Stone Creek MY4 Report Review, Response, and Notes

Baker, Caroline D
From: Hamilton, Ryan
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 1:54 PM
To: Baker, Caroline D
Subject: FW: [External] RE: Stone Creek MY4 Report Review, Response, and Notes
Hi Caroline,
Please file
Laserfiche Upload: Email
DW R#: 2016-0241v2
Doc Date: 4/12/2023
Doc Type: Mitigation monitoring Report Review
Doc Name: Same as email subject
Thanks,
Notes:
Stone Creek #2016-0241v2 MY4
- Previous Issues
o All plots surpassing monitoring success criteria in MY3
o Supplemental planting was conducted after MY2 (January 2021)
o Additional supplemental planting North of plots 5 and 6 and along UT1 March 2022
o Easement encroachment along UT1 in 2021, additional flagging and horse tape was put up in February
2022
- 11/12 plots surpass success criteria with an average of 664 stems per acre.
- Vegetation Plot 13 failed with only 243 stems per acre.
o Area outside of the plot is establishing itself well, however
o Possible reasons for failure include the area inside the plot not being planted as densely, or the
temporarily inundated wetland to the east of the plot
- No encroachment in MY4
- Replanting along UT2 (.48 acres) and within plot 13 will occur during the dormant season. Proposed species
include 3 gallon trees of river birch, sycamore, button bush, persimmon, swamp chestnut oak, willow oak, and
bald cypress.
o Buttonbush and persimmon are not included in the BPDP planting list but were in the 2019 planting and
construction report
- Continued treatment of invasives
- Plots 1, 6, 9, 11, and 13 have an average stem height of under 4 feet.
o Sitewide average though is 4.6 feet though.
- Diversity issues in Plot 13 as well, only 2 stem species present. 5 Persimmons and 1 willow oak.
- Plot 13 should not be replanted unless the IRTspecifically advised them to. DWR does not allow replanting within
a plot unless it is a total site wide replant
- Anticipate a partial credit release with the remaining credit release issued with confirmation of replanting efforts
along UT 2.
** 260 stems per acre not 320
1

Ryan Hamilton
401 & Buffer Permitting Branch
Division ufWater Resources
North Carolina Department ufEnvironmental Quality
(7O4)651-O357Cell
Location: 512 N. Salisbury Street, Archdale 8ui|ding, Ra|eigh, NC276O4
Email correspondence to and tronthis ack1rea is subject to the
North CamfinaPublic RecotVsLaw and may bedisclosed hothhzparfies,
From: Hamilton, Ryan
Sent: Wednesday, April 1Z,ZUZ31:14PM
To: Emily U|man<eu|[e-mail]
Cc: Jamey Mceachran"[e-mail]
Subject: RE: [External] RE: Stone Creek MY4 Report Review
No worries,
DWRauthohzes bond number 9B2406 can be reduced from $60,000 to $40000.
Ryan Hamilton
401 & Buffer Permitting Branch
Division ufWater Resources
North Carolina Department ufEnvironmental Quality
(7O4)651-O357Cell
Location: 512 N. Salisbury Street, Archdale 8ui|ding, Ra|eigh, NC276O4
Email correspondence to and tronthis ack1rea is subject to the
North CamfinaPublic RecotVsLaw and may bedisclosed hothhzparfies,
From: Emily U|man
Sent: K�onda�Aph|1lZUZ31:Z8PM
To: Hamilton, Ryan
Cc: Jamey Mceachran
Subject: RE: [External] RE: Stone Creek MY4 Report Review
CAUTION. External email. Donot click links oropen attachments unless you verify. Send all suspicious email asanattachment to
Report Sparn.
Hi Ryan,
Thank you for approving the bond reduction amount; however, for surety, vveneed tomake sure that the following
details are referenced inthe email: the bond number: 933Z4U6,and amount, $6U,UUUto$4U,UUU.Would you mind once
again approving this reduction and stating both the bond number and amount listed above for confirmation? Something

