20050368 Ver 1_Complete File_20030507

Onsite Agency Meeting Minutes for Lumber River Basin
Potential Mitigation Sites
May 7, 2003
Mill Branch Mitigation Site, Columbus County
Meeting Attendees:
Kathy Matthews, USEPA
Richard Spencer, USACE
Travis Wilson, NCWRC
LeiLani Paugh, NCDOT
Chris Rivenbark, NCDOT
Lynn Smith, NCDOT
Brad Fairley, Stantec
Pete Colwell, Stantec
Hall Property:
- The site was proposed as 7 - 8 acres of riverine wetland creation/restoration
- The entire area proposed for restoration is hydric
- The hydrology of the site has been significantly altered through more than 50 years of
agricultural practices (ditching of fields, stream straightening, filling)
- When the feasibility study was completed, no groundwater data for the growing season
was available
- Since the completion of the feasibility study, groundwater gauges had been installed
- The three gauges installed at the downstream end of the site indicated that the area was
relatively wet: saturation within 12 inches of the surface for the first 17 days within the
growing season (approximately 7% of the growing season); and several days of surface
flooding
- Several beaver dams in the channel of Mill Branch had been recently destroyed lowering
the water level
- While the site was wet, it was noted that the spring was unusually wet
- Beaver damage to the gauges interrupted the collection of groundwater data
- Spencer and Wilson noted that if the site has hydrology then re-establishment of
vegetation would yield only enhancement credits
- Spencer noted that to qualify for riverine wetland credits, the site would have to have the
groundwater hydrology restored and overbank flooding once a year for the majority of
the years monitored (i.e., one overbank flooding event occurring three years out of five
years monitored), as well as vegetation
- The extent of enhancement versus restoration credits would be clarified in the mitigation
plan after more information on the site had been collected
- Colwell noted that there. may be opportunities to enhance hydrology by filling some
ditches and redirecting their flow
Jones Property
- the site was proposed as 3000 feet of restoration of an unnamed tributary to Mill branch
which joins Mill Branch at the downstream end of the Hall Property
- the stream is currently heavily impacted by cattle which have direct access to the stream
- the restoration would involve mostly Priority I restoration but some Priority II would be
required at the upstream and downstream ends of the site
- the installation of a new culvert under farm road would provide a good opportunity to set
the grade for the restoration of the upstream reach
- the restoration would involve the reestablishment of a more natural pattern, dimension
and profile for the stream
- there may be some opportunity to restore some floodplain wetlands
- the site also includes 4,400 feet of stream preservation and 50 acres of wetland
preservation associated with the downstream end of Mill Branch (prior to it flowing into
Beaver Dam Swamp)
- the stream would be meandered through the valley and returned closer to its original
position at the edge of the wooded areas
- the landowner required the installation of watering facilities since his pasture would be
bisected by the restoration site and the cattle would no longer have access to the stream
- the landowner also required a ford crossing to move the cattle across the stream
- Spencer noted that he would like the restoration to capture an many natural features
inside the buffer is at all possible
Matthews recommended including some of the trees along with the watering facilities -
the shade would help keep the cattle away from the stream
- A drain tile was discovered west of the main stream channel
Upper Troy Mill Stream Mitigation Site, Columbus County
Meeting Attendees:
Name Affiliation Phone Email
Travis Wilson NCWRC 919.528.9886 [e-mail]
Richard Spencer USACE 910.251.4172 [e-mail].
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Chris Rivenbark NCDOT 919.715.1460 [e-mail]
Lynn Smith NCDOT 919.715.1463 [e-mail]
Leilani Paugh NCDOT 919.715.1457 [e-mail]
Matt Smith ESI 919.212.1760 [e-mail]
Brian Hayes ESI 919.212.1760 [e-mail]
Kathy Matthews EPA 706.355.8780 [e-mail]
Issues discussed during the site visit include the following items:
1. The high water level in Troy Mill Branch and the flooding of some of its associated
wetlands are due to beaver activity both onsite and downstream of the site.
2. Beaver impacts are a natural part of lower coastal plain stream systems.
3. A Rosgen Priority 1 restoration would probably require too much land for floodplain
restoration so a Rosgen Priority 2 makes better sense.
4. Beaver levelers wouldn't work well on this site.
5. The gradient is too low for off channel pools.
6. The impacts positive and negative of beaver management need to be evaluated.
7. Need to determine means to document stream stability.
8. Community diversity while a good goal of restoration will not be part of any success
criteria.
9. Part of the Mitigation Plan will be developing monitoring procedures for the stream.
10. Comments were that that the buffers should be maximized to pre-treat agricultural runoff.
Proposed buffers are 75 feet, 50 feet forested and 25 feet herbaceous.
11. Potential septic tank issues associated with the migrant trailers onsite need to be
investigated.
12. Any restoration work that impacts existing jurisdictional wetlands will need to be
permitted, preference is to work in non jurisdictional areas.
