Cell 3D - Maryland Department of Natural Resources Data

Paul S. Sarbanes EcosystemRestoration Project at PoplarIsland: Environmental MonitoringCassandra CarrMaryland Environmental Serviceccarr@menv.com410-729-8325Maryland Water Monitoring Council Annual ConferenceDecember 4, 2008Maryland Port AdministrationUSACE Baltimore DistrictMaryland Environmental Service

Paul S. Sarbanes EcosystemRestoration Project at Poplar Island• Located in the Mid-Chesapeake Bay inTalbot County,Maryland• Clean dredgedmaterial from theChesapeake Bayshipping channelsapproaching the Portof Baltimore is placedat the site• Over 1,140 acres ofwetland and uplandhabitat to be restoredat Poplar IslandPoplar Island

Paul S. Sarbanes Ecosystem RestorationProject at Poplar Island• 6 Large Containment Cells: 4 Wetland Cells & 2 Upland Cells• Wetland Cells Temporarily Divided via Interior Dikes

Poplar Island Expansion ProjectNorthernAccess ChannelRockReefsProposed OpenWaterEmbaymentProposedBreakwatersNOB 8-7WetlandCells• Capacity shortfall fordredged material wasanticipatedCells 2 and 6Dike RaisingNOB 8-10Southwestern SandBorrow AreaCell 6 ClosureBorrowArea GExisting AccessChannelCell 2Cell3DCell 3Cell 6Cell 1PoplarHarborCell 4JeffersonIslandCell 5CoachesIslandBorrowArea FUplandCellsNOB 8-11Relocation of SouthernAccess Channel andTurning Basin0 0.25 0.5 1Miles• Expansion beyond theoriginal footprintapproved in WRDA2007• Existing project cost:~ $407 million• With Expansion: ~ $715million

Habitat Restoration Goals• Create tidal marsh habitat forChesapeake Bay fish and wildlife• Create bare or sparsely vegetatednesting islands for colonial waterbirds(i.e. terns)• Create vegetated islands for otherwaterbirds (such as egrets and herons)• Create a diversity of habitat types forfish and wildlife• Create quiescent condition for SAVrecovery• Minimize and offset loss of benthichabitat

Habitat Restoration Goals – FrameworkMonitoring• A long-term monitoring plan and schedule was developed beforeconstruction began (Framework Monitoring Document) to ensuregoals were being met• Developed by numerous Federal and State agencies, as well asuniversity experts and private consultants – called Poplar IslandWorking Group• Exterior sediment quality• Exterior water quality• Benthics – community and tissue• Discharge monitoring• Construction turbidity monitoring• Shellfish bed sedimentation• Interior water quality- algaemonitoring•Wetland vegetation• Wetlands use by fish• Fisheries use of exteriorproximal water• Wetlands use by wildlife• Bird utilization counts• Submerged aquatic vegetation• Diamondback terrapinmonitoring• Wetland cell soil and vegetation

Poplar Island Working Group• USACE• MPA• MES• USFWS• NMFS• NOAA• MD DNR• MGS• MDE• EPA• USGS• UMCES• APHIS• CCA• Waterman’sAssoc.• Talbot CountyGov’t• Nat’l BiologicalSurvey• Consultants• Citizens

Wetland Development – Cell 3DCell 3D October 2002Proposed Cell 3DDevelopment PlanCell 3D September 2008

Wetland Development – Cell 3DInflow: April 2001 – November 2003• 0.35 million cubic yards(mcy) of dredgedmaterial inflowed intoCell 3D• Slurry ratio isapproximately 80%water and 20%solids

Wetland Development – Cell 3DDewatering: April 2001 – November 2003• Wetlands License & WaterQuality Certification issued byMDE set requirements forturbidity, total suspended solidsand pH in discharge water

Wetland Development – Cell 3DCrust Management: April 2001 – November 2003• Crust develops after dewatering• Once material is dry, trenches aredug using specialized equipment• Trenches drain water to spillwaysPontoon trencher• Goal of crustmanagement is tomaximize consolidationand achieve theappropriate elevations

Wetland Cell Development – Cell 3DGrading & Channel Excavation: Dec. 2003-Oct. 2004Channel Excavation• Material excavated from channels was redistributedthroughout the cell by grading• Required to have a 80/20 low marsh to high marsh ratio

Wetland Cell Development – Cell 3DInlet Structure Construction: Dec. 2004 – Jan. 2005Pipes allow tidalinteractionWeir boards

