Assessment of dual-purpose fish/oyster reefs in the Lynnhaven River, VA

The summary for the Assessment of dual-purpose fish/oyster reefs in the Lynnhaven River, VA grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Engineer Research and Development Center, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Assessment of dual-purpose fish/oyster reefs in the Lynnhaven River, VA: Brief Description of Anticipated Work: Our objectives are to monitor and document the status of these reefs. For the oyster component, a physical assessment of the reefs is desired. Assessing the reefs for oyster and other attached fauna for density and biomass (dry weight) and for oysters, size-frequency distribution. Approximately 50 samples will be needed to minimize the SE (standard error of the mean) and ensure survey accuracy. An assessment of fish use of the reefs is also desired. For this component, a variety of methods could be used. Control sites for this work will also be necessary in order to determine what differences in fish species distribution and abundance, if any, exists between the fish/oyster reef sites and surrounding open sandy bottom areas. There are two sites that will need to be monitored. The first site is 8-acres mostly in the low intertidal and shallow water zone. It consists of several thousand reef balls weighing approximately 50 lbs. Each. The second site which is currently under construction is proposed to consist of crushed concrete or granite riprap with an oyster shell veneer. This subtidal, high-relief reef is approximately 18” off the surrounding bottom. The second site will cover anywhere from 23-30 acres post-construction and is approximately -6 ft MLW.