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AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
SAVANNAH RIVER ECOLOGY LAB ORA TORY
AND
THE AUGUSTA - RICHMOND COUNTY, GEORGIA
CONSOLIDA TED GOVERNMENT
Effective, August 1,2001, the University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.,
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, hereinafter called the "University", accepts from the
Augusta - Richmond County Consolidated Government, hereinafter called the "Sponsor", a
research grant, the conditions of which are as follows:
Obiect: There are five main objectives of this research grant. First, the University will continue
to develop and add to a previously-established aerial survey data base describing the abundance
and distribution patterns of waterfowl (ducks, geese, and swans), wading birds (herons, egrets,
ibises, wood storks), other waterbirds (American coots, grebes, gallinules, cormorants, anhingas,
gull species), and avian species of special interest (bald eagles, ospreys) using wetlands (both
natural and man-made) in the vicinity of Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field, hereinafter
called the "Airport". Specifically, additions to this data base will continue to describe use of the
nearby Messerly Wastewater Treatment Plant's developing artificial wetlands and Merry Land
and Investment Company's brickyard ponds by the aforementioned species. Secondly, the
University will conduct ground-based bird movement surveys at both the Airport and the
adjacent artificial wetlands. These ground-based surveys will be designed to provide time-and
location-specific information regarding the daily patterns of movement, altitude, and behavior of
flocking bird species and larger-bodied bird species including waterfowl, wading birds, and birds
of prey. Thirdly, the University will continue to provide assistance to Airport personnel, as
requested, for the purpose of identifying birds involved in collisions with aircraft at the Airport.
Fourthly, the University will continue to examine historical and updated bird strike data from the
Airport to identify patterns that may be associated with the construction and operation of the
artificial wetlands. Finally, the University will summarize the above data in a manner so as to
provide Airport officials useful information for identifying potential bird hazards in the vicinity
of the Airport, guiding bird control efforts, and gauging the effectiveness of bird control
measures over time.
II. Program: The principal contractor/investigator, Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin, Jr., Savannah
River Ecology Laboratory, will direct the program. The contractorlinvestigator will be assisted
by certain technical consultants. Conmlitments as to the extent of the obligations of these
investigators will be the responsibility of the principal investigator, within the scope of the work
plans approved by the Sponsor. Work plans for accomplishing each of the objectives listed above
are attached.
III. Funds: (a). For the work accomplished by the University during the grant period from
August 1,2001 - September 30,2002 (total cost - $64,763.00), the Sponsor will pay the
University $64,763.00 upon submission of an invoice and upon receipt of evidence approved by
the Sponsor that the work program is well underway. A budget for the research program is
attached.
(b). If this research grant is terminated prior to the end of the grant period, payments by
the Sponsor shall be provided based on the actual incurred and/or obligated expenditures as of
the date of termination.
( c). Expenditures shall be made at the discretion of the principal investigator in
conformity with the approved budget and work plans and in relation to the fiscal policies of the
University.
IV. Liability: To the extent provided by Georgia law, each party agrees to be responsible
for any and all liability including claims, demands, losses, costs, damages, and expenses of every
kind and description, or damages to persons or property, arising out of or in cOlmection with, or
occurring during the course of this contract, where such liability is founded upon or grows out of
the acts or omissions of any of the officers, employees, or agents of the party. The University
assumes no responsibility for its interpretation of the data collected under these studies, with
regard to aircraft accidents occurring as the result of bird strikes at the Airport.
V. Reports: The principal investigator will submit fifteen (15) copies of a final report to
the Sponsor on October 31, in the year of the investigation's completion, covering all aspects of
these investigations, in accordance with the conditions defined in the work plan agreed to by the
University and the Sponsor. An interim report summarizing the results to date of the study, as
described above, will be provided to the Sponsor on May 15,2002.
VI. Records: The University agrees to abide by the General Services Administration
Federal Management Circular O.M.B. A-21 in regard to accounting for staff workloads.
VII. Publications: (a). The University shall have freedom of publication of the research
conducted under this contract.
(b). All manuscripts written for publication will be a collaborative effort between the
principal investigator and a designee of the Sponsor. In the event that no Sponsor collaborator is
designated, the Sponsor will be provided two (2) courtesy copies of any manuscripts written by
the principal investigator prior to publication.
VIII. Duration: (a). The period of performance shall be from August 1,2001 - September
30, 2002.
(b). This research grant may be terminated at any time upon 30 days written notice by
either party.
(c). The contract covering tIllS research program shall be renewable on an annual basis
upon agreement of both the Sponsor and the Ulllversity.
