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                          NEWS ITEMS FOR THE MOORINGS BAY AREA

                                         


(More Recent Items first)

OUR MARINE LIFE

Last year the City initiated trawling studies to define the species of marine life in our bays. This would serve as a useful set of information for our current understanding and as a reference if we have problems in the future.  A tight Budget had caused the City to drop these studies. Save The Bays has contributed $7K so that the studies can continue this year. Katie Klaakkonen of the Naples Natural Resources Dept. is leading the Study. Her initial report with pictures of our small creatures follows. Overall trawling catch was similar to that in Naples Bay. The catch is expected to increase as we get into the winter months.

   Grass Squid and friends

  Juvenile Lookdown Fish (they have beautiful long tendrils and fins when young)

   Juvenile Upside Down Jelly Fish (they have a bright blue bell when small) and Stone Crab

We will show you more pictures as the Study continues.

NORTH JETTY REPAIR

Gary McAlpin, Director of Coastal Management for Collier County, indicates that rebuilding of the North Jetty at Doctors Pass has been completed.

NEWS LETTER:

Our most recent news letter can be read by clicking  here.

Rain Gardens and Mangroves:

Mike Bauer, Manager of the City's Environmental Dept., has suggested that rain gardens be installled in swallows, and mangroves be planted over rip rap. Both can be very attractive. Here are some samples:

 
(The rain garden is in front of St. John's Church)

Water Analyses for our Bays

At a recent meeting of Save the Bays, Katie Laakkonen of the City Natural Resources Dept. gave us charts for the water quality testing over a period of 2 years. They showed that while our waters tested mainly within the state guidelines, we do occasionally have spikes in contaminants beyond those guidelines.   The ends of our bay system suffer more from increased chemical and organic pollutants than the main large bay which has the greatest amount of tidal flushing.  The city is trying to coordinate the testing of Clam Bay and Moorings Bays (same day) to give a better picture of the quality of both bodies of water and how one affects the other.  The charts can be viewed by clicking here.

Councilman Finlay indicates two area construction projects are about to start

1. Emergency sand renourishment south of Doctors Pass. This project will start as early as 2/23. 33,000 Cu. Yds. of sand will be placed on the beach using dump trucks which will access the beach via Mooring Line Drive. Sand will be unloaded and conveyored to the beach next to the Gulf View condominiums. The operation will be dawn to dusk, Monday through Saturday, and last for 4-6 weeks. Another, smaller, renourishment project (10,000 Cu. Yds.) will take place at the Seagate beach access at the very north end of Gulf Shore Boulevard. This project will start about April 1 and will involve dump trucks as well. The public access walkway at Seagate will be closed until the project is completed, by May 1. Bottom line, lots of dump truck traffic is coming.
2. Doctors Pass jetty. Repair to the jetty will start mid-March and be completed by May 1. Work will be done from a barge which will be anchored in the pass, at the jetty. Boat traffic will be able to pass. In case of bad weather the barge may temporarily anchor north of the shoal in front of Commodore Club. Work will be dawn to dusk, Monday thru Saturday.

Moorings Bay Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting 2-18-11

A summary of meeting discussion follows:

* The annual election of officers for the group was held with Michael Bozzo elected Chairman and Harold Zink elected Vice Chairman. The present chairman, Al Katz, indicated that his term on the Committee expires in June and that electing him did not seem reasonable. Al was thanked for his efforts in Chairing the Committee.
* A draft of a proposal for expanding the responsibilities of the Committee was discussed. This will require a referendum vote and doing it at the November regular election versus a mail vote was discussed. The final decision will likely be up to City Council.
* The repair of the north jetty at Doctors Pass will start in March with work being done from Monday through Saturday, dawn to dusk. Some Sunday work may be required if bad weather is encountered. The cost is $680K.
* New Members are needed for the Committee. These have been hard to get despite contacts with local organizations. The Chairman suggested that each Member bring in 2-3 names to the next meeting, and he will contact them personally in an effort to fill the one present open chair and others that will be created during the year as terms expire.
* The next meeting was scheduled for March 16th.

Dr. William Lazear Award:

Each year, Save the Bays presents an award to a student in the Marine Sciences Dept. at Gulf Coast University to assist in the purchase of text books. The award is named after Bill Lazear, a long time contributor of considerable effort to Save The Bays activities. The student is selected by the faculty. This year's award of $1000 went to Troy McPherson, a recent graduate with a 4.0 grade average. He plans to continue his studies and obtain a degree in Environmental Law. Here is a picture of the presentation:


Dr. Lazear, our President Marilyn Tempest, recipient McPherson and our Vice President Michael Williams.

