Final Minutes
Technical Committee Meeting
May 30-31, 2002
Herschler Building
Cheyenne WY
Agenda and Minutes
Paul Tebbel, Technical Committee (TC) Chair, called the meeting to order at 1:20 p.m. No changes to the agenda were suggested. The February TC minutes were accepted as modified.
Status Reports
Governance Committee and Finance Committee - Clayton Derby reported that the last Governance Committee workshop focused on the No Action Alternative, Screening Analysis, Action Alternatives, and overall EIS outline. The states will be working with the EIS Team on providing comments. Potential topics for discussion at the July workshop are the revised Proposed Program description, Geomorphology, Hydrology, and Economics. Other topics also be worked on by the Governance Committee include the Habitat Protection Plan, Program Document, Structures Document, and Program Budget. The Finance Committee has not met since the last TC meeting.
Whooping Crane Monitoring - A draft report for the spring 2002 survey from Gary Lingle, AIM Environmental Consulting, is expected soon. The TC will be asked to review the report, provide comments, and then a final report will be developed. The TC asked the Executive Director's office to develop a summary table and maps of the past three whooping crane survey periods identifying number of locations, dates, habitat at use sites, etc, but not conclusions.
Tern and Plover Monitoring - The FWS completed the May survey between Chapman and Gibbon. They were unable to go between Gibbon and the Kearney Canal Diversion because of lack of water in the channel. Jim Jenniges completed the survey between the J2 return and the Kearney Canal Diversion. Neither river survey located any nesting terns or plovers. Jim also completed surveys at sandpits above Odessa and Mark Czaplewski completed surveys at pits below Odessa. Birds have been confirmed nesting at several pit locations.
Pallid Sturgeon - Sharon Whitmore noted that survey efforts in the lower Platte by Dr. Ed Peters have resulted in the capture of another adult pallid sturgeon. This was not a gravid female, but was a mature adult, sex unknown.
Dale Strickland reviewed the current strategy in developing a monitoring and research plan for pallid sturgeon. The FWS has developed a draft plan that was reviewed by the Executive Director's office, and is now being internally reviewed by FWS. Dale noted that concern was raised at the last GC meeting that further internal reviews by the FWS may cause the FWS to become "entrenched". Sharon assured the TC that this is unfounded and will not happen. It was noted that some state representatives had hoped for earlier participation into the process or even to be provided the data so that and states proposal could be developed for addressing pallid sturgeon in the Program. Sharon noted that all data are public information and could be attained by contacting her office directly.
Cottonwood Ranch Property Monitoring and Research - Paul Kinzel, USGS, provided a report on the activities conducted and data collected as part of the Technical Committee's Cottonwood Ranch Monitoring and Research Protocol.
- Protocol implementation began in October of 2000,
- Reviewed USGS web site containing cross-sectional and sediment data. Paul asked for comments on the sites usefulness to the TC,
- Noted that the optical back-scatter sensor has not been working for collection of suspended sediment,
- Stated that they have been taking more ground photos, conducting more cross-sectional measurements, and more sediment sampling than directed in protocol,
- Paul Kinzel provided an electronic copy of his presentation (a 12 MB file) to the Executive Director's office for distribution to requesting parties.
Paul also discussed work that he has done in the central Platte region related to LIDAR technology. Most work to date with LIDAR has been in terrestrial areas or aquatic areas separately. This work between the USGS and NASA is to look at the effectiveness of using LIDAR when both land and water areas are being covered.
After Paul's presentation, John Shadle updated the TC on future management activities planned for Cottonwood Ranch. John noted that NPPD would be conducting some form of management at the Phase I area. Options include clearing trees and backwaters and this activity plus implementation of some portion of the Sediment-Vegetation study plan developed by the Parsons-EIS Team. This would likely be an investigation in the island lowering. For the island lowering investigation to occur, a detailed study plan identifying scope, area, and methods will be needed before NPPD can buy liability insurance to cover any damages that might occur downstream. The Governance Committee needs to decide what direction it wishes to take on implementing any island lowering investigations.
Protocols
Geomorphology
The Executive Director's office distributed a draft Geomorphology Protocol via email prior to the meeting. The protocol contains the geomorphology information from and replaces the geomorphology portion of the General Monitoring protocol and also contains input from the Parsons-EIS Team. The TC discussed various design and sample intensity issues. Concern was raised that if the sampling is not done correctly that biases will enter into the calculations that may otherwise be avoided. Concern was also raised that with a limited number of transects, that if only one or two land near bridges or other human induced areas that these could greatly impact the entire database. Dale noted that it will also be possible to post-stratify the systematic sample of transects so that information from these areas can be selectively removed from the analysis to remove the effect of these or other land features. Other issues briefly discussed included describing how channel width measurements taken from transect information will be combined with and used as ground truthing for measurements off aerial photos and timing of sample periods. It was recognized that the primary driving force behind number of transects and samples taken will be budgetary consideration. TC comments should be submitted to the Executive Director's office by June 28.
Aerial Photography
There was consensus that the Executive Director's office should develop a proposal to be submitted to the FC and GC for approval to conduct black and white aerial photography in the fall/winter of 2002.
