20051690 Ver 1_Other Agency Comments_20130916

Strickland, Bev
From: Kulz, Eric
Sent: Monday, September 16, 2013 8:51 AM
To: Strickland, Bev
Subject: FW: Carbonton Files (UNCLASSIFIED)
Attachments: Aerial Measurements.pdf; Measurements.xlsx; Letter to USCAE_aug_15_2012.docx
Eric W. Kulz
Environmental Senior Specialist
N.C. Division of Water Resources - Water Quality Programs Wetlands, Buffers, Stormwater -
Compliance & Permitting Unit
1650 MSC
Raleigh, NC 27699 -1650
Phone: [phone]
E -mail correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina Public
Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties
- - - -- Original Message---- -
From: Tugwell, Todd SAW [ mailto :Todd.Tugwell(@usace.army.mil]
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 3:06 PM
To: Emily Jernigan(@fws.gov; Kathryn Matthews(@fws.gov; Sollod, Steve; Kulz, Eric; Wilson,
Travis W.
Subject: Carbonton Files (UNCLASSIFIED)
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
IavaI
Todd
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
1

Impounded Length Impounded Length
Credited Tributary (Mitigation Plan) (Google Earth)
Impounded Length
Revised
(Google Earth)
Deep River Proper
63223
59764
McLendon's Creek
16329
15034
Big Governor's Creek
14084
12645
Little Governor's Creek
5322
5003
Lick Creek
2204
2285
Line Creek
4540
3991 555
Tributary 1
4222
4212 662
Tributary 2
273
1099
Tributary 3
1261
290
Tributary 4
415
1373
Tributary 5
1724
1661
Tributary 6
3530
3730
Tributary 7
5632
5787
Tributary 8
2007
1985
Tributary 9
614
661
Tributary 10
807
750
Tributary 11
486
515
Total
Plan Discrepancy
126673
120785
5888
Revised Plan Discrepancy 12874
113799

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Beverly Eaves Perdue Charles Wakild, P. E. Dee Freeman
Governor Director Secretary
September 16, 2013
Memo
To: Todd Tugwell and Scott McClendon, USACE
From: Larry Eaton, Eric Kulz and Periann Russell, Division of Water Quality
RE: August 10, 2012 email from George Howard, Restoration Systems, request for
clarification of tributaries no longer under consideration for mitigation credit related to
Carbonton Dam Removal
Please consider DWQ comments below and inform us of any further action required in
resolving the tributary credit issues.
Division of Water Quality staff conducted on -site field investigations of the Carbonton Dam
removal projects during the spring /summer of 2011 in response to the NC Ecosystem
Enhancement Program (EEP) request for closeout of this project. The following description
summarizes the results of that assessment with respect to stream mitigation credit. The 2004
Dam Removal Guidance (Version 4.0, March 22, 2004) allows credit for three possible criteria
for this project —1) water quality, 2) rare, endangered and threatened aquatic species, and 3)
establishment of an appropriate aquatic community. The water quality criterion focuses on water
quality impairments from the dam that would be alleviated by the removal of the dam. The
guidance also states that credit for intermittent streams will be one -half of the credit for perennial
streams. Division of Water Quality staff has also reviewed the annual monitoring reports for this
project as submitted to EEP by Restoration Systems.
1. Deep River — During the float trip on May 23, 2011, Division of Water Quality staff (John Dorney)
observed numerous riffles and stable streambanks that had been reestablished after dam
removal. Japanese hops as well as stinging nettle has colonized much of the stream banks but
young trees are becoming established on bars and benches adjacent to the channel. The
monitoring reports shows a distinct biological uplift from the dam removal as well as expansion
of the habitat for the Cape Fear Shiner (add scientific name) and several state and federally
listed mussel species. Full credit for this length of the river is appropriate. Some small
discrepancies in the amount of credit will need to be addressed since in some cases the stream
1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699 -1617
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Carbonton Dam Removal, USCAE
August 15, 2012
Page 2 of 5
length appears to count both sides of a channel around an island rather than just the main stem
where the base flow is present.
a. Credit decision —Acceptable to DWQ as proposed.
2. Line Creek —This site was visited by DWQ staff on July 1, 2011. Staff present included John
Dorney, Periann Russell, Larry Eaton, Ross Vander Vorste, and Joe Grzyb. The site investigation
found a long- standing series of beaver dams that have turned this creek into a series of beaver
ponds and wetlands. Judging by the lack of dead woody vegetation, these ponded areas have
existed for several decades. The lowermost dam is about 10 feet tall and is approximately
located at N 390 35.0181', W 790 21.122' just above the gravel road crossing about 300 feet
from the mouth of Line Creek at Deep River. The lowermost dam appears to be located at the
site of an old masonry dam. Below the dam, the channel has a clay and silt bed, appx. 6ft banks
, with small relict beaver dams as well small riffles with long pooled sections. The old Carbonton
dam pond elevation is apparent from the muddy, unvegetated banks although active erosion is
minimal probably since the beaver dams help control erosive flow velocities. Aquatic organisms
found in the section just below the beaver ponds was Gambusia, Belastoma, moth larvae, red
midges, shrimp and fingernail clams. At the railroad bridge just downstream, the banks are near
vertical with areas of instability in part due to herbicide application from the railroad. Flow in
this section was more obvious through the rocks deposited from the railroad. Aquatic
organisms found near the railroad overpass include midges, fish, beetles (Neoporus) and a small
damsel fly.
a. Credit decision — DWQ will not support any stream credit in this reach. The ponded
portion of the channel in the beaver ponds are not streams and we have never given
stream credit for beaver impoundments. The short flowing section of the channel has a
very limited aquatic community and therefore dam removal did not restore an
appropriate aquatic community. There will be no R,T and E species in this reach and
given the instability in the reach, water quality concerns from the impounded stream
have not been alleviated.
3. Tributary 1 —This site was visited by DWQ staff on July 1, 2011. Staff present included John
Dorney, Periann Russell, Larry Eaton, Ross Vander Vorste, and Joe Grzyb. Again, the site
investigation found a long- standing series of beaver dams that have turned this creek into a
series of beaver ponds and wetlands. Judging by the lack of dead woody vegetation, these
ponded areas have existed for several decades. The lowermost dam is about 10 feet tall and
located at N 350 30.587', W 790 21.210'. The uppermost dam is at a gravel road crossing which
provides access to the site. A small reference quality perennial stream was found flowing into
the lowermost beaver impoundment. This tributary is an excellent example of a stable Triassic
Basin stream given the underlying Triassic Basin geologic units in the area with well- formed
riffles and pools, gravel bars, low, stable banks and a good, mature wooded buffer. The aquatic
community in this reference - quality stream includes Caddis (Neophylax), hydropsychids,
Neoporus, Stenelmis, Calopteryx, Physella, Helocombus and pirate perch. In the main tributary
below the lowermost beaver dam, the channel is very unstable with readily observed stream
bank failures that are consistently delivering sediment to the channel. The channel bed consists

