20180198 Ver 1_SassarixaSwamp_100040_MY2_Buffer_2022_20230120

ID#* 20180198
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Katie Merritt
Initial Review Completed Date 01/23/2023
Mitigation Project Submittal - 1/20/2023
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Type of Mitigation Project:*
Stream Wetlands Buffer Nutrient Offset
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Project Contact Information
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Jeremiah Dow
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ID#:* 20180198
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Project Type: DMS Mitigation Bank
Project Name: Sassarixa Swamp Mitigation Site
County: Johnston
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Mitigation Monitoring Report
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SASSARIXASWAMPMITIGATIONSITE
MONITORINGYEAR2
JohnstonCounty,NC
ANNUALBUFFERREPORT
NCDEQContractNo.7425
DMSIDNo.100040
Final
DWRProjectNo.20180198
RFPNo.16007279
NeuseRiverBasin
HUC03020201
DataCollectionPeriod:September2022
DraftSubmissionDate:October31,2022
FinalSubmissionDate:January9,2023
PREPAREDFOR:
NCDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality
DivisionofMitigationServices
1652MailServiceCenter
Raleigh,NC276991652

PREPAREDBY:
WildlandsEngineering,Inc.
312WestMillbrookRoad,Suite225
Raleigh,NC27609
JasonLorch
[e-mail]
Phone:[phone]

SASSARIXASWAMPMITIGATIONSITE
MonitoringYear2BufferReport
TABLEOFCONTENTS
Section1:PROJECTOVERVIEW..........................................................................................................1
1.1ProjectSummary...........................................................................................................................1
1.2ProjectGoalsandObjectives........................................................................................................1
1.3MonitoringYear2DataAssessment.............................................................................................2
1.3.1VegetativeAssessment.........................................................................................................2
1.3.2VegetationAreasofConcern................................................................................................3
1.4MonitoringYear2Summary.........................................................................................................3
Section2:REFERENCES......................................................................................................................4
APPENDICES
Appendix1GeneralFiguresandTables
Figure1VicinityMap
Figure2ServiceAreaMap
Figure3ProjectComponent/AssetMap
Table1aMitigationCredits
Table1bTotalAreaofBufferandNutrientOffsetMitigation
Table2ProjectActivityandReportingHistory
Table3ProjectContactTable
Table4ProjectInformationandAttributes
Table5AdjacentForestedAreasExistingTreeandShrubSpecies
Table6PlantedTreeSpecies
Appendix2VisualAssessmentData
Figure44cMonitoringPlanViewMaps
Table7VegetationConditionAssessmentTable
VegetationPlotPhotographs
OverviewPhotographs
Appendix3VegetationPlotData
Table8VegetationPlotData
Table9VegetationPerformanceStandardsSummaryTable
SassarixaSwampMitigationSite
MonitoringYear2AnnualBufferReportFinali