MOORINGS BAY CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING 11-16-10

A summary of meeting discussion follows:

* Gary McAlpin, Director of Coastal Management for Collier County, distributed a report on repair of the North Jetty. They expect to have bids by Thanksgiving. The project will be combined with two other projects. They expect to have the work completed by next November. He reported on the past study of poor water quality in Clam Bay caused by poor flushing. Most sediment in Clam Bay appears to be OK but much is not known. They are trying to get back to a 5 year cycle for dredging Doctors Pass.
* Chairman Katz reviewed his discussion yesterday at the City Council Workshop. The Taxing District collects about $35K per year and now has over $1M in the Fund. He recommended a mail Referendum to broaden the potential use of the funds.
* The next meeting will be on December 21st but may be cancelled if there is insufficient business.

MOORINGS BAY CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING 8-17-10

A summary of meeting discussion follows:

*The Committee has been working on a proposal to build a habitat on the shoal in Moorings Bay. The City Attorney has given his opinion that Taxing District Funds can only be used for items listed in the original Referendum setting up the Taxing District. As the habitat would not fall within these categories, these Funds should not be used for the shoal proposal. Further work on this has been discontinued.

* The Committee reviewed its responsibilities in light of the above opinion. A list of ten responsibilities for the Committee was issued by the City Council in 2009. Although these are broader than those in the Referendum, they do not provide for expenditure of Tax Funds although many of the items would be helpful guidance for the City Council. The possibility of asking for a new Referendum was discussed. No motions were passed.

* The next meeting will be on September 21st. (Meeting Cancelled)

MOORINGS BAY CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING 7-20-10

A summary of meeting discussion follows:

*Fire Chief McInerny reviewed his trip to the Florida Panhandle where he inspected oil cleanup efforts and talked to those involved in the work. This trip was part of the City program to develop plans to handle oil that might come to the Naples area. Cleanup of oil in the Panhandle is under the direction of a BP contractor, and they are proceeding actively regardless of cost. There was no prior plan so the direction of the activity is being established as the situations are encountered. Communication between the contractor and local officials could be improved. He was told that 95-99 % of the oil is underwater so that skimming off the top can handle only a small part of the total. The underwater oil is in the form of oil plumes created by adding dispersant at the Deep Horizon site and other locations where there has been floating oil. There is concern but little knowledge on the effects of the oil plumes. We will most likely get weathered tar balls if the oil comes to Naples. Booms become ineffective in rough water, and he cited the case of a boom in the Pensacola area that was destroyed by the waves from Hurricane Alex many miles away with a landfall in Mexico. The City has 2800 ft. of boom which will be deployed across Doctors Pass and Gordon Pass if it becomes necessary. Additional booms will likely be available from BP. The Chair indicated that the Taxing District has funds if some additional issues need action.

*Dr. Bauer reviewed the status of the proposal to install a habitat on the shoal in Moorings Bay. The City Attorney has indicated, based on a review of the original referendum, that Taxing District funds can only be spent on dredging or water quality programs. Dr. Bower indicated that the habitat might qualify if considered as a shoal containment project reducing the need for frequent dredging. The Chair emphasized that it might also be considered a water quality improvement project. The Committee that reviewed the proposals of five possible contractors has selected the best one. Dr. Bower indicated that the Engineering and permitting work might cost about $30K. A motion was approved to ask the selected contractor to attend the next meeting and review the proposal.

* The next meeting will be on August 17th.

OIL SPILL PROBLEM:

   Save the Bays is actively following the path of the oil from Deepwater Horizon as is follows the currents southward in our general direction. We are working with City agencies to establish how best we can protect the Moorings Bay System if the oil reaches us. The City has assigned the task of placing oil absorbent booms across Doctors Pass and Gordon Pass to the Naples Fire Department. Clam Pass will be handled by the North Naples Fire Department that is of interest because of the connection between Clam Bay and our System at Seagate Drive.
   NOAA has run an interesting mathematical model showing the probability of oil in the Gulf and where it will likely affect the shore.  It shows a very low probability of oil landing in Naples (less than 1%) while the Keys and the East Coast are much higher.  To see a summary of this study, click here.   Note that Naples is in the white area.  It would appear that we may get some protection from the outflow of the Calusahattchee River.
  The currents in the Gulf are very interesting as they will be responsible for bringing the oil to us or keeping it away. Generally the water currents flow up from the Yucatan Peninsula to the western side of the Gulf and down the eastern side to the Florida Straight between the Keys and Cuba, however, numerous eddies change the picture dramatically. NOAA has a very interesting chart showing this. Click here to see the chart. You may be interested in the many other variables and locations available on the chart. The information that is available in real time is amazing.


