effects on seagrass resources from Project related activitie s, as well as to evaluate the success of the compensatory mitigation plan. A. Name and location of project Shoreline Stabilization/Wave Break Hugh Taylor Birch State Park (2015 – Present). Located in Broward County, the Park is positioned on a barrier island between the ICWW and the Atlantic Ocean. The project area included the seafloor immediately adjacent to the concrete bulkhead that borders the Park’s west boundary along the ICWW. B. Client: Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Division of Recreation and Parks through a continuing Coastal Engineering and Marine Environmental Services Contract with Humiston & Moore Engineers, PA C. Point of Contact: Theresa Carron, Contract Administrator Phone: 850-245-3029 Email: Theresa.Carron@dep.state.fl.us D. Size and cost of project A total of 33,612 meters2 (8.3 acres) of seafloor was surveyed to identify and map marine resources. Total cost $34,000. E. Project owner FDEP Division of Recreation and Parks, Tallahassee, Florida (2015 – Present) F. Start and completion dates Benthic assessments, resource mapping and environmental permitting initiated in 2015 with compliance monitoring scheduled thr ough 2022. G. The proposer’s responsibilities on the project ● Benthic Marine Environmental Assessment ● Habitat Mapping, ● Unified Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM) ● Environmental Permitting ● Regulatory Consultations – USACE, NMFS, FWS, FWC, SFWMD ● Compensatory Mitigation Plan ● Mitigation Work Plan ● Section 7 Checklist in Preparation of NMFS Biological Opinion ● Monitoring Plan ● Long-term Management Plan ● Adaptive Management Plan ● Financial Assurances ● Stakeholder Workshops 112