20080868 Ver 2_Broomfield Swamp Creek Monitoring Plan Final_20171220

Scarbraugh, Anthony
From:
Jeff Furness <[e-mail]>
Sent:
Wednesday, December 20, 2017 11:38 AM
To:
Steffens, Thomas A SAW; Scarbraugh, Anthony
Cc:
[e-mail]; 'Julia Berger'; Tyler Peacock
Subject:
[External] Broomfield Swamp Creek Monitoring Plan
Attachments:
BROOMFIELD SWAMP CREEK MONITORING PLAN FinalV4.pdf
CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or open attachments unless verified. Send all suspicious email as an attachment to
[e-mail].
Tom and Anthony
Attached is our final proposed monitoring plan for Broomfield Swamp Creek in the South of 33 Tract, to add to the
currently approved creek monitoring plan required in Special Condition S of 404 wetland permit Action ID 200110096
and Special Condition 13 in DWR Water Quality Certification #2008-0868 version 2.0, Certification No. 3771. We are
currently developing CAMA permit applications for the construction of the monitoring piers that are required as part of
this plan. As soon as we receive your approval of this monitoring plan we will submit the CAMA applications in order to
get the piers built so that sampling may begin.
Please let Sam Cooper, Julia Berger or me know if you have any questions
Hope you both have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Jeff
Jeffrey C. Furness
Senior Scientist, Environmental Affairs
PCS Phosphate Company, Inc.
1530 NC Hwy 306 S.
Aurora, NC 27806
T: [phone]
C: [phone]
[e-mail]
www.DotasheorD.com
Wk PotashCorp

BROOMFIELD SWAMP CREEK MONITORING PLAN
SOUTH 33 TRACT
BEAUFORT COUNTY, NC
Per the Final Plan of Study to Monitor Potential Effects of Reduction of Headwater
Wetlands on the Downstream Aquatic Functions and Utilization of Tributaries of South
Creek, Porter Creek, and Durham Creek, Beaufort County, NC
Prepared by CZR Incorporated
for
PCS Phosphate Company, Inc.
December 2017

BROOMFIELD SWAMP CREEK MONITORING PLAN
INTRODUCTION
A. Background
In November 2000, PCS Phosphate Company, Inc. (PCS) applied for authorization to
continue its phosphate mining operations on the Hickory Point peninsula (NCPC Tract) adjacent
to the Pamlico River and South Creek once phosphate reserves were depleted under the 1997
permitted area for Alt E. In 2001, the environmental impact statement (EIS) process was begun
for mine continuation. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE) established that it would be
appropriate to consider holistic mine plans that included more than one tract; PCS then
proposed alternatives in two additional tracts (Bonnerton and South of Route 33 [S33]). In
January 2009, the NC Division of Water Quality (now Division of Water Resources-NCDWR)
issued PCS a 401 Water Quality Certification (#2008-0868 version 2.0; Certification No. 3771)
and in June of 2009, the Corps issued PCS a 404 permit (Action ID 200110096) for activities
associated with Modified Alternative L (Mod Alt L) which would occur over 35 years in the three
tracts (Figure 1, updated Figure I -Al from the annual creeks reports).
As the Mod Alt L mine advance continues, temporary drainage basin reductions will
occur for several small estuarine tributaries of South Creek and the Pamlico River. The 2009
USACE permit and the North Carolina Division of Water Quality Certification contained
conditions that required the continuation of creeks monitoring required under the previous
USACE 1997 permit. To detect any deleterious effects on these tributaries from the Mod Alt L
advance, development of a new creeks plan of study, expanded to include more creeks (from
three to 13) and more parameters, and formation of an advisory Science Panel were also
required. The new creeks plan of study was first approved by agencies in February 2011. After
the first Science Panel meeting (2012) and discussion of the first annual report produced under
the new plan of study (2011 year), additional revisions and clarifications were incorporated into
the creeks plan of study which was finalized in September 2012. Table 1 shows the monitoring
parameters, equipment type or field methods, and monitoring frequency of data collection in the
PCS creeks study (Table I -Al from the annual creeks reports).