IX. Equal Opportunity Emplovment: During the performance of this contract, the
University/Contractor agrees not to discriminate in its employment practices or subcontracts with
regard to race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin or disability.
X. Inventions: Investigators/Contractors shall comply with the stipulations ofP.L.96-517.
PRINCIP AL CONTRACTOR/INVESTIGA TOR
BY:~~~J.,..
Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin, Jr., ,
Senior Ecologist (Savannah River Ecology Laboratory)
DATE: ~ 2' ~~Z
7
UNIVERS Y OF GEORGIApSj:;ARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
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BY : DATE: a:-r /7 ).-0 () '1..---
Dr. Gordhan L. Patel,
Vice President for Research
AUG
DATE: M~2' ~2.
~
ct.
Ecological Studies of Birds in the Vicinity of
the Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field and
the Messerly Wastewater Treatment Plant
After three years of conducting aerial surveys to determine bird abundance and
distribution patterns among natural and artificial wetlands in the vicinity of the Augusta Regional
Airport at Bush Field, we are now in a position to be able to modify this work so as to more
effectively identify the extent to which some of these bird populations mayor may not pose a
hazard to air traffic operations. Specifically, we propose to modify the previous years' work
plans by reducing the extent of aerial survey coverage and now limiting the focus to only: (1) the
artificial wetlands (i.e., Constructed Wetlands Project) constructed to process effluents from the
Messerly Wastewater Treatment Plant, and (2) the Merry Land and Investment Company
brickyard ponds. Attention will now focus only on these two areas because the previous three
years' survey data have shown that these locations consistently attract the largest numbers of
heavily-bodied birds such as geese, other waterfowl, and wading birds to the vicinity of the
airport where such species are of particular concern from the perspective of a potential aircraft-
bird strike hazard.
While reducing the extent of aerial surveys during the coming year, we propose to
concurrently expand the overall scope of the work by now beginning to conduct ground-based
bird movement surveys at both the airfield and the adjacent constructed wetlands. These ground-
based surveys are designed to provide time-and location-specific information regarding the daily
patterns of movement, altitude, and behavior of the larger-bodied bird species including
waterfowl, wading birds, and birds of prey. This specific information will provide the type of
detail that will allow airport management and flight controllers to predict times, locations, and
conditions of increased bird-strike hazard potential that would be of particular consequence to
aircraft in the area. Furthermore, in the event that deliberate bird dispersal activities (e.g.,
custom-trained harassment dogs or birds of prey, pyrotechnics, acoustics) are initiated at the
artificial wetlands, these ground-based bird movement surveys would have the further
importance of evaluating the success of such a bird dispersal program and identifying
problematic bird movement patterns that might be created by bird disturbances.
In order to keep the cost of this work as low as possible, despite the expansion of its
scope now to include ground-based surveys, we have reduced the extent of the aerial surveys as
described above, and we also propose reducing the scope of the annual report to Augusta from
the comprehensive version including data analyses, statistical testing and interpretation, as we
have done in previous years, to a simplified approach of summarizing the results in tabular and
graphical form, accompanied by a brief 1-2 page Executive Summary explaining the meaning
and importance of the data that has been collected. We will also be available to verbally discuss
our findings with Bush Field officials, including the Wildlife Control Specialist, as necessary.
This approach will substantially reduce the cost of the entire study by moving a greater
proportion of overall personnel/salary costs into support of field technicians who are involved
with the actual collection and reporting of critical data.
In addition to bird surveys described above, the principal investigator and/or technical
consultants supported under this contract will respond to all calls during the contract period for
assistance from airport officials, to help in identifying the remains and/or photographs of any
birds involved in aircraft strikes in the vicinity of Bush Field. If desired, these same individuals
will work with any Bush Field personnel during the contract period who may be interested in
improving their own abilities to identify such remains, and/or better understand the factors
involved in any bird strike incidents occurring in the vicinity of the airfield.
Specific details for carrying-out the two major research programs of this study ([I]
continuing reduced aerial surveys, [II] ground-based bird movement surveys) are provided in the
two individual work plans which follow. Separate budgets for each of the two major stUdy
components are also provided.