Apologies for the double request and thank you in advance!
li.i..miilly Ullman
Ecologist
RES I res.us
Mobile: [phone]
From: Jamey Mceachran <jmceachran(res.us>
Sent: Friday, April 7, 2023 14:22
To: Emily Ulman «Lalrnn(rse�as>
Subject: FW: [External] RE: Stone Creek MY4 Report Review
From: Hamilton, Ryan <Eyan.ham!Iton()ncdenr. 2v>
Sent: Friday, April 7, 2023 1:24 PM
To: Jamey Mceachran <jmceachran(res.us>
Cc: Merritt, Katie <kgti2 merrittc ncdgnr....g_v>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] RE: [External] RE: Stone Creek MY4 Report Review
Hi Jamey,
Thank you for the thorough response and explanation. I can go ahead and approve a 20% reduction in the bond amount,
but in regard to credit releases let's wait until next week when Katie is back in the office to discuss them further.
Thank you,
Ryan Hamilton
401 & Buffer Permitting Branch
Division of Water Resources
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
[phone] Cell
Location: 512 N. Salisbury Street, Archdale Building, Raleigh, NC 27604
�llrf�,�l 1 I
Email correspondence to andfrr.m this ack1ressissubject to the
North th t;amf na Public lic Re cot"c s Law and may be disclosed to thhV par fies,
From: Jamey Mceachran <jmceachran(res.us>
Sent: Thursday, April 6, 2023 5:04 PM
To: Hamilton, Ryan <Eyan.ham!Iton()ncdenr. gv>
Cc: Merritt, Katie <kgti2 mnrrittc ncdgnr....g_v>
Subject: [External] RE: Stone Creek MY4 Report Review
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Resort Sparn.
Hi Ryan,

Thank you for these comments.
1. The report cites plot 13 not being supplementally planted as densely as the area around it during the March
2022 replant. Plot 13 should not have been replanted unless the IRT specifically advised you to do so. DWR does
not allow replanting within a plot unless it is a total site wide replant.
1. "RES performed supplemental plantings in January 2021. The supplemental planting included planting
400 bareroot trees in areas where vegetation plots were less than 600 stems per acre in MY2. The area
in and around RVP1 (0.55 acres) and another low stem density area on UT1 (0.34 acres) will be
replanted this winter." Upon inspection of plot 13 during MY4, we realized that the actual plot area was
not replanted even though the surrounding areas were, which did not show an accurate representation
of the surrounding areas of the site; therefore, a crew went back to this area in February 2023 and
supplementally planted some of the area which included the plot. In hopes to ensure the plot shows a
more accurate representation of the surrounding area.
2. The report cites interim stem density success criteria as "320 stems per acre." DWR interim success criteria is set
at 260 stems per acre for nutrient offset and buffer mitigation projects. Please correct this in future report.
1. The success criteria will be corrected to 260 stems per acre in future reports
In regards to your comment about a partial credit release with confirmation of replanting efforts along UT2. I think we
may need clarification on what the concerns are, I was not under the impression any of the areas onsite rise to the level
of concern for a partial credit release. This area was a newly identified area that had low stems and was replanted this
winter (March 2023). Photos are attached. But this was not the same area mentioned in your comment number 1. If
the notes about the 2022 activities caused confusion because this area did not have a note, we can try to modify how
this is done next report. The IRT requested that our CCPV call out any activities done in response to last years activities
so the call outs were in response to last years monitoring report and the .48 acres next to UT2 was a new area so it did
not have a call out on this years monitoring report, but did show a low stem. However, since it is already April, we did
replant it so we have attached confirmation of it being replanted.
Please let us know if you would like a phone call to discuss any of these issues.
Additionally if these responses satisfies your concerns could you please also provide a bond reduction approval?
Thanks
Jamey
From: Hamilton, Ryan <Eyan.hamilton()ncdenr. 2v>
Sent: Wednesday, April 5, 2023 2:27 PM
To: Jamey Mceachran <jmceachran(res.us>
Cc: Merritt, Katie <kgti2 mnrrittc ncd nr....g_v>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Stone Creek MY4 Report Review
Hi Jamey,
DWR has reviewed the Year 4 Monitoring Report for the Stone Creek Site and have the following comments:

1. The report cites plot 13 not being supplementally planted as densely as the area around it during the March
2022 replant. Plot 13 should not have been replanted unless the IRT specifically advised you to do so. DWR does
not allow replanting within a plot unless it is a total site wide replant.
2. The report cites interim stem density success criteria as "320 stems per acre." DWR interim success criteria is set
at 260 stems per acre for nutrient offset and buffer mitigation projects. Please correct this in future report.
Thank you for your attention to these comments. Please provide an adequate response to all items above along with
supporting documents if required.
Once DWR receives a response to the comments above, issuance of monitoring report approval can be determined.
Anticipate a partial credit release with the remaining credit release issued with confirmation of replanting efforts along
UT 2.
Thank you for patience,
Ryan a ilto
401 & Duffer Permitting Branch
Division of Water Resources
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
[phone] Cell
Location: 512 N. Salisbury Street, Archdale Building, Raleigh, NC 27604
Email correspondence to and from this ackIress is subject to the
North th t;amf na Public lic Recot"c s taw and may be disclosed to thhV par fies,