20150416 Ver 1_Notice of Initial Credit Release_20201006

Strickland, Bev
From: Browning, Kimberly D CIV USARMY CESAW (USA)
<[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 6, 2020 8:54 AM
To: Reid, Matthew; Wiesner, Paul; Allen, Melonie; Baumgartner, Tim; King, Scott
([e-mail]); katie mckeithan
Cc: Tugwell, Todd J CIV USARMY CESAW (US); Byron Hamstead; Bowers, Todd; Davis, Erin
B; Haywood, Casey M CIV (USA); Leslie, Andrea J; Wilson, Travis W.; McLendon, C S
CIV USARMY CESAW (USA); Smith, Ronnie D CIV USARMY CESAW (USA); Jones, M
Scott (Scott) CIV USARMY CESAW (USA)
Subject: [External] Notice of Initial Credit Release/ NCDMS Russell Gap Mitigation Site/
SAW-2015-00826 / Alexander County
Attachments: Russell Gap_100003_STR_RW_CT 01_Initial Release.pdf
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
• External email. Do not click links or open attachments unless you verify. Send all suspicious email as an attachment to
[e-mail]
Good morning
The 15-Day Record Drawing and MY-0 review for the Russell Gap Mitigation Site (SAW-2015-00826) ended
October 2, 2020. Per Section 332.8(o)(9) of the 2008 Mitigation Rule, this review followed the streamlined
review process. There were no objections to issuing the initial credit release and the revised assets have been
approved at 9,166.949 warm SMUs and 7.053 WMUs. Please find attached the current signed ledger, and IRT
comments below. The IRT would like to visit this site in spring 2021.
DWR Comments. Erin Davis:
1. Regarding the change from rock step structures to boulder step structures, are there any concerns with
aquatic passage?
2. DWR is ok with the additional plant species installed.
3. In future MYO baseline reports, please note whether there are changes in monitoring locations from the
approved mitigation plan (e.g. groundwater well MW12); not including minor shifts in field placements.
EPA Comments, Todd Bowers:
• The vegetation plot data in Appendix D has some serious deficiencies.
o The species planted is not provided in the list. I find this troubling for several reasons. Since the
data was gathered immediately after planting the species should still be tagged and known.
Even in the absence of tags, a botanist with basic skills should be able to determine species
based on stem, bundle scar and bud characteristics. I trust this will be rectified in the growing
season monitoring report for Year 1.
o I found that several plots (permanent plots 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10; random plots 1, 2, 3, 7 and 9) are
well below the desired planted density of 680 stems per acre. One plot, random 2, is nearing the
threshold for year 3 success of 320 stems per acre. Granted this plot/exact location is likely not
to be sampled again but it is indicative of potential trouble of tree survival in this location.
o Planted species percentages cannot be determined or verified by plot data to confirm if planted
percentages follows the desired species ratios in the mitigation plan.
o I have no issues with substituting Shumard oak on -site but the percentages are unknown.

