20080511 Ver 3_AsBuilt Revised w/o Figures_20151222

Greene Environmental Services
La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II
As -Built Report / November 2015
Greene Environmental Services, LLC
Neuse River Umbrella Mitigation Bank / DWR#: 2008-05110
Submitted to:
Katie Merritt
NC Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Water Resources — Water Quality Programs
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617 Phone: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Submitted by:
Greene Environmental Services, Jeff Becker and David Knowles
Ham Farms, 963 Hwy 258 S
Snow Hill, NC 28580
[phone]

Table of Contents
1.0 Project Location and Description................................................................ 3
2.0 Plantings of Seedlings............................................................................ 4
3.0 Monitoring Plot Establishment................................................................. 6
4.0 Nutrient Offset and Buffer Potential........................................................... 8
5.0 Deviations from the Bank Parcel Development Package(BPDP)...........................8
6.0 Appendices........................................................................................ 10
Appendix A: Figures
Figure 1: Vicinity map of LaGrange Mitigation Bank
Figure 2: Local aerial photograph of LaGrange Mitigation Bank
Figures 3: Aerial map of tracts
Figures 4: Survey plat of Phase II
Figure 5. Monitoring plot locations on Phase II
Appendix B: Monitoring Plots and Photographs
Plot page: LAG -3
Plot page: LAG -4
Appendix C: Copy of letter of letter from Grant and Associates, PA, land surveyor.
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1.0 Project Location and Description
Greene Environmental Services, LLC (GES) of Snow Hill, North Carolina expanded a mitigation
bank at near La Grange, NC to include additional acreage for riparian buffer and nutrient offset
credits. The original bank, La Grange Bank Parcel is 3.39 acres and is in its third of five post -
implementation monitoring years. As with the initial project, the new acreage is included in the
Greene Environmental Services Neuse River Basin Riparian Buffer and Nutrient Offset Umbrella
Bank. The new, expansion project is named the La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II. It is
immediately adjacent to the initial La Grange Bank Parcel and is situated southwest of the
intersection of NC 903 and Old Jason Road (SR 1501), north of La Grange, in Lenoir County,
North Carolina (Appendix A: Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4). The latitude/longitude coordinates of the site
area approximately 35° 20'30.00" N and 77°47'21.56" W. The purpose of the Phase II mitigation
bank expansion is to improve water quality within the Neuse River Basin by reducing nutrient and
sediment inputs to the watershed and providing off-site mitigation for development requiring
nutrient offsets.
The Phase H bank parcel is located within the Middle Neuse Watershed (HUC: 03020202).
Stormwater runoff from this site drains into Meeting House Branch (Stream Index # 27-72-3)
and via a farm drainage ditch and maintained canal system (un -named tributary, UT). Meeting
House Branch discharges to Bear Creek (Stream Index # 27-72-(0.1)), a major tributary to the
Neuse River (Appendix A: Figures 1 and 2).
The Phase II parcel is 3.50 acres. Of this 3.50 acres, 2.97 acres (6,750.87 lbs -N) were restored to
generate nutrient offsets and 0.52 acres (22,620.63 ft2) were restored to generate Neuse Riparian
Buffer Mitigation. The buffer restoration acreage was reduced by 30.57 ft2 as compared to the
BPDP. For reporting purposes, all acreages are rounded to the nearest hundredth of an acre.
Riparian buffer mitigation acreage was established in two sub -tracts labelled A and C in the
survey plat provided in Appendix A: Figures 4 and 5. Sub -tract A is 0.03 acres (1,491.00 ft2)
and buffers southerly flowing Meeting House Branch; sub -tract C is 0.49 acres (21,129.63 ft2)
and buffers the westerly flowing unnamed tributary to Meeting House Branch. Nutrient offset
acreage was established in two sub -tracts, B and D. Sub -tract B is 0.16 acres along the unnamed
tributary to Meeting House Branch and sub -tract D is 2.81 acres along a drainage ditch at the
eastern border of the Phase II tract that discharging to the UT that flows into Meeting House
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Branch, and adjacent to the sub -tract C riparian buffer area. The riparian buffers extended from
the top of the ditch -banks 50 feet perpendicular to the buffered steam segments. The nutrient
offset acreage extended from the top of the ditch -banks a minimum of 50 feet and a maximum of
200 feet perpendicular to the buffered stream segments or to the border of Phase I. A 0.06 -acre
(2,613.60 ft') triangular portion of the site adjacent to L-13 on the survey plat is beyond the 200 -
foot allowable limit for mitigation credit thus is not included in the mitigation credit calculations.
