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A Site-Specific Salt Marsh Decision Support
Tool for Guiding Restoration Efforts Joshua Moody, LeeAnn Haaf, & Irina Beal
January 30, 2020 Delaware Wetlands Conference
Wilmington, Delaware
Why a Salt Marsh Decision Support Tool?
• Increasing Interest in Green Infrastructure • Academic Literature
• Funding Agencies
• Regulatory Sector
• Increasing Number of Project Implementers • Variety of Backgrounds
• Variety of Goals
• Lack of Standardized Justification • Identifying Deficiency
• Defining Goals
• Tracking Outcomes
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-09269-z.pdf
Salt Marshes are Complex Environments
To Address an Issue, it Needs to be Accurately Identified
Symptom
Evaluation
Diagnosis
Prognosis
Treatment (Intervention)
Track Outcome
(Monitoring)
Biology or Hydrology?
Natural Feature or Expansive Ponding?
Diagnosis or Symptom?
Attributes Related to Proper Salt Marsh Function
BiologicalCommunity
HorizontalPosition
Hydrology Soil Condition VerticalPosition
Water Quality
We Need To Know The State of These Qualities Today... No Evidence of Deficiency
Evidence of Deficiency
He
alth
?
What is the Natural Trajectory?
Time
Do We Have The Time?
…And How They Are Tracking For Tomorrow
A Variety of Attribute-specific Tools Exist…
Vertical Position • GIS: DEM Stacking/LiDAR
• Flood Mapper
Horizontal Position • USGS DSAS
• AMBUR
Biological Production/Habitat • SLAMM
• Marsh Equilibrium Model
……But We Need Ecological Integration
Decision Support Tool: A framework to holistically evaluate current and future marsh function
1. regarding qualities shown to be fundamental for proper and resilient salt marsh function
2. using scientifically defensible methods
Evidence-based Action
Trajectory Evidence of Deficiency?
Current State
Preliminary Work
1. Lit Review: Qualities Influencing Salt Marsh Function and Decision Making Tools
2. Conducted Surveys: Local and National Regulatory and Practitioners (n=83)
3. Align Data Collection Methods with Regional Frameworks
4. July 2019: Tool Evaluation Workshop (Preliminary tool testing, 31 attendees)
The decision tool is something I would use when planning/evaluating restoration projects?
After this workshop, I feel more confident in my ability to use the decision tool once
it's available
Rate the overall flow/progression of the tool
How likely are you to recommend the decision tool to others?
94% 94% 84% 94%
https://www.conservationgateway.org/ConservationPractices/Marine/crr/library/Documents/Framework-Coastal-Wetland-Shoreline-Projects-New-Jersey.pdf
https://s3.amazonaws.com/delawareestuary/PDE+Reports/2018-DELS+Framework+V.2.0._Final.pdf
Work Flow: Spreadsheet Ecologist
1. Select Metric per Attribute • Lateral Position • Vertical Position • Biological Community • Hydrologic Regime • Soil Condition • Water Quality
7. Problem Today?
Y/N
8. Problem Tomorrow
Y/N 4. Select
Trajectory Data
2. Assess Current
Metric Value
3. Select Reference
Data
5. Compare Metric &
Reference Data
6.Compare Projected
Metric &
Reference
10. Integrated Attribute
Site Deficiency
9. Attribute Deficiency
Y/N
11. Model Output a) Deficiency Detected b) Further Evaluation
Recommended c) No Deficiency
Detected
User Tasks Tool Calculations
Deficiency Identification
Justifications Required for Every Decision
Site-level Integrated Output
1. Deficiency Detected: • Evidence of immediate or immanent deficiency
• Discussion among stakeholders regarding development of a project
2. Further Evaluation Recommended: • Evidence of attribute-based deficiencies may exist
• No worrisome combinations or trajectory evidence
• Continue monitoring recommended attributes
3. No Deficiency Detected: • No attribute violations = No evidence of deficiency
• can serve as baseline data for future monitoring efforts
Integrate Attributes - Site-Specific Recommendation
Deficiency Detected Combinations that reflect an overall site-wide deficiency
Further Evaluation Recommended
Certain attributes concerning, monitor all metrics
Horizontal Position X
Vertical+Biological X
Vertical+Hydrologic
Vertical+Soil Condition
Hydrologic+Soil Condition
Biological+Hydrologic
Vertical+Biologic+Hydrologic
Site-wide Deficiency Table
Summary: A Spreadsheet Ecologist
• The Salt Marsh Decision Support Tool: 1. Integrates data for a suite of attributes essential to salt marsh
function 2. Evaluates if there is evidence of a deficiency at a site
• This tool does not: 1. State an intervention is required 2. Guarantee a permit
Timeline
• Summer 2020: Training and Feedback Workshops in NJ and DE
• Fall 2020: Convene Tech Panel and Update for Tool V2.0
• 2021-2022: Field Validation at Established and Newly Installed Reference Sites
Funding
• 2018-2020: NJDEP EPA Wetland Program Development Grant
• 2020-2022: NFWF Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund
Questions or Comments
Joshua Moody, PhD Restoration Programs Manager (302) 655-4990, x115 │ DelawareEstuary.org
Connecting people, science, and nature for a healthy Delaware River and Bay