• The color scheme used for the site assets is a bit odd and unlike others I have seen by both Baker and
other providers. This is a topic that the IRT can discuss internally but providers should agree to some
sort of color scheme for legends in forthcoming plans and reports. Tthe green for stream restoration is
difficult to see and it is mainly used for preservation on other projects.
• I appreciate Baker's use of 50-foot riparian buffers on this site especially as livestock operations and
other agricultural purposes are continuing as an adjacent land use. I did not submit comments on the
original mitigation plan but this would have been included as a recommendation.
• Deviations from the mitigation plan as far as rock step pool features substituted with boulder steps on
Reaches 11, 13, 15, 18, 19 and 27 are noted and I have no concerns. Gate locations and fence
adjustments are noted and approved of as well.
• Excellent spread of photos highlighting stream structures, veg plots and gauges.
Please contact the mitigation office if you have questions.
Thanks,
Kim Browning
Mitigation Project Manager, Regulatory Division I U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Mitigation Project Name
Russell Gap
DMS ID
100003
River Basin
Catawba
Cataloging Unit
03050101
USACE Action ID
2015-00826
DWR Permit
2015-0416
Date Project Instituted
9/15/2016
Stream/Wet. Service Area
Catawba 03050101
County Alexander Date Printed 9/14/2020
BROWN ING.KIMBERLY.DANIELLE.1527683510 Digitally signed by BROWN ING.KIMBERLY.DANIELLE.1527683510
Date: 2020.10.06 08:35:35-04'00'
Signature of Official Approving Credit Release
Credit Release Milestone
Warm Stream Credits
Project Credits
Scheduled
Releases %
Estimated
Scheduled
Release #
Proposed
Released #
Not Approved
Releases
Approved
Credits
Anticipated
Release
Year
Actual
Release
Date
1 - Site Establishment
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
2 - Year 0 / As -Built
30.00%
2,750.085
2,750.085
0.000
2,750.085
2020
9/14/2020
3 - Year 1 Monitoring
10.00%
916.695
2021
4 - Year 2 Monitoring
10.00%
916.695
2022
5 - Year 3 Monitoring
10.00%
916.695
2023
6 - Year 4 Monitoring
5.00%
458.347
2024
7 - Year 5 Monitoring
10.00%
916.695
2025
8 - Year 6 Monitoring
5.00%
458.347
2026
9 - Year 7 Monitoring
10.00%
916.695
2027
Stream Bankfull Standard
10.00%
916.695
2022
Totals
2,750.085
Total Gross Credits
9,166.949
Total Unrealized Credits to Date
0.000
Total Released Credits to Date
2,750.085
Total Percentage Released
30.00%
Remaining Unreleased Credits
6,416.864
Credit Release Milestone
Riparian Credits
Project Credits
Scheduled
Releases %
Estimated
Scheduled
Release #
Proposed
Released #
Not Approved
#Releases
Approved
Credits
Anticipated
Release
Year
Actual
Release
Date
1 - Site Establishment
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
2 - Year 0 / As -Built
30.00%
2.116
2.116
0.000
2.116
2020
9/14/2020
3 - Year 1 Monitoring
10.00%
0.705
2021
4 - Year 2 Monitoring
10.00%
0.705
2022
5 - Year 3 Monitoring
15.00%
1.058
2023
6 - Year 4 Monitoring
5.00%
0.353
2024
7 - Year 5 Monitoring
15.00%
1.058
2025
8 - Year 6 Monitoring
5.00%
0.353
2026
9 - Year 7 Monitoring
10.00%
0.705
2027
Stream Bankfull Standard
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Totals
2.116
Total Gross Credits
7.053
Total Unrealized Credits to Date
0.000
Total Released Credits to Date
2.116
Total Percentage Released
30.00%
Remaining Unreleased Credits
4.937
Page 1 of 2

Mitigation Project Name
Russell Gap
USACE Action ID
DMS ID
100003
DWR Permit
River Basin
Catawba
Date Project Instituted
Cataloging Unit
03050101
Stream/Wet. Service Area
County
Alexander
Date Printed
Notes
Contingencies (if any)
Project Quantities
Mitigation Type
Restoration Type
Physical Quantity
Warm Stream
Restoration
4,693.740
Warm Stream
Enhancement I
4,895.060
Warm Stream
Enhancement II
2,930.560
Riparian
Restoration
6.773
Riparian
Enhancement
0.559
2015-00826
2015-0416
9/15/2016
Catawba 03050101
9/14/2020
Debits
Warm
Stream
Restoration
Credits
Riparian
Restoration
Riparian
Restoration
Equivalent
Credits
Beginning Balance (mitigation credits)
9,166.949
6.773
0.280
Released Credits
2,750.085
2.032
0.084
Unrealized Credits
0.000
0.000
0.000
Converted Credits
0.000
0.000
0.000
Owning Program
Req. Id
TIP #
Project Name
USACE
Permit #
DWR Permit
#
DCM
Permit #
Remaining Balance (Released credits)
2,750.085
2.032
0.084
Remaining Balance (Unreleased credits)
6,416.864
4.741
0.196
Total Remaining Balance (Released and Unreleased credits)
9,166.949
6.773
0.280
Page 2 of 2