Butler Branch Stream Mitigation Site, Bladen County
Meeting Attendees:
Chris Rivenbark - NCDOT - PD&EA
Leilani Paugh - NCDOT - PD&EA
Lynn Smith - NCDOT - PD&EA
Travis Wilson - NC Wildlife Resources Commission
Richard Spencer - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Wilmington Field Office
Kathy Matthews - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Andy Kiley - Kimley-Horn and Associates (KHA)
Beth Reed - Kimley-Horn and Associates (KHA)
Mike Linville - Farm Operations Manager
Meeting Summary:
A meeting was conducted with the referenced attendees on May 7, 2003. The meeting was
hosted by NCDOT with KHA providing technical assistance. A copy of the Technical
Memorandum: Stream and Wetland Mitigation for the Butler Branch Site in Bladen County,
North Carolina (May 2003) prepared by KHA, was provided to the attendees the morning of the
field review. Andy Kiley introduced the meeting and provided a summary of the background
information leading to the development of the preliminary concept plan (shown as Figure 7 in
the Technical Memorandum).
Mr. Kiley stated that the property owner, Dallas McQueen Campbell, was a willing to allow
NCDOT to proceed with mitigation efforts on his property as long as he could maintain the hog
farm operation at the current production levels including the areas utilized for land application of
hog waste. Currently, spray irrigation of treated hog waste is applied within 50-feet of the top of
the stream banks and drainage ways. Because of farm operations and associated spray fields, the
proposed stream and wetland restoration to a 100-foot corridor adjacent to Butler Branch. The
entire length of stream within the subject property appears to have been ditched. Raven Bay,
located on an adjacent property, serves as the primary water source for Butler Branch.
Beth Reed stated that NCDOT's primary emphasis for evaluating this site was to assess the
potential for stream/wetland restoration credits, however, due to the on-site hog operations,
additional water quality BMPs were being considered if NCDOT could receive mitigation credits
to justify the additional cost of the BMPs.
The mitigation proposed for the site includes wetland restoration in the upper reach of Butler
Branch (1.5 to 2.0 acres), stream restoration (approx. 2,200 linear feet), and water quality BMPs
including riparian buffers along drainage ways and constructed wetlands to treat runoff and
drainage from hog waste application fields prior to discharge into Butler Branch.
The meeting/field review of the site began with a review of an undisturbed downstream portion
of Butler Branch on an adjacent/west property.
Meeting Items of Discussion
• Questions were raised by the agencies whether or not the current spray irrigation permit
required the maintenance of a vegetated stream buffer. According to Mike Linville, it was
his understanding that irrigation could not be sprayed within 50-feet of the stream banks but
he was not aware of a buffer maintenance requirement. KHA will confirm that a buffer is not
currently required.
• In the area where Butler Branch is located immediately adjacent to the hog lagoon, no stream
buffer was proposed on the right/northern stream bank as part of the concept plan.
According to Mike Linville, the farm must maintain a 15-foot open area from the base of the
lagoon dike to allow for inspections of the dike. However, the field immediately south of the
stream is not utilized for spray irrigation. It was determined that KHA could route the
restored stream further away from the lagoon to allow for a 50-foot riparian buffer on both
banks of the stream. Mike Linville will provide NCDOT and KHA with a map showing "wet
spray" areas of the farm.
The portion of the site where the proposed wetland restoration area ends and the stream
restoration originates was reviewed in the field. KHA proposed that water remains in the
wetland and stream portions of the channel throughout a majority of the year. At the
terminus of the wetland area, KHA proposed that the channel energy increases and
distinctive perennial stream features develop. Richard Spencer questioned whether a small
reach of the channel was intermittent before becoming perennial. This issue was not
definitely resolved during the field meeting and will be further discussed with John
Hennessey at the June 11 field review.
• There was a consensus reached by the agencies that the proposed water quality BMPs would
provide opportunities for improving water quality within Butler Branch. It was agreed that
NCDOT should receive mitigation credit for providing the BMPs but the USACE and EPA
were not clear as to how these credits should be issued. Beth Reed stated that KHA is
currently working with the City of Charlotte Stormwater Services (CSWS) in the
development of an Umbrella Mitigation Bank. The first project presented to the Mitigation
Banking Review Team (MBRT) was the Edward's Branch Water Quality Enhancement and
Stormwater Drainage Improvements project. The project includes stream restoration design
as well as non-stream related water quality BMPs. The ACOE, EPA, and DWQ are
supportive of this watershed approach to water quality improvement and consider Edward's
Branch a demonstration project. The MBRT has held numerous meetings with the City and
KHA to discuss the issuance of mitigation credits for water quality BMPs. Members of the
MBRT include: Scott McLendon and Dave Baker (ACOE Asheville District), Becky Fox
(EPA), Ron Linville (WRC), and John Dorney and Todd St. John (DWQ). It was agreed that
the agencies would consult the members of the MBRT for their guidance on the issuance of
credits for BMPs.
• Travis Wilson wanted to review the area proposed for the created wetland BMP. He stated
that WRC would like to see this created wetland in an area with low topographic relief and
not an upland excavated area. Following the review of this area Mr. Wilson agreed that the
wetland BMP was proposed in a topographically low area.