In August 2021 Water & Air was awarded a multi-year contract by the Hernando County Board of County Commissioners to provide consultant services. The contract provides the County with planning, design, permitting, and monitoring of 10 new artificial reefs sites in the Gulf of Mexico offshore of Hernando Beach, Florida. These new reefs will enhance recreational opportunities to a wide variety of users and will improve connectivity of previously installed artificial reefs with the natural seagrass and hardbottom habitats offshore of Hernando County.
Worked with County staff to identify, compile, and review existing artificial reef data and resources. Existing reef sites and an agency data inventory included location coordinates, GIS shapefiles of seagrass and hard bottom coverages, as well as aerial imagery and sonar data. Data were compiled into GIS geodata base. Site screenings of more than 30 prospective artificial reef sites resulted in selection of 15 sites for full evaluations.
Underwater marine surveys were conducted to ensure that the sites were feasible, constructible, and permittable. The site surveys included the collection of magnetometer, seismic profiles, side-scan sonar, and multibeam bathymetry data to document bottom types, benthic resources, and marine archeology. Underwater photography and videography and aerial drone photographs of proposed sites were collected to further document and ground-truth the bottom types. At each site, sediment depths were measured, and grain size analysis was completed. Sites were examined for the presence of threatened and endangered species via in situ diver surveys and review of critical habitat maps. Detailed reporting was completed and included narratives and maps of the proposed reef sites.
Conceptual design and permitting tasks have started and will lead to public stakeholder workshops to rank the top 10 preferred sites. Future tasks include preparation of 60% design plans, a baseline monitoring plan with quarterly monitoring, permit applications, final design plans, and a post-implementation monitoring plan.
Water & Air provided project management, environmental monitoring, and permitting assistance while overseeing all project tasks. Team partners included CSA which supports site evaluations, permitting, and monitoring; M&E supported sonar, seismic, and magnetometer surveys, CHG provided a historic resources and archeological review, and INTERA provides design and permitting support.