In April of 2012, the USACE approved a request made by PCS for a one-time
modification to Special Condition V of the 2009 permit/ROD to change the due date of the
annual report from 1 May to 1 June 2012. In March of 2013, the USACE approved a request
made by PCS to modify Special Conditions V and W of the 2009 permit/ROD: Special Condition
V was modified to allow the annual creeks monitoring reports to be completed by 1 July (instead
of 1 May) of the following year and Special Condition W was modified to allow the Science
Panel to meet no later than 30 August of the following year (instead of 30 July). Recipients of
the PCS Creeks Monitoring Plan of Study were provided addendum pages to document these
modifications.
In 2013, pre -Mod Alt L monitoring began in DCUT11 and its control creek, DCUT19,
both of which are tributaries to Durham Creek. A new salinity monitor was also added near the
downstream end of Durham Creek. With the Durham Creek watershed monitoring sites
included, all equipment is in place to monitor the entire suite of locations and parameters north
of NC33 in the vicinity of the NCPC and Bonnerton tracts as specified in the final creeks
monitoring plan of study (16 monitoring locations, of which 13 are creeks monitored for multiple
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Table 1. Monitored parameters, equipment, and frequency of data collection. Water quality
samples are collected and AquaTROLLs are downloaded every two weeks. Rain gauges and
LevelTROLLs are downloaded once a month (Table I-A2 from annual creeks resorts).
"YUN VIVar - a„a„uw yruunuwamuaunew water
Wetland hydrology - alluval bottomland LeveITROLLS Every 1.5 hours/monthly field check
Estuarine/creek water levels AquaTROLLS Every 1.5 hours/2 week field check
Flow events Observation' Monthly field check
Water Quality
Salinity/conductivity/temperature AquaTROLLS Every 1.5 hours/2 week field check
Total dissolved phosphorus
Field to lab
Every 2 weeks
Dissolved orthosphosphale
Field to lab
Every 2 weeks
Ammonium nitrogen
Field to lab
Every 2 weeks
Nitrate nitrogen
Field to lab
Every 2 weeks
Dissohed Kjeldahl nitrogen
Field to lab
Every 2 weeks
Particulate nitrogen
Field to lab
Every 2 weeks
Particulate phosphorus
Field to lab
Every 2 weeks
Chlorophyll a
Field to lab
Every 2 weeks
Total organic carbon (TOC)
Field to lab
Every 2 weeks
Particulate organic carbon (POC)
Field to lab
Every 2 weeks
Total dissolved nitrogen (TDN)
Field to lab
Every 2 weeks
Metals in water
Field to lab
August
(Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mo Se, Zn)
Metals in sediment
Field to lab
August
(Al, Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mo, Se, Zn)
Rainfall by major basin I Ecotone rain aauae I Continuous: every 0.1 inch
Benthos- estuarine Ponar and sweep May
Fish - estuarine Otter trawl/tyke net Weekly - April thm June
Vegetation - alluvial bottomland Transacts (herb and shrub plots) Late growing season - Aug/Sept
In -situ water quality parameters
Monitored in conjunction with
Weekly with fish collections
fish/benthos sampling, and/or
Spring with benlhos collections
water quality sample collections
Every two weeks w/WQ collections
- water temperature
YSI handheld
- dissolved oxygen
YSI handheld
- conductivty
YSI handheld
- specific conductivity
YSI handheld
- salinity
YSI handheld
- pH
YSI handheld
- turbidity wANQ
Turbidimeter
- secchi depth w/fish/benthos
Secchi disc
-water depth w/fish/benlhos
Tape measure
- percent SAV visible w/fishlbenthos
Visual
'Low flow gauges removed from Porter Creek and Duck Creek; production of additional units unlikely
'Not all creeks are monitored every year.
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parameters (six control creeks and seven impact creeks), and three locations serve as
additional control locations (for water depth and salinity only).
B. S33 Tract
As identified in the final PCS Creeks Plan of Study, near the end of the life of mining in
the Bonnerton Tract, PCS will determine if it is practicable for the mine to expand into the S33
Tract. If the decision is made to open a mine pit in S33, then PCS will initiate the collection of
five years of baseline salinity and water level monitoring in either Broomfield Swamp Creek or
Cypress Run, whichever is deemed most 'representative' at the time, based on knowledge
gained from the previous years of monitoring the other tributary creeks and other applicable and
current information. It has now been determined by PCS that mining will continue into the S33
Tract and that Broomfield Swamp Creek is the more appropriate creek to monitor. Therefore,
based on current projections of the mine advance, baseline monitoring of Broomfield Swamp
Creek should begin in 2018.