Carbonton Dam Removal, USCAE
August 15, 2012
Page 3 of 5
of clay and silt. The aquatic community in this channel includes Belastoma, damselfles, and a
tadpole. This channel enters the Deep River about 300 feet below the lowermost beaver dam.
It is clear that this tributary is still adjusting to the dam removal as it is transporting older
ponded sediment and debris.
a. Credit decision - DWQ will not support any stream credit in this reach. The ponded
portion of the channel in the beaver ponds are not streams and we have never given
stream credit for beaver impoundments. The short flowing section of the channel has a
very limited aquatic community and therefore dam removal did not restore an
appropriate aquatic community. There will be no R,T and E species in this reach and
given the high instability in the reach, water quality concerns from the impounded
stream have not been alleviated.
4. Tributary 2 —This tributary was visited by Larry Eaton and Periann Russell on 9/23/2011. The
Landowner was Bob Woolard, who gave us permission to investigate the stream. According to
Mr. Woolard, two inches of rain had fallen the night before. Also according to Mr. Woolard,
since the removal of the dam, the stream has been dry. There was no visible channel upstream
of Mr. Woolard's driveway. There were two pools of water within sight of the driveway that Mr.
Woolard said was entirely from the rain the previous night. The rest of the stream held no
water until about 50 feet from the river. Leaf litter movement was observed in a few areas of
the stream bed, however other than a discernable bed and bank, no other stream metrics were
observed that would provide evidence of an intermittent or perennial stream. Severe bank
erosion and bed scour was observed at or near Mr. Woolard's last fence line and continued
down channel approximately 200 feet. The final —30 feet of stream was heavily overgrown. The
water in the Deep River at the mouth of trib 2 appeared turbid compared to the relatively clear
water flowing in the main channel of the Deep river.
a. Credit decision — At most there is only 50 feet of intermittent stream in this reach.
The remainder is ephemeral, so no credit will be given. No T &E credit will be given,
since there are no known T &E species in the area that can live in intermittent or
ephemeral reaches.
5. Tributary3 —TBD
6. Tributary 4
—TBD
7. Tributary5
—TBD
8. Tributary6
—TBD
9. Tributary7
—TBD
10. Tributary8
—TBD
11. Little Governor's Creek — OK based on IRT discussions
12. Big Governor's Creek — OK based on IRT discussions
13. Tributary 9 —This tributary, identified as Womble Branch, serves as the property line for Ken
Matthews and was visited by Periann Russell and Larry Eaton on 9/22/2011. Mr. Matthews has
owned the property since 2000, but before that it was owned by other members of his family
and he has spent many years on this property both before and after the dam removal. Mr.
Matthews reported 1.1 inches of rain at his house the previous evening and said that the Deep