MOORINGS BAY CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING 5-18-10

A summary of meeting discussion follows:
* Repair of the beach erosion south of Doctors Pass was discussed and is proceeding. No action is planned for the erosion at Seagate.
* Funding for repair of the north jetty has been obtained but timing for the work has not been scheduled. The Chairman encouraged getting the job done soon.
* Changes to the Pier Ordinance were reviewed by Robin Singer of City Staff. It was not clear whether or not Save The Bays suggestions have been incorporated. (Save The Bays has just received a copy of the current draft, available by emailing ed@teneyck.com.) The Chairman indicated that it is unlikely that the proposal will come back to this Committee.
* Installation of Storm Drain Medallions has been extended to Route 41 between Seagate and Banyan. The Chairman noted that he observed that 2-3 medallions previously installed were missing and that continued maintenance will be required.
* This Committee needs another Member to maintain the five Members specified. Newspaper advertising was discussed. Any of you living on the Moorings Bay System that are full-time residents, please consider applying for the vacancy. We will be glad to help you apply. Please send an email to ed@teneyck.com.
* Discussion of proposals for installing Habitat on the Moorings Bay Shoal was scheduled to take place immediately following this meeting. It appears that this discussion was not televised.
* The June meeting was cancelled.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR ANNUAL MEETING, April 23, 2010  (Excerps from the Minutes prepared by our President Marilyn Tempest)

Elected Officers and Board for Save The Bays are listed at the bottom of this page.

Mike Bauer and Katie Laakkonen showed us pictures of the Lakes created to allow chemicals to leach out before Golden Gate Canal water enters Naples Bay.   They also showed us pictures of the trawling and species/sizes/numbers found in our bays.   It proved that the Moorings Bay System is alive and well, and the primary source of our good waters is our strong tidal flow.   Katie has a list of species found in the bay. The trawling activity is to take place quarterly.

    
          The Trawling Crew                       Sea Hare                             & their eggs                     Good Bottom Stuff                              Fish

There is a plan to improve our bays by contracting with a company to develop a habitat on our tidal shoal. (We are opposed to any development that would either "grow" our shoal to impede the tidal flow, or in any way impede any views across the water). This plan is in flux at this time.

Doug Finlay, newly elected City Councilman, gave us a good summary of recent actions of the council.
Dock Code Revisions: 5 yard setback from property line
30 ft. piers - does not include boat length - proposed, not final.
Condo piers - marina classification pulled from code.
"Grandfathering" exists in all codes.
Natural Resources will determine "mitigation" for dock building where Natural resources exist.
The only marked channel is in the entrance where markers are present.
Surveys might need to be performed before construction - Doug had issues with this possibility.
Ten Eyck suggested two criteria to be addressed in dock construction.
1. It should not obstruct neighbors' views.
2. It should not adversely affect navigation.
Doug noted that in the situation of "Casa Mori", the new docks within the old footprints are not considered "new".

Beach renourishment: Doug noted that the 700 truckloads of sand to be added to our beaches will end by June 15. The cause of the beach erosion is thought to be the numerous winter storms blowing down the coast from the North.

We noted that both our north and south jetties in Doctors Pass are in need of repair. The steel ribs of the north jetty are visible and Bob Brady noted that the rocks on the south jetty are almost submerged at high tides.

Doug also noted that the Tourist Bureau, for the second year in a row, wants to borrow $1,000,000 from the Beach Fund to promote tourism. As the tourist tax funds beach renourishment, this is considered a raid on the fund! Contact Fred Coyle if they get close to a vote.

The complete Minutes can be read by clicking here.

SAVE THE BAYS REPORT

If you would like to read the current issue of our Newsletter click here.

MOORINGS BAY CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING 4-20-10

A summary of meeting discussion follows:
*The City has been developing plans to put habitat on the shoal just inside of Doctors Pass to grow clams, mangroves and sea grass. Five proposals have been received and will be given to Committee Members for consideration. Save the Bays presented a written position objecting to any plan that would increase the size of the shoal and thus harm water quality by reducing our present very important tidal water flow. Water quality in the Moorings Bay System currently equals that in the Gulf so the justification for adding habitat is not clear. Our objection can be read by clicking here.
* Severe beach erosion at Seagate and south of Doctors Pass was reviewed. The City is pursuing emergency measures to correct the problem.
*Modification of the Pier Ordnance was discussed and the current proposal was distributed. Responsibility for this now lies with the City Planning Dept. The draft can be read by clicking here,
*Installation of storm drain medallions is being extended to Route 41 and later Citywide.
*Shoal buildup has been detected just inside Doctors Pass and at Marker 14. Water depths are about 5 feet at MLLW. Additional evaluation is needed.
*Funding for repair of the North Jetty has been obtained.
The next meeting is scheduled for May 18th.

NEW WATER DEPTH CHARTS FOR THE MOORINGS BAY SYSTEM

Last fall, the Moorings Bay Taxing District sponsored charting of the Moorings Bay System.  The resulting charts can be seen by clicking here and following the directions indicated.  Go to maps and, after accepting, go to the Natural Resurces section to select the area desired.  The values for the depth contours may not show up on the Google Earth option but do on the Web Browser option.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MOORINGS BAY CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING Feb.19, 2010:

* A motion to recommend a change in the City Dock Code was passed. The change would limit the area of docks to 30% of the property length (less setback) times 30ft. Boats cannot protrude beyond the dock. The discussion considered parallel docking of boats. The question of whether or not this applies to perpendicular docks was raised. If it applies to perpendicular docks, the maximum size boat that could be docked would be about 28 ft. This appears to be an unacceptable restriction without justification. We are attempting to obtain the Minutes with the exact wording.
* It appears that the City is developing plans to put habitat for mollusks on the Moorings Bay shoal. Residents may be interviewed to obtain their opinion about this. It was suggested that a gazebo type structure might be placed on the shoal.
*The placement of storm drain medallions on private property was discussed briefly.
The next meeting is scheduled for March 16th.