If. RATIONALE FOR BROOMFIELD SWAMP CREEK SELECTION OVER CYPRESS RUN
Broomfield Swamp Creek was selected for several reasons, with the three most important ones
as follows:
based on projected impacts to the Cypress Run basin, mine activities in the S33 Tract
would occur for —10 years in the northern portion of the tract before the five years of
baseline pre -impact data collection in Cypress Run would begin;
the mouth of Cypress Run cannot be trawled for fish as a boat cannot get under the
Bateman Road bridge across South Creek and there is no boat launch upstream of that
bridge; and
• there is no mapped bottomland hardwood community to monitor in Cypress Run.
III. DESCRIPTION OF BROOMFIELD SWAMP CREEK SAMPLE LOCATIONS
Broomfield Swamp Creek is a deeply incised creek with irregularly sized and spaced 2 to 5 foot
high spoil piles along the south bank, and a South Creek Drainage District (SCDD) dirt access
road along the north bank for most of its length. According to the USGS StreamStats website
(httos:Hstreamstats.usos.00v/ss�, the creek drains an estimated area of approximately 3.04
square miles with a mean basin slope of 0.82 percent. In early 2018, CZR will verify the
drainage basin boundaries by consultation with farmers and observation of flow direction in
ditches in vicinity of the USGS designated basin. The USGS data show land use of the basin
varies between approximately 48 to 65 percent in cultivation. Figure 2 shows the proposed
locations of three salinity/depth monitors, two wetland hydrology monitors, multi -parameter
water quality collection at each salinity/depth monitor, water and sediment collection for metals,
fish trawl collections, and benthos collections. The same equipment and methods used in the
other creeks in the study will be used in Broomfield Swamp Creek.
Reconnaissance by CZR Incorporated (CZR) occurred in May, August, and September 2017
and representatives from the USACE and NCDWR met on site with PCS and CZR on 20
September; at the request of the agencies, CZR and PCS conducted further reconnaissance
beyond the mapped bottomland hardwood community on 20 September. The previous CZR
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J
reconnaissance showed the width of the creek to vary from about 20 feet wide at the most
upstream proposed monitor location to 40 feet wide at the other two proposed downstream
monitors. Average mid -channel water depth from the mouth to about 500 feet upstream was
8.9 feet on the day of boat reconnaissance in May, and water depths approximately 3 feet away
from the north edge of the creek at the three proposed pier locations ranged from approximately
17 to 36 inches at the mouth. The wetland proposed for hydrology measurements with two
monitors (BSCW1 and BSCW2) on the south side of the creek just west of the Idalia Road
(SR1925) crossing, is the only wetland within the basin mapped as bottomland hardwood in the
2008 FEIS. The Beaufort County Soil Survey shows this wetland as underlain by —200 feet of
Muckalee loam in the creek and floodplain with Augusta fine sandy loam and Tomotley fine
sandy loam in adjacent areas.
Although channelization of South Creek and agricultural practices have altered the historic
configuration of surface, subsurface, and overbank delivery of water to this wetland, there are
several openings of various dimensions between the spoil piles at the creek edge which allow
direct connection between the wetland and South Creek. Existing agricultural ditches in the
fields to the south of the wetland also continue to deliver water into the wetland from that portion
of the basin, albeit in a more accelerated fashion. The wetland has naturalized to this present
configuration. Since the FEIS, a portion of the interior of this wetland shows considerable die -
back of the mature tree stems and exhibits a more open canopy. This wetland may be the most
upstream evidence of the changes in community type also observed downstream of Idalia Road
where a "ghost forest' of dead cypress is extensive and areas of shrub and marsh grasses have
expanded (see Photo 2-right, Photo 4, and Photo 7 below). Ghost forests are a wide -spread
regional phenomenon caused perhaps by climate change and associated sea level rise, with
additional exacerbation from Hurricane Irene in 2011.
