20060387 Ver 1_More Info Received_20060418

ern
NCDENR
North Carolina
Department of Environment and
Natural Resources
Michael F. Easley, Governor
William G. Ross Jr., Secretary
FOREST
SERVICE
NBC
North Carolina
Division of Forest Resources
Stanford M. Adams, Director
~ ~ ~
April 17 2006
;. ~,
Ian McMillan ~•'- ~- ~
Wetlands/401 Certification Unit -NCDWQ
2321 Crabtree Blvd. (hand deliver)
Raleigh, NC 27604
Subject: Supplemental information for permit application #06-0387: Phase 1 of Purlear
Creek Stream Restoration at Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest
Mr. McMillan,
Enclosed are five (5) copies of three supporting documents with the additional information as requested in
a letter from NCDWQ dated March 27, 2006. These documents are in reference to the first phase of the
NC Division of Forest Resources' proposed stream restoration and wetland enhancement project on
Purlear Creek at Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest, in Wilkes County.
The information provided herein describes the six points addressed in the above noted_letter:
_
1. Watershed Characterization ~. ~ '
~~ I ~ ~+~~` t ~ ~
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2. Existing Site Conditions ~
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3. Reference Reach Analysis . ~ 2006
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4. Restoration Design '
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5. Revegetation Description ~, -. ; . ;,.,.,,i ~ ~~ ~, !~~`Y
6. Monitoring and Followup WETLAa~JD3 ~`.9~0 STr1r ~~~V"~Aa cR ~RIWCH
Thank you for holding our application and providing us this opportunity to follow up. We appreciate an
expeditious review of this additional information and the corresponding permit application (as previously
submitted), and look forward to working on this project with our technical partners of the N.C. Stream
Restoration Institute at NCSU and funding partners of the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund.
If further documentation is deemed necessary, please contact project coordinator BMP Forester Tom
Gerow, Jr., or supervisor Forest Hydrologist Bill Swartley (as indicated below).
Sincerely
~4~_
Tom Gerow, Jr.
NC Reg. Forester 1510
(9 ] 9) 733-2162 ext.246
cc: Bill Swartley - NCDFR bill.swartley@ ncmail.net [phone] ezt.206
Dr. Greg Jennings -NCSU greg_jennings@ ncsu.edu (919) SIS-6791
1616 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1616
Phone: [phone] \ FAX: [phone] \ Internet: www.dfr.state.nc.us
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY \ AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER - 50% RECYCLED \ 10% POST CONSUMER PAPER

Supplemental Site Information for project DWQ#06-0387: NCDFR Phase 1 Purlear Creek
1. Watershed characterization
The drainage area is estimated at 300 acres. The entire watershed is fully forested with
mature pitch pine and Virginia pine, and hardwood areas with yellow poplar are
common. The entire watershed is contained within the property of the Rendezvous
Mountain Educational State Forest and therefore development is unlikely. The only
potential upstream impact is from small timber harvest operations that maybe undertaken
by DFR to reduce insect or fire impact. Obviously, all of the required Forest Practice
Guidelines Related to Water Quality (FPGs) and appropriate recommended forest
management BMPs would be implemented during these forestry operations.
Elevations within the watershed range from 1500 feet at the confluence of the tributary
with Purlear creek to a maximum of 2600 feet at the top of Rendezvous Mountain.
Water quality is good except for excessive sediment from historic land uses. There are
no significant contributing sources of sediment currently on the stream. Purlear Creek,
the stream that the tributary flows into, is listed as a class C stream (Hydrologic Unit 12-
31-1-8-(1).

