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Home My WebLink About20100857 Ver 1_Monitoring Report_2012070210 -DRS`) June 27, 2012 Mr Eric Kulz p 9 � NCDENR — Division of Water Quality L�55 1650 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699 1650 J UIL �720 Subject Butlers Branch Year 3 ( 2012 ) Monitoring Report vvve` d"; B a wATER oufiUFY a,. .. e__ _ Dear Mr Kulz Restoration Systems, LLC has completed the third year of monitoring (2012) for the Butlers Branch Buffer Restoration Project for the City of Raleigh As stipulated in our contract with the City of Raleigh the City requires the Division of Water Quality to acknowledge that the project is still in conformance with the Mitigation Plan prior to approving invoices resulting from annual monitoring efforts The 2012 Annual Report for the project is provided for your review and indicates that all 12 monitoring plots met the success criteria for stems per acre (320) The average for stems per acre for the 2012 monitoring season is 853 If you feel that our project is in conformance with the Mitigation Plan please provide me with a letter indicating such at your earliest convenience If you have any questions concerning this report please contact me at 919 334 9112 Si erely Travis Hamrick Restoration Systems LLC Attachments (1) ANNUAL MONITO1E81 NG REPORT YEAR 3 (2012) BUTLERS BRANCH NUTRIENT BUFFER RESTORATION PROJECT NEUSE RIVER NITROGEN ABATEMENT CRAVEN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA RESTOO RATION AMSTKW\7/1[S LLC —;- T_L -- Prepared for THE CITY OF RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA Prepared by Restoration Systems, L L C 1101 Haynes Street, Suite 211 Raleigh North Carolina 27604 And Axiom Environmental, Inc 218 Snow Avenue Raleigh, North Carolina 27603 ,Tune 2012 Axiom Environmental Inc EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Restoration Systems LLC has completed riparian buffer restoration at the Butlers Branch Nutrient Buffer Restoration Site (hereafter referred to as the Site ) for the City of Raleigh s wastewater treatment facility on the Neuse River (NPDES Permit NC0029033) Within the Site approximately 54 acres of headwater buffer habitat were restored providing 4091 pounds of nitrogen offsets per year for greater than 122 742 pounds of nitrogen offsets over 30 years to the City of Raleigh The Site is located approximately 17 miles east of the Town of Kinston in Craven County within United States Geological Survey Hydrologic Unit 03020202080020 (North Carolina Division of Water Quality Subbasm 03 04 08) of the Neuse River Basin The Site includes three main tributary systems that drain directly to the Neuse River (Village Creek and two unnamed tributary systems) Prior to construction the Site was characterized by agricultural fields and disturbed forest and Site streams were regularly dredged and cleared of vegetation Land use practices including the maintenance and removal of vegetation regular plowing and use of agricultural chemicals had resulted in degraded water quality The goals and objectives of this project focused on improving local water quality improving bank stability supporting in stream habitat through the contribution of large woody debris and maintaining wildlife passage corridors These goals were accomplished by the following I Removing nonpoint sources of pollution associated with agriculture production by a) ceasing the application of agricultural herbicides pesticides fertilizers and other agricultural materials into and adjacent to Site ditches and open waterways and b) providing a vegetative buffer adjacent to ditches and waterways to treat surface runoff that may be laden with sediment and /or agricultural pollutants 2 Reducing sedimentation/siltation within on Site and downstream receiving waters by a) increasing retention time for surface waters entering and leaving the Site b) reducing erosion associated with vegetation maintenance and agricultural plowing to Site ditches and c) planting a forested vegetative buffer adjacent to Site ditches and waterways 3 Promoting floodwater attenuation by ripping compacted soils and revegetating the Site to increase frictional resistance on floodwaters crossing the Site 4 Providing terrestrial wildlife habitat including a forested riparian corridor within an area that was previously cleared and highly dissected by agricultural land use This project was constructed in late winter /early spring 2010 As a whole the densities of vegetation plots across the Site were above the required 320 stems per acre with an average of 853 planted stems per acre in the Third Monitoring Year (2012) In addition each individual plot met success criteria based on planted stems alone Annual Monitoring Report Executive Summary Butlers Branch Nitrogen Buffer Restoration Site TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i 10 INTRODUCTION 1 1 1 Location and Setting 1 1 2 Project Goals and Objectives 1 1 3 Project Structure Restoration Type and Approach 1 20 MONITORING PLAN 2 2 1 Vegetation Success Criteria 2 22 Maintenance and Contingency 3 23 