Form
(Rev. 5/2013)
(RTI)
ProjStat
Research Project Statement 16-3
FY16 Annual Program
Title:
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Freshwater Mussel Mitigation Strategies
The Problem:
In 2010 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department listed 15 species of freshwater mussels as threatened
species in Texas. Twelve of these species are in various stages of evaluation by the US Fish and Wildlife
Service for addition to the federal endangered species list. Because these species have only recently been
a focal point for aquatic conservation in Texas, there is no comprehensive strategy to address the
regulatory requirements for transportation infrastructure construction and maintenance project impacts to
these listed mussel species.
To mitigate potential impacts to these species TxDOT conducts surveys and relocations for all projects in
perennial waters regardless of the size of the construction footprint or the type or geographic setting of the
affected water body. Water depth is currently the only site characteristic used to determine the type of
survey (wading or SCUBA survey). There is a need to scale survey and relocation efforts to differentiate
between water body types, including the geographic influence on species distribution. There is also a need
to better understand mussel life history attributes including burrowing deeper in response to temperatures or
other environmental triggers, and any difference in sublethal effects between survey or relocation methods.
Neither the approaches used to date, nor potential alternative approaches, have been evaluated for cost or
conservation effectiveness. An understanding of the conservation effectiveness of potential mitigation
activities is needed to ensure TxDOT mitigation efforts maintain or enhance populations of threatened
freshwater mussels. Such efforts could create an opportunity to avoid these species being added to the
federal endangered species list.
Technical
Objectives:
Rank cost and conservation effectiveness of potential mitigation strategies that address potential impacts to
state listed mussels as discussed in problem statement. This will include examining efficacy of relocation
efforts conducted to date to identify procedures that ensure success, and evaluating alternatives that
provide equivalent or greater conservations outcomes at comparable cost. Ideally these methods would
be tested as part of the implementation of TxDOT projects that have mussel mitigation requirements.
However, in order to ensure adequate scientific rigor for this project, it may be necessary to include
supplemental efforts in addition to TxDOT projects.
Desired
Deliverables:
An inventory and ranking of cost and conservation effectiveness of mitigation strategies scaled to water
body type and magnitude of project impacts. The evaluation of mitigation strategies should include efficacy
of relocation methods as well as alternatives to relocation for state listed mussels. Such alternatives include
propagation for population augmentation and habitat enhancements to promote recruitment.
A draft statewide guidance document for TxDOT freshwater mussel mitigation
Proposal
Requirements:
1. Proposals will be considered non-responsive and will not be accepted for technical evaluation if
they are not received by the deadline or do not meet the requirements stated in RTI’s University
Handbook.
2. Proposals should be submitted in PDF format, 1 PDF file per proposal. File name should include
project name and university abbreviation.
Pre-Proposal
Meeting
Information:
Thursday, March 12, 2015 2:30 – 4:30PM
Austin Riverside Campus
118 E. Riverside Dr.
RTI Conference Room, 1st Floor
Webex Information:
1. Go to https://txdot.webex.com/txdot/j.php?MTID=mc669233957a14bab20c53fdbb558b22e
2. If requested, enter your name and email address.
3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: 1234
Project Statement 16-3
ProjStat
Form
(Rev. 5/2013)
(RTI)
4. Click "Join".
Teleconference information;
Provide your phone number when you join the meeting to receive a call back. Alternatively, you
can call:
Call-in toll-free number: 1-(866) 637-1408 (US)
Conference Code: 426 158 5995
Notifying RTI of
Intent to
Propose:
In order to be notified if additional project information is distributed by TxDOT, you must contact RTI,
at (512) 416-4730 or rtimain@txdot.gov by February 27, 2015 if you plan to propose.
Proposal
Deadline:
Proposals are due to RTI by 4:00 p.m. Central Time, April 3, 2015. Email submissions should be sent
to rtimain@txdot.gov.
Project Statement 16-3