20051919 Ver 1_Mitigation Evaluation_20100421

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North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality
Beverly Eaves Perdue Coleen H. Sullins Dee Freeman
Governor Director Secretary
April 21, 2010
TO: Suzanne Klimek - NCEEP
Marc Recktenwald - NCEEP
FROM: Ian McMillan - 401 Oversight and Express Permits Unit
RE: Buffer Mitigation Site Evaluations
Goose Creek Stream Restoration - Durham County (Meuse 01)
DWQ # 2005-1919 (EEP Project ID # 147)
Site Visit: 2/17/10
Contact Person: Tammy Hill
The Goose Creek Stream Restoration Site includes buffer restoration and enhancement along Goose Creek, a
restored urban stream that flows through a city park. The two project reaches, Long Meadow Reach and Eastway Reach, are
separated by Liberty Street in Durham, NC. In addition to Tammy Hill from DWQ, Perry Sugg and Jeff Schaffer from EEP
were also present at the site visit.
The project is grandfathered in regard to riparian buffer mitigation credit. According to the June 2009 EEP ledger,
the project generated 3 acres of riparian buffer mitigation credit by establishing a wooded buffer along the restored reaches of
Goose Creek. Site visit observations confirmed that the areas slated to provide buffer credit were 50 to 200 feet wide, and
that appropriate tree species had been planted in these areas. Vandalism had been an ongoing problem, and had reduced the
planted stem density in some areas. Monitoring data for 2009 (Year 3) was available at the site visit, and showed that planted
stem densities in monitoring plots ranged from 283 to 769 trees per acre (TPA), with an average of 455 TPA. One plot (#2)
had dipped below the targeted density of 320 TPA when only planted stems were considered. However, volunteer river
birch, green ash, and sycamore in this plot brought the total stem count to 567. We appreciate the monitoring and reporting
of both planted and volunteer species, as both provide valuable information for evaluating the development of the project.
Mr. Sugg indicated that supplemental planting will occur in the vandalized areas, and monitoring will continue.
A small buffer area at the north end of Eastway Reach contained several older trees. It was not clear from
documents available at the site visit if this area had been categorized as buffer restoration or enhancement. This should be
clarified in the next monitoring report - all areas yielding riparian buffer credit should be clearly mapped, including the type
of mitigation, size of each mitigation area, and number of credits generated.
Thank you for your cooperation with our review of riparian buffer mitigation projects, and your continued attention
to the Goose Creek Stream Restoration Site.
cc: Matt Matthews
Perry Sugg, EEP
401 Oversight/Express Review Permitting Unit
1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650
Location: 2321 Crabtree Blvd., Raleigh, North Carolina 27604
Phone: [phone] FAX: [phone]
Internet: http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/ncwetlands/
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