However, this isolated portion had to be purchased by Greene Environmental Services, LLC to
avoid the need to provide access an access easement concerns. This Phase II bank parcel was
established under the terms and conditions of the Greene Environmental Services Neuse River
Basin Riparian Buffer and Nutrient Offset Umbrella Bank.
The Phase II parcel was previous agricultural cropland and approximately one acre was planted
with bald cypress and river birch saplings during March of 2010, at which time staff from the
NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (now renamed the Department of
Environmental Quality), Division of Water Resources visited the site and determined that it was
suitable for mitigation. Katie Merritt with DWR visited the site in June of 2013 and determined
this Phase II acreage was still suitable for nutrient offset mitigation.
2.0 Plantings of Seedlings the La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II
In an effort to restore some ecological functions and improve water quality in the local and
regional watersheds, the La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II project site was planted with
seedlings of native trees species and placed under permanent conservation easement. As a result
of these actions, the project site has been taken out of agricultural production, soils should
become better stabilized, and nutrient loading in adjacent streams should be reduced. Seedlings
of character tree species were planted in three installments during separate years prior to the
creation of the 3.50 -acre, La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II. In late winter of 2010 and 2014,
seedlings of river birch and bald cypress were planted in portions of the area that was to become
the Phase II expansion acreage (Table 1). In late winter of 2014 and 2015, yellow poplar, black
gum and sycamore were planted in the Phase II tracts. Also, in March of 2015, three oak species:
overcup oak, cherrybark oak and Shumard oak were planted in the Phase II acreage.
Considering all planting installments, bald cypress and sycamore were the most frequently
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planted species with the oak species least frequently planted (Table 1). A total of 1890 seedlings
were planted in the Phase II expansion acreage for an estimated density of 541.5 seedlings per
acre.
Plantings by sub -tract were as follows: riparian buffer sub -tracts A and C were planted in 2015
with a mix of yellow poplar, black gum, sycamore, overcup oak, cherrybark oak and Shumard
oak, from the top of the stream bank outward to 50 feet. Nutrient offset sub -tract B was planted
in 2015 with the same tree species from the top of the stream bank to the border of the pre-
existing La Grange Bank Parcel (roughly 30 feet). Nutrient offset sub -tract D was planted the
same mix of species from the existing stand of trees (mostly bald cypress and river birch)
initially planted in 2010, to the pre-existing La Grange Bank Parcel boundary or up to 200 feet
from the top of the ditch bank. Survival rates of the planted seedlings will be determined using
the monitoring plots described in section 3.0 of this document and will be reported in the first
annual report for the La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II in December 2015.
Table 1. Species planted in the 3.50 acre, La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II.
Species
Common name
Year planted
Seedlings planted
Betula nigra
River birch
2010, 2014
270
Liriodendron tulipifea
Yellow poplar
2014, 2015
200
Nyssa sylvatica
Black gum
2014, 2015
220
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore
2014, 2015
420
Quercus lyrata
Overcup oak
2015
100
Quercus pagoda
Cherrybark oak
2015
100
Quercus shumardii
Shumard oak
2015
100
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
2010, 2014
480
Total
1890 (541.5 per acre)
The species and counts of seedlings planted during the 2015 winter planting season differed
from the proposed planting plan described in the La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II, Bank
Parcel Development Package (BPDP). As proposed, 100 seedlings each of yellow poplar,
black gum and sycamore were planted but no river birch seedlings were available for
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planting. Instead, 100 seedlings each of three oak species were planted; these native,
wetland -adapted species were: overcup oak (Quercus lyrata), cherrybark oak (Q. pagoda)
and Shumard oak (Q. shumardii). Thus the calculated seedling density in the Phase II bank
increased to 541.5 seedlings per acre instead of the 427 seedlings per acre proposed in the
BPDP.
