20080880 Ver 1_Mitigation Monitoring Plans_20091124

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The Cliffs at High Carolina
Northern Brook Trout Monitoring Plan
Fairview, North Carolina
fitted to NC DWQ and NC WRC November 23, 2009)
P.O. BOX 882
CANTON, N.C.
28716
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Introduction
This monitoring plan is being proposed in order to satisfy Condition #8 of the
North Carolina Division of Water Quality's Approval of 401 Water Quality
Certification with Additional Conditions dated August 26, 2009. Condition #8:
"The applicant shall develop a plan for monitoring the brook trout populations for
all the stream located upstream of the pond (Lake Tsuga) located on the golf
course. The plan shall be submitted to the DWQ and the NC Wildlife Resources
Commission no more than 90 days after the effective date of this 401 Water
Quality Certification. After DWQ approves the plan, it shall be implemented.
The plan shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, an annual in stream
sampling protocol to determine if the streams are supporting the brook trout
populations, a comprehensive instream macroinvertebrate sampling regime, and
a proposed remediation plan if the in stream sampling indicates that brook trout
populations are no longer present. The report shall be submitted on an annual
basis to the Division of Water Quality in conjunction with all other monitoring
requirements of this certification. In the event that the streams cease to support
the brook trout populations and the proposed remediation plan fails to restore
the brook trout populations to the site, the applicant shall undertake all
necessary actions, as approved by DWQ and in consultation with WRC, to restore
the brook trout populations." This plan, as required, includes a sampling
protocol for northern brook trout and macroinvertebrates as well as a
remediation plan, if necessary, even though it is not anticipated to be required.
Methods
Trout
A backpack electro-fishing shocker will be used to sample for the presence of
brook trout in the northern and southern tributaries to Lake Tsuga each year in
May. A three pass depletion method will be used to quantify brook trout
populations in three 100-meter reaches in each tributary. Sample reaches will be
hand measured with a 300-meter hand tape. Station number, date, time, water
temperature, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen will be measured at each of the
eight sample locations. An YSI meter will be used for collecting the data at each
sample location. The trout data collected will include range, length, and density.
The six sample locations will be marked in the field to identify these areas for
future sampling. A baseline survey will be conducted in 2010 before construction
of the golf course begins.
A trout spawning survey will be conducted each year between October and
December to determine if the trout population is continuing to reproduce. A
baseline survey will be conducted in 2009. Field data documentation will include
photographs of the trout presence survey and spawning survey.
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Benthic Macroinvertebrates
Benthic macroi nve rteb rates will be collected using the NC Division of Water
Quality's abbreviated standard qualitative sampling procedure since the streams
to be sampling are less than four meters in width. This survey will also be
conducted each year in May during the trout survey. Macroinvertebrates will be
surveyed at each of the six trout sampling sites. The abbreviated Qual 4 method
will be used. Four composites will be collected including one kick sample, one
bank sweep sample, one leaf pack sample, and visual collections. All organisms
will be collected and processed. The relative abundance of each taxon will be
determined and classified as rare (1-2 specimens), common (3-9 specimens), or
abundant (>_ 10 specimens). The EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and
Trichoptera) taxa richness will be used to assign water quality ratings for the
eight sampling locations. These streams will be considered not impaired if a
bioclassification of good-fair or better is received using DWQ criteria for larger
streams.
Habitat evaluations will be determined using the Biological Assessment Unit's
Habitat Assessment Field Data Sheet for mountain / piedmont streams. This
assessment method will assign a numerical score from 0-100 for each of the six
100 meter reaches of streams sampled based on channel modification, instream
habitat, bottom substrate, pool variety, riffle habitats, bank stability and
vegetation, light penetration, and riparian vegetative zone width. A baseline
survey will be conducted in 2010 before construction of the golf course begins.
Remedial Action Plan
If the brook trout sampling determines that northern brook trout are no longer
present in the northern and southern tributaries to Lake Tsuga, the Cliffs
commits to taking corrective actions to restore the northern brook trout
population. Previous property owners have stocked Lake Tsuga with northern
brook trout. Even though it is not anticipated to be necessary, the same method
will be used to re-establish northern brook trout if the current population ceases
to exist.
Reporting
A yearly trout monitoring plan report will be submitted to DWQ no later than by
January 5th of the following year. Therefore, the first monitoring report will be
due January 5, 2011 which will serve as the baseline report.
Cessation of Northern Trout Monitoring
The northern brook trout yearly monitoring and reporting will continue for two
years following the completed construction of the golf course.
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