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EVERETT PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT  SMITH ISLAND ESTUARY RESTORATION YEARS 5 & 6 MONITORING <br /> <br />record transitions between mudflat, marsh, and tidal channel communities along each transect to <br />support creation of the vegetation community map. <br />Invasive and noxious weed monitoring will occur along the 13 vegetation transects surveyed and in <br />the sample plots. Invasive and noxious weeds will also be qualitatively monitored by observational <br />surveys from the ends of the transects and from the photo point locations. The aerial photo will also <br />be utilized, particularly to identify areas of reed canarygrass and areas of cattail. Invasive or noxious <br />weed populations (e.g., reed canarygrass, purple loosestrife, yellow iris) will be noted and their main <br />location(s) documented with GPS and/or mapped on the aerial photo so any infestation can be <br />controlled by EPWD. <br />Wildlife observations will also be incidentally recorded during the vegetation field work to document <br />wildlife species diversity and will be included with the data collected in Task 4 and presented in the <br />Task 5, Year 5 Monitoring Report. <br /> <br />Aerial Photo Documentation and Vegetation Community Mapping <br />NSD will employ our drone to capture a high-quality aerial photo of the project site at low tide <br />conditions at the height of seasonal vegetation development (~August/early September 2023) to <br />document vegetation colonization and to create a Year 5 map of marsh, mudflat, and tidal channel <br />development. NSD biologists will map vegetation communities based on the visual signatures on the <br />aerial image, our site observations, and the vegetation transect and plot data. We will compare <br />community development to that reported in the Years 1 and 3 Monitoring Reports. The aerial photo <br />will also serve to document the location of other sampling locations (e.g., water surface elevation <br />gages, wildlife transects, wetland determination plots and extent of estuarine habitat). <br />Data Analysis <br />NSD will analyze the vegetation plot and transect data, as well as the vegetation community <br />development and invasive/noxious species data to characterize the development of native tidal <br />marsh and mudflat communities per the vegetation performance standards specified in Table 6-3 of <br />the Advance Mitigation Plan which are focused on increases in average percent cover of native <br />marsh species in the marsh sample plots, reduction in percent cover of reed canarygrass and invasive <br />species, and interspersion of mudflat, marsh, and tidal channel habitats across the site. NSD will <br />prepare summary tables and figures for inclusion in the Year 5 Monitoring Report (Task 5). <br /> <br />Task 2 Deliverables: <br /> Year 5 aerial photo, vegetation maps, and summary tables for inclusion in Task 5, Year 5 <br />Monitoring Report <br />Task 2 Assumptions: <br /> Site conditions are such that the drone image can be captured within one, 8 hour site visit <br />including preparation and travel. <br /> Site conditions are such that the vegetation data collection can be accomplished by a team of <br />two staff in 3, 10-hour days including travel. <br /> <br />Task 3: Fish Use Monitoring <br />DocuSign Envelope ID: B75A46E0-B4A7-4C6C-B91E-69B691B92514