20061804 Ver 2_More Info Letter_20070923

~OF wArF,~Q Michael F. Easley, Governor
,`O G William G. Ross Jr., Secretary
~ 1~'-- North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
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~~ ~ ~~? ~ Coleen H. Sullins, Director
0 '~~~"~` F '~~, > ~ Division of Water Quality
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September 23, 2007
DWQ Project # 20061804x2
Johnston County
CERTIFIED MAIL: RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
Riverdell Company
Attn: Rebecca Flowers
4880 NC Hwy 42 East
Clayton, NC, 27527
Subject Property: Flowers Plantation
Ut to Mill Creek [030402, 27-39, WSIV, NSW]
FOLLOWUP TO MEETING
Dear Ms. Flowers:
On Tuesday, September 4, 2007, Division of Water Quality (DWQ) staff met with staff of two consulting
firms assisting you with design of this project, including Soil and Environmental Consultants and Stocks
Engineering. Your consultants had requested this meeting in response to DWQ correspondence dated
August 13, 2007, in which we advised you that a bottomless culvert would not be approved at this
location, and requested a re-designed crossing structure. Your consultants provided a copy of a proposal
to construct a modified bottomless culvert involving shoring of the banks followed overexcavation and
placement of fifteen-foot wide concrete footings on each side of the stream, to be capped by an arch.
Subsequently, the modified bottomless culvert design was reviewed by engineering staff within the
Wetlands and Stormwater Branch. DWQ staff expressed concern about the likelihood of erosive forces
scouring the banks, undermining the footings, and affecting the long-term stability of the stream. There
was also concern over the ability to place this structure online without substantial short and long-term
stream destabilization.
In summary, the information submitted does not show that site meets the required geotechnical criteria:
the presence of a shallow non-erosive rock foundation of five foot maximum depth throughout the
proposed site. The non-erosive rock foundation is necessary to minimize stream disturbance during
construction and to prevent scour and differential settlement. This presence of this geotechnical criteria
must be confirmed with a minimum of 50 blows in less than 6 inches penetration per ASTM with 50 feet
between borings. Until it can be shown that the site meets the appropriate geotechnical criteria, the DWQ
will not approve the construction of a bottomless culvert at the proposed location
Please be advised that the redesign requested in our August 13, 2007 correspondence still stands. During
the meeting, your consultants advised that you are considering a variety of options with respect to this
crossing, including pursuit of the design authorized December 13, 2006, or placement of a culvert or
bridge. We look forward to your decision.
401 OversighUExpress Review Permitting Unit
1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650
2321 Crabtree Boulevard, Suite 250, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604
Phone: [phone] /FAX [phone] /Internet: http_'h?c~,enrstate.nc usincwetlands
Nose Carolina
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An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer - 50% Recycled/10% Post Consumer Paper

Flowers Plantation
Page 2 of 2
September 23, 2007
Please respond in writing within 30 calendar days of the date of this letter by sending a copy of the
requested redesign information to me and to Danny Smith of the DWQ Raleigh Regional Office. If you
will not be able to provide the requested information within that timeframe, please provide written
confirmation that you intend to provide the requested information, and include a specific timetable
delineating when the requested materials will be provided. If we do not hear from you in 30 calendar
days, we will assume that you no longer want to pursue this project and we will consider the project as
returned.
This letter only addresses the application review and does not authorize any impacts to wetlands, waters
or protected buffers. Please be aware that any impacts requested within your application are not
authorized (at this time) by the DWQ. Please call Ms. Amy Chapman or Ms. Cyndi Karoly at 919-733-
1786 if you have any questions regarding or would like to set up a meeting to discuss this matter.
Sincerely,
Cyndi Karoly, Supervisor
401 Oversight/Express Review Permitting Unit
CBK/cbk
cc: Danny Smith, DWQ Raleigh Regional Office
USACE Raleigh Regulatory Field Office
File Copy
Central Files
Don Curry, Stocks Engineering, 3344 Hillsborough St, Suite 250, Raleigh, NC, 27607
S&EC, 11010 Raven Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC, 27614
Filename: 20061804Flowers(Johnston)BC