20070624 Ver 1_Restoration Plan Review_20070517

NC Division of Water Quality
401 Oversight and Express Permitting Unit
May 17, 2007
Memorandum
To: Cyndi Karoly
Cc: Eric Kulz
From: Tammy Hill
Subject: Comments on Restoration Plan - Jarmans Oak Stream and Wetland Restoration
Report prepared by Restoration Systems, LLC
DWQ # 20070624
1) Background
i) Onslow County, 3 mi west of Richlands
ii) White Oak basin, HUC8 03030001
iii) Full delivery for EEP
iv) Nearest water body: New River
v) Current land use at site: row crops, forest fringes, residential
vi) Current land use in watershed: agriculture, silviculture, low density residential, <10%
impervious, some forest bands
2) Project goals
a) Increase water quality, wetland, flood attenuation, & aquatic/riparian habitat functions
b) Credits: 6640 stream mitigation credits; 12 riparian (riverine) wetland mitigation credits
c) Streams
i) Channel construction with buffer (to replace portions of degraded, eroding UTs)
ii) Reestablish pattern, profile, & dimension ~ long-term stability
iii) Current length = 6471 If; Final length = 7623 (per application =adding 1152 if): 6418
If restoration + 1205 If enhancement
d) Buffers & vegetation
i) Riparian buffers & 18+ acres of wetland forested communities ~ improve ecology of
headwater system
ii) Reforest entire floodplain with native species
e) Wetlands
i) Sustain wetland hydrology via overbank flooding of new channels into areas where
old channels have been filled
ii) 11 acres restoration of drained hydric soils (restore floodplain & hydrological
exchange from new stream channels)
iii) 6.1 acres of enhanced hydric soils (soil conditioning & planting)
3) Discrepancies
North Carolina Division of Water Quality; 401 Oversight and Express Permitting Unit
1650 Mail Service Center; Raleigh, NC 27699-1650
2321 Crabtree Blvd., Suite 250; Raleigh, NC 27604-2260
Telephone: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
http://h2o. enr.state.nc.us/wetlands.html

NC Division of Water Quality
401 Oversight and Express Permitting Unit
a) Section III. 1. of application states name of project as Brown Marsh Swamp Stream and
Wetland Restoration Project
4) Concerns and Comments
a) Overall: Due to the level of disturbance from agricultural use (non-existent riparian buffer,
straightened and eroding channels, input of agricultural chemicals, etc.), it appears that
the site and related water quality will benefit from stream and wetland restoration and
enhancement.
b) Streams: Our main concern involves the direct discharge of two agricultural ditches into
restored streams, as detailed in Figure 12A of the restoration plan. Input from these
ditches will not have had the water quality and force attenuation benefits associated with
passing through a riparian buffer. We want to make sure that Restoration Systems has
adequately explored the potential impacts of these inputs on the proposed restored
system.
c) Wetlands: The proposed design of low gradient, braided stream flow, and wetland-stream
complex at the confluence of the Southern (East) and Main tributaries is interesting and
appears to be well-placed within hydric Muckalee soils. We appreciate the proposals to
reestablish floodplain connectivity and to minimize construction impacts in appropriate
areas.
d) Success criteria
i) Section 7.0 of the restoration plan should specify that monitoring will take place for a
minimum of five years and will continue until success criteria are fulfilled.
ii) Section 7.6 Vegetation Success Criteria: The restoration plan suggests supplemental
planting if the average site density does not meet designated success criteria. We
suggest that, in order to receive full mitigation credit and maximize potential for site
success, the appiicant should perform supplemental planting in significantly failing
subsets of the site, even if the overall site average meets or exceeds the criteria.
North Carolina Division of Water Quality; 401 Oversight and Express Permitting Unit
1650 Mail Service Center; Raleigh, NC 27699-1650
2321 Crabtree Blvd., Suite 250; Raleigh, NC 27604-2260
Telephone: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
http://h2o. enr. state. nc. us/wetl ands. html