RESEARCH PROGRAM I :
Work Plan for Conducting Aerial Surveys of Birds
at the Constructed Wetlands Project
and the Merryland Ponds
(14 months, beginning August 1, 2001)
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) personnel will continue to engage the
services of Augusta Aviation, Inc., based at Daniel Field Airport in Augusta, to provide aircraft
and pilots for conducting aerial bird surveys over selected wetlands in the vicinity of Augusta
Regional Airport at Bush Field. Areas to be surveyed for birds will include only the Constructed
Wetlands Project of the Messerly Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Merry Land and
Investment Company brickyard ponds. Continuation of bird surveys at the wetlands mentioned
above is based upon prior survey results from a larger wetland complex indicating that these are
the wetlands in the vicinity of Bush Field where the greatest numbers of large-bodied bird
species of hazard concern typically are found. These aerial surveys will be conducted in close
coordination with Bush Field administrative officials and air-traffic controllers to assure safety of
all aircraft operating in the vicinity of the airfield during the execution of these surveys.
During aerial surveys, SREL observers will reference only species and numbers of
individuals from the following list: waterfowl (ducks, geese, and swans), wading birds (herons,
egrets, ibises, wood storks), other large and/or flocking waterbirds (coots, cormorants, anhingas,
gull spp.), and raptors (hawks, kites, vultures, bald eagles, ospreys). Sightings will be map-
referenced at the time of occurrence. Other data to be included with each aerial survey are: date,
beginning and ending times of the survey, Savannah River stage at Butler Creek, local weather
conditions (including temperature, wind speed, extent of wetland icing in winter, etc.), and
sightings (map-referenced) of people, watercraft, or other disturbance-related activities taking
place during the aerial survey. Actual duration of these aerial surveys will be approximately 45
minutes each, allowing additional flight time of about lO minutes for travel time to and from
Daniel Field and the possibility of surveys being interrupted by air-traffic controllers while other
aircraft move through the survey area. Aerial surveys will be conducted from a height of
approximately 250-300 ft and at a minimal, but safe airspeed given the prevailing weather
conditions.
This project will include fifty-nine (59) flights over a contract period of fourteen (14)
months to be executed at weekly intervals (no aerial surveys will be undertaken during the week
of the Masters Golf Tournament). If inclement weather or aircraft unavailability precludes the
completion of more than six (6) flights over the contract period, flights may be added to the end
of the contract period or may be used for other purposes related to the study during the contract
period, at the discretion of the Sponsor.
For the purposes of electronic data storage and summarization, map-referenced data from
the aerial surveys will be pooled into two groupings of wetland locations. These wetland
groupings will include: (1) the Constructed Wetlands Project near the Messerly Wastewater
Treatment Plant, and (2) the Merry Land and Investment Company brickyard ponds.
Data will be stored on a networked PC-workstation operating in a Microsoft-Windows
environment. Upon project completion, all data will be provided to the Sponsor in a mutually
agreeable data base format (e.g., Microsoft Excel). Data summaries will be performed using the
Statistical Analysis System (SAS Institute, Inc.). Summaries will include locational (wetland
groupings as described above) differences in avian species assemblages and numbers, as well as
temporal (annual and seasonal) changes in the species assemblages and distributions.
Emphasis will be placed on movements of waterfowl (ducks and geese), wading birds (herons,
egrets, ibises, wood storks), other large and/or flocking waterbirds (coots, cormorants, anhingas,
gull spp.), and raptors (hawks, kites, vultures, bald eagles, ospreys). During times of intense
movements, observers will give priority to larger birds and larger flocks. Observations will be
conducted regardless of weather conditions. In addition to meteorological data, the following
data will also be recorded for each observation: time, species, actual or estimated number of
individuals, approximate distance from the observer, approximate direction from observer,
estimated altitude above land or water, approximate direction of bird movement, and flight
behavior (e.g., level flight, landing, taking-off).
Data will be stored on a networked PC-workstation operating in a Microsoft-Windows
environment. Upon project completion, all data will be provided to the Sponsor in a mutually
agreeable data base format (e.g., Microsoft Excel). For the purposes of electronic data storage
and summarization, bird movement data from Bush Field and the Constructed Wetlands Project
will be retained according to each of four observational stations. Data sunm1aries will be
performed using the Statistical Analysis System (SAS Institute, Inc.). Summaries will be made
for each observation station and will be comprised of avian species movement patterns including
timing and direction of flight, flight altitudes, and temporal (annual and seasonal) changes in bird
movement patterns.
