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Home My WebLink About20140869 Ver 1_Site Meeting Minutes 6-24-2021_20210716Strickland, Bev From: Wiesner, Paul Sent: Friday, July 16, 2021 2:29 PM To: Haywood, Casey M CIV (USA); Kim Browning; Davis, Erin B; Tugwell, Todd J CIV USARMY CESAW (US); Leslie, Andrea J Cc: Tsomides, Harry; Kristi Suggs; Jordan Hessler; Jeff Keaton; Allen, Melonie Subject: IRT/ DMS/ Wildlands - Vile Creek Mitigation Site Meeting Minutes (6-24-2021): Vile Creek (DMS# 96582) SAW-2014-01585; DWR#2014-0869 Attachments: Vile Cr_96582_Meeting Notes_IRT Credit Release Site Visit_6-24-2021.pdf Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Flagged Casey, Erin, Kim, Andrea, and Todd; Please find Wildlands meeting minutes for the June 24, 2021 site visit attached. Let us know if you have any additions, questions, comments or concerns. Wildlands will put the final meeting minutes in the 2021 (MY5) report as an Appendix for documentation. Thanks Paul Wiesner Western Regional Supervisor North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Mitigation Services 828-273-1673 Mobile paul.wiesner@ncdenr.gov Western DMS Field Office 5 Ravenscroft Drive Suite 102 Asheville, N.C. 28801 �D Q Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties. 1 WI LDLAND S ENGINEERING MEETING NOTES MEETING: IRT Site Walk VILE CREEK Mitigation Site New River Basin 05050001; Alleghany County, NC DEQ Contract No. 5999 DMS Project No. 96582 USACE ID No.: 2014-01585 DWR No.: 14-0869 Wildlands Project No. 005-02147 DATE: Thursday, June 24, 2021, 8:30 am to 12 pm LOCATION: Sparta Alleghany County, NC Attendees Todd Tugwell, USACE Kim Browning, USACE Casey Haywood, USACE Erin Davis, NC DWR Andrea Leslie, NC WRC Paul Wiesner, NC DMS Melonie Allen, NC DMS Jeff Keaton, Wildlands Engineering Kristi Suggs, Wildlands Engineering Jordan Hessler, Wildlands Engineering Meeting Notes 1. Jeff Keaton began the meeting with an overview of the project. 2. The group decided to shuttle up to the top of Vile Creek Reach 1 to start the site walk. The group briefly stopped to examine and discuss the existing BMP. IRT members expressed a minor concern the BMP has an existing cattail population and wildlands should consider removing or reducing it. The headcut at the inlet to the BMP was discussed. Although it didn't seem to be a priority to the IRT, Jeff said Wildlands would add some rock to stabilize it. 3. The group continued the tour at the top of Vile Creek Reach 1. 4. IRT members asked about the Bog vegetation criteria. Wildlands explained it was a visual assessment based on percent coverage of herbaceous vegetation in bog vegetation plots. 5. Erin Davis and others discussed the tree density in the riparian tree zone on Vile Creek Reach 1. Due to Vile Creek being cold stream credits, denser woody vegetation is expected to shade the stream, especially along the top of bank. This area should be shown as a problem area in the MY5 monitoring Vile Creek Mitigation Site — Meeting Notes report. Supplemental planting of containerized trees should be completed during the next dormant season. Note: Vile Creek Reach 1 only has trees planted withing the first ten feet from the top of the streambanks. Beyond that zone, shrubs were planted except in the bog areas, which were planted with herbaceous vegetation. A description of the planting zones and a detailed map are included in the mitigation plan. 6. The group continued to walk down the right floodplain of Vile Creek Reach 1 and moved on to the right bank of Vile Creek Reach 2 and UT1 Reach 2. 7. The group reviewed the newly planted trees. Jeff explained that the tree cones were used to prevent deer browse. When these new trees were planted, a pepper pellet was also placed beneath the root ball which gives the leaves and branches a bad taste, also to discourages deer browse. It was determined the tree cones protecting the newly planted trees from deer browse were not readily biodegradable and should be removed by closeout. 8. Jordan and Kristi asked for input of method of monitoring newly planted trees. Erin discussed the possibility of running transects through the planted areas to determine planting success. Wildlands will consider if adding the transect is the best approach. Wildlands will continue to monitor the vegetation plots in MY5, MY6, and MY7. If the vegetation plots are not trending towards success Wildlands will add a year of vegetation monitoring. 9. The group walked up the left floodplain of UT1 Reach 2 and stopped to discuss the aggradation on UT1C. Todd Tugwell and others determined the lower section was functioning as a linear wetland feature rather than a stream. If this trend continues to close out this stream and UT1B (which is in a similar situation) will be credited as wetlands. The portions of UT1C and UT1B that are functioning as wetlands will be tracked in linear footage in the MY5, MY6, and MY7 monitoring reports to determine if the wetlands areas are increasing or decreasing. An additional photo point in each of these reaches will be added in the MY5-MY7 reports as well. Wildlands will coordinate with the IRT and DMS prior to closeout to determine the mitigation approach, credit ratios, and acreage of these wetlands so that the appropriate amount of wetland credit can be added to the site and the necessary amount of stream credit can be removed. 10. The group decided not to continue up and see UT1 Reach 1. The section of channel that naturally realigned itself and left an oxbow on UT1 Reach 1 was discussed. IRT decided they did not need to see the stream realignment. However, they want Wildlands to add a photo point to the monitoring report to document its stability over time. 11. Next the group walked Vile Creek Reach 2 and discussed the stream banks that have eroded and sill structures that have failed. After a review of all three banks and the structures, the IRT determined Wildlands will need to repair these areas. The repairs will be completed in MY5 and documented in the MY5 monitoring report. A map showing the locations of the repairs is attached. 