Supplemental Planting_ NCDMS Bug Headwaters Mitigation Site_ SAW-2018-01788_ Wilkes County

From: Davis, Erin B
To: Baker, Caroline D
Subject: FW: [External] Supplemental Planting: NCDMS Bug Headwaters Mitigation Site/ SAW-2018-01788/ Wilkes County
Date: Monday, December 12, 2022 3:02:03 PM
Attachments: SupplementalPlantino.odf
Laserfiche Upload: Email & Attachment
DWR#: 20181273 v.l
Doc Date: 11/10/22
Doc Type: Mitigation — Mitigation Information
Doc Name: General topic of email title
-----Original Message -----
From: Isenhour, Kimberly T CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2022 2:06 PM
To: Tugwell, Todd J CIV USARMY CESAW (US)<[e-mail]>; Haywood, Casey M CIV
USARMY CESAW (USA) <Casey.M.Haywood(ousace.army.mil>; Davis, Erin B <erin.davis(0ncdenr.gov>;
Wilson, Travis W.<travis.wilson(oncwildlife.org>; Leslie, Andrea J <[e-mail]>; McHenry,
David G <[e-mail]>; Bowers, Todd <[e-mail]>; Youngman, Holland J
<[e-mail]>
Subject: [External] Supplemental Planting: NCDMS Bug Headwaters Mitigation Site/ SAW-2018-01788/ Wilkes
County
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IRT,
I recently had a meeting with Wildlands to discuss the Bug Headwaters site. If you recall, this site was covered with
murdannia and their attempt to treat it in the buffer, on stream banks, and in the channel caused areas that were left
with no vegetation, and failing stream banks. There was also a pond bottom that consisted of only rice cutgrass.
They're proposing to replant some of the areas and livestake the banks. They're struggling with how to treat the
murdannia. Since they are not proposing any new species, and it's only 8% of the site, an adaptive management plan
is not required. I did request that they provide random transect data in the replanted areas. I'm just providing this for
your information. Feel free to reach out with any questions/suggestions. This will be one to watch.
Have a good weekend
Kim
Kim Isenhour
Mitigation Project Manager, Regulatory Division I U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 1 919.946.5107
-----Original Message -----
From: Jeff Keaton <jkeaton(owildlandseng.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2022 9:43 AM
To: Isenhour, Kimberly T CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>
Cc: matthew.reid&cdenr.gov; Wiesner, Paul <paul.wiesner&cdenr.gov>; Carolyn Lanza
<[e-mail]>; Emily Israel <[e-mail]>
Subject: [URL Verdict: Neutral][Non-DoD Source] Bug Headwaters Follow Up
Kim - This is a follow up to our November 4th call. Wildlands is proposing to do a supplemental planting at Bug
Headwaters to help stem density in a few areas that were either affected by the Murdannia treatment or had tree
mortality due to herbaceous vegetation competition. We are purposing to plant 1.55 acres (8% of original planting)
along Big Bugaboo Creek, UT2, and UT3. This falls under the 20% threshold, so no adaptive management plan
should be needed. Attached is a figure and three different planting zones based on the conditions of the Site. The
Murdannia treated areas are labeled as Zone 1. Trees being planted are bare roots and catered towards a wetland

community type. The area along UT (Zone 2) is being outcompeted by pasture grasses and is high on the
floodplain. Ring sprays will occur in MY3. Zone 3, old pond bottom along Big Bugaboo Creek, has dense rice
cutgrass overtopping the planted trees. Due limited sourcing availability, Wildlands proposes to do a combination of
whips and bare roots to help reduce herbaceous competition. There are no new species proposed beyond what was
in the mit plan planting list. Planting will occur this winter, most likely in January.
Along with the supplemental planting, Wildlands will be supplementing the live stakes along the streambanks.
Wildlands will be holding off for another growing season to make a final decision on the vegetation conditions of
the UT3 right floodplain (we have discussed this with Kim and she agrees). After additional transects were
completed in October, the live stakes that were planted in MY seem to be growing better than expected. It is
currently unknown if the live stakes will continue to survive in the inundate conditions or if an alternative success
criterion will be needed.
Let me know if you have questions or comments.
Jeff Keaton, PE I Senior Water Resources Engineer
0: 919.851.9986 x103 M: 919.302.6919
Wildlands Engineering, Inc. <Blockedhttp://www.wildlandseng.com/>
312 West Millbrook Road, Suite 225
Raleigh, NC 27609