20021232 All Versions_Mitigation Information_20130309

NCDENR
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Division of Water Quality
Pat McCrory Thomas A. Reeder John E. Skvarla, III
Governor Acting Director Secretary
July 23, 2013
Pamlico County
DWQ No. 20021232
Gregory J. Thorpe, Manager
Project Development and Environmental Analysis
North Carolina Department of Transportation
1598 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699 -1598
Subject: Three Swamp Mitigation Site, Pamlico County, TIP No. R -2539A &B
Dear Dr. Thorpe:
This correspondence is in reference to your letter dated July 15, 2013, regarding the Three
Swamp Mitigation site located in Pamlico County, North Carolina. This site is being utilized by
the North Carolina Department of Transportation as compensatory mitigation for wetland impacts
associated with project R -2539A &B.
By copy of this letter, we are notifying you that no further monitoring of the site will be required
since the construction and success criteria for the mitigation site has been met.
Thank you for your time and cooperation. If you have any questions, please contact David
Wainwright at (919)807 -6405 or David.Wainwright @ncdenr.gov.
Sincerely,
Thomas A. Reeder
cc: Tom Steffens, Washington Regulatory Field Office, US Army Corps of Engineers (electronic copy only)
Chris Militscher, US Environmental Protection Agency (electronic copy only)
Travis Wilson, NC Wildlife Resources Commission (electronic copy only)
Garcy Ward, NCDWQ Washington Regional Office (electronic copy only)
Jay Johnson, Division 2 Environmental Officer
File Copy
Transportation and Permitting Unit
1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699 -1650
Location: 512 N. Salisbury St. Raleigh, North Carolina 27604
Phone. [phone] FAX: [phone]
Internet www.ncwaterguality.om
An Equal Opportunity 1 Affirmative Action Employer
NorthCarohna
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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
PAT MCCRORY
GOVERNOR
July 15, 2013
Mr. Tom Steffens
Washington Regulatory Office ACOE
2407 West 5'h Street
Washington, NC 27899 -1000
ANTHONY J. TATA.
SECRETARY
Re: Three Swamp Mitigation Site, Pamlico County, WBS # 34452.1.1, TIP No. R- 2539A &B,
COE Action ID No. 199303531; DWQ Project No. 021232; DCM Permit # 55 -03
Mr. Steffens:
As you are aware, the Department has monitored the Three Swamp wetland restoration site since
its construction in January of 2007. Located in Pamlico County, adjacent to the NC 55 widening
project, this site consists of approximately 4.23 acres of riverine wetland restoration and 11.99
acres of riverine wetland enhancement to offset impacts associated with the R- 2539A &B
projects. The mitigation encompassed approximately 4.23 acres of riverine wetland restoration
by removing existing causeway fill at the Upper Broad Creek, Deep Run Creek and Goose Creek
crossings and grading to the elevation of the existing adjacent wetlands. The wetland restoration
was constructed and re- vegetated with appropriate hardwood species. According to permit
conditions, NCDOT was required to monitor the Three Swamp mitigation site for five years or
until success criteria were met, with hydrologic and vegetation monitoring conducted each year.
During the monitoring period, annual monitoring reports were submitted to the appropriate
regulatory agencies via the PDEA Natural Environment Section (NES) website:
https: / /connect. ncdot. goi,l resources /Environnaei7tal/ Pages /Permits - and - Mitigation. aspx
Prior to the 2011 annual monitoring meeting it was determined that a significant amount of the
Upper Broad creek site and portions of both the Deep Run and Goose Creek sites had been
mowed by an NCDOT contractor. During the 2011 annual meeting, it was agreed that NCDOT
would replant the disturbed areas and continue vegetation monitoring for at least one additional
year; hydrologic monitoring would no longer be required due to the success of the previous five
years of monitoring. During the 2012 evaluation, the areas that were disturbed and replanted had
hardwood vegetation re- sprouting and had an average density of 675 trees per acre.
MAILING ADDRESS: TELEPHONE 919 - 707 -6000 LOCATION:
NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FAX [phone] CENTURY CENTER BUILDING B
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS 1020 BIRCH RIDGE DRIVE
1598 MAIL SERVICE CENTER WEBSITE. WWW.NCDOT ORG RALEIGH, NC 27610
RALEIGH NC 27699 -1598

Hydrologic success criteria established for the Three Swamp site states the site must demonstrate
saturation or inundation within 12- inches of the soil surface for at least a consecutive 12.5% of
the growing season during years of normal rainfall. Therefore for the 244 -day growing season in
Pamlico County, the criterion is a consecutive 31 days. Table 1 provides a summary of the
hydrologic data (the percentage of the growing season that saturation was indicated) at each
groundwater gauge location for the past five years of monitoring.
Table 1. Summary of Hydrologic Monitoring Data, 2007 -2011
Monitoring
2007 Results
2008 Results'
2009'Results
2010 Results
2011 Results
Gauge
S -GW1
26.0
29.1
43.9
20.9
33.2
S -GW2
8.0
34.0
46.7
30.3
36.1
S -GW3
24.0
100.0
100.0
20.1
33.2
Climate
Below
Below
Average
Avg. /Below
Avg. /Below
Conditions
Average
Average
Rainfall
Average
Average
Rainfall
Rainfall
Rainfall
Rainfall
After six years of vegetation monitoring, data for 2012 indicates that the site has met vegetative
success criteria by yielding an average density of 675 trees per acre surviving, well above the
minimum requirement of 260 trees per acre. Individual annual monitoring data is provided
within the monitoring reports available on NES's website between 2007 and 2012.
A site visit was conducted on July 9"', 2013 with the regulatory agencies and NCDOT personnel
present. It was determined at that meeting that the site success criteria had been met and that no
further monitoring would be required. NCDOT requests that the appropriate resource agencies
provide written documentation stating that no further monitoring is required and that the site is
closed. Also, please see the attached on -site debit ledger for Three Swamp mitigation site listing
the TIP debits and remaining available credit at the site. If you have any questions about this
project, please contact Mr. Randy Griffin at (919) 707 -6121.
Sincerely,
Philip S. Harris, III, P.E., Section Head
PDEA- Natural Environment Section

cc: Mr. David Wainwright, DWQ
Mr. Travis Wilson, WRC
Mr. Mark LaRue, EPA
Mr. Gary Jordan, USFWS
Mr. Steve Sollod, DCM
Mr. Stephen Lane, DCM
Mr. Henry Wicker, ACOE
Ms. Amy Chapman, DWQ
Mr. Fritz Rohde, NMFS
Mr. David Harris, P.E., NCDOT -REU
Mr. Jay Johnson, NCDOT -DE02
Mr. Randy Griffin, NCDOT -NEU

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