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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugusta Port Authority Minutes June 17, 2010 Minutes of Augusta Port Authority Meeting Thursday June 17, 2010 Frank Carl called the meeting to order at 9:05 AM In attendance were Port Authority Members Lawrence Washington, Cary Rivers, Wayne Hawkins, Harry Moore, Perry Robinson, Clarence Thompkins, and Frank Carl. Visitors included Chrislynne Kuhlke, Johnny Christian, Jeff Banks and Bill Bricker. There were no additions to agenda and no volunteers for secretary so the Chairman accepted the responsibility to take notes. The minutes of the April meeting were approved as written. Johnny Christian reported that the relations between Mobile Marine and Day in the Country were contentious again this year. Frank recommended that Mr. Stacy and Ms. Norris submit to the Port Authority plans for allowing access to the warehouse during the event. Those plans should be submitted by the February meeting of the Authority and should outline the points of contention between the parties and a recommended solution to each point of contention. A committee of neutral observers will then be appointed from the Port Authority to design a mechanism for handling the interaction before, during, and after the event. Mobile marine promised to have all boats removed from the Riverfront Marina for the Southern Nationals. Mr. Christian also noted that crime and vandalism are increasing on the riverfront. In response to Mr. Christian’s indication that another notice had been sent out to boat owners at the Riverfront Marina to use the dumpster at the Boathouse instead of the garbage cans at the pavilion, the Chairman suggested that the Port Authority look into establishing garbage service for the pavilions. Mr. Christian reiterated Mobile Marine’s position that the new dock at the warehouse should have 24 inches of freeboard. There were several opinions on the Port Authority about the matter including not replacing the dock, but the prevailing sentiment was to compromise with a dock that is half 8 inch freeboard and half 24 inch freeboard. It was decided to submit those specifics to potential bidders. Mr. Christian indicated that the water heater at the Gift Shop is still not fixed. Chrislynne thought that the Maintenance Shop had taken care of that, but she said that she would check on it. Mr. Christian reported that the Marinas passed the environmental inspection by the Georgia DNR. Perry Robinson reported on the visit by the Corps on April 30 concerning weed amelioration in ommittee met with several members of the Corps of Engineers. the river. He indicated that c The members of the Corps at the meeting were Jamie Sykes, a biologist from Lake Russell, Allen Dean, the person who deals regularly with the aquatic weed infestations on Clarks Hill Lake, Jason Ward, one of the hydrologists from the Savannah District office who control the flows in the river, Scott Hyatt, Operations Manager at Clarks Hill Lake, and Dr. Michael Netherland with the University of Florida and the Corps. Dr. Netherland is an expert on invasive aquatic plants and was asked to tour the river at Augusta to make recommendations on how to control the invasive plants in the river. The team spent almost two hours on the river looking at problem areas infested by both Brazilian elodea and water hyacinth, both invasive species. They returned to the Boathouse where they spent another two hours discussing potential solutions to the problem. Dr. Netherland noted that currently there is not a significant problem, but that could change depending on flows and changes in the water levels and nutrient sources. It was generally agreed by all present that low flows and consistently low water levels and the apparent availability of essential nutrients contribute to the growth of the invasive species creating the problems. Tonya Bonitatibus, the Savannah Riverkeeper, thought that we could eventually control the problem by controlling the nutrient sources, but even she agreed that such a solution would take a long time and require considerable public education. However, everyone did agree that if the anthropogenic nutrient sources could be controlled, the invasive weed problem would be minimized if not eliminated. It was also generally agreed that the cold winter and the increased flows helped to create the current situation in which we do not have a significant problem. Unfortunately, everyone also agreed that the problem would return with the warmer weather and lower flows. That led to a conversation on what the best interventions might be. It was agreed that we should try to minimize the problem by minimizing the nutrient concentrations in the water. The Riverkeeper will take the lead on that issue. But that solution will take considerable time and considerable cooperation from the public. It was agreed that other interventions were needed in the meantime. The introduction of sterile grass carp into Lake Augusta was discussed, but Dr. Netherland did not think that grass carp were a viable solution because he thought that the water temperature in the river remained too cold year around. Given the temperatures in the river, even in the summer, he thought that the carp’s metabolism would remain in a depressed state and that they would not consume as much vegetation as they do in other locations where the water temperatures are warmer. Dr. Netherland also suggested an extended drawdown in the summer to expose the weeds and dry them out, killing them. This would work for Egeria (the genus name for Brazilian elodea) but not for water hyacinth. Mr. Ward indicated that low flows for an extended period of time were not a viable solution because municipal and industrial water intakes in the river that would have to be exposed for an extended time period and because the