Wetland Cell Development – Cell 3DInlet Structure – Opening to Tidal Flow: March 2005Cell 3D during 1 st opening• Opened to tidal flow inMarch 2005 to note anyareas of erosion beforeplanting• Inlet structure and roadabove will eventually beremoved to allow open tidalaccess, similar to a naturalmarsh

Wetland Cell Development – Cell 3DPlanting: PlanningCell 3D Features:DESIGNTREATMENTSFEATUREWetland Species Spartina patens,Spartina alternifloraDensity of Geese 100’ x 100’, 75’ x 75’,Fencing50’ x 50’ and 25’ x25’Wetland Plant 1’, 2’, 3’, 4’, 6’DensityAddition of None, 0.5 oz., 1.0 oz.FertilizerMethod of Planting Volunteer,ContractorType of Planting Seed, Container,Plug and Bare RootType of Substrate Dredged,Sandy/Dredged,SandyUSACE, 2004

Wetland Cell Development – Cell 3DMarsh Planting: April - July 2005• Total area planted: 897,500 sq ft• Total Spartina alternifloraplugs: 312,560• Total Spartina patens plugs:174,160• Planting conducted by acontractor and volunteersorganized by the NationalAquarium in Baltimore (6acres)

Cell 3D Monitoring Elements• Vegetation monitoring• Plant chemicalcomposition• Photo-documentation• Visual inspections• Soil composition• Fish use• Wildlife use• Water qualitymonitoring• Hydrologic studies

Cell 3D Time Sequence(view looking east)June 2005 August 2005June 2006

Cell 3D –Water Quality Monitoring• Interior water quality monitoring at three locationsPhoto Location #3Photo Location # 5Sampling Site #2Photo Location #2Photo Location #4Sampling Site #3Sampling Site #1 &Photo Location #1

Cell 3D –Water Quality MonitoringSummary of 2007 Dissolved Metals dataUnits SWQS Minimum Maximum AverageDissolved Antimony UG/L NA < 2 < 5 < 3.3Dissolved Arsenic UG/L 69 < 2 28 6.1Dissolved Beryllium UG/L NA < 0.5 < 4 < 2.7Dissolved Cadmium UG/L 40 < 0.5 < 5 < 3.1Dissolved Cadmium UG/L NA < 2 < 5 < 3.3Dissolved Copper UG/L 6.1 < 2 17 4.5Dissolved Lead UG/L 210 < 2 < 5 < 3.3Dissolved Mercury UG/L 1.8 < 0.2 < 2 < 1.1Dissolved Nickel UG/L 74 < 2 19 3.7Dissolved Selenium UG/L 290 < 2 34 6.9Dissolved Silver UG/L 1.9 < 1 < 5 < 3Dissolved Thallium UG/L NA < 2 < 4 < 2.2Dissolved Zinc UG/L 90 < 5 46 10.6

Cell 3D –Water Quality MonitoringLessons Learned• Cell 3D displays good hydrodynamics with a tidal flushing periodof a little over 24 hours.• All of the daily pH levels and all turbidity levels were within theWQC guidance at the Site #1 outflow pipes, supporting the ideathat the vegetation stabilizes the material.• TSS levels were significantly below the WQC guidelines fordischarge (800 mg/L daily maximum, 400 mg/L monthly average).• Most DO concentrations recorded at the 3 sampling sites metmonthly, weekly, and daily MD State Water Quality Standards,except during June through August at shallow channel edge.- 30-day average a minimum DO of 5.0 mg/L- 7-day average a minimum DO of 4.0 mg/L- Instantaneous DO reading a minimum DO of 3.2 mg/L

Cell 3D – Mineral NutritionLessons Learned• The vegetation willgradually removenitrogen from thesediments and overtime Cell 3D shouldhave a more typicalgrowth pattern• Ongoing studieswill continue totrack progress ofCell 3D• Studies includetissue samplingand above andbelow groundbiomass surveysJuly 2007

Cell 3D – Soil & Vegetation MonitoringLessons Learned• Fertilization is not needed• Volunteers plant just as well as contractors (with the properoversight)• Plant spacing can be increased to 3 foot spacing except onchannel edges• Although plugs are more efficient at marsh establishment,seeds can still be used in moderation to cut costs as longas they are prepped properly• 75 X 75 foot grid for goose fencing is sufficient• Nitrogen levels in plant tissue needs to be monitoredclosely as well as above to below ground biomass ratios

Wildlife DestinationSandpiperGreat Blue HeronAmerican AvocetWilletTree SwallowGullsAmerican OystercatcherSnowy EgretBlack Skimmer

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