Historical Resources
According to survey maps at the NC State Historic Preservation Office, there were no
significant historical buildings or landmarks within the project area as of Apri15, 2006.
Archaeological Resources
According to survey maps at the NC Office of State Archaeology, there were no
archaeological sites within the project area as of April 5, 2006.
Natural Resources
According to survey maps at the NC Natural Heritage Program, there were no known
rare, endangered, or threatened species, high quality natural communities, or Significant
Natural Heritage Areas within the project area as of April 5, 2006.
Critical Habitats
The wetland was surveyed for southern bog turtles by staff from the North Carolina
Wildlife Resources Commission / USFWS, and volunteers. No turtles were located.
However, all persons involved indicated that the habit is suitable for bog turtles.
Therefore, surveys will continue occur for several years.
2. Proiect Site Existing Conditions
General Site conditions
The land was recently acquired by the NC Division of Forest Resources and was
previously used as a small scale cattle and hay operation. The cattle have been removed
from the property for nearly two years.
The valley is a well vegetated stable alluvial fan from the mountain slope upstream. The
site was cleared at some point in the past and was probably used as pasture. The stream
channel was straightened and moved to the north side of the valley. The original channel
location is obvious due to the shape of the valley.
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Supplemental Site Information for project DWQ#06-0387: NCDFR Phase 1 Purlear Creek
Since initial clearing, the valley has been allowed to grow into young yellow poplar
timber, estimated at 20-30 years old. There are occasional mature trees estimated at 75
years. Part of the left bank of the channelized portion of the stream is made up of the
spoil material dug from the channel and is formed into a large manmade earthen ramp.
This was probably constructed over 75 years ago to provide access to the mountainside
for logging.
The wetland site was used as pasture as recently as two years ago. Several shallow
trench ditches were dug within the wetland to drain it at least 20 years ago. A small
portion of the site (0.42 ac) was also filled in an attempt to improve the pasture.
Geology
The project is located along the boundary between the Mountain and the Piedmont
physiographic regions of North Carolina within the escarpment known as the Blue Ridge
Front. Downstream from the site are rolling upland piedmont hills and upstream is the
base of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The Blue Ridge Front is more extensively developed in western Wilkes County than
anywhere else in North Carolina. The easternmost edge of this front has an elevation of
approximately 1500 feet.
The boundary between the two major northeast trending geologic belts in Wilkes County
does not coincide with the boundary between physiographic provinces. Both the Blue
Ridge Belt and the Inner Piedmont Belt consist of metamorphosed sedimentary, volcanic
and plutonic rocks that originally were such rock types as greywacke (dirty sandstone),
shale, conglomerate, mafic and felsic volcanic rock, and granite to quartz diorite. (UDSA
NRCS Soil Survey of Wilkes County NC, Publication No. 193, September, 1997)
Soils
The USDA NRCS Soil Survey of Wilkes County, NC indicates three major soil types on
the project site. The soil of the existing channelized tributary is an Evard-Cowee
complex. This is one of the predominant soil types of the county and is a mix of
approximately 65%Evard and 20% Cowee. It is described as a gravelly sandy loam with
red clay sandy loam subsoil.
The soil where the channel originally was and will be relocated back to is a Haysville
sandy clay loam, which is more indicative of a stream channel location.
The wetland site soil is indicated as Braddock clay loam. While this soil listed as
moderately well drained, the wetland site is very poorly drained as evidenced by the
existing drainage ditches that were dug to drain the site and did not work. The wetland
continues to exist even with the ditches in place.
Riparian Buffer and natural communities
The valley that the relocated channel will run through is a narrow structurally controlled
valley with evidence of an alluvial fan. Young yellow poplars (est. 20-30 years old) are
colonizing the valley floor and sides. Understory vegetation is generally scarce except
for the exotic invasive Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum), which is abundant.
Prepared: April 17, 2006 Page 2 of 8

Supplemental Site Information for project DWQ#06-0387: NCDFR Phase 1 Purlear Creek
Scattered mature trees include black walnut, sweet gum, and yellow poplar. These
species provide a useful food source for wildlife.
The entire valley will be left as a riparian buffer as part of this project.
The wetland site will be maintained as a wetland by annual prescribed burning overseen
by the NC Division of Forest Resources.
Wetlands
The wetland site is characterized by typical mountain wetland plants such as rushes
(Juncus spp.), sedges (Carex spp.), and wetland grasses. The filled area of the wetland is
overgrown with Japanese stilt grass as well. The attempts to drain the wetland with
ditching have provided a series of small levees alongside each of the ditches that are
dryer. These levees have allowed woody plants not suited for wetlands to colonize.
These alders, sycamores and loblolly pines will be removed, with the alders transplanted
to a storage site for use in a future restoration project.
Stream Characteristics and Constraints
The project site is located in a valley of about 90 feet in width. In a valley of this type (a
Rosgen Type III) the stream should have a sinuosity near 1.2.
The valley length within the project site is 650 feet. The current stream channel length is
660 feet, giving a sinuosity of 1.01. This is an indicator of a channelized stream. At a
sinuosity of 1.2 the channel should be about 780 feet long over the 650 foot valley.
There are no defined pools within the existing channel.
With an existing bankfull cross sectional area of approximately 4.5 sq ft, much of the
channel is severely incised with the top of the bank as much as 6 feet above the bankfull
height.
3. Reference Reach Analysis
Stable stream reach analysis
The reference stream of Craig Creek in Caldwell County, NC was selected as the most
similar for use in this design. It is a small tributary to Wilson Creek that has been classified
as a Rosgen B3a. The entire watershed for this stream is undeveloped, fully forested and is
located within the Pisgah National Forest so the land uses are quite similar to the project
stream. The watershed is considerably larger so relative adjustments were made to the
reference data values so they applied to the smaller watershed and stream at the project site.
4. Stream Restoration Design
The stream redesign plan will be to create a Priority One restoration. This is a restoration
where a new channel is excavated within the existing flood plain and the existing channel is
filled.
Based on the valley type, the valley slope and the physiographic region, the proposed stream
classification will be a Rosgen Boa type stream. This is a moderately entrenched stream with
moderate width to depth ratio (>12) and a moderate gradient. The channel slope range will
Prepared: April 17, 2006 Page 3 of 8

