20140193 Ver 1_USACE More Info Request_20201030

Strickland, Bev
From: Browning, Kimberly D CIV USARMY CESAW (USA)
<[e-mail]>
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2020 1:59 PM
To: Wiesner, Paul
Cc: Jake McLean; Reid, Matthew; Eric Neuhaus; Shawn Wilkerson; Allen, Melonie;
Haywood, Casey M CIV (USA); Tugwell, Todd J CIV USARMY CESAW (US); Davis, Erin B;
Bowers, Todd; Wilson, Travis W.; Munzer, Olivia
Subject: [External] Request for more information/ DMS Mitigation Plan Addendum Request:
Henry Fork Stream and Wetland Mitigation Project/ SAW- 2014-00538/Catawba
County
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Good afternoon Paul,
The 15-day comment review period for the NCDMS Henry Fork Mitigation Plan Addendum (SAW-2014-00538) closed on
October 28, 2020. Per Section 332.8(o)(9) of the 2008 Mitigation Rule, this review followed the streamlined review
process. All comments received during the review process are below.
USACE Comments, Todd Tugwell and Kim Browning:
The Corps requests vegetation data for these proposed wetland areas prior to approving their addition to the wetland
assets. Only two of the five areas proposed have gauges in them. This is concerning because the IRT requested these
gauges back in March 2016 if WEI thought the wetland boundaries were going to be different from the approved
mitigation plan. Wetland EE appears to be relatively permanently impounded according to the gauge data, which raises
concern whether this area may be too wet to support trees. Prior to approving this addendum we request veg data for
the proposed areas, and we would like a map that shows the areas that are at-risk/not meeting success.
EPA, Todd Bowers:
At this time I have no specific comments on the proposed addendum for the site to provide 0.220 riparian wetland
mitigation units to only be used if proposed wetlands at the mitigation site do not meet the thresholds or performance
standards for success in the current mitigation plan. The created potential wetlands appear to be providing the
appropriate function based on the groundwater gauge data (GWG 13 and 15) and the vigorous vegetation growth shown
in the attached photos.
WRC, Travis Wilson:
Looking at the mapped locations as well at the photos it looks like the vegetation is comprised of emergent and
pioneering species. All wetlands on this site were classified as Headwater forest. If these wetlands are going to be
classified the same they should follow the same planting plan and vegetative success criteria.
DWR, Erin Davis:
Are all of the proposed wetland creation areas outside of the original planted project area? I question whether they
would meet the standard veg density performance standard. One of the areas is sweetgum dominated.
Please reach out if you have any questions.
Thanks

Kim
Kim Browning
Mitigation Project Manager, Regulatory Division I U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
-----Original Message -----
From: Haywood, Casey M CIV (USA)<[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2020 12:34 PM
To: Tugwell, Todd J CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>; Browning, Kimberly D CIV USARMY
CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>; Davis, Erin B <[e-mail]>; Haywood, Casey M CIV
(USA) <[e-mail]>; Smith, Ronnie D CIV USARMY CESAW (USA)
<[e-mail]>; McLendon, C S CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>;
Bowers, Todd <[e-mail]>; Wilson, Travis W. <[e-mail]>; Munzer, Olivia
<[e-mail]>; Byron Hamstead <[e-mail]>
Cc: Jake McLean <[e-mail]>; Reid, Matthew <[e-mail]>; Wiesner, Paul
<[e-mail]>; Eric Neuhaus <[e-mail]>; Shawn Wilkerson
<[e-mail]>; Allen, Melonie <[e-mail]>
Subject: Notice of NCDEQ- DMS Mitigation Plan Addendum Request: Henry Fork Stream and Wetland Mitigation Project
(DMS# 96306) - (SAW- 2014-00538) (DWR#20140193) - Catawba 03050102_Catawba County
Good afternoon IRT,
The below referenced Mitigation Plan Addendum Request review has been requested by NCDMS. Per Section
332.8(o)(9) of the 2008 Mitigation Rule, this review follows the streamlined review process, which requires an IRT
review period of 15 calendar days from this email notification. Please provide any comments by 5 PM on the 15-day
comment deadline shown below. Comments provided after the 15-day comment deadline (shown below) may not be
considered.
At the conclusion of this comment period, a copy of all comments will be provided to NCDMS and the NCIRT along with
District Engineer's intent to approve or disapprove this AMP.
Wildlands Engineering, Inc. (WEI) has prepared a Mitigation Plan Addendum for the Henry Fork Mitigation Site (DMS#
96306). WEI has identified five additional wetland areas that have developed following site construction. These five
wetland areas were not identified in the approved Jurisdictional Determination (USACE) and they were not identified as
having hydric soils in the LSS soils report from the IRT approved Mitigation Plan. As a result, WEI is proposing a creation
credit ratio of 3:1 for the additional 0.661 acres for a total of 0.220 Riparian WMUs.
WEI is not seeking additional wetland credit above the approved Mitigation Plan and the DMS credit ledger will not be
updated. The purpose of proposing these additional areas for credit is to offset any wetland credits that may be at risk
of losing credit at project closeout. These additional areas have been monitored since March 2019 (MY4) and will

