ELKHORN SLOUGH FOUNDATION
Grant: $3,940,734 - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Jul. 1, 2009
0% voted satisfied - 100% voted not satisfied - 1 vote(s) cast
Join the conversation: Post a comment about this award
Award Description: 'Putting People to Work Restoring Ecosystem Resilience in Elkhorn Slough while Protecting Critical Coastal Infrastructure' -- The Parsons Slough Sill is a structure designed to restore the tidal hydrology of a major branch of the Elkhorn Slough estuary in order to reduce the erosion and drowning of wetland habitats. The benefits of the structure will extend throughout the estuary by increasing the long term viability of critical coastal infrastructure threatened by tidal scour and salt marsh loss, including bank erosion of the Union Pacific railway line, bank erosion of the Moss Landing Harbor District’s recreational boater access facility, clogging of cooling water intake filters at the Dynegy power plant, and bank erosion of the CDFG Elkhorn Slough Wildlife Area snowy plover breeding ponds. This project will cost $3,940,734 to accomplish and will generate over 132 jobs and $5.8 million in economic activity at a time and place of 24 percent unemployment. These estimates are conservative and based on data gathered from interviews with project managers and input to the IMPLAN® economic model. Construction, consulting and labor crew jobs will last 3-5 months and others will last up to 24 months. Additionally, part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the slough supports remarkable biological diversity. It harbors 12 rare, threatened or endangered species, and is an important breeding area for sharks, rays and commercially harvested flatfish. Elkhorn Slough has been recognized as a Globally Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society and as a site in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network by the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences. It hosts the largest tracts of tidal salt marsh on the West Coast south of San Francisco Bay. Portions of the slough are designated a State Ecological Reserve and Wildlife Management Area as well as a Marine Protected Area. The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (ESNERR) is owned and managed by the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) and operated in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The slough has been a focal point for extensive conservation activities and land acquisition by the Nature Conservancy and the Elkhorn Slough Foundation, the grantee.
Project Description: We have had project activities in what can be best described in five areas. Design • Consulted with engineering firms, agencies and private engineers with respect to project design • Defined scope of work for Parsons Slough Sill 30% design • Released Parsons Slough Sill 30% design request for proposals (RFP) • Held a pre-bid tour of the site • Interviewed and selected engineering firm Regulatory Compliance • Consulted with agency staff regarding regulatory compliance • Defined scope of work needed for regulatory compliance Adaptive Management • Initial assessment of effect of project on biological resources has been done • An Adaptive Management meeting has been held • Preliminary planning for the Adaptive Management Plan has been completed • A draft scope of work has been defined Outreach • We have coordinated a public meeting and tour • We have scheduled future stakeholder meetings • We had a press release which was picked up in numerous newspapers and news stations • We have provided updates in newsletter Project Management • A preliminary schedule has been developed • A preliminary work breakdown structure has been diagrammed • Risks have been outlined • Office space is being acquired • A project management plan is underway • Preliminary budget forecasting has been completed • A Sharepoint site for project collaboration has been built
Jobs Summary: Jobs retained: • Tidal Wetland Project Director: oversee project • Tidal Wetlands Project Manager: manage time, cost, schedule, and scope • Tidal Wetlands Project Coordinator: outreach • Wetland Scientist: Regulatory compliance and requests for proposals Jobs created: • Adaptive Management Process Lead (as of September): lead stakeholders (primarily scientists and regulatory agents) in decision making process on adaptive management plan • Stewardship Coordinator (as of September): develops and implements strategies for habitat management and restoration • Water Quality Scientist (as of September): consistently monitors, collects, analyzes and disseminates water quality data. Maintains and calibrates data loggers and other monitoring equipment. (Total jobs reported: 6)
Project Status: Less Than 50% Completed
This award's data was last updated on Jul. 1, 2009. Help expand these official descriptions using the wiki below.
No comments have been added for this project.