NCDOT 7-98 Proposed Refinement 4/7/1999

- 1
,20
APR 1 2 1999
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
JAMES B. HUNT JR. E. NORMS TOLSON
GOVERNOR SECRETARY
April 7, 1999
Charles Jones, Assistant Director
Division of Coastal Management
Hestron Plaza II
151-B Highway 24
Morehead City, North Carolina
Dear Mr. Jones:
SUBJECT: Proposed Refinement to CAMA Major Development Permit No.
7-98 (Issued on January 20, 1998, Previously Modified September
23, 1998): the Improvements to US 64-264, Including the Construction of
a New Croatan Sound Bridge, from West of Manns Harbor to NC 345,
South of Manteo, in Dare County; Federal Aid Project No. NHF-64 (6);
State Project No. 8.T051401; TIP No. R-2551
The Department of Transportation has determined that it must modify its original
provisions for surface drainage along the highway right of way in the vicinity of White's
Store and adjacent residential properties. The previous design called for collecting this
stormwater and conveying it along a new drainage ditch to a point south of Boat Ramp
Road where it would be discharged into the open surface waters of a canal.
Since this original proposal would have required a permanent drainage easement (PDE)
through private properties, and since the properties to be affected by the discharge are
relatively small parcels, the drainage encroachment was considered to be overly intrusive.
In addition, the surface water would have been discharged into an open waterway after
being conveyed through a vegetated ditch. Since the ditch probably would have been
maintained as an extension of the adjacent lawnscapes, and the groundcover would
probably have been kept closely cut; it would have served as a poor filter of the
stormwater while in route to its ultimate discharge. Unfortunately, this same ditch would
have been a fairly efficient conduit for the transport of lawn nutrients to the canal.
The existing design proposes to collect surface water at discrete drop inlets along the
right of way and to convey the effluent to a small drainage ditch to be constructed
immediately north of the proposed roadway fill between Stations (+/-) 32+80 and 34+40
(Figures 6-8).
P.O. Box 850, Edenton, NC 27932 [phone] Fax: [phone]

Page 2
April 7, 1999
Charles Jones
The proposed design revision will result in a small increase in wetland impacts. The
additional impacts will occur in a scrub-shrub/emergent wetland, which lies immediately
adjacent to the residentially developed portion of Maims Harbor. Anticipated impacts
will actually occur along a narrow fringe of this community, which is dominated by saw
grass (Cladium jamaicense) and pond pine (Pinus serotina) interspersed with bays
(Persia borbonia, Myrica cerifera, etc.). These additional impacts will result from newly
proposed fill (0.09 acre) and newly proposed excavation (0.12 acre), totaling 0.21 acre of
additional impacts. Please note that, in the interest of minimization, the Department has
eliminated the 10-foot wide mechanized clearing zone along the entire length of the
proposed ditch.
Compensatory Mitigation Proposal
In order to compensate for the loss of an additional 0.21 acre of this wetland, the
Department proposes to convert a section of roadway (including roadside shoulders and
fill slopes) to saw grass marsh by removing the underlying pavement and aggregate base,
and grading to natural wetland elevation. This portion of roadway is being replaced by a
new location segment that will provide eastbound US 64 traffic with a continuous
movement through the US 64-264 intersection at Gateway (Figures 2-5). The proposed
restoration area approximates 1.4 acres in surface area and is located north and west of
the proposed roadway between Stations(+/-) 12+00 and 16+00 (Figures 2-5).
Following appropriate site preparation, including, but not limited to scarification of
subsoil and top-dressing with several inches of an organic surface layer', the Department
proposes to establish an emergent wetland community comprised of saw grass. The
natural landscape surrounding the restoration area is composed predominately of saw
grass marsh. The reference ecosystem is the marsh complex lying adjacent to the
roadside canal north of US 64-264 immediately east of Gateway (Figure 3). Saw grass
clumps (2-3 stems per clump), to be obtained from a local source, will be planted at
intervals of 30" (on centers) throughout the restoration area.
Replicating the hydrology of the adjacent emergent community (reference ecosystem)
should be a matter of establishing the appropriate surface elevations across the site
followed by site preparation to loosen any tightly compacted soil zones. Emphasis will be
given to limiting heavy equipment operation to the bare minimum required to get the job
done followed by loosening up the substrate through scarification, etc.
Hydrological and vegetation monitoring will be conducted for a period of 5 years. The
hydrological success criterion dictates that the groundwater table must occur within the
top 12 inches of the soil profile for at least 12.5% of the growing season, consecutively.
Vegetation success will have been achieved when, at the end of the monitoring period,
'The Department will specify that sufficient organic waste from the undercut of adjacent saw grass marsh
(an activity authorized under the existing DOA/401/CAMA permits)shall be stockpiled at an upland site to
be used as top-dressing in the on-site marsh restoration area.