CLAM BAY SYSTEM STUDY:

Collier County sponsored a very interesting study of the waters of Clam Bay and their interaction with the Moorings Bay System at Venetian Bay. The two waters join at culverts under Seagate Drive. The study indicates that the waters of Clam Bay are "Verified Impaired" with contaminates such as chlorophyll and nutrients, and the oxygen concentration is frequently below standard. In contrast, the waters of the Moorings Bay System meet Florida Standards consistently with a few excursions near the culverts in Venetian Bay. The difference is likely due to the superior tidal flushing in the Moorings Bay System. The large amount of water going in and out through Doctors Pass and circulating through our system keeps it healthy. Circulation through the Clam Bay System is limited by the shallow and narrow width of Clam Pass, numerous shoals in the system and vegetation. This illustrates the importance of keeping the channels in the Moorings Bay System dredged and open for high water flow with each tidal change. The study indicates that a net 7 million gallons of water flows from Clam Bay to Venetian Bay with each tidal cycle. This is a lot of water for the Moorings Bay System to handle. All of this less desirable water must get out of our system through Doctors Pass. This is a report that is well worth reading. The Executive Summary can be read by clicking here. If you would like to read the complete report of 89 pages please contact ed@teneyck.com, and it will be transmitted to you via email.

MOORINGS BAY WATER QUALLITY:

The City has taken over water quality testing from Save The Bays although we still supply the boats for sample collection. Results from a year of testing indicate that our water quality is very good and meets Florida Standards. Eight parameters are measured. A sample graph is shown below. MB1 is near the culverts at Seagate Drive, and samples show high chlorophyll at times. High chlorophyll results in green colored water. Other sample locations proceed southward as the location number increases. The complete set of graphs including a map of sample locations can be viewed by clicking here.



HIGHLIGHTS FROM MOORINGS BAY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETNG (JAN 22, 2010):

* Staff reviewed measurements of the length of boat docks in the Moorings system. After discussion of possible code changes, the staff was asked to provide additional information.
* The results of the medallions added to storm sewer gratings to reduce contamination of our Bays were discussed. One person found violating the medallion rule will be given a community service task.
* The North Jetty at Doctors Pass needs repairs and engineering work has been completed. The permit for this is good until 2019. Funding for the work has not been obtained, and it is unlikely to be done this year.
* The use of rip rap to provide habitat for marine life was discussed. This would be used in place of or with sea walls. It was generally agreed that we have considerable marine life in our Bays now but most of it may come in through the pass. The addition of rip rap to the shoal at the pass was suggested to provide additional habitat. No action was taken.
* A large fish kill in our Bays was discussed, and cleanup was reviewed.

FALL MEETING:
(Excerpts from our Minutes written by our President, Marilyn Tempest)

Medallion Project: Al Katz gave us a report on the Medallion Project of the MBTAC. The medallions warn that anything put into the storm sewers flows directly into the Bays. Save The Bays helped to affix the medallions on Nov. 7. About 40 residents helped in this effort. Asked if Clam Bay residents might be interested in this program, Al noted that because our taxing district paid for this, we cannot use these funds for projects outside our district. Dudley asked if Moorings Park could be a part of the program and the same circumstances applied, since they are not part of MB taxing district.

    

Riprap and Mangrove Project: Mike Bauer discussed riprap and mangroves, noting that 40% of the state's mangroves have been removed due to development. He told of his plan to plant mangroves on a shoal in Naples Bay. Mangroves grow in both fresh and salt water so they have been successfully planted in lakes in Naples. They protect the shoreline and provide habitat for fish. They greatly improve the water quality. Mike told us that mangroves can be planted below the level of the top layer of rocks in riprap outside of an existing seawall.
Bryan Russell told of the methods of applying riprap, the sizes of rock necessary (larger rocks necessary where the waterways are active or wave action is greater), and the state rules for using riprap on state owned waterways. Moorings Bay is City Owned. Naples Bay is State Owned, so all properties bordering Naples Bay must use riprap. Bryan noted that riprap is more easily and cheaply applied when there is vacant land for transporting the rocks to the site and before a dock is built. The price of installing riprap is about 50% lower than building a seawall - about $250 to $375/linear foot. However the actual cost depends upon the size of the rocks and transporting them to the work site. He also showed us structures of cement that house mangrove plants that can be set up near edges of lakes or bays. Some of these structures are 6 ft. high and 3 ft. wide. Some are smaller. They were shaped like beehives with holes for water circulation. When we questioned the problems of residences very close to the water and possibility of shifting foundations if seawalls were replaced by riprap, Bryan said that engineering surveys must be done before replacing a seawall with riprap. Newer residences are built on pilings which would prevent those problems. It is also possible to put riprap outside portions of a seawall for a natural habitat and omit an existing dock area.

