The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About20140041 Ver 1_IRT DMS Site Visit Meeting Minutes (2-23-2021)_20210301Strickland, Bev From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Attachments: Follow Up Flag: Flag Status: Erin, Todd and Travis; Wiesner, Paul Monday, March 1, 2021 3:44 PM Tugwell, Todd J CIV USARMY CESAW (US); Davis, Erin B; Wilson, Travis W. Tsomides, Harry; Kim Browning; Haywood, Casey M CIV (USA) IRT/ DMS Site Visit Meeting Minutes (2-23-2021): Little Pine III (DMS# 94903) SAW-2012-01299; DWR#20140041 Little Pine Cr III_94903_IRT Site Visit Memo -Feb. 23 2021.pdf Follow up Flagged Thank you for meeting us on -site last week. Please find the meeting minutes attached. Let us know if you have any additions, questions, comments or concerns. Thanks Paul Wiesner Western Regional Supervisor North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Mitigation Services 828-273-1673 Mobile Pau l.wiesnera-ncdenr.gov Western DMS Field Office 5 Ravenscroft Drive Suite 102 Asheville, N.C. 28801 t::��D_EQ�` Nle� Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties. 1 ROY COOPER Governor MICHAEL S. REGAN Secretary TIM BAUMGARTNER Director NORTH CAROLINA Environmental Quality 3/1/2021 PROJECT SITE MEETING MINUTES Little Pine Creek III Stream and Wetland Restoration Site, Alleghany County Meeting Date: 2/23/2021 DMS Project ID 94903 DWR # 14-0041 USACE Action ID 2012-01299 In attendance: Todd Tugwell (USACE), Erin Davis (NCDWR), Travis Wilson (NCWRC), Paul Wiesner (NCDMS), Harry Tsomides (NCDMS) Meeting Summary The field review meeting was held in order to a) review recent repairs and current conditions on this Design -Bid -Build site following submittal and IRT review of a repair memo ("Little Pine Creek III — Update on recent stream repairs", Dec 17, 2020); b) review other areas of the project as time allowed; and c) establish the framework for remaining monitoring reporting, credit releases and other items as appropriate. Further documented details on the recent repairs can be found in the December 2020 memo. The project MY5 asset map is attached below for reference. The following is a summary of the field review and items discussed during the meeting: • The areas of recent repair were all walked including: Phase 1 (2019) repair areas along UT2a and UT2; and Phase 2 (2020) repairs including the two repair areas along the Little Pine Creek main channel and head cut/stream repairs along UT1 (Repair Area 2). All recent repairs appeared to be intact and functioning as intended, and no major concerns were noted. There were other stressed spots in between the tributary repair areas on UT1, UT2 and UT2a that were noted and the group felt should be watched, including an area Todd noted along right bank of UT2 just below culvert pipe within the repair area that was starting to erode following recent heavy rains this past winter; Travis noted a boulder footer and structure along an outer bend of UT2 near STA 336+00 that was stabilized with soil lift and buried boulders that appeared to show minor stress signs and should be watched; and Todd noted the segment of stream along UT1 in between head cut repairs that was down cutting. Other isolated areas beginning show signs of stress NORTH CRROLI D�� 1� Department W Emlmnmenhl4uelHy� North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Mitigation Services 217 W. Jones Street 1 1652 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1652 919.707.8976 were noted but not discussed as a group. The two culverts at the upper ends of the repair areas along UT2 and 2a, and the one at the lower end of UT2, all appeared to be functioning well. • All livestock exclusion fencing appeared to be intact and functioning effectively (with exception of culvert crossing on UT2 Reach 1-upper, further discussed below). There were a few areas of stream crossing fencing where livestock were not present (hay production areas) that had been impacted by culvert overtopping (UT2) or high water flows (Little Pine Creek) where fencing was loose or absent. Todd recommended that sections of dysfunctional fencing in these areas either be removed or fixed; it was discussed that this would be the landowner's responsibility to repair their own fence in the event livestock were reintroduced but DMS will further evaluate feasible options/costs, discuss with the landowner, and come to some resolution. Any fencing removed would have to be approved by the landowner since it is their fence now. • It was noted that site vegetation is doing well overall. As the MY5 report points out, the Site has met the final MY5 requirement of 260 planted stems per acre, with 19 of the 21 plots (90%) individually meeting this requirement and an average planted stem density of 409 stems per acre. Wetland FF (VP13) continues to not meet the stem density requirement because the planted species are not suited for areas with saturated soils; this will be likely be supplemented with wetland plants prior to 2021 growing season. There has also been a high planted stem mortality in VP11 (Tributary 1 area) due to competition with tall herbaceous vegetation. This will be supplementally planted following the recent repairs, prior to growing season 2021. • Project areas