IV. POTENTIAL CONTROL CREEK (SCUT1)
The final plan of study for the PCS creeks monitoring program indicated that at the time PCS
decides whether or not to mine in the South 33 Tract, a search will be conducted for a suitable
control creek for the 'representative" impacted creek selected to be monitored. The proposed
candidate control creek is an unnamed tributary to South Creek (SCUT1), on the opposite side
and slightly downstream of where Broomfield Swamp Creek joins South Creek (Figure 1). Both
creeks have similar sized, largely agricultural drainage basins. The USGS StreamStats data
show the estimated basin of SCUT1 as 4.61 square miles, with a mean basin slope of 0.67
percent, and 36 to 58 percent in cultivation. However, wetland restoration of the P Lands
(Phases 1, 2 and portions of 3) has diverted — 113 of the USGS 4.61-square mile drainage basin
out of this unnamed tributary and into Gum Swamp Run. This diversion may result in a
drainage basin for SCUT1 closer to 3.07 square miles. In early 2018, CZR will verify basin
boundaries by consultation with farmers and observation of flow in ditches in vicinity of the
USGS designated basin.
Field reconnaissance of this proposed control creek at the Bay City Road bridge and along the
upper west side was conducted by CZR on 4 October, and the mouth was explored by boat on
25 October 2017. The wetland along the west side of SCUT1 opposite the agricultural fields
parallel to Bay City Road (SR1002) appears similar in width and vegetation type to the FEIS-
mapped bottomland hardwood community in Broomfield Swamp Creek based on the field
observations on 4 October (see Photos 10 and 11). At least within the portions selected for well
locations in the two creeks, there appears to be similar occurrences of dwarf palmetto (Sabal
minor) and switch cane (Arundinaria tecta) with possibly slightly more narrow leaf cattail
(Typhus augustifolia) in the Broomfield Swamp Creek ghost forest. The creek at the location of
Broomfield Swamp Creek Monitoring Plan Page 4 PCS Phosphate Company, Inc.
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the middle salinity and depth monitor is shown in Photo 12
While portions of the natural creek appear to be undisturbed on aerial photos, Google Earth
history indicates that downstream of the bridge across Bay City Road, a straight canal had been
dug from the bridge to South Creek prior to 1993, and that between 1998 and 2002, portions of
the upper creek may have been straightened as well. On the earlier Google Earth photos,
shadows occlude what appears to be a natural channel on the north side upstream of the
bridge. This natural channel is not visible until later years with improved photo quality. A narrow
swath where trees appeared to have been removed along the east side of the upper creek is
evident by the December 2002 photo and lends evidence to speculation of some human activity
along the creek edge (i.e., potential excavation of channel). While there were no spoil piles
noted in the portion of the SCUT1 wetland explored on the west side of the upper creek,
vegetation hampered the detection of spoil on the opposite bank. The SCUT1 wetland boundary
has not been delineated or completely explored, but desktop analysis indicates it appears to
occupy more continuous linear distance along the floodplain adjacent to the creek than the
wetland proposed to monitor in Broomfield Swamp Creek. The Beaufort County Soil Survey
shows the SCUT1 wetland underlain by Muckalee loam along the creek (similar to Broomfield
Swamp Creek) with adjacent areas on the west side of the creek underlain by Roanoke fine
sandy loam.
On 25 October, as was done earlier for Broomfield Swamp Creek, a two -seam otter trawl with
tickler chain only (no net attached) was used to explore two potential locations for the SCUT1
trawl transect. The proposed SCUT1 downstream trawl transect is approximately 75-yards in
length and ends at the mouth. Along the trawl transect the creek varies in width from 100-feet
at the upstream end to 120-feet at the downstream end. Water depth across the trawl transect
varied from 1-foot on the east side of the creek and extends approximately halfway across the
creek before it drops abruptly to around 6-feet on the west side. Substrate on the east side of
the creek consists of a soft detritus/muck and the deeper west side has more of a sandy
substrate. Numerous snags and stumps were noted nearby but the trawl transect itself was
clear of obstruction; careful placement of the net prior to beginning the trawl will be necessary.
The channel is deepest on the west side and the trawl would need to be deployed away from
the middle or the eastern half where the creek becomes too shallow. A second potential trawl
transect was also explored further upstream; however, this location was deemed too shallow to
successfully trawl under normal conditions (the strong wind tide observed on 25 October
provided depths of only 3 feet). Figure 3 shows the proposed monitoring locations within SCUT1
(e.g., same number/type as in Broomfield Swamp Creek).