Our Motion: Save the Bays then suggested that the taxing district discuss with the City of Naples, a recommendation that seawalls within Moorings Bay System that are failing by 50% be replaced with riprap, not a new seawall. At this time this is not a City requirement, but STB is interested in making our bays as "natural" as possible and would support discussions about this. We support the use of riprap and planting of mangroves, but we were hesitant about mandating its use. It was noted that any walled indentations found on some properties would need to remain walled areas.

Building of Docks in Moorings Bay System: We discussed the code for length of Piers into the Bays and what affect the application of riprap might have. The channels thought to ring the Bays are no longer in evidence so currently one can build a pier out 20 ft. OR to water depths of 5 ft. at MLLW. We aren't sure if there will be a problem with the length of piers if riprap is used, extending out from the shoreline at the base. We were told that it is possible to make a "V" indentation in riprap if a boat needs room at the bow end.

Water testing: Mike Bauer noted that soon the year's monthly test results will be released and that they show our water quality to be good. We look forward to reading the report.

WATER QUALITY:
For many years, Save The Bays has measured the water quality in our Bays.  This year, the City has taken over this program but Save The Bays will provide a boat for the sampling. The program is being carried out under the direction of Mike Bauer (Environmental Manager) and Katie Laakkonen (Envionmental Specialist).  Below are some pictures of them in action.



ANNUAL MEETING:
(Excerpts from the Minutes written by our President, Marilyn Tempest)

Speaker:  Mr. Bill Moss, City Manager, spoke to us for about a half hour on the budget problems facing Naples in this Recession. We have 26,000 trees in parks and medians along with all the bushes and flowers in these areas which all have to be tended. People expect this of Naples and public opinion is important. Mr. Moss reported that the city has a budget of $130 Million and will face $2.5 to $5 Million deficit next year. All departments have faced cutbacks except for the Natural Resources Dept. which is responsible for the Environmental aspects of the city. Some of the problems facing the budget of the city are the result of strong labor unions of the fire and police departments. Another problem is a contract the city entered into last year to raise the salaries of city employees 9% per year for 3 years. There was no solution for the shortfalls except for planned retirements and layoffs - as well as raising the A/C temps in public buildings. Mr. Moss said that they are struggling to keep city services funded and make selected changes such as changing the hours for Recreation Centers which are not heavily used, and the city's swimming pool which is only lightly used.

Membership Report:   Bill Lazear reported that of our members 1/4 have joined before 2000, 1/4 before 2005, and half since 2005.  We have 887 contributing members now and since March we have received 177 donations totaling $3,805.

Dredging Report:  Mike Bauer reported that he had just heard that the post dredging survey revealed that only 20,000 of the contracted 36,000 cu. Ft. of sand had been removed. The dredging company will have to return to complete the job. We don't know when that will be. (Now Completed)  The sand was deposited off shore south of the Pass where it will eventually drift onshore.

Water Quality Report:
Moorings Bay System is now being tested for many new chemicals/bacteria. Katie Laakkonen and Mike Bauer test every month in four different locations. Save The Bays provides the boats for their testing. This has been ongoing for 6 months and after a year Katie will be able to establish a trend line. So far nothing has been above the state guidelines. If that were to occur, Katie would flag the substance and let us know. The decals for the stormwater drain covers are nearing completion. They will be glued onto every drain cover on Public land. Property owners are urged to obtain them, free, to affix to the covers on their land. The hope is that civic groups, like the Scouts, will take on the task of gluing the decals on the public drain covers. These decals have their message in English and Spanish - it is unlawful to dump hazardous materials into the drains and doing so could result in fines. Al Katz also reported that Collier County is soon starting an expensive study to determine the flow through the culverts. Members thought much simpler means could be employed to study this! Soon the Taxing District may do a survey to determine where the channels are in the bays. They seem to vary and often are missing altogether. The city code states that the channels were supposed to be 20 ft. from the seawalls, although this is closer to land than many residents have noted. This is important for determining the position and length of individual piers.

Debris Removal Report:   Gerry Rosow has not received calls about debris in the bays, although a member has seen trails of white substances in the Pass. Mike Bauer said to report such occurrences to him.

DP Light Report:  No problems with the light at the Pass.

New Projects:   We will urge all residents who are fixing a seawall or intending to build a new one to consider Rip Rap instead. It is cheaper for the resident and it provides habitat for fish and oysters. Rip Rap is much better for the health of the bays. It is possible that this could be mandated by city codes, but so far it is a voluntary measure. We hope to get exact quotes for seawalls VS rip rap and to publish this with pictures in an upcoming Report.

If you would like to read the complete report of the Annual Meeting, Click here.