Section1: PROJECTOVERVIEW
1.1 ProjectSummary
WildlandsEngineering,Inc.(Wildlands)implementedafulldeliveryprojectattheSassarixaSwamp
MitigationSite(Site)fortheNorthCarolinaDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality(NCDEQ)Divisionof
MitigationServices(DMS).Aconservationeasementcomprisedof65.06acresalongSassarixaCreekand
sevenunnamedtributariestoSassarixaCreek,alongwithsixunnamedtributariestoBlackCreekinthe
2
NeuseRiverBasinareincludedintheproject.Atotalof55.26acres(2,407,138ft)ofriparianbuffer
havebeenrestored,enhanced,orpreservedandareexpectedtogenerate1,080,282.590riparianbuffer
credits,withpotentialtoconvertsomebuffercreditstonutrientoffsetcreditsdependentontheneed.
TheSiteislocatedapproximatelysixmilessouthwestofSmithfieldandfivemilesnorthofFourOaks
(Figure1).ProjectinformationandattributesaredescribedinTable4locatedinAppendix1.TheSite
drainstoHoltsLake,whichisarecreationallakeclassifiedasNutrientSensitiveWaters(NSW).Holts
LakethendrainstotheNeuseRiver,whichisawatersupplyfortheCityofGoldsboro.
WorkattheSitewasplanned,designed,andconstructedpertheSassarixaSwampMitigationSiteΑ
RiparianBufferMitigationPlan(Wildlands,2020)andtheConsolidatedBufferMitigationRule15ANCAC
02B.0295(effectiveNovember1,2015).Thepurposeoftheriparianbufferrestorationistoprovide
riparianbuffercreditstocompensateforbufferimpactswithintheHydrologicUnitCode03020201.The
serviceareafortheriparianbuffercreditsisdepictedinFigure2.Themitigationcreditsgeneratedfrom
theSiteareincludedinTable1andillustratedinFigure3locatedinAppendix1.
1.2 ProjectGoalsandObjectives
Theprojectincludesseveraladjacentpropertiesthathavebeenownedandoperatedasalivestockfarm
byasinglefamilysince1850,wherelivestockarecontinuallyrotatedthroughallfields(withaccessto
theirassociatedstreams).ThewesternportionoftheprojectincludesSassarixaCreekandseven
unnamedtributariestoSassarixaCreek(T1,T1A,T1B,T1C,T1D,T2,andT3)(Figure2).Theeastern
portionofthesitecontainssixunnamedtributariestoBlackCreek(T4,T5,T5A,T5B,T5C,andT6).A
reviewofhistoricaerialsfrom1950to2012,showedthatonsitestreamshaveexistedintheir
approximatelocationswithverylittlechangetoriparianzonessince1950.TwoalterationstotheSite
visiblefromaerialphotographyaretheadditionofthepondonT2between1964and1973,andthe
additionofthelargepondbelowT5A,T5B,andT5C,between1950and1961.
TheSiteislocatedinanewTargetedLocalWatershed(TLW)thatisnotdescribedinthe2010Neuse
RiverBasinRestorationPriorities(RBRP)Plan.TheTLWwasaddedinthe2015Neuse01CatalogingUnit
(CU)Updatebecausethereweremorewaterqualityissuesthanassets.TheSiteaddressestheTLW
stressorsofagriculturallanduse/animaloperationsandthelackofprotectedriparianareas.Theproject
willalsoaddresskeyCUwiderestorationgoalsfortheNeuseRiver03020201describedintheRBRP(NC
DWR2009).Specificenhancementstowaterqualityandecologicalprocessesareoutlinedbelow:
DecreasenutrientlevelsNutrientinputwillbedecreasedbyfilteringrunofffromthe
agriculturalfieldsthroughrestorednativebufferzones.Theoffsitenutrientinputwillalsobe
absorbedonsitebydispersingfloodflowsthroughnativevegetation,therebyreducingnutrient
inputstowatersoftheNeuseRiverBasin.
Excludecattlefromprojectstreams.Installfencingaroundprojectareasadjacenttocattle
pastures.
DecreasewatertemperatureandincreasedissolvedoxygenconcentrationsEstablishmentand
maintenanceofriparianbufferswillcreateadditionallongtermshadingofthechannelflowto
reducethermalpollution.
SassarixaSwampMitigationSite
MonitoringYear2AnnualBufferReportFinal1

