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Home My WebLink About19960849 Ver 3_Monitoring Report_20120228To DR. J.H. CARTER III & ASSOCIATES, INC. Environmental Consultants P.O. Box 891 • Southern Pines, N.C. 28388 (910) 695 -1043 • Fax (910) 695 -3317 Emily Hughes US ACOE Wilmington NC Letter of Transmittal Date:2 /23/12 50b4 Attn: Re: Attached Reports Maps Copy of letter Plans Data Prints Photos COPIES DATE # Pgs I DESCRIPTION 1 1 7 Lakes Golf Club practice tee restoration report THESE ARE TRANSMITTED For approval For your use As requested For review and comment REMARKS: Approved as noted Approved as submitted Returned for corrections For your information COPY TO: Ian McMillian DW SIGNED: Bill Mullin If enclosures are not noted, please contact us i nntediately Endangered Species Surveys • Environmental Assessments • Land Management • Wetlands Mapping and Permitting 2011 WETLAND RESTORATION MONITORING REPORT FOR THE DRIVING RANGE, AT THE SEVEN LAKES COUNTRY CLUB, SEVEN LAKES, MOORE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Prepared By: William Mullin and Dr. J. H. Carter III Dr. J. H. Carter III & Associates, Inc. Environmental Consultants 515 Midland Road, Suite F Southern Pines, North Carolina 28387 Submitted 23 February 2012 To: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District 69 Darlington Ave. Wilmington, N.C. 28403 & North Carolina ivision of Water Quality 401 WetlandC,,ertification Unit 2321 Crabtree B'lvd., Suite 250 Raleigh, NC 27604 -2260 I�@ fM F69 2 8 20,2 DENR 8Uands & WASH outer — ��tc�nm.,s�_ _ rY 2011 WETLAND RESTORATION MONITORING REPORT FOR THE DRIVING RANGE, AT THE SEVEN LAKES COUNTRY CLUB, SEVEN LAKES, MOORE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA USACE Action ID: SAW- 2007 -00142 INTRODUCTION This report presents the results of annual monitoring for the Seven Lakes Country Club (CC) driving range wetland restoration site for 2011. Seven Lakes CC is located south of Seven Lakes Drive, north of West End, Moore County, North Carolina (NC). The 7.53 acre driving range is located on East Devonshire Avenue adjacent to the clubhouse (Figure 1). Seven Lakes CC secured a United States Army Corps of Engineers ( USACOE) Nationwide Permit (NWP) No. 39 and the corresponding NC Division of Water Quality General Water Quality Certification (GC 363 1) for the construction of a new driving range in 2008. A DWQ compliance inspection of the permitted work in early 2008 resulted in a Notice of Violation (NOV). The following observations were noted: mechanized clearing where only hand clearing was authorized, an unpermitted excavated ditch within wetlands and sedimentation impacts. A USACOE compliance inspection resulted in a letter of non - compliance, which cited mechanized land clearing of jurisdictional wetlands beyond the permitted area, unauthorized stream relocation, failing erosion control measures and sedimentation into Waters of the U. S. Both the USACOE and the DWQ required a restoration plan to be prepared and implemented in order to mitigate for the unauthorized activities. Seven Lakes CC took corrective action towards restoring jurisdictional areas on, and adjacent to, the driving range immediately after receiving the agencies' NOVs. Silt fencing was installed in order to stabilize the site and prevent further sedimentation. Seven Lakes CC then hired Dr. J. H. Carter III & Associates, Inc. (JCA) to prepare the required restoration plan, conduct the required monitoring and consult with the agencies. Figure 1. Location of the Seven Lakes Country Club, Moore County, North Carolina. NC Highway 211 Project Site NI; V" V J West End Figure 1. Location of the Seven Lakes Country Club, Moore County, North Carolina. JCA submitted the Wetland and Stream Restoration Plan for Seven Lakes Country Club Driving Range, West End, Moore County, North Carolina (W. Mullin and J. Carter 2008), to the USACOE, the DWQ and the NC Division of Land Resources on 6 June 2008. The USACOE and DWQ approved the plan in the summer of 2008 and restoration activities were completed by the end of that year. Monitoring of the restoration area is required for a minimum of 3 years. This document serves as the monitoring report for the third and final year. INITIAL RESTORATION MONITORING Three 10x10 meter monitoring plots were established within the herbaceous wetland area on 30 March 2009 and baseline vegetation conditions were documented. The monitoring plots were placed at the northern end, southern end and western side of the affected headwater wetland (Figure 2). Since the NWP 39 permitted the conversion or the original forested wetland to an herbaceous wetland, only herbaceous species, prevalence and percent cover ( %) were monitored. Shrubs and tree species were recorded if present; however, trees were not mapped or tracked for survivorship. The herbaceous wetland was periodically mowed or maintained as permitted. Monitoring Data These monitoring plots were revisited on 30 September 2009 and the following data summarizes the conditions at each plot as observed on 6 October 2011 (Mullin et el. 2010). Plot #1 was completely vegetated and had no bare ground in 2010 and continued to be completely vegetated in 2011. This represented a major improvement from 2009 (year 1) when lot 1 had bare ground at 1 to 2% coverage (Table 1). Wool grass (Scirpus cyperinus), clustered beaksedge (Rhynchospora glomerata) and bunched beaksedge (R. cephalantha) were the most abundant species, each with 25 -50% cover, which was the same percentage class from the 2009 monitoring. However, the overall density of those species within that class has increased from 2009 to 2011. Small- headed