Re_ _External_ Stormwater runoff_Erosion_final

Wanucha, Dave
From: Walter Browning <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 8, 2023 1:27 PM
To: Andy Hill
Cc: Graznak, Jenny; Hining, Kevin J; Wanucha, Dave
Subject: Re: [External] Stormwater runoff/Erosion final
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Thanks to everyone for your attention to this matter. Please do remind everyone to work safely.
On Wed, Mar 8, 2023 at 8:48 AM Andy Hill <[e-mail]> wrote:
Thank you Kevin,
I appreciate your timely and thoughtful response. Thank you for coordinating a quick site visit. I know you appreciate
the river as much as we do. I remember your time as an environmental educator fondly. Thank you for all this detailed
information. I would like to set a time to visit the site at your convenience. I would like to take some pictures of the
measures in place and share with the people who have expressed concerns. I think there may some misconceptions in
the community about extent of proactive steps taken. Sharing info may go a long way to soothe concerns. We will
keep in touch
Thanks,
Andy
On Tue, Mar 7, 2023 at 8:53 PM Hining, Kevin J <[e-mail]> wrote:
Hey Andy,
I'm well and hope you are also! I'm sorry to hear about the complaints you have received, but I'm glad you contacted
me. Please do so anytime. I had not received any complaints about this project until last night - I received an email
from Mr. Browning, Cc'd on this email, concerning sediment entering the roadway and river. He stated the issue
occurred around 6:30 PM on Friday evening. I assume this is the same storm you referenced. While I emailed Mr.
Browning last night, I thought it would be good to include him on this correspondence as well, now that I have
reviewed the site — I hope that is ok. Our rainfall data suggests a sudden burst of rain Friday evening (our rain gauge
at the project showed 1.7 inches). As you and Mr. Browning noted, the storm did overwhelm some of our erosion
control measures. While short lived, it seems to have been a strong storm that produced major runoff throughout the
region.
I have spent most of the day out on the HWY 105 project, and reviewed it with our project inspector, and Dave
Wanucha, our NCDWR representative. We definitely lost sediment onto the roadway, however, we have several, more
hidden, erosion control measures in place between the roadway and the river. We checked all of them and could not
determine any major sediment losses to the river. While I left that meeting thinking that our devices worked, your
email about frequent complaints gives me pause.

You mentioned a lack of erosion control devices, so I did want to speak to that. The cut/hillside removal is enlarging
every day, so it is typical that we not put many erosion control measures within the active work area, since the terrain
is changing daily. Simply put, they would likely get in the way and/or be destroyed. Instead, we have a large diversion
ditch at the top of the hillside which is intended to divert clean water from the adjacent mountainside away from our
work area. Within our work area (the active cut) we rely largely on a long diversion ditch that passes runoff through
several rock checks along the road (several are behind the concrete barrier, so difficult to see). When we get a big rain
event, like happened on Friday, runoff may cross the road, where it then flows along a silt fence on top of the
riverbank and to several "SDO's" — sediment discharge outlets. These devices are our next to last measure to treat
sediment runoff, and are composed of a hardware cloth backing with 57 stone (a smaller sized stone used to filter
sediment). Our final measure is the existing vegetated banks between the SDO's and river, to further help filter
sediment. I'll be the first to admit that our measures are not capable of catching everything. I'm not aware of any
perfect measures, but having room for a large basin would help - we just don't have room for that, at this time. Also,
I'm sure we likely lost some turbid water to the river, but looking below the SDO's, it appears that we did not lose
appreciable amounts of actual sediment - our SDO's appeared to be pretty clean on the riverside, other than a small
pile of sediment below one SDO, below the road, 10-15 ft from the river. We have instructed the contractor to
investigate and clean up/retrieve that sediment.
To speak to our current erosion control plans, we have a group of sediment and erosion control specialists that design
our plans and then send them to various regulatory agencies for review and approval. We also have a two-part
system for monitoring erosion control devices —1) the contractor has a certified specialist, and 2) NCDOT has a
certified specialist that reviews all measures weekly, and after any 1 inch or more rain event (within a 24 hr
period). They have a form they fill out and sign, which notes any issues and corrective measures. Additionally, we
have a certified erosion control specialist that does a monthly review and numerical scoring of the project. This
person is not associated with our NCDOT division, reducing bias, and actually scores various aspects of the erosion
control plan and implementation, and then provides that information to the contractor and division staff. While we
have had some issues along the way, we thought the project was doing well overall. So again, I hate to hear that you
have received numerous complaints.
I wanted to provide all of this information to let you know we are actively monitoring the project, and do have
measures in place. I also want you to know that we really do care about protecting the river and keeping any
sediment from our project on site, if at all possible. But, it is a difficult project, and there is limited room to construct
it due to the tight valley and existing traffic volumes. In closing, I'm happy to meet you on site and review the project
at any time.
Please let me know if I can provide any additional information.
Thank you,
Kevin
Fil