RestoreandenhancenativefloodplainvegetationPlantnativetreespeciesintheriparianzone
wheretheyarecurrentlyinsufficient.
PermanentlyprotecttheSitefromharmfulusesEstablishaconservationeasementontheSite.
Protectaquatichabitat;byprotectingwatersupplywaters.
The65.06acreSiteisprotectedwithapermanentconservationeasement.Ofthe65.06acres,Neuse
riparianbuffercreditsweregeneratedbyrestoring10.03acres,enhancing34.41acres,andpreserving
10.82.Nobuffercreditwillbegeneratedfromtheremaining9.80acres.Ingeneral,riparianbuffer
restorationareawidthsonstreamsextendoutto50feetfromtopofbankoneachsideofthestream
channel.Figure3andTable1inAppendix1detailthebuffercreditgeneration.
1.3 MonitoringYear2DataAssessment
TheMitigationPlan(Wildlands,2019)wassubmittedandacceptedbyDMSinNovember2019.
ConstructionactivitiesbyLandMechanicDesigns,Inc.werecompletedinJanuary2021,whiletree
plantingbyBrutonNaturalSystems,Inc.wascompletedinMarch2021.Thebaselineasbuiltsurveywas
completedbyKeeMappingandSurveyinginFebruary2021.RefertoAppendix1fordetailedproject
activity,history,contactinformation,andwatershed/sitebackgroundinformation.
Vegetativeperformanceforbufferrestorationareaswillbeinaccordancewith15ANCAC02B
.0295(n)(2)(B),and(n)(4)(effectiveNovember1,2015).Tomeetsuccesscriteria,areasgeneratingbuffer
mitigationcreditsshallincludeaminimumoffournativehardwoodtreespecies,wherenoonespecies
isgreaterthan50percentofstems,andshallhaveasurvivalofatleast260plantedstemsperacreat
theendoftherequiredfiveyearmonitoringperiod.Formonitoringtobecompletedandbuffercredit
tobeawarded,NCDWRmustprovidewrittenapprovalofsuccessfulrevegetationofbufferrestoration
areas.Year2monitoring(MY2)wasconductedtoassesstheconditionofthevegetationinSeptember
2022.
1.3.1 VegetativeAssessment
ThequantityofmonitoringvegetationplotswasdeterminedinaccordancewiththeWilmingtonDistrict
StreamandWetlandCompensatoryMitigationUpdate(NCIRT,2016)suchthatatleast2percentofthe
Siteisencompassedinmonitoringplots.Atotalof10vegetationplots(each100squaremeters)were
establishedwithintheconservationeasementboundaries.Theplotcornershavebeenmarkedandare
recoverableeitherthroughfieldidentificationorwiththeuseofaGPSunit.Referencephotographsare
takenattheoriginlookingdiagonallyacrosstheplottotheoppositecorneronanannualbasis.Trees
willbemarkedannuallywithflaggingtape.Speciescomposition,vigor,height,density,andsurvivalrates
willbeevaluatedbyplotonanannualbasis.Theextentofinvasivespeciescoveragewillalsobe
monitoredandcontrolledasnecessary.
TheMY2vegetationmonitoringwascompletedinSeptember2022,resultinginanaveragesurvivalof
437plantedstemsperacre.TheSiteisexceedingthefinalrequirementof260stemsperacre,with9of
the10plotsindividuallyexceedingthisrequirement.Theplantedstemmortalitywasapproximately23%
ofthebaselinestemcount(566stemsperacre)inMarch2021.Thereisanaverageof10stemsperplot.
Vegetationplot1isnotontracktomeetthefinalsuccessrequirementwith162stemsperacre.
Mortalityiscontributedtocompetitionfromdenseherbaceousgrassandadryspringwhenthetrees
whereoriginallyplantedin2021.RefertoAppendix2forthevegetationconditionassessmenttable,
monitoringplanviewmaps,vegetationplotandoverviewphotographs.Appendix3containsvegetation
plotdataandvegetationplotperformancesummarytable.
SassarixaSwampMitigationSite
MonitoringYear2AnnualBufferReportFinal2