Tern and Plover Protocol
Clayton Derby reviewed the major protocol modifications since implementation in 2001. Most modifications were discussed during the September 2001 TC meeting in Cheyenne and include 1) the method for driving the air boat up the river changed from one or two passes depending on channel width to operating the boat such that all sand can be viewed, 2) minimum channel width survey increased from 25 m to 75 m, 3) habitat measurements changed from primarily nest based to primarily colony based (colony being defined as a group of one or more nests), 4) the intensive monitoring section was moved to a research topic when nests on the river are found.
Peer Review Work Plan
The TC recognized the uncertainty in proceeding with revision of the peer review work plan given the recent discussion of an overall National Academy of Sciences review of the Program. The TC asked that that the GC be advised of the specific language in the CA regarding peer review during the next GC meeting and asked if they want the TC to pursue peer review of the identified items or wait until after the NAS review.
Adjourn for May 30 at 6:20 p.m.
May 31, 2002
Protocols - continued
Database Management
A draft Database Management Protocol in sufficient detail to solicit bids for contractors was distributed for TC review prior to the meeting. The current protocol addresses everyone's identified needs for a database, however the TC could decide to remove items based on costs and further consideration. The TC spent some time discussing written comments received on the protocol prior to the meeting and decided to leave the overall protocol design the same as written (e.g., web access, GIS integration, etc.) They asked that as much graphics and summary tables be included as possible and not just the raw data for ease in interpretation by a larger audience. The TC asked that pre-proposal to implement a pilot database effort be developed for FC consideration at their next meeting. Proposals will help establish and refine the total budget estimate. Concern was raised that other items such as NAS review will be of higher priority to the FC and that they pre-proposal may not be approved. The TC was asked to provide additional comments by June 28.
In-Channel Vegetation Monitoring
The In-Channel Vegetation Monitoring subgroup agreed upon two purposes at their last meeting: 1) At the system level, document presence/absence of seedlings by elevation for management purposes an 2) At management level document effectiveness of management activity (e.g., response of areas discing, cottonwood seedling survival in response to EA management, etc.) There was discussion regarding whether this protocol provides "available" tern and plover nesting habitat, a critical parameter in the type of analysis proposed for this survey in the monitoring and research plan. It was noted that it may be necessary to come up with an index of available habitat given information from photos, flows, amount of bare sand, etc. The Executive Director's office was asked to draft a protocol with the purposes as stated above and then all parties can see how it fits with the tern and plover protocol, geomorphology protocol and others.
Protocol Packaging
The TC discussed different options to package different protocols (e.g., whooping crane and tern/plover) or different periods (e.g., spring and fall whooping crane) into one contract in an attempt to make the protocols more attractive to prospective bidders. There was TC consensus to package the next three whooping crane surveys periods - fall 2002, spring and fall 2003 - into one request for proposals.
Fall 2001 Whooping Crane Monitoring Report
Minor changes to the most recent draft were suggested and the report was accepted as final with incorporation of the changes. The Executive Director's office will distribute the final report.
2001 Tern and Plover Monitoring Report
All comments received to date on the 2001 Tern and Plover Monitoring report were incorporated and no further comments were made during the meeting. The report was accepted as final. The Executive Director's office will distribute the final report.
Vegetation Sampling Report
A draft report discussing vegetation sampling done by the Executive Director's office to test the Management-Level portion of the Vegetation Protocol at Cottonwood Ranch was distributed prior to the meeting. The TC asked that the existing Vegetation Subgroup review the report and develop recommendation prior to full TC involvement.
Habitat Protection Plan/Land Action Plan
Dale reviewed the development of the Habitat Protection Plan (HPP) to date. It was noted that the HPP is evolving into the overall Land Action Plan (LAP). Concern was raised that if this is going to be the LAP that significantly more information and detail is needed on items such as Land Interest Holding Entity, staffing, etc. Concern was also raised regarding disagreement on the technical aspects of the document, specifically disagreement with Table 1. Dale reviewed what Table 1 represents and noted that the Program is to work toward those parameters within the physical limits of lands purchased. However, he pointed out that Table 1 should be considered guidelines and not requirements. Other comments voiced included the overall wording of the document is difficult to understand, the need for a better description of what Tables 1 and 2 represent, parameters in Table 1 and 2 may work for acquisition but may not work for restoration guidance, and the need to better clarify how lands such as Jeffrey Island fit within the Program. Paul Tebbel noted that several TC members submitted written comments before the meeting and that further comments should be submitted by June 10 to Clayton. These comments will be forwarded to the HPP Group as technical comments, not TC comments, with direction that there will not be further TC review.
IMRP
Clayton reviewed development on the IMRP to date. No comments were submitted since the last meeting, but the TC needs to complete the document as much as possible prior to the NAS review. One major item that is needed is to add detail to the protocol list to describe the protocols intent. The TC will focus more on the IMRP after the June 10 TC/GC workshop on monitoring and research. The goal is to have the IMRP to the GC in mid-fall 2002.
Future Meetings
July 17, 2002, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Holiday Inn, Kearney, Nebraska
Possible: August 7 all day in Denver
Adjourn - 11:10 a.m.
For further information, contact the Technical Committee chair
For further information about the Partnership,
contact any Governance Committee member.For comments and questions about this website, please email Buck Feist or call 406-247-7607