20210046 Ver 1_Causeway question_Final_20211007

Wanucha, Dave
From:Hining, Kevin J
Sent:Thursday, October 7, 2021 4:59 PM
To:Wanucha, Dave
Subject:RE: Ashe bridge 355 replacement - causeway question_Final
Thanks Dave – I’ll keep you posted. I met at Ashe 355 today and talked to our inspector and the contractor about
making sure the trackhoe is clean and not leaking any fluids. Water is up a little now with all the rain, so they are going
to wait till next week.

Regarding the dam removal, I’m not sure if they will try and revegetate it or let mother nature do it. I’m guessing they
will plant live stakes, at a minimum. I have a friend working on the project and will ask her. I need to go by the dam
they removed on the Middle Fork New River as well. They took it out last year, so it’s probably changed a bunch and
hopefully has vegetation coming up on it.

Kevin

From: Wanucha, Dave <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 6, 2021 4:06 PM
To: Hining, Kevin J <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: Ashe bridge 355 replacement - causeway question

Kevin,
Yes, in this instance, it makes absolute sense to work it as you describe below. Our concern is for water
quality standard violations due to equipment fluids leaking/discharging toxic substances. But, in this case,
with assurances that the equipment is well maintained and there is limited exposure to surface waters, it
should be fine. We will allow it if you choose to proceed as described below. I will keep this email in the
project file for future reference. As usual, please keep me apprised of when the operation is scheduled to
occur. Keep in mind, there may be 404 conditions that apply.

Thanks for sharing the dam removal video. It is gratifying to know there are folks out there who are
committed to enhancing our aquatic environments. I suppose the plan is to seed/plant and reveg the new
stream banks or allow to reseed/veg itself?

Dave W.

Division of Water Resources
401 & Buffer Transportation Permitting
NCDOT Divisions 9 and 11
NC Department of Environmental Quality

336-403-5655 mobile
[e-mail]

NC DEQ Winston Salem Regional Office
450 West Hanes Mill Road, Suite 300
1

Winston Salem, NC 27106

From: Hining, Kevin J <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 6, 2021 11:45 AM
To: Wanucha, Dave <[e-mail]>
Subject: Ashe bridge 355 replacement - causeway question

Hey Dave,

Ashe bridge 355 at Hartzog Ford is moving along well. They just completed installation of the new piers on the west
side of the bridge (see photo) and now plan to move the causeway downstream so they can remove two in water
supports from the old bridge, before swapping the causeway to the other side of the river. Given the shallow nature of
the river at this location, and knowing the potential impacts causeways can cause (no pun intended!), I wanted to run
an idea by you, for possible use in this situation, and maybe other sites with similar conditions.

The contractor has indicated that the old bridge supports should be easy to remove with a trackhoe, and in a matter of
a couple of hours each. They can track right out to the first support and remove it, and then move a few feet further
out and reach out to the middle support.

Given the river is very shallow at this location, I think it would be better from an environmental standpoint to allow the
contractor to enter the water with a trackhoe and reach, grab, and remove those two bents. As an alternative, they
would have to build another causeway, remove the old supports, and then take up the causeway. Also, my other
concern is the causeway will be a much larger footprint/impact area than just the trackhoe would make. Especially
since the trackhoe can just go straight out, grab the material, and then come straight back following almost the same
footprints of its tracks, with no up or downstream movement needed.

I know from visiting stream restoration and dam removal projects that it is a common practice to enter a stream with a
trackhoe. And, my understanding is the NCDWR general permit conditions doesn’t say you can’t do this, but you just
need to make sure any heavy equipment nr or in water is inspected and maintained to prevent leaks and
contamination, as well as minimize exposure of equipment to surface waters as much as possible. I think we can follow
those conditions. The site is on a road that is closed, so I don’t expect any questions or calls from the general public, but
still wanted to notify you. Also, just wanted to clarify that I would not suggest this approach for any new construction
(drilling, pouring concrete, etc.), or for areas with deep and/or turbulent water. But, this seems like a perfect location
to try this (see photo showing the two old supports we plan to retrieve – they are the closest ones to you). We would
wait till flows drop again, since it is raining up there now. Would you have any major concerns with us trying this? If so,
we are fully prepared to build the causeway. This isn’t something the contractor has asked to do, but more of an idea I
had given the footprint of the trackhoe vs the causeway, and the ease of the proposed work – just seemed like a
causeway would be overkill in this instance.

Speaking of track hoes in the river, a friend just sent me a video showing the recent removal of the Ward Dam on the
Watauga River in Watauga County. It’s a neat video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA7q9Jlvhi8&t=3s I hope to
go by the area upstream of the dam, that used to be impounded, to see what it looks like now.

Kevin

Kevin Hining
Division 11 Environmental Supervisor
North Carolina Department of Transportation

828-386-7202 cell
[e-mail]

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801 Statesville Rd.
PO Box 250
North Wilkesboro, NC 28659

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Email correspondence to and from this sender is subject to the N.C. Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
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