Vegetation Sampling Results and Comparison to Success Criteria 3 30 CONCLUSIONS 3 40 REFERENCES 5 APPENDICES Appendix A Figures Figure 1 Site Location Figure 2 Monitoring Plan View Appendix B Vegetation Monitoring Plot Photographs Annual Monitoring Report Table of Contents Butlers Branch Nitrogen Buffer Restoration Site 10 INTRODUCTION 11 Location and Setting Restoration Systems LLC has completed riparian buffer restoration at the Butlers Branch Nutrient Buffer Restoration Site (hereafter referred to as the Site ) for the City of Raleigh s wastewater treatment facility on the Neuse River (NPDES Permit NC0029033) Within the Site approximately 54 acres of headwater buffer habitat were restored providing 4091 pounds of nitrogen offsets per year for greater than 122 742 pounds of nitrogen offsets over 30 years to the City of Raleigh The Site is located approximately 17 miles east of the Town of Kinston in Craven County within United States Geological Survey Hydrologic Unit 03020202080020 (North Carolina Division of Water Quality Subbasin 03 04 08) of the Neuse River Basin (Figure 1 Appendix A) Directions to the Site from Kinston North Carolina ➢ Take NC I UNC 55 North out of Kinston ➢ Turn right at NC 55 and travel approximately 16 miles ➢ Turn left onto Biddle Farm Road and travel for approximately 12 miles ➢ The Site is on the right ➢ Site coordinates o Latitude 35 29250 N Longitude 77 30624 W (NAD83 /WGS84) 12 Protect Goals and Objectives The goals and objectives of this project focused on improving local water quality improving bank stability supporting in stream habitat through the contribution of large woody debris and maintaining wildlife passage corridors These goals were accomplished by the following 1 Removing nonpoint sources of pollution associated with agriculture production by a) ceasing the application of agricultural herbicides pesticides fertilizers and other agricultural materials into and adjacent to Site ditches and open waterways and b) providing a vegetative buffer adjacent to ditches and waterways to treat surface runoff that may be laden with sediment and /or agricultural pollutants 2 Reducing sedimentation/siltation within on Site and downstream receiving waters by a) increasing retention time for surface waters entering and leaving the Site b) reducing erosion associated with vegetation maintenance and agricultural plowing to Site ditches and c) planting a forested vegetative buffer adjacent to Site ditches and waterways 3 Promoting floodwater attenuation by ripping compacted soils and revegetating the Site to increase frictional resistance on floodwaters crossing the Site 4 Providing terrestrial wildlife habitat including a forested riparian corridor within an area that was previously cleared and highly dissected by agricultural land use 13 Project Structure, Restoration Type, and Approach The Site includes three main tributary systems that drain directly to the Neuse River (Village Creek and two unnamed tributary systems) Prior to construction the Site was characterized by agricultural fields and disturbed forest and Site streams were regularly dredged and cleared of vegetation Land use practices including the maintenance and removal of vegetation regular plowing and use of agricultural chemicals had resulted in degraded water quality Annual Monitoring Report Page 1 Butlers Branch Nitrogen Buffer Restoration Site As constructed Site activities restored historic riparian buffer functions by planting the entire 54 acre Site with native riparian vegetation The Site will provide 4091 pounds of nitrogen offsets per year for greater than 122 742 pounds of nitrogen offsets over 30 years to the City of Raleigh The following table outlines information for project managers owners and contractors Table 1 Prg1ect Contacts Table Designer Restoration Systems LLC 1101 Haynes Street Suite 211 Raleigh North Carolina 27604 (919) 755 9490 Planting Contractor Carolina Silvics 908 Indian Trail Road Edenton North Carolina 27932 Dwight McKinney (252) 482 8491 Monitoring Performer Axiom Environmental Inc 218 Snow Avenue Raleigh North Carolina 27603 Grant Lewis (919) 215 1693 20 MONITORING PLAN Monitoring of Site restoration efforts will be performed for vegetation components of the Site for five years or until success criteria are fulfilled After planting was completed an initial evaluation was performed to verify planting methods were successful and to determine initial species composition and density Twelve sample vegetation plots (10 meter by 10 meter) were installed within the Site as per guidelines established in CVS EEP Protocol for Recording Vegetation Version 4 0 (Lee et al 2006) In each sample plot vegetation parameters to be monitored include species composition and species density Visual observations of the percent cover of shrub and herbaceous species will also be documented by photograph 21 Vegetation Success Criteria Characteristic Tree Species include woody tree and shrub species planted at the Site (Table 2) or outlined for the appropriate plant community in Schafale and Weakley (1990) An average density of 