3.0 Monitoring Plot Establishment
Two IOm x l Om (0.0247 acre) monitoring plots were established in the 3.49 -acre, La Grange
Mitigation Bank, Phase II project area (Appendix A: Figure 5). Monitoring plot LAG -3 was
established in a portion of Phase II that was planted with bald cypress and river birch
seedlings in 2010; those seedlings are now small trees between 2 and 4 meters in height.
There were ten planted character trees in LAG -3 for an estimated density of 404.9 trees per
acre (Table 2). One red maple was found in the plot but was not included in the plot data
analysis. The second monitoring plot, LAG -4, was situated in a portion of the Phase II
expansion area that was planted with seedlings in 2015. Three species were found in the
monitoring plot, sycamore, cherrybark oak and Shumard oak. A total of fourteen seedlings
were found in the plot for an estimated density of 566.8 seedlings per acre (Table 2). The
average density between the two monitoring plots was 485.8 seedlings/trees per acre.
The monitoring plots in the Phase II acreage were photo -documented using digital
photography imaged from the northwestern corner of the plot. All seedlings or trees were
flagging and their position within the plots were mapped (Appendix B). Annual reports
including plot data with updated photographs and plot maps will be submitted to the NC -
DEQ, Division of Water Resources by the end of each year from 2015 to 2019.
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Table 2. Planted tree species, stem density and estimated stems per acre based on surveys of
100m2 monitoring plots at the La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II.
Plot/Species
Common name
Stems per plot
Estimated stems per acre
LAG -3
Betula nigra
River birch
3
121.4
Taxodium distichum
Bald cypress
7
283.4
LAG -3 Total
10
404.9
LAG -4
Platanus occidentalis
Sycamore
6
242.9
Quercus pagoda
Cherrybark oak
4
161.9
Quercus shumardii
Shumard oak
4
161.9
LAG -4 Total
14
566.8
Combined Average of
LAG -3 and LAG -4
12
485.8
4.0 Riparian Buffer and Nutrient Offset Potential
The 3.50 -acre, La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II consists of 0.52 acres (22,620.63 ft2 )of
potential Neuse Riparian Buffer credits in two sub -tracts as indicated in the Table 3 below. Two
separate sub -tracts, totaling 2.97 acres, have the potential to generate 6,750.87 pounds of
nitrogen nutrient offset credits at 2273.02 lbs/ac.
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Table 3. Potential riparian buffer and nutrient offset credits at the La Grange Mitigation Bank,
Phase II.
Sub -tract
Riparian Buffer
Sq.ft. Acres
Nutrient Offset
Acres
Nitrogen
Credits (lbs.)
A
1,491.00
0.03
NA
NA
B
NA
NA
0.16
363.68
C
21,129.63
0.49
NA
NA
D
NA
NA
2.81
6,387.19
Totals
22,620.63
0.52
2.97
6,750.87
5.0 Summary of the Deviations from the Bank Parcel Development Package
As reported in this As -Built document, deviations from the La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II
planning document, Bank Parcel Development Package submitted to the NC Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (now DEQ) in October 2014 are summarized as follows:
• Based on the final survey plat, the total acreage of the restored Neuse riparian buffer
areas is 22,620.63 ft2 (0.52 acres); this differs from the BPDP estimated credits of
22,651.20 ft2 (a decrease in square footage of buffer by 30.57 ft).
• The map in Figure 3 was modified to be consistent to the survey plat in Figure 4.
• The species of tree seedlings actually planted was more diverse than proposed in the
BPDP. In addition to the five species listed in the BPDP (river birch, yellow poplar,
black gum, sycamore and bald cypress), three species of oaks were planted (overcup oak,
cherrybark oak and Shumard oak). These additional species were available to GES as a
result of an over -order and suitable for site conditions at the La Grange site, thus were
planted.
• The final density of seedlings of all planted trees increased from an estimated 427.0
seedlings per acre as proposed in the BPDP to 541.5 seedlings per acre actually planted.
W

6.0 Appendices
Appendix A: Figures
Figure 1: Vicinity map of La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II
Figure 2: Local aerial photograph of La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II
Figure 3: Aerial map of tracts at La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II
Figure 4: Survey plat of La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II
Figure 5. Monitoring plot locations at La Grange Mitigation Bank, Phase II
Appendix B: Monitoring Plots and Photographs
Plot: LAG -3
Plot: LAG -4
Appendix C: Copy of letter of veracity of survey plat from Grant and Associates, PA, land surveyor.