Supplemental Site Information for project DWQ#06-0387: NCDFR Phase 1 Purlear Creek
be near 4 % as indicated by the lower case "a". This will be a gravel dominated stream with
lesser amounts of boulders, cobble .and sand.
The proposed channel will have an average bankfull cross sectional area of 5.5 sq. ft. The
cross sectional area will vary along the reach with a range of 4.3 to 6.2 sq. ft. The bankfull
cross sectional area as shown by the surveyed cross sectional area was 4.3 ft just above the
reach. The reference stream had a cross sectional area of 32.7 sq. ft. Best professional
judgment was used to determine this bankfull cross sectional area. Three factors affect the
decision to slightly undersize the channel. One, the geographic location (the site is the
eastern or dry side of the mountains) and two, the fact that the watershed is totally forested
with no chance of development. The third factor is that selecting a slightly undersize channel
is a conservative bet since the stream can always cut the channel larger but an oversize
channel contains flows that should be released to the flood plain and can cause stream
incision.
The valley slope was 5.3 % or 5 feet in 100, the designed channel slope will be 4.8 %.
The proposed stream design will have a bankfull width of 10' and a mean depth of 0.6 ft,
providing a width to depth ratio of 18.2. With a design sinuosity of 1.1, the new channel
length over the 650' valley length will be 715'. Riffles will dominate the proposed channel
with well spaced small pools. The pool to pool spacing will vary from 5 to 10 feet and the
maximum pool depth will be 2.1 feet.
Basic design parameters used for this channel design are attached.
5. Structures
Structures used for restored channel will be the standard structures used to provide
directional stability for the stream and provide grade control. Using boulders from the
existing channel, logs and root wads from trees removed from within the new channel,
single vanes, cross vanes, constructed riffles will provide the grade and pattern control. Root
wads will be used only occasionally as the pools in a B4 stream are typically formed as a
scour or plunge pool not as a pool created by stream sinuosity. Structures will be used as
needed to provide the structural integrity of the pattern and the profile of the new channel.
Where possible, structures will be constructed of locally collected wood to add large woody
debris to the stream channel and improve aquatic habitat. It is estimated that not more than 8
grade control structures will be required along the reach. Most will be constructed riffles.
6. Refilling existing channel
The existing channel will be used to extract local stone for construction of structures. Any
crossing of the new channel and the old channel will be sealed with select material (brought
in from off site), thoroughly compacted to specification and covered with topsoil and jute
matting.
The remainder of the channel will be filled as much as possible with material excavated from
the new channel, material removed from the filled wetland area and from the manmade ramp
that forms the north side of the old channel.
Prepared: April ?7, 2006 Page 4 of 8

