Chesapeake Bay Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Restoration Research Program

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Chesapeake Bay Submerged Aquatic Vegetation
Restoration Research Program
Deborah Shafer Engineer Research and Development
Center
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SAV Program Coordination
Chesapeake Bay Program
Corps of Engineers CE Baltimore District CE
Norfolk District
Other Federal Agencies- NOAA EPA
Academic University of Maryland Virginia
Institute of Marine Science Anne Arundel
Community College
ERDC Role Provides leadership and coordination
at the national level
State Agencies Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources
Congressional Staff
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Funding Authorization
Year Funding Level Project Summary
FY 03 500K (less SS) 1 focus area, 3 projects, all in MD plus Regional Workshop
FY 04 0 (163K restored from SS) Continuation of previous years projects (3)
FY 05 1 M (less SS) 2 focus areas, 7 projects, both MD and VA
FY 06 500 K (no SS) Continuation of previous years projects, MD and VA (6)
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Ability to Leverage Funds Through Links to Other
Corps Programs

• ? Section 206 Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration
• Section 204 Beneficial Uses of Dredged Materials
• Section 227 Shoreline Erosion Control
• Ecosystem Management and Restoration Research
  Program (EMRRP)
• Regional Sediment Management Program (RSM)
• Dredging Operations and Environmental Research
  Program (DOER)

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Initial Interagency Planning Meeting
Priority Consistency with CBP SAV Protection
and Restoration Strategy Initiative 3.
Accelerate SAV restoration by planting 1,000
acres of new SAV beds by December 2008.
What are the most cost-effective methods for
large-scale planting?
Strategy to Accelerate the Protection and
Restoration of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation in
the Chesapeake BayChesapeake Bay
Program--January 14, 2003
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Consistency with CBP SAV Protection and
Restoration Strategy
Initiative 4. Enhance SAV research, citizen
involvement and education.
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Research Approach
Program Focus Areas ? SAV Production and
Planting (FY 03-FY06) Includes issues related to
plant supply and propagation (ACTION 3.2 in CB
SAV STRATEGY) ? Engineered SAV Habitats (FY
05-FY06) Wave energy thresholds for created and
restored SAV bedsdesign critieria for wave
attenuation structures
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Initial Program Focus Area SAV Production and
Planting
Eelgrass seeds
Moving away from a focus on planting adult plants
towards development of an agricultural system
crops of wild communities Mark Fonseca
Problem Basic information on seed germination
and storage requirements generally not available
Eelgrass seedlings
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FY 03 Accomplishments

• 1. Initial interagency meeting to establish
  program research priorities.
• 2. Development of capability for large-scale
  seed collection and storage
• Funding Recipient MDDNR
• SAV Species Zostera marina (eelgrass)
• 3. Protocols for Using Seeds of Mesohaline SAV
  Species in Large-Scale SAV Restoration
• Funding Recipient Anne Arundel Community
  College
• SAV Species Ruppia maritima (widgeongrass) and
  redhead grass (Potomogeton perfoliatus)
• 4. Demonstration Planting Potomac River
• Comparison of hand-planting adult plants with
  direct seeding
• SAV Species Zostera marina (eelgrass)
• Funding Recipient MDDNR
• 5. Hosted Regional SAV Restoration Workshop
  (Baltimore, Sept 2003)
• 6. Established web site http//www.wes.army.mil/
  el/sav/

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FY 04 Projects

• Focus Area SAV Production and Planting
• No New Startscontinuation of existing projects
  from FY 03
• 1. Development of capability for large-scale
  seed collection and storage
• Funding Recipient MDDNR
• SAV Species Zostera marina (eelgrass)
• 2. Protocols for Using Seeds of Mesohaline SAV
  Species in Large-Scale SAV Restoration
• Funding Recipient Anne Arundel Community
  College
• SAV Species Ruppia maritima (widgeongrass) and
  redhead grass (Potomogeton perfoliatus)
• 3. Demonstration Planting Potomac River
• Comparison of hand-planting adult plants with
  direct seeding
• SAV Species Zostera marina (eelgrass)
• Funding Recipient MDDNR

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FY 05-06 Projects
Funding Recipient Project Title SAV Species
Anne Arundel Community College Development of a Protocol for Large-Scale Restoration of Ruppia maritima and Potamogeton perfoliatus by Seed Ruppia maritima Potamogeton perfoliatus
University of Maryland Production and Field Planting of Vegetative Tubers for Restoration of Redhead Grass and Sago Pondweed in Chesapeake Bay Potamogeton perfoliatus Stuckenia pectinata
Virginia Institute of Marine Science Development of Techniques for the Use of Seeds in the Large Scale Propagation and Restoration of Low Salinity SAV Valisneria americana
Virginia Institute of Marine Science Technology Development for Achieving Critical Thresholds in Large Scale SAV Restoration Zostera marina
Virginia Institute of Marine Science A Comparative Test of Mechanized and Manual Planting of Eelgrass Seeds Zostera marina
University of Maryland Seagrass Habitat Engineering Defining the Needed Balance in Wave Attenuation Zostera marina
MD Dept. Natural Resources Comparison of Hand-planting and Seeding in the Potomac River, MD (Ended in FY 05) Zostera marina
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SAV Technical Note Products
TITLE STATUS
Restoration Potential of Ruppia maritima and Potamogeton perfoliatus by Seed in the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Available online
Buoy Deployed Seeding A New Low-Cost Technique for Restoration of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation From Seed FINAL
Applications and Limitations of Micro-propagation for the Production of Underwater Grasses Available online
Protocols for Large-Scale Collection, Processing, and Storage of Seeds of Two Mesohaline Submerged Aquatic Plant Species FINAL
Reproductive ecology of the freshwater macrophyte Valisneria americana A review In review

• Additional publications will include journal
  articles and conference and workshop
  presentations
• Web link http//www.wes.army.mil/el/sav/

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Benefits

• State-of-the-art technical standards and guidance
  for planning, implementing, and monitoring
  submerged aquatic vegetation restoration projects
  will
• ? Provide resource managers with the necessary
  tools to help meet targeted SAV restoration goals
  
• ? Contribute to improved success rates and
  predictability for submerged aquatic vegetation
  restoration projects
• ? Provide practical guidance on selection of
  appropriate methods for SAV restoration
• ? Improve coordination between Corps and other
  stakeholders involved in SAV restoration

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Q A?