A CAMA permit application will be submitted for approval of the 6 proposed piers necessary to
house the salinity/depth monitors (similar to piers in the other creeks of the study).
Broomfield Swamp Creek Monitoring Plan Page 5 PCS Phosphate Company, Inc.
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V. SELECTED PHOTOGRAPHS
Photo1. Upstream Broomfield Swamp Creek salinity/depth monitor location (BSCS1) at creek
edge closet to camera: —6 ft high embankment to top edge of dirt road; mid -creek depth in photo
— 45 inches, creek width —40 feet, flow direction is right to left. 4 October 2017.
Broomfield Swamp Creek Monitoring Plan Page 9 PCs Phosphate Company, Inc.
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Photo 2. Area mapped as FEIS bottomland hardwood biotic community 3: view towards
Broomfield Swamp Creek from the largest breach through the spoil pile on south bank (left
photo, creek flow from left to right) and view upstream across bottomland hardwood into ghost
forest (right photo). 9 August 2017.
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Photo 3. Broomfield Swamp Creek upstream well location (BSCW1) in mostly -closed canopy,
creek edge behind biologist -60 feet, edge of ghost forest to right of photo. 4 October 2017.
Photo 4. Broomfield Swamp Creek downstream well location (BSCW2) semi -open canopy, at
downstream edge of ghost forest, creek edge to back of biologist -150 feet. 4 October 2017.
Broomfield Swamp Creek Monitoring Plan Page 11 PCs Phosphate Company, Inc.
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Photo 5. Location of salinity/depth monitor (BSCS2) on south side of Broomfield Swamp Creek
at Idalia Road (SR1925) bridge. Creek water depth —44 inches in photo but thick detritus layer is
an additional 40 or more inches beneath; creek width — 40 feet. The concrete edge of the bridge
is visible in upper left corner of photo; flow is left to right. 4 October 2017.
Photo 6. View to south from South Creek at mouth of Broomfield Swamp Creek to right. Most
downstream salinity/depth monitor proposed location at red arrow (BSCS3). 31 May 2017.
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Photo 7. View upstream to west from downstream end of proposed trawling transect in
Broomfield Swamp Creek (dead stems of ghost forest are visible to left). BSCS3 location is
beyond picture edge on right shore and toward the camera. 31 May 2017.
Photo 8. View downstream to east from upstream end of proposed trawling transect in
Broomfield Swamp Creek. Approximate BSCS3 location at red arrow. 31 May 2017.
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Photo 9. Upstream salinity/depth monitor location in unnamed tributary to South Creek
(SCUTISI) proposed as control creek for Broomfield Swamp Creek. Creek depth mid -channel
—35 inches, creek width —20 feet with firm slightly loamy bottom, flow from right to left in photo. 4
October 2017.
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Photo 10. Upstream wetland well location in proposed control creek (SCUTIWI), semi -open
canopy, creek edge to right in photo —40 feet, view downstream. 4 October 2017.
Photo 11. Downstream wetland well location (SCUT1 W2) in proposed control creek, mostly -
closed canopy, creek edge to right of photo —100 feet, view downstream. 4 October 2017.
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Photo 14. Location of proposed downstream salinity/depth monitor (SCUT1S3) at crossing of
Bay City Road (SR1002); red arrow marks monitor location. Water depths undetermined at
monitor, but depth was >12 feet at bridge upstream side, flow right to left in photo. 4 October
2017. Access pier would be nearly parallel to creek edge and perpendicular to the roadway
bridge. A pier location further downstream or any closer to the SCUT1 mouth is precluded by
parcel ownership or access issues.
Photo 15. View upstream of SCUT1 from Bay City Road bridge. Natural channel to left (blue
arrow), excavated channel to right (dashed blue arrow), and red arrow is salinity/depth monitor
location shown in Photo 14.
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Photo 16. View downstream of SCUT1 from bridge across Bay City Road. Excavated canal is
visible to right of photo and natural channel is to left and joins the canal at the west end of the
marsh island visible in center of photo. Red arrow marks approximate upstream end of the trawl
transect near the mouth of creek. 4 October 2017.
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