20120040 Ver 1_Mitigation Information_20120330

Wetland and Stream Restoration Plan
Bridge No. 2 over the Aberdeen Creek and CSX Railroad on US 151501
Moore County, North Carolina
TIP B- 3680
Federal Aid Project No.BRSTRI5 (11)
WBS No. 33813.1.1
Revised
March 30, 2012
1.0 BASELINE INFORMATION
The project is located within sub -basin 03 -07 -50 of the Lumber River Basin (DWQ 2001) and is
part of the USGS Hydrologic Unit 03040203 of the South Atlantic Gulf region. The project is
located on US 151501 in southern Moore County just west of Aberdeen. It is within the Sandhills
Region of the Coastal Plain physiographic province. The majority of the land use in the vicinity
of the project is urban in nature and the surrounding landscape is dominated by a mixture of
forested communities and maintained/ disturbed land.
Two jurisdictional streams are located within the project area: Aberdeen Creek and an unnamed
tributary (UT) to Aberdeen Creek. This portion of the stream has been assigned Stream Index
Number (SIN) 14- 02 -11- (6) by the NCDWQ (DENR2005a) and is designated a warm water
stream (USACE et al, 2003) with a best classification of C.
The two natural plant communities found within the project area are Alluvial Forest and Mesic
Mixed Hardwood Forest. There is also a component of disturbed /maintained land.
Approximately 29.2 % of the project study area (5.21 acres) is made up of the Alluvial Forest,
37.2 % (6.65 acres) is made up of Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest and 33.6 % (6.00 acres) is
composed of disturbed /maintained land containing roadsides, industrial areas, dirt roads/
driveways, a railroad bed and other maintained lands.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will perform on -site mitigation for
stream and wetland impacts associated with Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) B -3680
through the restoration of 118 linear feet of stream and 1.67 acres of riverine wetland via the
removal of existing pavement, causeway and box culvert associated with the current bridge and
US 151501 alignment.
2.0 SITE SELECTION
TIP B -3680 will involve replacing bridge No. 2 over the CSX Railroad as well as performing
improvements to the approach roadway of the replacement structure. These improvements will
extend approximately 370 feet south from the southwest end of the new structure and
approximately 133 feet from the western end of the new structure. Permanent wetland impacts
associated with the project are 1.65 acres of riverine wetlands. Permanent stream impacts
associated with the project are 235 feet of stream.

The project is located in the Town of Aberdeen on US 151501 north of the intersection of NC
211 in Moore County. The proposed mitigation site occurs within the existing Right- of-Way of
US 151501.
The Categorical Exclusion (CE) for TIP B -3680, dated September 2006, provides further details
concerning existing natural resources and roadway conditions.
Bridge No. 2 is located approximately 1000 ft. south of the intersection of US 151501 and US 1.
The roadway of US 151501 north of the bridge is on a high causeway fill section within the
floodplain of Aberdeen Creek. Jurisdictional wetlands occur on both the east and west sides
through this section of roadway. A 118 ft. long 5'x5' box culvert is located approximately 300 ft.
north of the bridge. The culvert carries an unnamed tributary (UT) to Aberdeen Creek under the
roadway from east to west where it comes to a confluence with Aberdeen Creek.
3.0 SITE PROTECTION INSTRUMENT
The mitigation area is located with the NCDOT Right -of -Way. The area is outside of bridge
maintenance area and free of utilities. It will be managed to prohibit all use inconsistent with its
use as mitigation property, including any activity that would materially alter the biological
integrity or functional and educational value of the site, consistent with the mitigation plan.
The site will be placed on the NEU mitigation geo- database. After closeout, the site will be
placed in the NCDOT Stewardship Program for long term management and protection.
4.0 OBJECTIVES
The goal of the project is to restore 1.67 acres of riverine forest and 118 feet of an unnamed
tributary associated with Aberdeen Creek. The functional restoration of the site will be
accomplished through existing pavement, causeway, and box culvert removal and site grading to
match the target elevation of the existing adjacent reference wetland system.
5.0 MITIGATION WORK PLAN
The mitigation area will be constructed in conjunction with TIP B -3680. Construction activities
involve pavement and causeway removal and the 5'x 5' box culvert removal, utilizing natural
stream design on the 118 feet of stream, site grading and site planting. Once the pavement and
causeway have been excavated, the areas will be graded to match existing adjacent reference
wetland elevation as well as being ripped, disked and soil amendments added if necessary.
NCDOT has identified Japanese privet (Ligustrum japonicum) within the project limits of B-
3680. To minimize the potential spread of this species fi-om construction - related activities, the
NCDOT proposes to attempt to suppress the privet within their right-of-way within in the project
limits.
The Natural Environment Unit shall be contacted to provide construction assistance to ensure
that the mitigation areas are constructed appropriately.