12. IRT members noted treatment is needed for many small patches of multiflora rose throughout the site. 13. The site review continued to Vile Creek reach 3. IRT members expressed concern about the bare bank along the overflow channel. Wildlands will stabilize the erosion on the bank and replant this area with bare roots to establish woody vegetation. The repairs will be completed in MY5 and documented in the MY5 monitoring report. A map showing the locations of the repair is attached. 14. Concern was expressed over the lack of woody vegetation on the left bank of Vile Creek Reach 3. IRT suggested Wildlands supplementally plant the area if additional planting is done on the project. 15. The final stream the group reviewed was UT3. There was discussion that understory planting was not done along this reach. However, understory planting was done along this reach and the right floodplain of Vile Creek Reaches 2 and 3. Species planted included spicebush, winter berry, red chokeberry, and American hornbeam. Wildlands Engineering, Inc. W VILE CREEK Mitigation Site IRT Site Walk page 2 Vile Creek Mitigation Site — Meeting Notes 16. There was a summary discussion at the end of the site review. The key points included: • Wildlands will repair the lower end of Vile Creek Reach 2 including bank repairs and repair/replace log sills and a boulder sill (see attached map). • Wildlands will plant bare spots along Vile Creek Reach 1 to provide shade for cold water stream habitat. The planting density will be 200 trees per acre, the plants will be 1-gallon containerized plants, and the likely species to be planted include persimmon, sycamore, tag alder, American basswood, and black cherry. The last two are deviations from the planting plan in the approved mitigation plan and need approval of the IRT before planting begins. Live stakes may also be planted on the stream banks. These will be species from the approved mitigation plan planting list but may also include black willow, if approved. • Wildlands will not repair UT1b and UT1c where they have filled in. These areas will likely be converted to wetland credits at closeout. Additional monitoring to be performed for MY5-MY7 is discussed in item #9 above. • Wildlands will treat invasives on the project site including multiflora rose, Chinese privet, and Japanese barberry. • As a follow-up to the discussion of cattails in the BMP at the top of UT2, Wildlands' position on this issue is that the cattails are not negatively affecting the performance of the BMP. So, at this time, we are not planning to treat cattails on the site unless IRT members inform us of a strong preference to treat them. • Wildlands will perform supplemental planting along the left bank of Vile Creek Reach 3 during the next dormant season. • The IRT noted that if the repairs and supplemental planting were completed in in MY5 (2021), MY6 and MY7 should be sufficient to close the site and additional monitoring would not be required. This is contingent upon the repairs and supplemental planting showing success during the remaining 2-year monitoring term. The MY5-MY7 monitoring reports will discuss the success of the repairs and supplemental plantings. • The IRT members agreed to release the MY4 (2020) credits as proposed. Attachments: 1. Repair Plan Map 2. MY4 Project Components Map Wildlands Engineering, Inc. VILE CREEK Mitigation Site IRT Site Walk page 3 Conservation Easement Stream Areas of Concern -MY4 ® Wetland Rehabilitation - Bed Aggradation ® Wetland Re-establishment Headcut nBog Cell Scour/Erosion Stormwater BMP ---• Stream Realignment Stream Restoration • Structure Issue Stream Enhancement I Stream Enhancement II Non -Project Stream Cross -Section (XS) Vegetation Monitoring Plots - MY4 Not Monitored nHerbaceous Bog Plots Groundwater Gage (GWG) - MY4 Criteria Met Criteria Not Met Vegetation Areas of Concern - MY4 Multiflora Rose Barberry Multiflora Rose and Barberry Multiflora Rose and Bittersweet Low Stem Density, Height, and Vigor Poor Herbaceous Cover Easement Encroachment - Mowing Bankfull Q• Reach Break Photo Point Crest Gage (CG) 4- Barotroll Gage Structures n Riffles Brush Toe /�/ 2018 Aerial Photography WILDLANDS1911 1. ENGINEERING ‘4•/, 0 100 200 Feet I 1 1 1 l Figure 3.2 Integrated Current Condition Plan View Vile Creek Mitigation Site DMS Project No. 96582 Monitoring Year 4 - 2020 Alleghany County, NC 4 Conservation Easement Wetland Rehabilitation MWetland Re-establishment n Bog Cell Stormwater BMP Stream Restoration Stream Enhancement I Stream Enhancement II Non -Project Stream - Cross -Section (XS) Vegetation Monitoring Plots - MY4 Not Monitored //A Stream Areas of Concern - MY4 - Bed Aggradation Headcut - Scour/Erosion ---• Stream Realignment • Structure Issue Vegetation Areas of Concern - MY4 Multiflora Rose Barberry Multiflora Rose and Barberry Multiflora Rose and Bittersweet Low Stem Density, Height, and Vigor Poor Herbaceous Cover Easement Encroachment - Mowing /// - - - - Bankfull Q• Reach Break Photo Point 4, Crest Gage (CG) ▪ Barotroll Gage Structures n Riffles Brush Toe 2018 Aerial Photography=.. WILDLANDS ENGINEERING r!1; 0 100 200 Feet Z Figure 3.3 Integrated Current Condition Plan View Vile Creek Mitigation Site DMS Project No. 96582 Monitoring Year 4 - 2020 Alleghany County, NC L 1 Conservation Easement —Stream Restoration Stream Enhancement I Stream Enhancement II Wetland Rehabilitation Wetland Re-establishment Q Bog Cell Stormwater BMP Non -Project Stream QQ Reach Breaks WTLDLANDS 0 300 600 Feet I I I I I Figure 2 Project Component Map Vile Creek Mitigation Site DMS Project No. 96582 Monitoring Year 4 - 2020 Alleghany County, NC