20000846 Ver 1_Monitoring Report Review_20070222

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Mr. Mickie Elmore
Piedmont Triad International Airport
6415 Bryan Boulevard
Greensboro, NC 27410
Michael F. Easley, Governor
William G. Ross Jr., Secretary
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Coleen H. Sullins, Director
Division of Water Quality
February 22, 2008
Re: Horsepen Creek Wetland and Stream Restoration Annual Monitoring Report
Second Annual Monitoring Report (HPC 2 and HPC 3)
Third Annual Monitoring Report (HPC 1)
Site Visit
Guilford County
DWQ #00-0846
Dear. Mr. Elmore:
The Division of Water Quality (DWQ) 401 Oversight and Express Review Permitting Unit has reviewed
the Monitoring Report for the above-referenced sites. In addition, Eric Kulz with this Office conducted
a site visit on February 19, 2008. Our comments on the project are as follows:
Streams
The general overall physical stability data looks good for the restoration reaches. Cross-sections
appear stable in both riffles and pools. The longitudinal profiles all show some adjustments, and
HP-1 showed the loss of one riffle-pool sequence. However, the channel does not appear to be
downcutting. The site visit confirmed that HP-2 and HP-3 appeared to be stable. One mid-
channel bar was observed on HP-2, and the channel appeared overly wide compared with most
of the reach. However, the banks appeared stable at this location. Future monitoring efforts
should continue to watch the longitudinal profiles to ensure that channel features (riffles and
pools) continue to remain present and in appropriate relative proportions.
HP-1 did show some areas of bank erosion, mainly in the upstream portions of the reach.
Additional small areas in HP-2 and GP-3 were noted as needing repair in the monitoring report.
The repairs recommended in the Stream Maintenance and recommendations section of the report
(Page 12) should be implemented as soon as possible, so that areas requiring establishment of
vegetation enjoy the benefit of a full growing season. Depending on the amount of bank erosion
401 Oversight/Express Review Permitting Unit
1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650
2321 Crabtree Boulevard, Suite 250, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604
Phone [phone] / Fax [phone]
Internet: htto://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/ncwetlands
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An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer - 50% Recycled/10% Post Consumer Paper
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Mr. Elmore
Piedmont Triad International Airport
Horsepen Creek Mitigation Area
Page 2 of 3
downstream of the two road culverts and the potential for increased storm flows in the area due
to development, slope toe armoring may need to be considered to ensure the long-term stability
of these two areas.
• Pebble count data also appears promising, as the stream seems to be stabilizing as a gravel-bed
stream, with coarser material in riffles. Continued monitoring for signs of aggradation is
recommended.
• With respect to the riparian zone vegetation transects, several areas appear to require
revegetation/restaking due to previous beaver activity (HP-1 former beaver dam) and bank
erosion (HP-1 Meander 8 root wad). Both of these areas should be stabilized and re-staked.
Beaver management activities should be continued. If inundation due to beavers results in the
inability to collect representative cross-sectional or longitudinal data, which is required for a
minimum of five years after construction, the monitoring period may be extended to ensure that
five years of data are collected.
Wetlands
• The majority of monitoring wells indicated that hydrology success criteria (saturation or
inundation for at least 12.5% of the growing season) were not met during 2007. These results
were attributed to drought conditions. All wetland areas were inundated or saturated at or near
the ground surface during the site visit.
Hydrology data should continue to be collected, and will be evaluated upon receipt of the next
annual monitoring report. Continued lack of hydrologic success may necessitate extending the
monitoring period to ensure that the project is developing into the targeted wetland type.
Woody vegetation appeared sparse in spots, particularly in HP-2. The monitoring report
indicated that the success criteria for vegetation (320 stems per acre) were met in HP-1 and HP-
3, but were not achieved in HP-2 where the average density was 90 stems per acre and two plots
reported 0 stems per acre.
Unfortunately, a combination of drought conditions and beaver activity impacted survival of
newly planted vegetation during 2007. Both of these factors may present continued challenges
during the upcoming growing season, and may require more frequent and/or intensive attention
in order to establish vegetation in 2008. We concur with the supplemental planting
recommendation in the monitoring report.
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401 Oversight/Express Review Permitting Unit
1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650
2321 Crabtree Boulevard, Suite 250, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604
Phone [phone] / Fax [phone]
Internet: htto://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/ncwetlands
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer- 50% Recycled/10% Post Consumer Paper
Mr. Elmore
Piedmont Triad International Airport
Horsepen Creek Mitigation Area
Page 3 of 3
Please feel free to contact Eric Kulz or Tammy Hill at [phone] if you have any questions
regarding this project or our comments.
Sincerely,
Cyndi B. Karoly, Program Manager
401 Oversight and Express Review Program
cc: File Copy (Eric Kulz)
Central Files
Sue Homewood - DWQ Winston-Salem Regional Office
John Thomas - USACE Raleigh Regulatory Field Office
Brian Maas - ECS, LLP, 4811 Koger Boulevard, Greensboro, NC 27407
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401 Oversight/Express Review Permitting Unit
1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650
2321 Crabtree Boulevard, Suite 250, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604
Phone [phone] / Fax [phone]
Internet: htto://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/ncwetlands
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer -50% Recycled/10% Post Consumer Paper