20160372 Ver 2_Viability Letter_20160428

Water Resources
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
April 28, 2016
Tim Morris
KCI Associates of NC
Landmark Center II
4601 Six Forks Road - Suite 220
Raleigh NC 27609
(via electronic mail)
PAT MCCRORY
Governor
DONALD R. VAN DER VAART
Secretary
S. JAY ZIMMERMAN
Director
DWR Project #: 2016-0372
Re: Site Viability for Buffer Mitigation & Nutrient Offset — Stony Fork
Located at 1955 Federal Rd., Benson, NC
Johnston County
Dear Mr. Morris,
On April 7, 2016, Katie Merritt, with the Division of Water Resources (DWR), assisted you and
others from KCI Technologies, Inc. at the proposed Stony Fork Mitigation Site (Site) in Benson, NC.
The Site is located in the Neuse River Basin within the 8 -digit Hydrologic Unit Code 03020201. The
Site is being proposed as part of a full -delivery stream restoration project for the Division of
Mitigation Services (RFP #16-006477). The Interagency Review Team (IRT) was also present
onsite. At your request, Ms. Merritt performed a site assessment of features onsite to determine
suitability for buffer and nutrient offset mitigation. Features are more accurately shown in the
.attached maps signed by Ms. Merritt on April 19, 2016. If approved, mitigating this site could
provide stream mitigation credits, riparian buffer credits and/or nutrient offset credits.
Ms. Merritt's evaluation of the features from Top of Bank (TOB) out to 200' for buffer and nutrient
offset mitigation pursuant to Rule 15A NCAC 02B .0295 (effective November 1, 2015) and Rule
15A NCAC 02B .0240 is provided in the table below:
Feature
Classification
*Subject
Landuses
Buffer
**Nutrient
Mitigation Type
to Buffer
Offset Viable
Credit
Rule
at 2,273
Viable
lbs acre
T1
Modified
No
West side of TOB =
Yes
No
Restoration per 15A NCAC 02B .0295
natural
dense monoculture of
(o)(3)
stream
kudzu; East side of
TOB = managed lawn
Stony Fork
Stream
Yes
Canopy comprised
Yes
No
Restoration per 15A NCAC 02B .0295
(R1—Tl
mostly of dense mid-
(o)(3) only if invasive vegetation is all
confluence)
story sized privet 6"
removed and managed and impacted
DBH, dense kudzu & a
buffer is replanted with native
sparse fringe of large
hardwoods.
native hardwoods
Stony Fork
Stream
Yes
West side of TOB=
Yes
No
Farm Path only = Restoration
(below T1
farm path and loblolly
(farm
East side of TOB = Preservation per
State of North Carolina I Environmental Quality I Water Resources
1617 Mail service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
919 807 6300

Stony Fork Mitigation Site
April 28, 2016
Page 2 of 2
confluence —
pine forest; East side
path &
15A NCAC 026 .0295 (o)(5)
T2
of TOB = Native
East
confluence)
Hardwood forest
side)
Stony Fork
Stream (not
Yes
Native hardwood
Yes
No
Preservation per 15A NCAC 02B .0295
(below T2
including
forest
(o)(5)
confluence
riparian
throughout
wetlands)
T2.1
Undetermined
on maps
Hay crop & native
n/a
Yes
Need stream determination by DWR
conveyance
hardwood forest mix
to be buffer credit viable; Riparian
Restoration down to crossing &
Restoration outside of the native
hardwood forest down to wood line;
T2.2 to
Stream
Yes
Native hardwood
Yes
No
Preservation per 15A NCAC 02B .0295
Stony Fork
forest w/ dense mid-
(o)(5)
story privet along
channel banks
*Subjectivity calls were determined using the 1:24,000 scale quadrangle topographic map prepared by USGS and the most
recent printed version of the soil survey map prepared by the NRCS
**For nutrient offset viability to be determined, the landowner must provide proof in writing that the land is being used for
agriculture or has been used for agriculture previously (prior to rule baseline). Dates, supported by photos or other
written records, must be included to confirm that the uses of the open fields onsite are for hay crop cultivation/row crop.
Maps showing the project site and the features are provided and signed by Ms. Merritt on April 19,
2016. This letter should be provided in all future mitigation plans for this Site. In addition, all
vegetative plantings, performance criteria and other mitigation requirements for riparian restoration
and preservation must follow the requirements in 15A NCAC 02B .0295 to be eligible for buffer and
nutrient offset credits. In addition, Neuse Buffer mitigation credits generated at this site are not able
to be transferred into nutrient offset credits.
For any areas depicted as not being viable for nutrient offset credit, one could propose a different
measure other than riparian restoration, along with supporting calculations and sufficient detail to
support estimates of load reduction, for review by the DWR to determine viability for nutrient offset
according to 15A NCAC 02B .0240.
Please contact Katie Merritt at (919)-807-6371 if you have any questions regarding this
correspondence.
Sincerely,
% 'Uva
aren Higgins, Supe or
401 and Buffer Permitting Branch
KAH/km
Attachments: Site Aerial Map, USGS Topographic Map, NRCS Soil Survey
cc:File Copy (Katie Merritt)
DMS — Jeff Schaffer (via electronic mail)

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FIGURE 2. USGS TOPOGRAPHIC MAP N
0 750 1,500 STONY FORK RESTORATION SITE
Source: USGS DRG,
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