HomeMy WebLinkAboutMonkeyWrench IRT Site Visit Summary_9Jan2024
MEETING NOTES
MEETING: IRT Draft Prospectus Site Walk
Monkey Wrench Mitigation Site
Neuse River Basin CU 03020201; Orange County, NC
USACE Action ID: SAW‐2023‐01616
DWR# 2023‐1142 v.1
DATE: Wednesday, December 13, 2023
LOCATION: 8400 Walnut Grove Church Rd.
Hurdle Mills, NC
Attendees
Todd Tugwell, USACE
Erin Davis, USACE
Olivia Munzer, NCWRC
Maria Polizzi, NCDWR
Jenny Emmons, NCDWR
Andrew Friedman‐Herring,
NCDWR
John Hutton, Wildlands
Chris Roessler, Wildlands
Materials
Wildlands Engineering Monkey Wrench Mitigation Site Draft Prospectus
Maps of existing and proposed conditions for the site and proposed conservation easement
Meeting Notes
The primary purpose of this site visit was to provide an opportunity for the IRT members to see the site and for
Wildlands staff to explain the various components of the project. The site is on an active beef cattle farm and
will include stream restoration and enhancement, and wetland re‐establishment and enhancement. There may
also be preservation components of streams and wetlands.
Riparian buffer and nutrient offset credits will also be developed. Wildlands will coordinate with NCDWR
separately on that. The draft mitigation plan for stream and wetland mitigation should include a draft of the
riparian buffer and nutrient offset mitigation plan in the appendix, as well as a map that shows all credits
sought.
This meeting summary is organized by stream reach. A concept map with comments added from this site visit is
attached.
Rocky Creek
The IRT agreed with NCDWR stream determination that the uppermost reach is a wetland area. As such,
Wildlands will remove the stream enhancement and target either nutrient offset (if allowable) or
wetland enhancement.
Wildlands Engineering, Inc. page 2
Monkey Wrench Mitigation Site
December 13, 2023 IRT Draft Prospectus Site Walk Meeting Notes
Reach 1 begins at the headcut and continues to the existing ford crossing. The IRT agreed with the
restoration approach and emphasized a flow gage will be expected toward the upstream end. Reach 2
continues a restoration approach but adds flow from Lathan Branch.
Reach 3 is below the main crossing on Rocky Creek. The IRT accepted the proposed Enhancement I
approach and requested a crest gage to show bankfull events.
Reach 4 is also proposed for stream restoration. Wildlands noted that construction would be conducted
to minimize tree loss where possible but noted that it is difficult to do well between filling the old
channel, building a new one, and creating a haul route down the channel. Clumps of trees will be
prioritized over individuals.
Lathan Branch
The IRT agreed with Wildlands proposal to do Priority 1 restoration. They recommended we attempt to
raise the grade on the property directly upstream. Wildlands will attempt to acquire a temporary
construction easement to do this. A flow gage will be needed on this channel.
Kitty Branch
The IRT agreed with Wildlands proposal to begin with Priority 2 restoration before transitioning to
Priority 1 below the spring beyond the right bank. A flow gage will be needed on this channel. Wildlands
should consider if adequate space is available for future repairs and maintenance to the septic line.
Wildlands will attempt to get accurate estimates of the drain field and repair area.
Confirm septic access crossing width is sufficient for future maintenance and discuss the
risks/uncertainties of having a drainfield adjacent to the site.
Spike Branch
The IRT recommended a JD as the first step. If the channel is jurisdictional, then the tie in elevation and
below is all that should be credited as Enhancement II. Installing a sill or constructed riffle above the JD
point, to assist with headcut stabilization, may be incorporated. A similar rill about 100 feet downstream
from Spike Branch should be considered in the JD and also stabilized.
If Spike Branch or any other site drainages do not end up being jurisdictional, they should still be
stabilized and potentially integrated as BMPs.
North Fork Little River
The group looked at the downstream end of North Fork Little River before moving upstream.
Restoration, with a Priority 2 tie in at the downstream end, was acceptable. The existing channel will be
mostly filled. Vernal pools, with a maximum depth of 14 inches and which dry in the summer, may be
left, but not in wetland credit areas.
Try to extend CE boundary to the wetland credit area along the North Fork Reach 4 to provide a
protective buffer zone.
Another rill similar to Spike Branch was considered upstream of the main crossing. It should be treated
as Spike Branch; that is, if jurisdictional stabilize and credit the length as Enhancement II.
The group agreed that the reach targeted for Enhancement I should be changed to restoration that
makes use of the old oxbow channel north of the straightened existing channel.
Wildlands Engineering, Inc. page 3
Monkey Wrench Mitigation Site
December 13, 2023 IRT Draft Prospectus Site Walk Meeting Notes
The group considered the proposed preservation in the upstream‐most reach. It was decided that
Wildlands should study this section further and decide between enhancement I and/or restoration. This
will be completed and the results included in the final prospectus.
The IRT and Wildlands agreed that pre‐construction wetland gages should be installed soon. This will be
important to show hydrologic uplift, which is a primary wetland function objective of the project.
General Discussion
Erin requested more detailed vegetation inventories in wetland credit areas where no grading is
planned.
Also, plots were requested in wetland areas to show before and after conditions where cattle are
present. Alternatively, understory plantings could be done in these areas.
It was suggested that river oats be included in the riparian seed mix since they’re abundant on the site.
JD wetlands should be shown on the existing conditions and concept maps in the mitigation plan.
Priority 1 and 2 restoration should be shown on the concept map in the mitigation plan by different line
types.
Any intermittent reaches on the project should have flow gages, and cumulative and consecutive flow
data should be provided in the monitoring reports.
Any JD wetlands within woods on Rocky Branch or North Fork Little River would be enhancement.
NCWRC may recommend mussel surveys for state‐listed species.
Comments on the draft prospectus:
Add sentence explaining 60‐foot crossing widths.
Delete early termination potential.
Explain soil overburden areas.
Limit discussion of wider buffers as justification in text.
Eliminate duplicate pages in PDF.
Edit language about gages for flow only on restoration reaches.
Callout stream names on all figures.
Summary
At the conclusion of the site visit the IRT indicated that they approved of the site and had no issues with the
proposed approaches and had no objections to the minor changes to the plan discussed.
These meeting notes were prepared by Chris Roessler on December 14, 2023 and reviewed by John Hutton on December 18,
2023 and represent the authors’ interpretation of the visit.