20041107 Ver 1_COMPLETE FILE_20040616

website:
www.rwhitehead.com
1000 W. Morehead Street
Suite 200 '
Charlotte, NC 28208
Mailing Address:
Post Office Box 35624
Charlotte, NC 28235
704 372-1885 Voice
704 372-3393 Fax .
RALPH WHITEHEAD ASSOCIATES, INC. NDS1409,,
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Consulting Engineers • 70- W /
Charlotte Atlanta Jacksonville Richmond ?? ` UN ? b'C9004
Rock Hill . Charleston Kansas City Raleigh
WA
4 June 15, 2004 QlAulysEcr
Ms Carol Shaw -^
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Ecosystem Enhancement Program
1619 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1619
Subject: Payment to the Wetland Restoration Fund
Proposed 1,000-Cell Close Security Correctional Institution
Columbus County, North Carolina
Dear Ms. Shaw:
The North Carolina Department of Correction (NCDOC) has retained the firm of
Ralph Whitehead Associates, Inc. (RWA), Charlotte, North Carolina, to conduct
wetland permitting services for the proposed development of a 1,000-cell close
security correctional institution in Columbus County, North Carolina. The need
for this facility is driven by a projected significant increase in the inmate
population over the next decade. The proposed project will result in unavoidable
impacts to isolated wetlands, and will therefore require an isolated wetlands
permit from the N.C. Division of Water Quality (DWQ) pursuant to 15A NCAC
02H.1300. The NCDOC wishes to mitigate for these impacts through in-lieu fee
payment to the Ecosystem Enhancement Program (EEP).
The project site is situated on an approximately 150-acre tract on the east side of
NC Highway 904, about four miles northwest of downtown Tabor City (Figure 1).
In February and March 2004, RWA conducted a wetland delineation on the 150
acre subject site, which is part of an active pine plantation. The subject site
contains 12 wetland areas, totaling an estimated 20 - 25 acres. On March 25,
2004, Ms. Jennifer Frye of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) visited
the subject site and provided a jurisdictional determination of the wetland
delineation. Ms. Frye also determined that five on-site wetland areas, totaling an
estimated 5 acres, are isolated, and therefore, not subject to Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act. The wetland boundaries have been surveyed by Hobbs
Upchurch & Associates, P.A. of Southern Pines, North Carolina. Final written
verification of the surveyed wetland boundaries from the USACE is pending.
The NCDOC and the project team have conducted a thorough avoidance and
minimization review in order to site the facility. Construction of the proposed
facility, which encompasses approximately 65 acres, will result in unavoidable
impacts to 3.9 acres of isolated wetlands, based on the wetland boundary
survey.
Ms. Carol Shaw
June 15, 2004
Page 2
The four isolated wetland areas proposed to be impacted are dominated by bedded loblolly pine
(Pinus taeda). Two of these wetland areas are located in 8 - 10 year old pine stands, and two
are located in 12 - 15 year old pine stands. Other dominant plant species include wax myrtle
(Myrica cerifera), inkberry (Ilex glabra), sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana), water oak
saplings (Quercus nigra), fetterbush (Lyonia lucida), broomsedge (Andropogon ternarius), and
blackberry (Rubus sp.). Each of these wetlands lacks hydrologic surface connectivity to
jurisdictional surface waters, as determined by the USACE, and may therefore be considered
non-riparian.
The project is located in the Lumber River Basin, in Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) Number
03040203. The nearest named stream is Huggins Creek, located adjacent to the subject site.
It is anticipated that the mitigation ratio for this project will be 2:1. Therefore, NCDOC requests
EEP acceptance of an in-lieu fee payment to the Wetland Restoration Fund for 8 acres of
wetland mitigation.
Please direct your comments regarding this project to:
Mr. Adam Karagosian, P.W.S.
Ralph Whitehead Associates, Inc.
P.O. Box 35624
Charlotte, North Carolina 28235
The NCDOC's current schedule calls for wetlands permit application submittal in August 2004,
with construction scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2005.
Thank you for your review of this project. We look forward to hearing from you regarding EEP's
determination of project suitability for in-lieu fee mitigation. If you have any questions, please do
not hesitate to contact either of the undersigned at [phone].
Sincerely,
RALPH WHITEHEAD ASSOCIATES, INC.
Adam H. Karagosian, P. S. is ael.A. a co, P.W.S.
Project Environmental Scientist Project Mana a Senior Scientist
AHK/MAI:ak .
Attachment
Cc: Mr. John Dorney, DWQ
Mr. Jim Gates, NCDOC
Mr. Jim Metze, LDAC
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North Carolina Vicinity Map
Proposed Correctional
Institution
Columbus County
North Carolina
W RALPH WHITEHEAD Site Location Map
ASSOCIATES, INC.
FIGURE 1