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Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute all documents necessary to enter into an agreement with Moffatt & Nichol Engineers for environmental water quality monitoring at the Colorado Lagoon, in an amount not to exceed $103,994, including any required amendments to the contract to extend the term, add services, increase the amount of the contract, and adjust the fee schedule of hourly rates for inflation for any term extensions. (District 3)
DISCUSSION
The Colorado Lagoon (Lagoon) is a 28.3-acre tidal lagoon located in the middle of a suburban neighborhood (Exhibit A). It serves three main functions: 1) hosting sensitive estuarine habitat, 2) providing public recreation (including swimming); 3) and retaining and conveying storm flows. On sunny days the Lagoon is used by hundreds of visitors from communities within and surrounding the City of Long Beach (City).
The Lagoon is impacted by several factors that cause it to have contaminated water and sediment. First, the Lagoon is surrounded on three sides by residential neighborhoods, a golf course on the fourth side, and lies within a highly urbanized watershed. Second, natural flushing of the Lagoon occurs through the exchange of water via a culvert that stretches 1,000 feet between the Lagoon and Marine Stadium. However, due to marine growth within the culvert and man-made sills at either end of the culvert, this tidal flushing is restricted. Third, there are four major and seven local storm drains that carry urban runoff from commercial, mobile, and residential sources from the adjacent watershed into the Lagoon. The result is that the State Water Quality Control Resources Board identifies the Lagoon as an impaired water body.
The City sought, and was granted, funds from the State Coastal Conservancy from Proposition 13 funds to prepare a feasibility study for remediation and restoration of the Lagoon. Moffatt & Nichol Engineers subsequently prepared the Restoration Feasibility Study (Study) for the Lagoon, which was completed in 2005. The purpose of the Study was to evaluate and recommend feasible opportunities to restore the marine ecosystem, support safe recreation while improving water and sediment quality, and manage the storm water in the Colorado Lagoon.
Since the completion of the Study, the City has received funding in the amount of $5,200,000 to date from other sources, and is exploring other grant opportunities to further the project. Secured funding has been awarded from:
> State Water Resources Control Board - Prop. 40 Clean Beaches Initiative (CBI) $3.8 million (awarded)
> U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Estuary Habitat Restoration Program - $900,000 (awarded).
> State Coastal Conservancy - Resource Enhancement Program - $500,000 (awarded).
> Rivers & Mountains Conservancy - Urban Rivers and Tributaries, Urban Core Program - $150,000 (awarded).
The CBI grant provides funds for the pre-design, engineering and construction of specific improvements. These improvements, along with other alternatives identified in the Study, will be analyzed under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The CBI grant also requires pre- and post-construction monitoring of certain proposed improvements to the Lagoon. The pre-construction monitoring needs to be conducted concurrent with CEQA compliance.
Moffatt & Nichol Engineers has submitted a scope of work to conduct the necessary monitoring for a fee of $100,994. As the prime consultant for the Study, they have the knowledge base to undertake this task. Under the proposed scope of work, Moffatt & Nichol Engineers will provide overall project management, hydraulics monitoring, water quality sampling, monitoring results analysis, sediment monitoring, biological monitoring, and the development of a Quality Assurance Project Plan. All of these activities are required under the terms of the CBI grant.
This report was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney, Richard F. Anthony, on June 25, 2007, and Budget and Performance Management Bureau Manager David Wodynski on June 26, 2007.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
It is requested that the City Council approve the contract with Moffatt & Nichol Engineers on August 14, 2007, in order to start pre-construction monitoring concurrent with the CEQA process.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund associated with this request. The full amount of the contract, $103,994, will be funded through the CBI grant, which is already appropriated in the Capital Projects Fund (CP) in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PR).
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
PATRICK H. WEST
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
PHIL T. HESTER
DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE
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ANTHONY W. BATTS |
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CITY MANAGER |