were observed outside of the repair areas including walking UT2 upstream direction to the UT2 Reach 1-upper culvert and just beyond, and a preservation portion of UT2a. The main concerns were the conditions and functionality of the culverts on UT2 Reach 1-upper (UTM-U), and UT2 Reach 1-lower (UT2R1-L) UT2R1-L showed recent impacts of overtopping that had scraped away the top dressing material for a large portion of the middle of the crossing. This loss of rock was not noted previously on field walks or in the MY5/2020 report and apparently the result of recent winter storms. The area just upstream from this culvert was a constructed pool that had filled in pretty quickly following project completion in 2015-2016 and well-known; while the culvert is allowing water passage, there is substantial deposition upstream from the culvert along the original pool that has caused incremental lateral migration of the stream towards the right side (facing downstream) over the monitoring period such that water flow is elbowing to the left at the culvert opening to get through. UT2R1-U appeared intact along the top, sides, and materials intact, etc; however there was significant sedimentation at the culvert opening that is affecting the culverts ability to pass water significantly beyond base flow. Site walk photos taken July 2019 indicate this was not a problem then so there has apparently been a recent impact and/or NORTH CRROLI D�� 1� Department W Emlmnmenhl4ueMry� North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Mitigation Services 217 W. Jones Street 1 1652 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1652 919.707.8976 movement downstream of sediments from farther above. A calf was observed in the easement corner at this crossing and fled through an opening underneath the wires up the rock fagade right at the downstream end of the culvert. This loose fencing will be communicated to the landowner and rectified; in addition, the landowner will be requested to keep the gates closed in the future. It was noted by IRT that both UT2R1-L and UT2R1-U seem undersized and not passing sediments effectively to the point where they are not functioning as intended, and need either maintenance/repair or replaced entirely. A conclusion on the solutions to the issues at these two culverts remains to be seen; further evaluation/ calculations would need to be performed. DMS is evaluating further, pursuing alternatives, and will communicate statuses in the next monitoring report. • Erin noted a head cut along UT2b the CCPV sheet that has appeared as a new feature on the MY5 (2019) CCPV that was not mapped in MY4. The group did not have time to observe but DMS agreed to evaluate and follow up appropriately. • IRT recommended that DMS should photo -document selected areas that are starting to show signs of stress over the remaining monitoring period to help evaluate if and at what rate these areas may be trending downward, or stabilizing/ recovering. DMS intends to complete these assessments and provide as an appendix to the MY6/close out report. • As far as credit release, Harry noted that stream credits are being proposed to release in 2021 up to 90% of the stream crediting across the project, leaving 10% (697.340 out of 6,973.40 credits total) being held for the remaining monitoring period following the 2021 proposed release. Todd asked about the proportional distribution of the repairs (length and credits) relative to the entire project and Harry noted that the quantities represented by the Phase 1 and 2 repair areas (and sections in between repairs along UT2/2a) were 7.5% of the total stream length and 9% of the total project stream credits. In general this approach seemed agreeable with the group although the project will be discussed further at the May 2021 credit release annual meeting. • As far as remaining monitoring, the IRT requested that a full year of annual monitoring across the entire site (MY06/2021) should be added. Being originally a 5-year stream project, this will include all previously reported parameters (stream morphology, vegetation, and hydrology, etc.). Paul pointed out that DMS hopes to close out the project in 2022 following this additional year, if site criteria are being met. DMS has already been in scoping/contract discussions with Wildlands and will proceed with this contract action and activity. Meeting notes compiled bv: Harry Tsomides, Project Manager Division of Mitigation Services, NCDEQ Tel. (828) 545-7057 Harry.Tsomides@ncdenr.gov NORTH CRHOLI D�� -O' Department W Emlmnmenhl4uelHy� North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Mitigation Services 217 W. Jones Street 1 1652 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1652 919.707.8976 -- Conservation Easement —Stream Restoration Stream Enhancement I Stream Enhancement II , Stream Preservation ° .. ; Non-Project/Not for Credit Stream —Reach Break — Water Line ' Wetland Enhancement�� ® Wetland Preservation ® Overhead Electric Easement n Internal Easement Crossing cf O Waterers +� N wow WTI,DI,Avns 1 0 700 Feet L N � I h L L I: I L 4 Figure 2 Project Component/Asset Map Little Pine III Stream & Wetland Restoration Project DMS Project No. 94903 Monitoring Year 5 - 2020 Alleghany County, NC