Supplemental Site Information for project DWQ#06-0387: NCDFR Phase 1 Purlear Creek
The amount of fill generated by this excavation will not fully fill the old channel. Remaining
unfilled, stream bed will be converted to series of ephemeral step pools that will be
established with woody grade control structures.
7. Wetland Restoration Design
Refilling drainage ditches will be accomplished by constructing flashboard risers at the exit
of each of the three ditches. These will be raised, gradually allowing the water level to return
to its original position. The drainage ditches will be filled manually in 3 stages once there is
water standing in the ditch. This gradual manual fill is used to allow buried bog turtles, if
present, to dig their way to the top of the newly add soil. The fill soil will be taken from the
.small levees alongside each of the ditches. These levees were created when the ditches were
dug.
Removal of fill from the small (0.42 acre) filled area will be accomplished with the tracked
excavator as part of the construction of the new stream channel. The removed material will
be use to refill the old stream channel. The surface elevation of the filled wetland area will
be returned to its original height. From 12" to 18" of material will be removed.
8. Riparian buffer revegetation design and planting schedule
Eradication of exotic species
Japanese stilt grass control will be accomplished by spraying the sites twice with an
aquatic use approved herbicide such as Rodeo®. The first spray will occur before
construction of the stream channel has begun. The second spray will occur just before
planting of the riparian buffer in late fall.
Temporary Seeding
Temporary seeding will be used where needed for erosion control, when permanent
vegetation cannot be established due to planting season, and where temporary ground
cover is needed to allow native or woody vegetation to become established. Application
rates as listed below.
Fall, winter or Springy Seeding:
Summer Seeding:
Rye grain 301bs per acre
Browntop Millet 25 lbs per acre
Mulching
Mulching will be used to provide temporary protection of soil surfaces from erosion.
Mulching will be performed within 48 hours of seeding. Grain straw mulch will be
applied on seeded areas at a rate of 3 bales per 1,000 sq ft (130 bales per acre). Mulch
will be applied uniformly and anchored with appropriate biodegradable netting.
Bare Root Vegetation
Bare root vegetation to be planted along both sides of the new channel stream banks
above bankfull elevation and in the floodplain restoration area shall consist of a random
assortment of shrub and tree species including, but not limited to the following:
Common Name Scientific Name
S camore Platanus occidentalis
Black walnut Ju lans ni ra
Black the Prunus serotina
Silverbell Halesia Carolina
Prepared: April 17, 2006 Page 5 of 8

Supplemental Site Information for project DWQ#06-0387: NCDFR Phase 1 Purlear Creek
Persimmon Dios yros vir iniana
Black um N ssa s lvatica
Witch-hazel Hamamelis vir iniana
S icebush Lindera benzoin
Ta alder Alnus serrulata
Planting will take place in late fall after the second spraying for Japanese stilt grass
control. Immediately following delivery to the project site, all plants with bare roots, if
not promptly planted, shall be heeled-in in constantly moist soil or sawdust in an
acceptable manner corresponding to accepted horticultural practices.
While plants with bare roots are being transported to and from heeling-in beds, or are
being distributed in planting beds, or are awaiting planting after distribution, the
contractor will protect the plants from drying out by means of wet canvas, burlap, or
straw, or by other means acceptable to Engineer/Project Manager and appropriate to
weather conditions and the length of time the roots will remain out of the ground.
Soil in the area of shrub and tree plantings will be loosened to a depth of at least 5 inches.
This is necessary only on compacted soil. Bare root vegetation may be planted in a hole
made by a mattock, dibble, planting bar, or other means approved by Engineer/Project
Manager. Rootstock will be planted in a vertical position with the root collar
approximately'/z inch below the soil surface. The planting trench or hole will be deep
and wide enough to permit the roots to spread out and down without J-rooting. The plant
stem will remain upright. Soil will be replaced around the transplanted vegetation and
tamped around the shrub or tree firmly to eliminate air pockets.
The following spacing guidelines of rooted shrubs and trees provided in the following
table will be used.
T e S acin # Per 1,000 s ft
Shrubs (<10 ft tall) 3 to 6 ft 25 to 110
Shrubs and trees (10-25 ft) 6 to 8 ft 15 to 25
Trees (>25 ft tall) 8 to 15 ft 4 to 15
9. Monitoring Plan and Success Criteria
Monitoring of both the stream and the wetland sites will be ongoing for at least 5 years after
construction.
Monitoring efforts at the stream site will consist of at least the following activities performed
annually during the same season. Other variables may be added to the monitoring process as the
need is identified.
Photo Documentation
This includes establishment of permanent photo points for repeated photo documentation
of project site conditions. The photo points will be located throughout each project site to
digitally document channel aggradation or degradation, bank erosion, riparian vegetation
success, and other restoration project features.
Prepared: April 17, 2006 Page 6 of 8