Carbonton Dam Removal, USCAE
August 15, 2012
Page 4 of 5
River was approximately two feet deeper than normal. Mr. Matthews said that there has been
no permanent water in Womble Branch since the dam was removed, whereas before the dam
was removed, ducks lived in the branch and he and his father fished the branch regularly. On
the day of the visit, there were three small disconnected pools between the mouth of Deep
River upstream approximately 100 -125 feet to a small headcut. Investigation of the uppermost
pool found two individuals of one species of dytiscid beetle, several mosquito larvae and two
snails (Physella), none of which are considered to be perennial taxa. Stream banks in the 200-
300 feet of channel upstream of Deep River confluence were 8 -10 feet high with the stream bed
2 -3 feet wide. Mr. Matthews took us to a pool upstream approximately halfway between the
Womble Branch and Deep River confluence and Carbonton Road where, over the years, he has
observed the most persistent water in the channel. This pool is well above the old pond
elevation and he noted he had played in it as a child. Investigation of the pool revealed the
beetles Helocombus, Neoporus and an elmid, plus the snails Physella and Micromenetus. Elmid
beetles and Micromenetus are considered to be indicators of perennial water. Further
investigation of the stream in this area failed to find more than one other small pool, despite a
channel that had good (but not incised) bed and bank with pools, bends and gravel riffles
without the deposition of lake sediments one might expect if this had been submerged for over
100 years. Upstream of Carbonton Rd the channel was ephemeral — no water immediately after
the rain, nor was there any evidence that the pine needles in the channel bed had been moved
by runoff from the one inch rain the night before.
a. Credit decision — the I/P point is approximately 30 -50 feet upstream of the Deep River
and the E/I point is approximately 100 feet above that. Credit will not be given for the
channel above this point. No T &E credit will be given for this reach unless a search by
WRC technical staff finds a R,T or E species.
14. Tributary 10 —TB D
15. McClendon's Creek —This site was visited by DWQ staff on July 1, 2011. Staff present included
John Dorney, Periann Russell, Larry Eaton, Ross Vander Vorste, and Joe Grzyb. The sites
examined were at the Glencoe- Carthage Road crossing as well as the Cool Springs Road crossing
(above the previously impounded reach). At the Glencoe- Carthage Road crossing, the channel
was flowing and stable with lots of woody debris in the channel. Small gravel riffles were
present. The banks were fairly stable with good vegetation cover. The aquatic community at
this location was characterized by dragonfly larvae, fingernail clams, salamanders, Corixids
midges, Sialis, blue gill, shrimp, Tipulid, crayfish, Physella and water striders. Corbicula shells
were also found.
a. Credit decision — DWQ supports release of at least 2/3 of the proposed credit in this
reach since it is apparent that an appropriate aquatic community has been established
and water quality has improved. Cape Fear Shiner was found and documented,
however it is unclear how much T $ E credit should be awarded. DWQ will defer to the
WRC technical staff on this issue.
16. Tributary 11— This tributary was visited by Periann Russell and Larry Eaton on 09/22/11 and is
located on the Alston property, which includes the House in the Horseshoe. Nowell Brown is

Carbonton Dam Removal, USCAE
August 15, 2012
Page 5 of 5
the farm manager and resides at 316 Alston Farm Rd. We attempted to contact Mr. Brown, but
he was not on the property, although several other farm employees were present. They
provided permission to access tributary 11 via the propery. Mr. Eaton's business card was left
with the farm employees to give to Mr. Brown in case he had an issue with our presence. Ten to
fifteen foot high stream banks dominated the 500 feet of tributary upstream of the confluence
of Deep River. The entire stream bed showed little to no evidence of flow (leaves unmoved
from 1+ inch rain the night before), though occasionally a debris pile could be found. Bank
instability was observed and most likely associated with sediment transport and excavation
resulting from the decrease in surface water elevation following dam removal. The furthest
upstream ponded water was 100 -125 feet upstream of the Deep River and contained two
species of dytiscid beetles and the snail Physella, none of which are considered indicators of
perennial water.
a. Credit decision - the I/P point is approximately 30 -50 feet upstream of the Deep River
and the E/I point is approximately 75 feet above that. Credit will not be given for the
channel above this point. No T &E credit will be given for this reach unless a search by
WRC technical staff finds a R,T or E species.
17. LickCreek —TBD