DREDGING OF DOCTORS PASS COMPLETED:

We thought that dredging of the Pass was completed as scheduled, however, a subsequent survey of water depths indicated that the contracted quantity of sand removal was not attained.  The Dredge returned to finish the job.  Here you see the Dredge working to remove material from the Sand Trap.  This is a large cavity at the entrance to the Pass that collects sand before it enters the Pass.  Some sand gets through and this was dredged from shallow areas in the Pass and in the nearby, inside passages.  The Board of Directors is following the operation:




HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE JANUARY BOARD MEETING:
(Excerpts from the Minutes by our President, Marilyn Tempest)

DR. ASWANI VOLETY OF FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY ON THE CLAMS AND OYSTERS PROJECT

Dr. Volety spoke to the group summarizing the year long project we funded through our Dan Spina Grant for seeding clams and oysters in 6 areas of the Bays to find out if the mollusks thrived in the various locations.  The locations, under docks, were selected in parts of the bays farther from the Pass.  What we found was that except for predation at one location, and problems during the rainy season decreasing the salinity, all the areas supported good growth in the clams and oysters.   Dr. Volety noted that in areas of high salinity the clams are more successful than oysters and in areas of lower salinity the oysters are more successful than the clams.   Moorings Bay is actually higher in salinity than the Gulf.  Both species had wonderful growth rates.  It was noted there was little fresh water run off until the rainy season when the salinity was lowered in the bay water.  Unless the fresh water is abundant, it sits in a thin layer on top of the salt water and does not adversely affect the mollusks.  But during the rainy summer season, there are often heavy storm events pouring greater amounts of fresh water into the bay, along with the contaminants from the streets and yards from Tamiami Trail west.

Dr. Volety said our study concluded that since both species grew very well in the bay waters, it could be possible, with proper substrate for each, to seed large numbers of both mollusks in the Moorings Bay System to filter the water.  Dr. Volety passed out a report of the study and it can be read by clicking here.  There were questions following Dr. Volety’s presentation about whether both species were necessary for the success of their growth and affecting the water quality.   He said each one thrives individually and each has its own particular substrate requirements.  What number would be necessary to totally clean the entire bay? It is estimated that it would take millions of mollusks to adequately filter the bay.  Dr. Bauer and Katie Laakkonen said our water quality is good and the totally filtered water was not necessary for high water quality.  They both discussed the city’s oyster project on the shoal in our bay.   This project ran into difficulties when the tidal ebb and flow buried the oyster shell bags with sand.   They questioned how the design might be modified to support an oyster colony and grow.  The best solution to use the shoal for increasing water quality could be planting mangroves.  Dan Spina moved to thank Dr. Volety for his speech and the handling of the project.  Dan hoped to have him propose new projects to further improve the water quality and thus our property values.   To live on the cleanest water possible would increase property value. Mike Bauer and Katie Laakkonen spoke about storm water runoff and how it was the source of the only problems we seem to have.

They proposed that we encourage water gardens by our downspouts to allow the water to be filtered and seep into the ground rather than sheet off our property.  Other suggestions were the introduction of mangroves (on the shoal) and the addition of rip rap along our seawalls (or in place of seawalls), to provide support for oysters and habitat for fish.  One could also plant mangrove plants among the rip rap for further habitat and filtration of the water.

DREDGING

Councilman John Sorey reported that the dredging of Wiggins Pass was to commence on Monday, Feb. 9 and the project should reach Doctors Pass on March 10, lasting for 17 days.  Bob Brady asked what could be done to protect the dredge and to keep boaters away from the equipment.   He thought posted signs could aid in protecting the equipment and the boaters.   Al Katz and John Sorey noted that there was a boat monitoring the operation last time to keep the transiting boats from harm’s way and communicating with boaters about the operations and safe navigation.

MBCAC

Al Katz gave us the report from the MBCAC.  A survey of the entire bay system to find the channel and note the location and depth of the channel has been requested.  Several companies are bidding to perform this survey. Al said that the city code 56 –93 discusses the channel and the construction of docks.  It notes that the channel “generally” is located 20 ft. from the seawalls. The construction and positioning of docks is a problem that is still being discussed in MBCAC.  The stormwater drains are being located and the medallions for them are being designed.  City Council wants a notification on each medallion that pouring certain liquids into the drains is illegal and fines may result.
This warning should be in English and Spanish.  The cost and design are under consideration.  We are about 20 years away from a system of non potable water for lawn watering.   It requires extensive infrastructure and cost.   Water collection and filtration fields and lakes are under construction currently so that storm water collected in the city is not just pumped out into the Gordon River.

The City of Naples received a grant of $250,000 to repair the north jetty.   All bids so far have come in far above this amount. It is reported that the south jetty is also in need of repair although the steel ribs are not exposed as those on the north side are.  This project will be included in a greater jetty project to begin in about a year beginning in Marco Island and continuing in other areas where it is necessary.

MISCELLANEOUS

Bob Brady reported that the DP light is working properly.
Ed Ten Eyck noted that the Web Page had about 75 “hits” in January.   He needs new material to post to it.
Gerry Rosow said no problems have been reported lately concerning debris in the bay waters. There have been no new reports of thefts of high speed boats.  The people who own those types of boats have been notified and warned by the City Police to take proper precautions to protect their boats.  They should lock their boats, disconnect the power to the lifts and secure the boats to the lifts with chains and locks.