RESEARCH PROGRAM I :
Budget for Conducting Aerial Surveys of Birds at the
Constructed Wetlands Project and the Merryland Ponds
(14 months, beginning August 1,2001)
Personnel costs, including benefits
I.L. Brisbin, Jr. (Principa] Investigator, 3% FTE)
Salary: $4,025 Benefits: $1,047
R.A. Kennamer (Research Coordinator, 10% FTE)
Salary: $4,547 Benefits: $],182
W.L. Stephens, Jr. (F]ight Observer, 20% FTE)
Salary: $6,486 Benefits: $2,205
$ 5,072.00
$ 5,729.00
$ 8,691.00
Aircraft and pilot (Augusta Aviation, Daniel Field)
weekly aerial surveys @ approx. 0.75 hrs each
$ 4,400.00
Vehicle expenses
$ 1,400.00
RESEARCH PROGRAM I DIRECT COSTS
$25,292.00
Other direct SREL costs (facilities. operations)
$ 5,000.00
SREL DIRECT COSTS (pROGRAM I)
$30,292.00
Indirect costs (Univ. Georgia overhead, 9.6%)
$ 2,908.00
RESEARCH PROGRAM I : TOTAL
$33,200.00
RESEARCH PROGRAM II:
Work Plan for Conducting Ground-Based Bird-Movement
Surveys at the Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field
and the Constructed Wetlands Project
(10 months, beginning December 1, 2001)
Based on the previous aerial surveys of bird abundance and distribution in wetlands near
the Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field, relatively large numbers of large-bodied aquatic
birds are found in the area, particularly during the winter period when migratory waterfowl are
most abundant. In addition to the many waterfowl, numerous wading birds, divers including
cormorants and anhingas, gulls, and vultures are known to frequent the area as well. Wetlands
harboring the majority of these birds include the Merry Land and Investment Company brickyard
ponds and the Constructed Wetlands Project of the Messerly Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Although we have acquired considerable knowledge of their abundances and distributions, we
are lacking in a knowledge of the movement patterns of these birds that are known to move
between feeding, loafing, and roosting sites over the course of the diurnal period. We therefore
propose a study to fill that need.
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) personnel will collect ground-based bird
data to determine daily behavior and movement patterns (i.e., timing, directions, altitudes) of
birds moving through the airspaces of Bush Field and the Constructed Wetlands Project.
Emphasis will be placed on documentation of movements of flocking bird species and large-
bodied bird species that are most likely to produce serious consequences when involved in
collisions with aircraft.
Bird movements will be documented from routinely-monitored ground stations at Bush
Field and the Constructed Wetlands Project. Three stations will be chosen at Bush Field and one
station for the Constructed Wetlands Project to ensure adequate coverage of the areas of interest.
The daylight hours will be divided into 4 approximately equal time blocks: (1) 15 minutes before
sumise until 9:00AM, (2) 9:01AM until 12:00PM, (3) 12:01PM until 3:00PM, and (4) 3:01PM
until 15 minutes after sunset. Emphasis will be placed on the time blocks coinciding with sumise
and sunset, because most bird movements occur during these times of the day. Observations will
be made at two different stations within two different time blocks daily, for two days each week.
This methodology allows for all possible combinations of the four locations and the four time
blocks to be chosen monthly in a randomized design. Observations will be made over a 2.5 hr
period and will consist of four 30-minute observation bouts with a lO-minute lapse between each
observation period. Observations will be initiated at the beginning of a time block with the
exception of the last time block, which will be timed so that the final 30-minute observation bout
ends approximately 15 minutes after sunset. During the observation bouts, the observers will
scan the 3600 horizon with binoculars, attempting to collect data on as many flying birds as
possible with no upper limit on distance from the observer. Short movements by birds (<100m)
or movements by small passerine birds in flocks of less than 20 birds will not be recorded.
:
RESEARCH PROGRAM II :
Budget for Conducting Ground-Based Bird-Movement
Surveys at the Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field
and the Constructed Wetlands Project
(10 months, beginning December 1,2001)
Personnel costs, including benefits
I.L. Brisbin, Jr. (Principal Investigator, 3% FTE)
Salary: $2,875 Benefits: $748 $ 3,623.00
R.A. Kennamer (Research Coordinator, 10% FTE)
Salary: $3,248 Benefits: $844 $ 4,092.00
C. Eldridge (Bird Observer, 45% FTE)
Salary: $10,659 Benefits: $3,624 $14,283.00
Vehicle expenses $ 2000.00
RESEARCH PROGRAM II DIRECT COSTS $23,998.00
Other direct SREL costs (facilities, operations) $ 4,800.00
SREL DIRECT COSTS (pROGRAM n) $28,798.00
Indirect costs (Univ. Georgia overhead, 9.6%) $ 2,765.00
RESEARCH PROGRAM II: TOTAL $31,563.00
RESEARCH PROGRAM I: TOTAL (from previous page) $33,200.00
GRAND TOTAL: $64,763.00
Prepared by: Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin, Jr. and Robert A. Kennamer
University of Georgia
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory
P.O. Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802
(803) 725-0387
kelmamer@srel.edu