requirement to release a minimum of 3600 cfs from Clarks Hill Dam for water uses downstream of the dam. Mechanical harvesting of the weed is a viable solution that we used a couple of times last year. Unfortunately it is expensive and slow and requires repeated harvestings to keep the weeds under control. The fact that the weeds were harvested immediately prior to the onset of the heavy rains last fall may have helped to create the current situation of no significant problem. Unfortunately, six days of mechanical harvesting at a cost in excess of $10,000 treated only a small fraction of the problem on the river. It did clear the Georgia side of the river between the upper marina and the Boathouse and it had some effect at Waters Edge. While we did not see a problem developing between the marina and the Boathouse on April 30, the problem at Waters Edge will be back this summer if the releases from Clarks Hill return to 5000 cfs or less. Given the circumstances at Lake Augusta, Dr. Netherland recommended that we do a combination of lowering the water level and treating with aquatic weed herbicide while the levels are down and the flows minimized. While such a treatment would take considerable coordination, Dr. Netherland thought that it would be more cost effective. Since Egeria grows only in shallow water (less than 8 feet), only the shallow areas need to be treated. The treatment process requires that the weed actually be in the water and that the treatment not stir up the sediment. These requirements combine to make the ideal situation for treatment just about the summer flow conditions with the water levels controlled by the New Savannah Bluffs Dam. The river lowering will not even be close to the 1999 demonstration project. In fact, lowering would only be required if the flows at the time were over 5000 cfs. One of the drawbacks for the herbicide treatment is that it should be applied in the spring when the Egeria is just getting started. That is when the treatment would be most effective. It also means that we would have to apply it soon for the greatest effect. A second drawback is that the initial treatment is the most expensive. Dr. Netherland estimates that to treat the affected parts of the river from the mouth of Hawk’s Gulley to the I-520 Bridge would cost in the neighborhood of $35,000, but we could get bids from several “applicators” to help keep the costs down. The advantage over harvesting is that to harvest that entire area would require about 20 days of work at $1800/day, about the same price as the herbicide application, but it is likely that the weed would have to be harvested again next year. While another herbicide treatment would be required next year or the year after, it is likely, according to Dr. Netherland, that the area requiring treatment would be less and therefore the cost would be less. Depending on the extent of weed suppression desired, the treatments could be suspended for several years until a significant problem develops again. Unfortunately, there is no treatment that is permanent. Egeria thrives under the conditions in the river at Augusta and as long as there are sources of the plant upstream and as long as there are nutrients in the river to support the growth, it will return with time. How to suppress it most efficiently is the question. It was recommended that the Chairman talk with the Mayor and the City Administrator about funding for weed amelioration. Committee Reports: The Facilities Improvement Committee reported that - responsibility for the improvement of the open space for the Ironman event has been assumed by Tom Beck, Head of the Recreation Department. - a recommendation that specifications be drawn up for a split level dock at the warehouse and that funding be acquired before 2014 for a replacement dock. The Port Authority approved those recommendations by acclamation. - the Motorola cameras given to the city were inside cameras and would not be adequate for our outside surveillance needs. We will need two more quotes. - the committee has asked for an estimate to stabilize the dock next to the Port Authority building. - the Public Works Department will be asked to fill several sink holes on the river bank after consultation with the Port Authority. The Budget/Finance Committee welcome new member Cary Rivers joining Wayne Hawkins and Chrislynne Kuhlke on the committee. They reported that: - the chairman of the Augusta Southern Nationals Inc, objected to the Port Authority’s decision to cut the Southern Nationals’ security reimbursement to $3000 and the Rowing Regatta’s reimbursement to $1000 so that the dock area can be monitored electronically 365/24/7. Considerable discussion ensued. The Port Authority decided to appoint a committee to discuss the problem with the chairman of the Southern Nationals and the City Administrator. Appointed to that committee were Cary Rivers, Wayne Hawkins and Frank Carl. - Frank reporting to the Committee and the Authority indicated that Mr. Russell supported a surcharge for events held on the river and that he wanted the warehouse dock moved off of the SPLOST list with a capital improvements budget request for funds to complete the project in 2011. - the income from the rental of the Port Authority space to Day in the Country has not been credited to the Port Authority in the past but that will change with the 2011 budget. The Events Committee reported that: - the abandoned boat that was rescued from the waters at the I-520 bridge will be moved downstream beginning July 1. - Day in the Country was successful again this year. - Southern Nationals is coming up July 16-18, - Paddlefest - August 21 - Iron Man 70.3 – September 26 - Coastal Plain Meander – October 1-4 - Head of the South Regatta – November 12-13 - Christmas Parade – December 3 Next Meeting August 19, 2010, 9:00 AM Meeting was adjourned at 10:55 AM.