Welcome to Paddle for the Edge! Thank you for volunteering to conduct a survey of the Barnegat Bay s shorelines. As a citizen scientist, you become part of a project to collect critical data about current shoreline conditions. Land and water interact at the edge, sometimes dramatically (think Superstorm Sandy!). The bay s shorelines are dynamic habitats, sometimes growing and sometimes eroding. Each shoreline is different, with the erosional (washing away) and accretional (trapping and accumulating) processes affected by physical forces (such as storm waves and boat wakes) and even the presence of some living species. The data everyone collects will help us monitor the bay s shorelines and assist planners and resource managers in many ways providing information about flooding and storm impacts, predicting how shorelines may react to sea-level rise, identifying restoration areas, and appraising the recreational, commercial, and habitat value of our estuaries. This training manual provides step-by-step instructions about how to collect the data and sample photos of conditions you might see along the edge. By following the procedures in the manual, you will help us ensure the quality of the data and its usefulness. Please don t hesitate to ask any questions you may have along the way or provide suggestions about how to improve the training we value your feedback. We hope you enjoy being a Paddle for the Edge volunteer. Thanks again, and let s get paddling! Sincerely, The Barnegat Bay Partnership Version 3.0 June 2017
Follow these safe practices when paddling in an estuary! 1. Follow all U.S. Coast Guard, N.J. State Police, and local rules and regulations. 2. Always paddle with a buddy! It s more fun and much safer! 3. Check the weather and know the tide. Don t go out if weather or current conditions make the water more challenging than your skill level. 4. Wear your Personal Flotation Device (PFD). (U.S. Coast Guard regulations require all kayaks to have a life jacket on board.) 5. Make sure you have shore support. Let someone know where you are going, what you will be doing, how long you expect to be gone, and how many people are in your group. Make sure to let them know when you come back safely, and what to do if they don t hear from you by the expected time. 6. Stay well-hydrated by bringing water or other beverages with you. 7. Have a first aid kit and all necessary safety gear with you and make sure it is easily accessible. 8. Wear clothing appropriate for the weather, temperature, and protection from insects. 9. Never mix alcohol or drugs with any kind of boating. 10. Stay within your skill limits. Make sure you always have enough energy to return to shore. 2
How to download the Collector App: 1. Go to the Google Play Store or Apple s App Store; 2. Search for Collector for ArcGIS by ESRI; 3. This is a FREE app; 4. Click Install to download it to your phone. ANDROID iphone How to Sign in to the Collector App (Android and IPhone): 1. After registering for a training session, you will receive an e-mail from ESRI with your username and a link to activate your account; 2. Click on the link to create a password; 3. Your username is included in the e-mail will be: FirstInitalLastName_BBP; 4. After creating your password, open the collector app; 5. For IPhone users, click on ARCGIS ONLINE /Android users click continue for www.arcgis.com; 6. It will ask you for the username and password that you just created, enter them and click sign in; 3
How to complete an assigned area using the collector app. Checklist: Required safety equipment Kayaking/boating gear Smart Phone with Collector App installed Map of assignment with GPS coordinates Water Sunscreen Instructions: 1. Paddle to the starting point of your assignment (Provided by BBP). 2. Open the Collector app. 3. It will ask you for the username and password, enter them and click sign in. 4. After you sign in the home screen will say All Maps and you should see the Paddle4theEdge2017, click it. Allow the app to use access your location if asked. 5. Once the map is open, there is a + symbol, click it. iphone users then click Paddle for the Edge Citizen Shoreline Assessment ANDROID IPHONE 6. The form should appear. a. Android: You should see a paperclip symbol. Click this and choose camera to take a photo of your 10-ft section. After taking the photo, click save. b. IPhone: You should see a camera icon. Click this and then click Add to take a photo of your 10-ft section. Click Take a photo or video, then use this photo and finally click Done ANDROID IPHONE 4