Supplemental Site Information for project DWQ#06-0387: NCDFR Phase 1 Purlear Creek
Monitoring of Riparian Vegetation
This will evaluate woody stems, herbaceous cover and nonnative plant presence in the
stream and riparian area. At least two permanent 100m2 plots will be established for
woody stem counts. Plots will be located to represent riparian buffer zones and the stream
bank. Trees will be counted, identified to species, and listed by origin (live stake,
container, bare root, volunteer). Each plot will be photographed. Herbaceous vegetation
will be evaluated using photographs of at least five 1m2 plots. A grid system will be
applied to the photographs to determine percent cover, and an estimate of species
diversity will be generated. Nonnative populations will be documented. Monitoring will
be repeated yearly at the same plot locations during the growing season. Numbers of live
woody stems per plot by species will be recorded.
Monitoring of Suspended Sediment Concentrations
This includes installation of single-stage sediment samplers upstream and downstream of
the restoration site to collect depth-integrated samples to be analyzed for suspended-
sediment concentrations (SSC). Results will be used to evaluate bank erosion and
sediment transport associated with each site.
Assessing Stream Channel Stability
This includes collection of physical stream morphology data to evaluate the site
conditions.
• Two fixed cross-sections (one pool and one riffle) to measure channel dimension
changes.
• Longitudinal profile of the entire restored reach to measure channel profile and
pattern changes.
• Pebble counts at both cross sections to quantify changes in channel bed particle
distributions.
• Bank Erosion Hazard Index and Near Bank Shear Stress assessment along the.
reach to assess streambank stability.
• Structure function assessment to determine performance and stability of in-stream
structures located throughout the project.
Monitoring of Benthic Macro invertebrate Communities
This includes annual collection and identification of aquatic macro invertebrates at each
site using NCDENR methodologies (SQM, EPT, and Qua14 methods). Results will be
used to evaluate restoration success in restoring desirable in-stream habitat.
Data Management and Reporting
This includes collection and analysis of all data and creation of annual reports that will be
retained by the NC Division of Forest Resources.
Wetland monitoring
The following monitoring will occur within the wetland:
• Photo documentation at various fixed photo points as described above.
• Woody and herbaceous vegetation assessment as described above.
Data and findings will be included in the annual report.
Other monitoring variables may be added as needed.
Prepared: Apri! 17, 2006 Page 7 of 8

Supplemental Site Information for project DWQ#06-0387: NCDFR Phase 1 Purlear Creek
Desi n Parameters
Parameter Design Reference
Reach Name Trib - B4 Craib
Ba[1klLlll XSEI. Area, HDkI (lt) "" ~.a '" 3,Z:~ ,
Bankfull Width, Wbkf (ft) 10 ""28,8. "
Bankfull Mean Depth, Dbkf (ft) 0.6 1.1
Width to Depth Ratio, W/D (ft/ft) 18.2 25.3
Entrenchment Ratio, Wfpa/Wbkf (ft/ft) 1.4 "
' Bank Height Ratio, Dtob/Dmax (ft/ft) 1.0
I'I Min Bkf Max Depth, Dmax (ft) 0.6
Max Bkf Max Depth, Dmax (ft) 0.8 1.6
Min Bkf Max Depth Ratio, Dmax/Dbkf 1.0
Max Bkf Max Depth Ratio, Dmax/Dbkf ` 1.5 r~.~,-~;
Min Meander Length, Lm (ft) n/a
Max Meander Length, Lm (ft) n/a
Min Meander Len Ratio, Lm/Wbkf nla. ;
Max Meander Len Ratio, Lm/Wbkf `-~,ia/a ,
Min Radius of Curvature, Rc (ft) n/a
Max Radius of Curvature, Rc (ft) n/a
Min Rc Ratio, Rc/Wbkf ~/~ ":;,
Max Rc Ratio, Rc/Wbkf `i~la
Min Belt Width, Wblt (ft) n/a
Max Belt Width, Wblt (ft) n/a
Min MW Ratio, Wblt/Wbkf(ft) ,~il~° :;;
Max MW Ratio, Wblt/Wbkf (ft) nl~t
Sinuosity, K 1, l f
Valley Slope, Sval (ft/ft) 0.0530 0.0333
Channel Slope, Schan=Sval/K (ft/ft) 0.0482 0.0303
Pool Slope, Spool (ft/ft) 0.0000 0.0007
Pool Slope Ratio, Spool/Schan
Min Pool Depth, Dpool (ft) 1.0
Max Pool Depth, Dpool (ft) 1.2
Min Pool Depth Ratio, Dpool/Dbkf ~ 1.8 ~ ; ~"ALB.. "-~""
Max Pool Depth Ratio, Dpool/Dbkf 2.1 2 1
Min Pool Width, Wpool (ft)
Max Pool Width, Wpool (ft)
Min Pool Wid Ratio, Wpool/Wbkf rr ~ .. ,
Max Pool Wid Ratio, Wpool/Wbkf ~ 'i~< ," ",
Min Length Poo] Spacing, Lps (ft) 5 9
Max Length Pool Spacing, Lps (ft) 10 26
Min Pool Spacing Ratio, Lps/Wbkf 0,5
Max Poo] Spacing Ratio, Lps/Wbkf 1-0 ~? 9 ,, . """'
Design Shear Stress 1.7
Prepared: April 17, 2006 Fage 8 of 8