APOGEECONSULTANTSINC.COM

SERVICES

• Bat Surveys
• 401 and 404 Permitting
• Fish Surveys
• Macroivertebrate Surveys
• Botanical Surveys
• Wetlands Delineations
• Stream Monitoring
• Mussel Surveys
• Other Services

BAT SURVEYS
Apogee ecologists have extensive experience with the endangered bats of the eastern United States, including the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus t. virginianus), and the gray bat (Myotis grisescens).  The ecology staff at Apogee has conducted many projects incorporating mist netting and harp trapping surveys, Anabat bat detection, portal evaluations, portal closures, cave /portal censusing, and radiotelemetry tracking of the federally endangered Indiana bat.  Apogee’s staff consists of bat specialists that are qualified and permitted by the USFWS and many state agencies.  Recently our ecologists have completed studies of the Indiana bat for the USFS in the Green Mountain National Forest (Vermont), the Wayne National Forest (Ohio), the DOD at Holston Army Ammunition Plant (Tennessee), North Carolina Department of Transportation, and the Camp Dawson Collective Training Facility (West Virginia).  Most recently Apogee has also completed an extensive Biological Assessment of the federally endangered Indiana bat for a mining permit area in southern West Virginia.

401 AND 404 PERMITTING

Apogee regularly completes aquatic resource mitigation and restoration requirements set forth by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the River and Harbors Act of 1899.  New permitting procedures require extensive surveys, thorough restoration plans, and mitigation requirements for aquatic systems that are to be impacted during mining or other earthwork operations.  Apogee has prepared 404 applications in the Huntington, Louisville, Nashville, and Norfolk USACE Districts.  Apogee ecologists have also conducted numerous wetlands delineations and jurisdictional water determinations that fall under these statutes.

Apogee ecologists have conducted numerous stream bioassessments required for the issuance of 401 permits by the Division of Water.  Apogee staff has many years of experience with Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) and the requirements for permit issuance thereof.  Apogee also has personnel that specialize in aquatic surveys with extensive experience in the identification of aquatic macroinvertebrates.

FISH SURVEYS

Apogee ecologists are intimately familiar with the fish of the watersheds throughout Appalachia.  Staff ecologists have conducted many fish surveys from small headwater streams to large river systems including watersheds of the; Kentucky River, Big Sandy River, Rockcastle River, Green River, Little Barren River, Powell River, Cumberland River, Clinch River, and Mississippi River respectively.  In addition to common fish species Apogee ecologist have many years of experience dealing with the federally threatened blackside dace (Phoxinus cumberlandensis).  Our ecologists have conducted exploratory surveys and several years of monitoring for this federally listed species.

MACROIVERTEBRATE SURVEYS
Apogee has ecologists with extensive experience dealing with the collection and curation of aquatic insects.  Our personnel have the background and taxonomical knowledge to conduct macroinvertebrate surveys throughout the eastern United States.  Apogee has conducted numerous macroinvertebrate surveys as part of stream bioassessment protocols for state agencies in addition to the requirements of regulatory statutes such as the Clean Water Act.

BOTANICAL SURVEYS

Apogee ecologists have conducted numerous botanical surveys for many state and federally listed species throughout Appalachia.  Over the years our ecologists have surveyed for federally listed species such as small whorled pogonia (Isotria medioloides), Virginia spirea (Spirea virginiana) and Price’s potato bean (Apios priceana).  Apogee ecologists have extensive experience in the taxonomy of the flora, both aquatic and terrestrial, of the eastern United States.

WETLANDS DELINEATIONS
To effectively and accurately determine jurisdictional wetlands, scientists must be knowledgeable in three key areas; soils, hydrology, and the more difficult, plant taxonomy.  Apogee ecologists are efficient in all three areas, with an emphasis on plant taxonomy.  Apogee ecologists have conducted numerous isolated and jurisdictional wetlands delineations throughout the eastern United States.  Key staff have completed wetlands delineation training and are certified to conduct such surveys through the USACE.

STREAM MONITORING

Projects that include the addition or removal of materials within watersheds often require stream monitoring for the duration of the project.  Stream monitoring typically consist of stream habitat assessments, macroinvertebrate collections, fish surveys, and physiochemical water monitoring.  Apogee ecologists have conducted numerous stream monitoring projects and are knowledgeable in all facets and the methodologies required by regulating agencies.

MUSSEL SURVEYS
Freshwater mussels are one of the most imperiled and least understood groups of animals in the world.  Many projects located in watersheds where federally listed mussel species occur may require surveys to determine presence or absence of such species.  We at Apogee are qualified to conduct freshwater mussel surveys in many critical watersheds throughout much of the eastern United States.  Over the years we have conducted or assisted in; qualitative and quantitative surveys, genetic studies, survival studies on propagated mussels, and recruitment analyses.  In addition to freshwater mussel surveys we have also assisted in many surveys for the (Io fluvialis).

OTHER SERVICES

Apogee has also conducted a wide range of other natural resource surveys.  We have surveyed for numerous threatened and endangered species on permits throughout the eastern United States.  Some of the species involved in these field surveys have included the federally listed; bog turtle (Clemmys muhlenbergii), and flat-spired three-toothed land snail (Triodopsis platysayoides).  In addition to federally listed species we have also surveyed for many state listed species of small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and birds of the eastern United States.