CHARTS FOR DOCTORS PASS AND MOORINGS BAY:

     Bill Lazear has prepared depth charts for the pass and its approaches.  The charts are in two sections and can be viewed by clicking on West or East.  There is also a chart of Moorings Bay.  Click here for it.

WHAT A CONCH!  A 22 inch long conch was found in our waters during a recent inspection of our planted mollusks. This is near record size. We hope that it (not sure of gender) grows to beat the record.



OYSTER AND CLAM PROJECT - DANIEL SPINA GRANT:  On behalf of Save The Bays, Dan Spina presented a Grant to Professor Aswani Volety, Head of the Marine and Ecological Dept. of Florida Gulf Coast University.   The grant will fund a study of clam and oyster growth in our bays.  These mollusks filter nutrients from the water as they feed.  We hope that ultimately this technique can be used to improve the water quality throughout our system. In naming this Grant, we chose to honor Dan Spina, the founder of Save The Bays, long-time President and now our Chairman Emeritus.



     The first part of this program was undertaken recently with the planting of live clams under selected docks in the whole Moorings Bay System.  The planting of oysters will come later when the cultured oysters have reached the proper size. Professor Vincent Encomia and Heather Benton, a student, are handling the project for FGCU. Al and Roz Katz, our CoChairmen for Water Quality with responsibility for this project, report on the planting experience as follows: This morning, Roz, Al, Katie Fuhr, Heather and Vincent from FGCU all met at our dock at 9:00AM. Dan Spina came down to wish a bon voyage and take a few pictures. We had enough baby clams for 5 locations. Clams were good size, actually edible. We visited 5 sites from Pirates Bight to Banyan and placed the clams on the bottom. A lot more work than I ever anticipated. Clams are placed in a large mesh bag, about 4' wide X 6' long and placed on the bottom, then held down with wire type anchors with a string attached to a dock. Lots of diving down to make sure the wire anchors were in place. At Banyan (we got permission from Charleston Condos to use their dock), the water was so dirty that our FGCU folks needed to be hosed down before we let them back onto the boat. We couldn't use Bill Lazear's dock because the water depth when we got there was 10'. Too deep. When we do our monitoring, we will have to go at real low tide so the FGCU folks can work in the water. We have lots of photos to share which we will get up soon(Selected photos shown below). We plan to have one more clam site and 6 oyster sites. Oysters will be a lot easier. The oysters are actually being grown for us now and should soon be ready. The small live oysters are suspended from a dock in a mesh bag. We think the monthly monitoring can be done by car and we won't need to go by boat. That will save a lot of time. Park Shore Marina lent us a boat for the job since we are without one right now. More to come later. Let's hope our little clams survive and grow. We also did a decent water quality measurement at each site and will continue to do this for the year. Al Katz




Recent Inspection Report:
    Yesterday (Nov. 9), we did our first monthly inspection of the clams that were planted last month.  From FGCU was Heather, our student,; Dr. Vince, her professor and advisor, and a young man, Jim, who Dr. Vince brought along to help.  Everyone was in wet suits and we visited the 5 sites planted last month and we also planted a 6th. site because we didn't have enough clams last month.   Also, regarding the oyster, FGCU now has juvenile oysters in their lab and they need to grow just a bit more before we plant them.  Hopefully, this can be done in Dec., but for sure in Jan.
   So, what did we find?   In almost all of the sites, we found astounding growth of the clams!.   The FGCU folks were amazed.  The growth is quite visible, just by looking at the rings around the outer edge of the shells.  This growth was especially noticeable at the Banyan site.   Perhaps lots of nutrients there. Also, the mortality was quite low.   Mortality will be the result of sickness of the clams or from predators --- sting rays, sheepshead etc.  If mortality results from illness, the shells are usually intact and empty, but if the result of predators, the shells are usually all cracked up.   In one site, we had high mortality resulting from predators.   Lots of broken shells.  The nets we are using have a predator mesh over them but the predators got in anyhow.  It's possible the net and mesh got fouled up on the bottom when initially planted.  Anyhow, it was lots of fun and a more detailed report will follow soon. Roz & Al



January Inspection Report from Roz and Al

Yesterday, we conducted our 4th outing with the folks from FGCU.   It was a beautiful day and we were all really pleased with what we found at each of our 6 locations.  We are attaching 3 pictures to show you our progress:
a.. Oysters At 1 Month - this is the first batch of Oysters we took out of the water.
b.. Oyster Growth After 1 Month - compares the size of a new oyster to one we just took out of the water!
c.. Clams Continue to Grow - This is Heather Benton (the student who is conducting our project) holding a clam that was "planted" in October. The white bands are indications of growth!
We'd say that it looks like our clams and oysters are happy to be in the Moorings Bays!   Except for the one location where we have seen a tremendous amount of predation we have not lost very many.   Our next outing will probably be on February 7th or 9th.  Please let us know if you would like to join us for all or part of outing - we start around 8:00 AM and finish around 2:00 PM.