1.3.2 VegetationAreasofConcern
AsupplementalplantingoccurredintheSassarixaSwampIINutrientOffsetandBufferMitigationBank
ParcelalongUT6inFebruary2022.Afterplantingwascomplete,Wildlandsrealizedtheplanting
overextendedintotheSassarixaSwampMitigationSiteeasementby0.22acres.Thesupplementally
plantedspecieswerethe
samefromtheapprovedMitigationPlan.
A0.55acreareofsupplementalplantingwilloccurinthewinterof2022/2023tosupplementthetree
mortalitythatwasassessedalongT1(Figure4a).Thisareaandanynewspeciesnotincludedinthe
approvedMitigationPlan(Wildlands,2019)andiscurrently
underreviewbytheIRT.
AfollowupinvasivetreatmentoccurredinMarch2022on11.99acres(Figure4a)alongthelowerhalf
ofSassasrixaCreektotreattheChineseprivet(\[źŭǒƭƷƩǒƒƭźƓĻƓƭĻ)thatresproutedfromtheoriginal
treatmentduringconstruction.Acombinationofmethodsincludedfoliarandcutstumpapplications.
TheSitewillcontinuetobemonitoredforinvasivespeciesandfollowuptreatmentswilloccurif
necessary.
Kudzu(tǒĻƩğƩźğƒƚƓƷğƓğ)hasbeenestablishedoutsideoftheSitealongthefarmpathleadingupto
T5a(Figure4c).AsapreventativemeasuretoensureKudzudoesnotbecomeestablishedonSite.
WildlandsreceivedpermissionfromthelandownertotreattheKudzualongthefarmpathinJuly2022.
Followuptreatmentswillbescheduledintheupcomingyears.
1.4 MonitoringYear2Summary
Overall,theSitehasexceededtherequiredvegetationsuccesscriteriaforMY2.Vegetationplot1isnot
ontracktomeetthefinalsuccesscriteria.Areplantingisplannedforthewinterof2022/2023to
accommodatefortreemortalityalongT1.TheSassarixaSwampIIeasementwasreplantedinFebruary
2022.Whilereplanting,theboundaryexpandedbeyondoriginallyoutlinedandextendedintotheDMS
portionoftheeasement.AfollowuptreatmentoftheChineseprivetresproutsalongSassarixaCreek
occurredinMarch2022.Asapreventativemeasure,KudzuwastreatedoutsidetheeasementinJuly
2022.Therestofthe{źƷĻ͸ƭvegetationlayerestablishedquicklyandisgreatlyreducingtheamountof
nutrientsandsedimententeringtheprojectstreams.
Summaryinformation/datarelatedtotheperformanceofvariousprojectandmonitoringelementscan
befoundinthetablesandfiguresinthereportappendices.Narrativebackgroundandsupporting
information,formerlyfoundinthesereports,canbefoundintheMitigationPlan(Wildlands,2019)
availableon5a{͸ƭwebsite.Allrawdatasupportingthetablesandfiguresintheappendicesare
availablefromDMSuponrequest.
SassarixaSwampMitigationSite
MonitoringYear2AnnualBufferReportFinal3

Section2: REFERENCES
Breeding,R.2010.NeuseRiverBasinRestorationPriorities.NorthCarolinaEcosystemEnhancement
Program.
NaturalResourcesConservationService(NRCS),2011.WebSoilSurvey.
NorthCarolinaDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality,DivisionofMitigationServices(NCDMS).2017.
RiparianBufferandNutrientOffsetBufferBaselineandAnnualMonitoringReportTemplateversion
2.0
NorthCarolinaDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality,DivisionofWaterResources(NCDWR).2000.15A
NCAC02B.0233NeuseRiverBasin:NutrientSensitiveWatersManagementStrategy:Protectionand
MaintenanceofExistingRiparianBuffers.
NorthCarolinaDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality,DivisionofWaterResources(NCDWR).2015.15A
NCAC02B.0295MitigationProgramRequirementsforProtectionandMaintenanceofRiparian
Buffers.
NorthCarolinaDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality,DivisionofWaterResources(NCDWR).2011.
SurfaceWaterClassifications.
NorthCarolinaInteragencyReviewTeam(NCIRT).2016.WilmingtonDistrictStreamandWetland
CompensatoryMitigationUpdate.
WildlandsEngineering,Inc.(2019).SassarixaSwampMitigationSiteΑRiparianBufferMitigationPlan.
NorthCarolinaDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality,DivisionofMitigationServices(NCDMS),
Raleigh,NC.
SassarixaSwampMitigationSite
MonitoringYear2AnnualBufferReportFinal4

GBD
GBD
GBDX
GBD
GBD
GBDX
PCM
GBDV

FIXED VEG PLOT 1 (9/9/2022) FIXED VEG PLOT 2 (9/9/2022)

FIXED VEG PLOT 3 (9/9/2022) FIXED VEG PLOT 4 (9/9/2022)

FIXED VEG PLOT 5 (9/9/2022) FIXED VEG PLOT 6 (9/9/2022)
Sassarixa Swamp Mitigation Site
Appendix 2: Visual Assessment Data – Vegetation Plot Photographs

FIXED VEG PLOT 7 (9/9/2022) FIXED VEG PLOT 8 (9/2/2022)

FIXED VEG PLOT 9 (9/9/2022) FIXED VEG PLOT 10 (9/9/2022)
Sassarixa Swamp Mitigation Site
Appendix 2: Visual Assessment Data – Vegetation Plot Photographs