Kevin Hining
Division 11 Environmental Supervisor
North Carolina Department of Transportation
828-386-7202 cell
kihining .ncdot.gov
801 Statesville Rd.
PO Box 250
North Wilkesboro, NC 28659
Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the
North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.

From: Graznak, Jenny <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 7, 2023 2:15 PM
To: Andy Hill <[e-mail]>; Hining, Kevin J <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [External] Stormwater runoff/Erosion control measures at 105 bridge project
Thank you, Andy.
It is my understanding that Kevin and other staff are on site today checking for compliance.
I appreciate you keeping me posted, Kevin.
Jenny Graznak
Assistant Regional Supervisor, Division of Water Resources
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Winston-Salem Regional Office
Office: [phone] l Cell: [phone]
[e-mail]
f ORTH AR LINA D=
Department of Environmental Qual
Email correspondence to and from this address 1
Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclose
From: Andy Hill <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 7, 2023 12:16 PM
To: Hining, Kevin J <[e-mail]>
4

Cc: Graznak, Jenny <[e-mail]>
Subject: [External] Stormwater runoff/Erosion control measures at 105 bridge project
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Hello Kevin,
I hope this finds you well. Reaching out today to share the concerns of property owners downstream of the
105/Broadstone Road bridge project. On Friday, March 3rd the area experienced a significant localized rain event. The
rain overwhelmed the erosion control measures causing them to fail. The failures resulted in a large amount of runoff
and increased turbidity levels reaching the Watauga River. Our office has received numerous reports and calls for
action from impacted downstream neighbors. We share their concerns about impacts to the ecosystem. I would
appreciate it if you pass our concerns along to the contractor. I think an expansion of
existing erosion control measures would be helpful. I noticed there was inadequate silt fencing along access roads and
disturbed hillside. I appreciate your help in this matter.
Have a great day,
Andy
Andy Hill
Watauga Riverkeeper I High Country Regional Director
Mountain True
WATERKEEPER Alliance Member
He/Him I Why pronouns matter: https://www.mypronouns.orq/
MountainTrue is committed to equity in our workplace and in our community: https:Hmountaintrue.org/equity
164 Depot Street
Boone, NC 28607
office: 828-406-2429
0

MountainTrue was founded as the Western North Carolina Alliance in 1982. This year we celebrate
40 years of championing resilient forests, clean waters and healthy communities in the Southern
Blue Ridge Mountains.
BUILD A BETTER TOMORROW.
BE MOUNTAINTRUE.
mountaintrue.org/join
Email correspondence to and from this sender is subject to the N.C. Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.
Andy Hill
Watauga Riverkeeper I High Country Regional Director
Mountain True
WATERKEEPER Alliance Member
He/Him I Why pronouns matter: https://www.mypronouns.orq/
MountainTrue is committed to equity in our workplace and in our community: https:Hmountaintrue.org/equity
164 Depot Street
Boone, NC 28607
office: 828-406-2429
MountainTrue was founded as the Western North Carolina Alliance in 1982. This year we celebrate
40 years of championing resilient forests, clean waters and healthy communities in the Southern
Blue Ridge Mountains.
BUILD A BETTER TOMORROW.
BE MOUNTAINTRUE.
mountaintrue.org/join
Walter G. Browning
377 Dutch Creek Road
Valle Crucis, NC 28604
936-697-0005
828-963-8358
6