Page 3
April 7, 1999 APR 1 2 1999
Charles Jones
more than 50% of individual plants have survived and are growing, or growth of planted
species has achieved aerial coverage of at least 75% of the site. If necessary, as indicated
by monitoring data, appropriate remedial actions shall be undertaken by the Department
as approved and directed by the USACE in consultation with partner agencies, including
the Division of Coastal Management.
Unfortunately, it is anticipated that implementation of the on-site wetland restoration
effort will not be able to get underway until late winter/early spring 2002 due to conflicts
with on-going construction activities and traffic staging during various construction
phases of the roadway project. This project is somewhat more complex than the "typical"
roadway project by virtue of the complicated staging that will be necessitated by de-
watering and concomitant shoring requirements that will be pre-requisite to maintaining
traffic flows throughout the construction interval.
Your consideration is requested in processing this proposal as a refinement, or a minor
modification. An expedited approval NLT mid-May is essential to meeting critical
project scheduling. Please call me if I can provide any additional information. This
office will cooperate in any way necessary to assist in expediting this request. A check for
$50.00 is enclosed to cover the cost of processing of the Minor Modification.
Thank you for your time and cooperation.
Sincerely,
4iit/74 #
M. Randall Turner, Senior Environmental Officer
Project Development & Environmental Analysis
Enclosures
Cc: Michael F. Bell, USACE
David R. Cox,NCWRC
Tom McCartney, USFWS
John Hennessey,NCDWQ
Sara Winslow,NCDMF
Ron Sechler, NMFS
Randy Wise, P.E., NCDOT
D. R. Conner, P.E., NCDOT
William D. Gilmore, P.E.,NCDOT

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SHEET 8 OF 8 Rev. a149

401 ISSUED
a...
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPO TATION
JAMES B. HUNT JR. E. NORRIS TOLSON
GOVERNOR ?%. SECRETARY
April ?;-I433'- %�`',•
Michael F. Bell, P.W.S., Regulatory Project M4 r
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers �y �ry
Washington Regulatory Field Office .-�,c.- �'
ft�;' �
P.O. Box 1000 1,999
Washington,North Carolina 28779
;rdi!
Dear Mr. Bell:
SUBJECT: Proposed Minor Modification to Department of the Army Permit No.
199502334 (Issued on March 4, 1998, Previously Modified September
24, 1998 and February 26, 1999): the Improvements to US 64-264,
Including the Construction of a New Croatan Sound Bridge, from West of
Manns Harbor to NC 345, South of Manteo, in Dare County; Federal Aid
Project No. NHF-64 (6); State Project No. 8.T051401; TIP No. R-2551
The Department of Transportation has determined that it must modify its original
provisions for surface drainage along the highway right of way in the vicinity of White's
Store and adjacent residential properties. The previous design called for collecting this
stormwater and conveying it along a new drainage ditch to a point south of Boat Ramp
Road where it would be discharged into the open surface waters of a canal.
Since this original proposal would have required a permanent drainage easement (PDE)
through private properties, and since the properties to be affected by the discharge are
relatively small parcels, the drainage encroachment was considered to be overly intrusive.
In addition, the surface water would have been discharged into an open waterway after
being conveyed through a vegetated ditch. Since the ditch probably would have been
maintained as an extension of the adjacent lawnscapes, and the groundcover would
probably have been kept closely cut; it would have served as a poor filter of the
stormwater while in route to its ultimate discharge. Unfortunately, this same ditch would
have been a fairly efficient conduit for the transport of lawn nutrients to the canal.
The existing design proposes to collect surface water at discrete drop inlets along the
right of way and to convey the effluent to a small drainage ditch to be constructed
immediately north of the proposed roadway fill between Stations (+!-) 32+80 and 34+40
(Figures 6-8).
P.O. Box 850, Edenton, NC 27932 [phone] Fax: [phone]

