19941015 Ver 1_Complete File_19990522

ARCADI-S GERAGHTY&MILLER
Mr. John Dorney
North Carolina Division of Water Quality
Wetlands/401 Unit
4401 Reedy Creek Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27607
Subject:
Elizabeth City WWTP Expansion and Upgrade Project
Third Annual Wetland Mitigation Report
401 Certification No. 2976
DWQ No. 941105; COE No. 199500879
Arcadis Geraghty & Miller Project No. NC039254.0002
Dear Mr. Dorney:
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Attached to this letter is the third annual monitoring report for the wetlands
mitigation planting project at the Elizabeth City Wastewater Treatment Plant.
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ARCADIS Geraghty & Miller of
North Carolina, Inc.
2301 Rexwoods Drive, Suite 102
Raleigh
North Carolina 27607-3366
Tel [phone]
Fax [phone]
WATER & WASTE
MANAGEMENT
Raleigh, NC
19 November 1999
Contact:
Francine Durso
We are reporting excellent performance of all aspects of the project. The project has Extension:
met all three of the "success criteria" contained in the approved Planting and 125
Monitoring Plan dated May 4, 1995. Therefore, this wetland mitigation project is
complete and this is the final report that will be submitted. Please don't hesitate to
contact us if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
ARCADIS Geraghty & Miller of North Carolina, Inc.
Francine Durso, P.E.
Project Manager
Attachment
Copies (with attachment):
Bart Van Nieuwenhuise, Elizabeth City
Debbie Hobbs, Elizabeth City
Dennis Hawthorn, Division of Coastal Management, Elizabeth City Office
Henry Wicker, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington Regulatory Field Office
Robert Vinay, ARCADIS
Whit Wheeler, ARCADIS
Our ref.:
No. NC039254.0002/report3.doc
S
ECO TECH
Ecosystem Te chnologies Inc. Environmental Scientists
928 Ravenwood Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606 919-859-0064
Report to ARCADIS/Geraghty & Miller of
MONITORING OF
COMPENSATORY FORESTED WETLAND MITIGATION
AT THE ELIZABETH CITY WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
Ted Shear, Eco*Tech
18 October 1999
I inspected the wetland mitigation project at the Elizabeth City wastewater treatment
plant on '6 October 1999. 1 found the soil to be saturated, puddled in a few places, and
apparently hydric. The planted trees are growing well.
In February, 1997, bare-root seedlings of overcup oak (Quercus lyrata), willow oak
(Quercus phellos), laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia), and swamp blackgum (Nyssa
sylvatica var. biflora) were planted in equal proportions, and bald cypress (Taxodium
distichum) seedlings were planted in a particularly low and wet area. I measured the
height and diameter of each tree seedling found in the two 0.05 acre measurement
plots. Growth and density of each species are shown in this graph:
sge-cues, trees/arre,%--sLf total_tneeslaere
9
8
7
6
a?
a?
t 5
ao
L
4
3
2
:......... ............ ...... ..................... ....,,
9.2 willow oak, 130,22%
8.8 cypress, 70, 12%
8.0 swamp blackgum, 150,25%
7.8 overcup oak, 150, 25%
2.7 laurel oak, 90, 15% \qco ?e - S69* fir. 00w

There were 590 planted trees per acre (surviving for three years), 520 of which were of
heavy-seeded species. The performance standards require a minimum of 320 trees per
acre surviving for three years, 150 of which must be heavy-seeded. The trees also
were well dispersed by species across the site. Therefore, the three success criteria
listed in the planting and monitoring plan have been met. In addition, all species made
significant growth. Though the laurel oaks were lush, they appear to be competing
poorly with the weeds and continue to grow slowly. However, they are persisting, and
should ultimately be represented in the midstory and/or overstory of the stand. All
species had full-sized leaves that were free of disease and insects and showed no
chlorosis or other signs of stress.
Excepting laurel oak, the trees were competing well with the thick cover of grass and
herbs. Most trees are taller than the surrounding herbaceous vegetation. The recent
hurricanes (Dennis and Floyd) caused much of the herbaceous plant cover on the
western edge of the wetland to lodge. The trees have recovered from being dragged
down by weeds blown over by the wind. So though competition was heavy, I do not
recommend that it be controlled further.
The soil was saturated when I visited, and there was puddling in the lowest area where
cypress were planted. Both hydric soil and a wetland hydrology appeared to exist at the
site.
There were no problems evident. In fact, I believe that performance of all aspects of this
project is excellent. I believe that the project has met the letter of the mitigation plan
and planting and monitoring plan, as well as the spirit of the principle of wetland
mitigation. My opinion is that the project should be declared a success by all regulatory
agencies and that monitoring should be discontinued.
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