February Inspection Report from Roz and Al:

Here are some of the pictures from yesterday's outing. The clams and oysters continue to grow (there was minimal loss this month) and, at 2 locations we discovered baby scallops. Our friends from FGCU tell us that this is a very good sign, since scallops need a high level of water quality.



NEW FGCU MARINE SCIENCE LAB AT BONITA SPRINGS

   Bill & Nancy Lazear, Al Katz and Dan Spina visited the new FGCU Marine Field Station in Bonita Beach on Estero Bay. We were met there by Dr. Mike Bauer, Director of Natural Resources and Katie Laakkonen of the Naples City staff. We met with Dr. Aswani Volety of FGCU who gave us a very complete tour of the laboratory, outdoor breeding site for oyster spat, tank facility for growing algae and conference room for holding scientific meetings. Dan Spina presented a check to Dr. Volety for an additional contribution from Save The Bays in conjunction with the assistance Save The Bays is receiving in conducting our oyster and clam project in the Moorings Bay system. This initial project is slated for completion by the end of 2008 at which time the oysters and clams that have been grown will be deposited in the Bay to live on their own. A couple of clams and oysters will be tested for bacteria and also for heavy metals to determine if they are safe for human consumption. The projects results will be thoroughly analyzed by the FGCU staff and the City of Naples to determine the next steps in this endeavor.

TESTING WATER QUALITY

     Kathy Worley, Environmental Specialist with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, reported on water quality analyses for samples taken this past August.  Her summary of the findings follows:
*Moorings Bay still appears to be driven by weather, tidal conditions and to some extent rainfall and stormwater runoff. Seasonal and long-term climatic cycles are having an effect on local water quality conditions. Draught conditions present at this time appear to have affected the local waterways, which was visually apparent in the increased clarity throughout the system.
*Tendency for slightly higher nutrient levels and lower dissolved oxygen readings in the North and South ends of the Mooring System (the North end at Seagate particular this sampling period).
*Overall there is still a possibility of a decreasing trend in Dissolved Oxygen developing in Moorings Bay.  All stations were below State Standards this sampling period — which is not unusual during this time of year due to increasing water temperatures.  However, the same stations are showing indications of low dissolved oxygen at times when the water temperature is cooler in the winter.  Seagate and Banyan continue to have the lowest dissolved oxygen readings on average below State Standards.
*Water was observed moving from Clam Bay into Moorings Bay through the culverts at Seagate during this sampling period.

OYSTER HABITAT ON THE MOORINGS BAY SHOAL

     As you know from past readings of this page, the City planted an oyster habitat on the sand/mud bar in Moorings Bay  This is a test to establish whether they will clarify the water.  In addition, Save The Bays is working with Florida Gulf Coast University on a similar plan with plantings in other parts of our Bay System.

Katie Fuhr, Environmental Specialist for the City of Naples, describes the operation as follows:
      With the help of 30 Volunteers (4 from STBs, Naples Dock and Marine, Naples High Students, DEP, CDM, and other residents), 200 shell bags were placed on the shoal in the shape of an "L" just north of Doctors Pass. The deployed bags are marked with 2 red buoys and 2 yellow buoys.  This reef will be monitored by City of Naples staff at least twice a year and it is the hope of staff that oyster spat will recruit naturally onto the shell bags to form an oyster reef.  The ultimate goal being to provide more habitat in Moorings Bay by utilizing the shallow substrate that currently exists.

  

     The City Staff made an inspection of the Habitat recently, and Katie describes their experience as follows:

Hi Folks-
Just thought I would send some photos of our last site visit to the shoal in September.  The bags are getting buried with sand, so I am not sure how much actual hard substrate will survive for oyster attachment.  We have not observed any spat yet, however, it has only been 6 full months since they were deployed, and in oyster recruitment world, that is not a long time. We have observed stones crabs, blue crabs, juvenile mangrove snapper, and tunicates utilizing the bags though. Also, a smattering of seagrass--Shoal Grass--has popped up just to the East of the bags too, which we have not observed before.
Our reef is attracting considerable marine life. Pictures taken by Katie during this inspection are shown below:
 

BAY TRASH REMOVAL - CITY POLICY

     Naples has established a Policy for trash removal from the Moorings Bay System.  This activity is carried out by the Community Services Department headed by Director David Lykins. Observations of these problems should be phoned to 213-7120, and the Receptionist there will forward the problem to the appropriate person in the City Government.  The complete Policy can be read by clicking here

SAVE THE BAYS BOARD AND OFFICERS The Board and Officers listed below were elected at the Annual Meeting. Bob Brady Bob Erbstein Dudley Herndon, Treasurer Will Larson Bill Lazear Dan Spina, Founding Chairman Emeritus Marilyn Tempest, President Ed Ten Eyck Michael Williams, Vice President

WEB SITE: Don't forget to tell your friends about our Web Site. They can find out all about us and may want to become Members. We need your help in passing the word along.