continue to be monitored through project closeout. Upon IRT review and approval of this wetland addendum,
Wildland's will document the additional wetland areas in this year's annual monitoring report (MY5) and through project
closeout.
The site is currently in MY5 (2020) and is scheduled to close in 2023.
Digital copies were uploaded to the IRT SharePoint page (10/6/2020) and DWR's Laser Fiche system (10/6/2020) for IRT
review. A copy is also attached.
15-Day Comment Start: October 13, 2020
15-Day Comment Deadline: October 28, 2020 45-Day DE Decision: November 27, 2020
Project information is as follows:
Henry Fork Mitigation Site
DMS Project # 96306
Institution Date: 2/15/2014
RFP 16-005298 (Issued: 6/6/2013)
Catawba River Basin
Cataloging Unit 03050103 Expanded Service Area
Catawba County, North Carolina
USACE Action ID: SAW- 2014-00538
DW R#: 20140193
Proposed Mitigation Project Credits:
4,807.667 SMU (cool)
4.222 WMU (riparian)

Full Delivery Provider: Wildlands Engineering Inc. — Contact: Jake McLean, [e-mail]
<mailto:[e-mail]>, [phone]
NCDEQ- DMS Project Manager: Matthew Reid, [e-mail] <mailto:[e-mail]>, (828)
231-7912
The Mitigation Plan Addendum has been uploaded to the IRT/ NCDEQ SharePoint Mitigation Plan Review page and can
be accessed here:
IRT SharePoint page:
Blockedhttps://ncconnect.sharepoi nt.com/sites/I RT-DMS/SitePages/Home.aspx
Hen ryFrk_96306_M PAddendu m_2020. pdf
Blockedhttps://ncconnect.sharepoint.com/sites/IRT
DMS/IRT%20Upload%20Documents%20Here/Forms/Allltems.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2FIRT%2DDMS%2FIRT%20Upload%20D
ocuments%20Here%2FHenry%20Fork%20%2896306%29%2FHenryFrk%5F96306%5FMPAddendum%5F2020%2Epdf&par
ent=% 2Fsites % 2FIRT% 2DDMS% 2FIRT%20U pload % 20Docu ments % 20Here%2FHenry%20Fork%20%2896306%29
<Blockedhttps://ncconnect.sharepoint.com/sites/IRT-
DMS/IRT%20Upload%20Documents%20Here/Forms/Allltems.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2FIRT%2DDMS%2FIRT%20Upload%20D
ocuments%20Here% 2FHenry%20Fork%20%2896306%29% 2FHenryFrk%5F96306%5FMPAddendum%5F2020%2Epdf&par
ent=% 2Fsites % 2FIRT% 2DDMS % 2FIRT%20U pload % 20Docu ments % 20Here%2FHenry%20Fork%20%2896306%29>
Please contact the Mitigation Office if you have questions.
V/ r,
Casey Haywood
Mitigation Specialist, Regulatory Division I U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

3331 Heritage Trade Dr, Ste. 105 1 Wake Forest, NC 27587 1
BUILDING STRONG