beaksedge (R. microcephala) and velvet witchgrass (Dichanthelium scoparium) were also fairly common in the plot, with 5 -10% cover for the beaksedge and 10- 15% coverage for the witchgrass. Bearded beggars tick (Bidens aristosa) was also newly observed in the Plot 1 in 2011 at 5 to 10% coverage. Plot #2 was completely vegetated and had no bare ground in 2010 and continued to be completely vegetated in 2011, representing a improvement from the February 2009 (50 -75 %). The dominant species were wool grass at 25 -50% and bunched beaksedge at 10 -25% cover. The cover of both of these species remained stable over the past year. Swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) increased within the plot from less than 1% coverage to 2 -5% of the plot. Bearded beggars tick was also newly observed in this plot in 2011 at 1 -2% coverage. Plot #3 was completely vegetated and had no bare ground in 2010 and continued to be completely vegetated in 2011. In December 2009, the plot had 2 -5% bare ground, a significant decrease from the March 2009 baseline of 75- 95 %. Warty panic grass (Panicum verrucosum), bunched beak sedge and swamp sunflower were the most abundant plants present in 2011, each with 10 -25% cover. Plot # 3 had the most improvement in species diversity in 2010 and bearded beggars tick (Bidens aristosa) was added in 2011. The vegetative stability, abundant hydrology despite being in a drought for a majority of 2011 and strong hydric soils in all 3 monitoring plots demonstrated that the restoration is successful at the 3 year monitoring point. Conservation easement A small area of forested wetland was placed in a conservation easement as part of the permit stipulations. A few trees from the outer edge of this area were cut during the initial conversion of the wetland to an herbaceous system. As part of the restoration effort approximately 20 stems each of pond pine (Pinus serotina), tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) and swamp blackgum (Nyssa biflora) were planted in order to mitigate for the few trees that were cut inside the conservation easement area. These trees were inspected in September 2011 and all were surviving. Several other saplings and natural sprouts were also noted. The number of planted trees will overcompensate for the few trees that were accidentally cut in the conservation easement, even with natural thinning over time. These trees will continue to be monitored periodically during site visits and replaced as necessary if mortality is observed. 4 A .;yry i t,�- 603 • , A 1 �i 0 100 200 400 1 1 A 31 i eCi ' Y SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION The headwater wetland at the Seven Lakes CC driving range was converted from a forested to herbaceous wetland as part of permitted activities and will be maintained as a herbaceous wetland. The wetland as a whole shows evidence of sufficient hydrology. In most areas the soils were saturated to the surface or within 3 or 4 inches of the surface in 2011. Since sufficient wetland hydrology is defined as saturation or inundation within 10 inches of the surface for at least 5% of the growing season, the observed high water table within the wetland indicates that the requirements for hydrology are being met. Native soils were uncovered in areas where unauthorized fill and /or sediments were removed. These restored areas met the criteria for as hydric soils, with either dark mucky organic soils (1 OYR 2/1) or mineral soils with low chromas (IOYR 5/1) and evidence of redoxomorphic activity (mottling of oxidized root channels) at, or near, the surface. All 3 plots are recovering well and have established 100% herbaceous cover. The remaining areas of the wetland that were not impacted by unauthorized activities, appear healthy. Herbaceous plant life appears lush and dense, containing species composition similar to the reference plots. Soils were similar throughout, being composed of organic muck that was saturated to the surface and in some areas slightly inundated. 2 • REFERENCES Mullin, W., Jennifer Archambault and Dr. J. H. Carter III. 2010. Restoration monitoring report for the Seven Lakes Country Club, Seven Lakes, Moore County, North Carolina. 11 pp. Mullin, W., Jennifer Archambault and Dr. J. H. Carter III. 2009. Restoratoin monitoring report for the Seven Lakes Country Club, Seven Lakes, Moore County, North Carolina. 11 pp. Mullin, W. and Dr. J. H. Carter III. 2008. Wetland and stream restoration plan for Seven Lakes Country Club Driving Range, West End, Moore County, North Carolina. 6 pp. NC Division of Water Quality. 2008. Notice of violation and recommendation for enforcement, dated 4 -14 -2008. US Army Corps of Engineers. 2007. Nationwide Permit 39, Action ID 2007 - 142 -063. Issued 6- 18 -2007, expired 6 -18 -2009. ------------------------------------ 2008. Letter of non - compliance, dated 10 April 2008. 7 APPENDIX A PHOTOGRAPHS OF RESTORATION ACTIVITIES AT SEVEN LAKES COUNTRY CLUB DRIVING RANGE SEVEN LAKES, MOORE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Appendix A -1. The recovering wetland (above) and A densely revegetating area at the end of the tee box (below), Seven Lakes Country Club Driving Range, Seven Lakes, Moore County, NC. Appendix A -2. Monitoring Plot #1 on the southwestern slope of the wetland (above) and Monitoring Plot #2 at the northern end of the wetland (below), Seven Lakes Country Club Driving Range, Seven Lakes, Moore County, NC. Appendix A -3. Monitoring Plot #3 at the southeastern end of the restored wetland (above) and the restoration area from the tee box (below), Seven Lakes Country Club Driving Range, Seven Lakes, Moore County, North Carolina.