Following the successful completion of site grading, the wetland restoration area will be planted
on 8 foot centers with native species typical of the adjacent wetland community (reference site)
including American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), water oak ( Quercus nigra), river birch
(Betula nigra) and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) depending on seedling availability. After
construction of the stream channel, all banks will be matted and live stakes, Black willow (Salix
nigra) and Silky dogwood (Cornus amomum), will be planted on 3 foot centers. Also, native
grass seed and mulch will be placed in wetland restoration area on all disturbed areas within the
wetland and stream restoration area for stabilization purposes according to guidance and standard
procedures of NCDOT's Roadside Environmental Unit. An as -built report will be submitted
within 60 days of completion of the project.
6.0 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
No specific hydrological monitoring is proposed for the stream and wetland restoration area. The
target elevation for wetland restoration will be based on the adjacent wetland elevations and
verified during construction. Constructing the site at the adjacent wetland elevation will ensure
the hydrology in the restored area is similar to the hydrology in the reference area. The restored
stream will have visual inspection and photo points to insure channel stability.
NCDOT shall monitor the wetland restoration site by visual observation and photo points for
survival and aerial cover of vegetation.
7 =0 MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
Upon successful completion of construction, the following monitoring strategy is proposed for the 1.67
acres of wetland and 118 feet of stream restoration within the NCDOT Right -of -Way. Hydrologic
monitoring success shall be attained by restoration of the site which results in inundation or saturation
(within 12" of the ground surface) by surface or ground water for at least a consecutive 12.5% of the
growing season. Hydrologic monitoring shall be completed annually for five years. At the end of each
growing season NCDOT shall submit an annual report to the resource agencies.
Vegetation monitoring success shall be conducted by performing stem counts with at least 320 stems /acre
surviving for at least three consecutive years. A minimum of 290 stems /acre must be surviving at year
four and a minimum of 260 stems /acre surviving at year five. At the end of each growing season NCDOT
shall submit an annual report to the resource agencies.
8.0 OTHER INFORMATION
The wetland plant community associated with B -3680, adjacent to Aberdeen Creek and the unnamed
tributary to Aberdeen Creek is a Riverine Swamp Forest based on NCWAM field assessment
methodology. The overall wetland rating was HIGH. This is the reference wetland that will be used for
the project.

9.0 DETERMINATION OF CREDITS
Per the NCDOT plans and 4011404 permit application for B -3680, NCDOT proposes to restore 1.67 acres
of riverine wetlands and 118 feet of stream to mitigate for permanent impacts associated with the TIP at a
1:1 ratio. An as -built report will be submitted within 60 days of completion of the project to
verify actual constructed acreage. The success of the mitigation area and determination of total credits
will be based upon successful completion and closeout of the monitoring period.
9.1 CREDIT RELEASE SCHEDULE
NCDOT proposes immediate, full release of the proposed 1.67 acres of restored riverine
wetlands as on -site mitigation for the associated riverine impacts of 1.65 acres for B -3680 at a
1:1 ratio. NCDOT also proposes immediate, full release of the proposed 118 feet of restored
riverine stream as on -site mitigation for the associated riverine stream impacts of 235 feet for
B -3680 at a 1:I ratio.
10.0 GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE AREA
The proposed Geographic Service Area (GSA) for the mitigation area is composed of the Hydrologic
Cataloging Unit (HUC) 03040203. All stream and wetland credit will be used for B -3680.
11.0 MAINTENANCE PLAN
The site will be held by NCDOT and placed on the NEU mitigation geodatabase. Once
monitoring is completed and the site is closed out, it will be placed in the NCDOT Stewardship
Program for long term maintenance and protection.
If an appropriate third party recipient is identified in the future, then the transfer of the property
will include a conservation easement or other measure to protect the natural features and
mitigation value of the site in perpetuity.
12.0 LONG TERM ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN
The site will be managed by the NCDOT according to the mitigation plan. In the event that
unforeseen issues arise that affect the management of the site, any remediation will be addressed
by NCDOT in coordination with the Interagency Review Team.

13.0 FINANCIAL ASSURANCES
The site will be managed by NCDOT with its own distinct cost center number within the
NCDOT budgeting and financial tracking system. Therefore, all accounting for revenues,
contract encumbrances, fund transfers, and expenses will be performed and reported independent
from other capital budget or operating budget accounting.