Page 2
April 7, 1999
Michael F. Bell
The proposed design revision will result in a small increase in wetland impacts. The
additional impacts will occur in a scrub-shrub/emergent wetland, which lies immediately
adjacent to the residentially developed portion of Maims Harbor. Anticipated impacts
will actually occur along a narrow fringe of this community, which is dominated by saw
grass (Cladium jamaicense) and pond pine (Pinus serotina) interspersed with bays
(Persia borbonia, Myrica cerifera, etc.). These additional impacts will result from newly
proposed fill (0.09 acre) and newly proposed excavation (0.12 acre), totaling 0.21 acre of
additional impacts. Please note that, in the interest of minimization, the Department has
eliminated the 10-foot wide mechanized clearing zone along the entire length of the
proposed ditch.
Compensatory Mitigation Proposal
In order to compensate for the loss of an additional 0.21 acre of this wetland, the
Department proposes to convert a section of roadway (including roadside shoulders and
fill slopes) to saw grass marsh by icuioving the underlying pavement and aggregate base,
and grading to natural wetland elevation. This portion of roadway is being replaced by a
new location segment that will provide eastbound US 64 traffic with a continuous
movement through the US 64-264 intersection at Gateway (Figures 2-5). The proposed
restoration area approximates 1.4 acres in surface area and is located north and west of
the proposed roadway between Stations (+/-) 12+00 and 16+00 (Figures 2-5).
Following appropriate site preparation, including, but not limited to scarification of
subsoil and top-dressing with several inches of an organic surface layer', the Department
proposes to establish an emergent wetland community comprised of saw grass. The
natural landscape surrounding the restoration area is composed predominately of saw
grass marsh. The reference ecosystem is the marsh complex lying adjacent to the
roadside canal north of US 64-264 immediately east of Gateway (Figure 3). Saw grass
clumps (2-3 stems per clump), to be obtained from a local source, will be planted at
intervals of 30" (on centers) throughout the restoration area.
Replicating the hydrology of the adjacent emergent community (reference ecosystem)
should be a matter of establishing the appropriate surface elevations across the site
followed by site preparation to loosen any tightly compacted soil zones. Emphasis will be
given to limiting heavy equipment operation to the bare minimum required to get the job
done followed by loosening up the substrate through scarification, etc.
Hydrological and vegetation monitoring will be conducted for a period of 5 years. The
hydrological success criterion dictates that the groundwater table must occur within the
top 12 inches of the soil profile for at least 12.5% of the growing season, consecutively.
Vegetation success will have been achieved when, at the end of the monitoring period,
The Department will specify that sufficient organic waste from he undercut of adjacent saw grass marsh
(an activity authorized under the existing DOA,'401/C MA permits)shall be stockpiled at an upland site to
be used as top-dressing in the on-site marsh restoration area_

Page 3
April 7, 1999 • •
Michael F. Bell
more than 50% of individual plants have survived and are growing, or growth of planted
species has achieved aerial coverage of at least 75% of the site. If necessary, as indicated
by monitoring data, appropriate remedial actions shall be undertaken by the Department
as approved and directed by the USACE in consultation with partner agencies.
Unfortunately, it is anticipated that implementation of the on-site wetland restoration
effort will not be able to get underway until late winter/early spring 2002 due to conflicts
with on-going construction activities and traffic staging during various construction
phases of the roadway project. This project is somewhat more complex than the "typical"
roadway project by virtue of the complicated staging that will be necessitated by de-
watering and concomitant shoring requirements that will be pre-requisite to maintaining
traffic flows throughout the construction interval.
Your consideration is requested in processing this proposal as a "minor" modification. It
is hoped that the USACE will find the Department's compensatory mitigation proposal
attractive in its simplicity. Similar in its less formal conception to the Pembroke Creek
Mitigation Site effort, it is felt that a successful mitigation effort can result from an
effective collaboration among the Department, the USACE and the other partner
agencies. An expedited approval is essential to meeting critical project scheduling.
Please call me if I can provide any additional information.
Thank you for your time and cooperation.
Sincerely,
C
M. Randall Turner, Senior Environmental Officer
Project Development & Environmental Analysis
Enclosures
Cc: David R. Cox, NCWRC
Tom McCartney, USFWS
John Hennessey,NCDWQ
Sara Winslow,NCDMF
Charles Jones,NCDCM
Ron Sechler,NMFS
Randy Wise, P.E., NCDOT
D. R. Conner, P.E., NCDOT
William D. Gilmore, P.E.,NCDOT