7. Android and IPHONE: Click on the Cog symbol and set location accuracy to 10m with a 5 second streaming interval and OK or SAVE. ANDROID IPHONE 8. Android and IPHONE: Click the symbol of a man with a bull s-eye. This will automatically insert your GPS coordinates. ANDROID IPHONE 5
9. Answer all of the questions on the form as discussed in training making sure the date is set to the current day. The last question asks for additional comments. 10. If you have answered all questions and have attached your photo, click the checkmark on Android devices or Submit on IPHONES to save your point! a. Android: Check to see if your photo is attached at the bottom. IPHONE users can check by clicking the camera icon and making sure the photo is there. ANDROID IPHONE 11. Paddle 100ft (approximately 9 kayak lengths) and repeat steps 5 10. 12. Repeat step 11 until you have covered your assigned area. 13. Paddle home, or enjoy the rest of your day out on the water! 6
How to complete an assigned area using the paper form: Checklist: Required safety equipment Kayaking/boating gear Clipboard with plenty of paper forms GPS device (OR camera that uses GPS) Pen or pencils Map of assignment with GPS coordinates Digital Camera Water Sunscreen Instructions: 1. Paddle to the starting point of your assignment (Provided by BBP). 2. Start to fill out the datasheet. 3. Use your GPS to give you the coordinates of your point. 4. Take a photo of your 10 ft. (3m) survey area. Note down the photo number. 5. Answer all of the questions on the form, each sheet of paper can record 4 points. 6. When you are done, paddle 100ft (approximately 9 kayak lengths), and repeat steps 2 6. 7. Repeat step 6 until you have covered your assigned area. Please make sure you take a point at the beginning and end of your assigned area. 8. Paddle home, or enjoy the rest of your day out on the water! 9. When you get home, e-mail your photos to Paddlefortheedge@gmail.com 10. Then place all of your datasheets into the envelope provided for you. 11. Drop the envelope in the mail or drop it off at the Barnegat Bay Partnership Offices Ocean County College, Building #10 PO Box 2001, Toms River, NJ 08754 7
Terms and Definitions: Tidal Cycles - Winds and freshwater input can make determining the tidal cycle in the field deceptive. We suggest using NOAA s tide charts before you go out. They can be found here: http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tide_predictions.html?gid=82 High Tide High Tide Flood Tide - Water level is increasing Mean Low Water Ebb Tide - Water level is receding EDGE PLANTS/TYPES OF VEGITATION: Low Tide We are interested in the types of plants that dominate the edge of the marsh. Trees and bushes are rigid woody plants. Short grasses are less than 6 inches tall. Tall grasses are greater than 6 inches tall. Reedy plants are tall slender leaved plants with rigid stalks. Phragmites is a common reedy plant. TREES/BUSHES REEDY PLANTS 8
TALL GRASS (>6in) SHORT GRASS (<6 in) EDGE PLANTS/ VEGITATION PERCENTAGE: Estimate what percentage of the edge is covered with plants. >75% Vegetated 9
50-75% Vegetated Mostly bare soil/sand Mostly Hardened- Has structure at the edge 10
SOIL TYPES: Determine what type of soil dominates the edge. Sandy- grainy Mucky- smooth, mushy and clay like BANK HEIGHT: Estimate the height from the top of the water to the top of the soil on the edge. See image below: Bank Height Bank Height MUSSEL (Geukensia demissa) DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS: Singles 11
Continuous Clumped Chesapeake Bay Program Fiddler Crab burrows/holes in the Marsh: Crabs you might see: Fiddler Crab (Uca pugnax) Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) BrianHenderson/flikr MattTillet/flikr Green Crab (Carcinus maenas) invasive Spider Crab (Libinia emarginata) Luis A. SolÃrzano www.californiabiota.com Joo0ey/flickr 12
DITCHES: Along the edge that you are sampling, have you passed a ditch since your last point? Bank Shapes: Undercutting Gradual Slope Perpendicular SIGNS OF EROSION AND ACCRETION: Exposed roots of edge plants 13
Cantilevered (Undercut) Banks Chunks or pieces of marsh in the water 14
Tiered or Steplike TYPES OF STRUCTURES: Riprap Bulkhead Pier/ Dock 15
Gravel/ Cobblestone Unidentifiable/ Remnant Groin/ Jetty Pilings RobertPittman/flickr Marina Boat Ramp 16
Other Resources Weather: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/home.htm Tides: http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tide_predictions.html?gid=82 17