320 stems per acre of Characteristic Tree Species must be surviving after year 5 monitoring Annual Monitoring Report Page 2 Butlers Branch Nitrogen Buffer Restoration Site Table 2 Planted Woody Vegetation Species Quantity American elm Ulmus americans 2700 American holly Ilex o aca) 1610 Americansycamore (Platanus occidentahs) 4563 Bald cypress Taxodium distichum) 4694 Buttonbush Ce halanthus occidentahs) 2280 Cherrybark oak Ouercus pagoda) 4085 Elderberry Sambucus canadensrs 868 Green ash Fraxinus enns lvamca 6218 Ironwood Car tnus carohniana) 322 Laurel oak ( uercus lauri olia ) 4085 Overcu oak (Quercus l t ata) 4172 Possumhaw viburnum (Viburnum nudum) 434 Red chokebe (Aroma arbuti olia) 1339 River birch (Betula m a) 4563 Silky dogwood (Cornus amomum) 1610 Silky willow Salix sericea) 434 Swamp chestnut oak (Quercus mlchauxu) 2700 Sweetba (Magnolia vir miana) 1350 Water oak uercus m ra 1080 Willow oak uercus hellos 4085 Yellow poplar briodendron tuli i era) 1620 TOTAL 54 813 22 Maintenance and Contingency In the event that success criteria are not fulfilled a mechanism for contingency will be implemented If vegetation success criteria are not achieved based on average density calculations from combined plots over the entire restoration area supplemental planting may be performed with tree species approved by regulatory agencies Supplemental planting will be performed as needed until achievement of vegetation success criteria 23 Vegetation Sampling Results and Comparison to Success Criteria Quantitative sampling of vegetation was conducted in June 2012 Vegetation success criteria (320 stems per acre) were exceeded for the year 3 (2012) annual monitoring year with an average density of 853 planted stems per acre across the Site In addition each individual plot met success criteria based on planted stems alone 30 CONCLUSIONS As a whole the densities of vegetation plots across the Site were above the required 320 stems per acre with an average of 853 planted stems per acre in the Third Monitoring Year (2012) The following table summarizes planted stem data throughout the monitoring period Annual Monitoring Report Page 3 Butlers Branch Nitrogen Buffer Restoration Site Table 3 Summary of Planted Stem Veeetation Plot Results Plot Planted Stems /Acre Year 1 2010 Year 2 2011) Year 3 2012 Year 4 2013) Year 5 2014 1 971 1012 931 2 283 324 324 3 1052 1012 1012 4 850 809 769 5 931 850 850 6 890 809 809 7 1052 1093 1093 8 809 809 769 9 890 931 931 10 1052 1012 971 11 890 971 971 12 647 809 809 Average Plots 1 12 860 870 853 Annual Monitoring Report Page 4 Butlers Branch Nitrogen Buffer Restoration Site 40 REFERENCES Lee M T R K Peet S D Roberts and T R Wentworth 2006 CVS EEP Protocol for Recording Vegetation Version 4 0 North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Ecosystem Enhancement Program Raleigh North Carolina North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) 2007 Redbook Surface Waters and Wetlands Standards North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Water Quality Raleigh North Carolina North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) 2008a Draft North Carolina Water Quality Assessment and Impaired Waters List (2008 Integrated 305(b) and 303(d) Report) (online) Available http Hh2o enr state nc us /tmdl /documents /B Draft2008303dList pdf [November 10 2008] North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Raleigh North Carolina North Carolina Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ) 2008b Draft Basinwide Planning Program Neuse River Basinwide Water Quality Plan June 2008 North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Water Quality Raleigh North Carolina Schafale M P and A S Weakley 1990 Classification of the Natural Communities of North Carolina Third Approximation North Carolina Natural Heritage Program Division of Parks and Recreation North Carolina Department of Environment Health and Natural Resources Raleigh North Carolina United States Geological Survey (USGS) 1974 Hydrologic Unit Map 1974 State of North Carolina i Annual Monitoring Report Page 5 Butlers Branch Nitrogen Buffer Restoration Site Appendix A Figures Figure 1 Site Location Figure 2 Monitoring Plan View Annual Monitoring Report Appendices Butlers Branch Nitrogen Buffer Restoration Site .. r 0 1 mi. 4 ml. 1:158,400 Source: 1977 North Carolina Atlas and Gazetteer, pp. 66. Ah2126 Rowland Pond Dr Willow Spring, NC 27592 (919)215 -1693 (919)341 -3839 fax Axiom rArimnn—i SITE LOCATION BUTLERS BRANCH RESTORATION SITE Craven County, North Carolina WGL FIGURE Ckd by: WGL Date: Apr 2007 Project: 05- 002.38 Appendix B Vegetation Monitoring Plot Photographs Annual Monitoring Report Appendices Butlers Branch Nitrogen Buffer Restoration Site Butlers Branch Year 3 (2012) Vegetation Monitoring Plot Photos Taken June 2012 PM 7 Annual Monitoring Report Butlers Branch Nitrogen Buffer Restoration Site pm 6 p0ot� C� pm Appendices Butlers Branch Year 3 (2012) Vegetation Monitoring Plot Photos Taken June 2012 (continued) Annual Monitoring Report Appendices Butlers Branch Nitrogen Buffer Restoration Site