ITEM:

CONSENT CALENDAR

 

4.

CONSIDER EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS TO CONTRACT WITH VENTANA WILDLIFE SOCIETY FOR CARMEL RIVER AVIAN HABITAT MONITORING

 

Meeting Date:

April 16, 2018

Budgeted: 

Yes

 

From:

David J. Stoldt,

Program/

Riparian Monitoring

 

General Manager

Line Item No.: 

2-1-3.B

 

Prepared By:                  

Thomas Christensen

Cost Estimate: 

$4,718

 

General Counsel Review:  N/A

Committee Recommendation:  The Administrative Committee reviewed this item on April 9, 2018 and recommended approval.

CEQA Compliance:  This action does not constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines section 15378.

 

SUMMARY:  The Board will consider authorizing staff to retain the Ventana Wildlife Society (VWS) to continue the District’s avian (bird) habitat monitoring program on the Carmel River during calendar year 2018. This work will continue the monitoring of bird life along the river conducted since 1992, including the collection of data on the use of the Carmel River riparian corridor during bird migration and breeding seasons.  This monitoring is conducted in accordance with the Mitigation Program for the District’s Water Allocation Program EIR.   The proposed scope of work, costs, and schedule are as shown in Exhibit 4-A.

 

RECOMMENDATION:  District staff recommends that the Board authorize the General Manager to enter into a contract with the Ventana Wildlife Society for avian habitat monitoring work along the Carmel River at a cost not-to-exceed $4,718 with the scope of work, costs and schedule as shown in Exhibit 4-A.  If this item is adopted along with the Consent Calendar, staff will execute a contract with Ventana Wildlife Society for this work. 

 

BACKGROUND:  Avian use of riparian habitat provides an excellent indicator of wildlife habitat value.  In 1992, the District established permanent sampling locations for avian species monitoring at several sites along the Carmel River.  The purpose of this program is to measure bird use at the monitoring sites, thus providing an indication of changing patterns of habitat values in the District’s restoration project areas.  Information on bird populations and avian species diversity collected as part of the District’s Mitigation Program has assisted in documenting trends in the response of wildlife populations to habitat enhancements implemented by the District.

 

The VWS sampling will span the nesting and fledgling period to assess patterns of wildlife use in District planting areas.  Long-term monitoring of the same sampling locations provides an indication of the overall changes in wildlife habitat values resulting from the District’s planting, irrigation, and erosion protection efforts.  The Avian Point Count Census (nesting and fledgling observations of birds at nine locations along the Carmel River and calculation of the Species Diversity Index for each location) has been carried out annually from 1992 through 2010 and then in 2015.   Work under this contract will include collection and analysis of Species Diversity Index data as well as the preparation the 2018 results.

 

IMPACTS ON STAFF AND RESOURCES:  Estimated costs for the scope of work as shown in Exhibit 4-A total $4,718.  Mileage expenses are included in this amount. The work will be performed under the direction of the District’s Riparian Projects Coordinator.

 

EXHIBIT

4-A      Proposal for Professional Avian Monitoring Services from Ventana Wildlife Society

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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