20230657 Ver 1_ePCN Application_20230504

DWR
Division of Water Resources
Pre -Construction Notification (PCN) Form
For Nationwide Permits and Regional General Permits
(along with corresponding Water Quality Certifications)
April 13, 2022 Ver 4.3
Initial Review
Has this project met the requirements for acceptance in to the review process?
Yes
No
Is this project a public transportation project?*
Yes No
Change only If needed.
Pre -Filing Meeting Date Request was submitted on:
1/30/2023
BIMS # Assigned
20230657
Is a payment required for this project?*
No payment required
Fee received
Fee needed - send electronic notification
Reviewing Office*
Asheville Regional Office - [phone]
Information for Initial Review
la. Name of project:
Platt-Wickwire-Whitmire-Ganner Tract East Fork French Broad River Restoration
1a. Who is the Primary Contact?*
Jennings Environmental, PLLC, David Brown
1b. Primary Contact Email:
[e-mail]
Date Submitted
5/4/2023
Nearest Body of Water
East Fork French Broad River
Basin
French Broad
Water Classification
B; Tr; HQW
Site Coordinates
Latitude: Longitude:
35.13807-82.80768
A. Processing Information
Is this project connected with ARPA funding?
Yes No
County (or Counties) where the project is located:
Transylvania
Is this a NCDMS Project
Yes No
Version#*
1
What amout is owed?*
$240.00
$570.00
Select Project Reviewer*
Andrew Moore:[e-mail]
1c. Primary Contact Phone: *
[phone]
a
Is this project a public transportation project?*
Yes No

1a.Type(s)of approval sought from the Corps:
Section 404 Permit (wetlands, streams and waters, Clean Water Act)
Section 10 Permit (navigable waters, tidal waters, Rivers and Harbors Act)
Has this PCN previously been submitted?*
Yes
No
1b. What type(s) of permit(s) do you wish to seek authorization?
Nationwide Permit (NWP)
Regional General Permit (RGP)
Standard (IP)
1c. Has the NWP or GP number been verified by the Corps?
Yes No
Nationwide Permit (NWP) Number: 27 - Restoration
NWP Numbers (for multiple NWPS):
1d. Type(s) of approval sought from the DWR:
401 Water Quality Certification - Regular
Non-404 Jurisdictional General Permit
Individual 401 Water Quality Certification
le. Is this notification solely for the record because written approval is not required?
For the record only for DWR 401 Certification:
For the record only for Corps Permit:
1f. Is this an after -the -fact permit application? *
Yes No
fig. Is payment into a mitigation bank or in -lieu fee program proposed for mitigation of impacts?
Yes No
1g. Is payment into a mitigation bank or in -lieu fee program proposed for mitigation of impacts?
Yes No
1h. Is the project located in any of NC's twenty coastal counties?
Yes No
1j. Is the project located in a designated trout watershed?
Yes No
B. Applicant Information
1d. Who is applying for the permit?
Owner Applicant (other than owner)
le. Is there an Agent/Consultant for this project?
Yes No
2. Owner Information
2a. Nani on recorded deed:
Alfred Plat, III & Shannon Whitworth
2b. Deed book and page no.:
401 Water Quality Certification - Express
Riparian Buffer Authorization
2c. Contact Person:
Alfred (Woody) Platt
2d. Address
Street Address
11704 East Fork Road
Address Line 2
City
State / Province / Region
Brevard
NC
Postal / Zip Code
Country
28712
USA
Yes No
Yes No

2e. Telephone Number:
[phone]
2g. Email Address:*
[e-mail]
3. Applicant Information (if different from owner)
3a. Name:
Debbie Dodson
3b. Business Name:
Resource Institute, Inc.
3c.Address
Street Address
2613 Reynolda Road, Suite A
Address Line 2
City
Winston-Salem
Postal / Zip Code
27106
3d. Telephone Number:
[phone]
3f. Email Address:
[e-mail]
4. Agent/Consultant (if applicable)
4a. Name:
David Brown, PG
4b. Business Name:
Jennings Environmental, PLLC
4c.Address
Street Address
7 Samuel Ashe Drive
Address Line 2
City
Asheville
Postal / Zip Code
28805
4d. Telephone Number:
[phone]
4f. Email Address:*
[e-mail]
C. Project Information and Prior Project History
1. Project Information
1b. Subdivision name:
(if appropriate)
1c. Nearest municipality / town:
Rosman
2. Project Identification
2f. Fax Number:
State / Province / Region
NC
Country
USA
3e. Fax Number:
State / Province / Region
NC
Country
USA
4e. Fax Number:
2a. Property Identification Number:
8562-16-2356-000; 8562-26-5905-000; 8562- 2b. Property size:
16-9418-000; & 8562-37-2677-000 7.3 acre portion of larger 69.99 acre tract

2c. Project Address
Street Address
South of East Fork Road
Address Line 2
City
Rosman
Postal / Zip Code
28772
3. Surface Waters
3a. Name of the nearest body of water to proposed project:
East Fork French Broad River
3b. Water Resources Classification of nearest receiving water:
B; Tr; HQW
3c. What river basin(s) is your project located it *
French Broad
3d. Please provide the 12-digit HUC in which the project is located.
Upper French Broad 06010105
4. Project Description and History
State / Province / Region
NC
Country
USA
4a. Describe the existing conditions on the site and the general land use in the vicinity of the project at the time of this application: *
The property is in agricultural use. The land use in the vicinity of the property is rural residential, agricultural, and undeveloped forested tracts. The project site consists of an approximate
7.3-acre riparian corridor along the East Fork French Broad River from the bridge over the river on East Fork Road to 3,000 feet downstream. The project site is currently comprised of
agricultural fields and a sparsely wooded riparian buffer. The majority the site has been previously cleared, drained and has been used for growing row crops and livestock grazing for
decades. The existing stream banks at the project site are eroding, undercut, and past work used tires to stabilize eroded banks. The drainage area at the project site is approximately 25.5
square miles. See attached existing conditions photographs and USGS StreamStats report.
4b. Have Corps permits or DWR certifications been obtained for this project (including all prior phases) in the past? *
Yes No Unknown
4f. List the total estimated acreage of all existing wetlands on the property:
None in project area
4g. List the total estimated linear feet of all existing streams on the property:
3,000
4h. Explain the purpose of the proposed project:*
The objectives of the restoration activities is to stabilize stream banks and channel, establish native riparian buffers, construct flood benches, reconnect the stream with the floodplain,
restore aquatic habitat, and to prevent additional soil loss to downstream surface waters. Also, the work will remove tires used to stabilize banks. This will improve the natural ecology of
streams, wetlands, and buffers at the project site.
41. Describe the overall project in detail, including indirect impacts and the type of equipment to be used:
The East Fork French Broad River will be restored using natural channel and bank design techniques. The work will provide a more sustainable riparian ecosystem with natural buffers.
Channel dimension, pattern, and profile will be constructed to a tolerable morphology and held in place with multiple in -stream and bank structures. The channel will be stabilized with
constructed riffles, boulder and/or log steps, boulder and/or log vanes. The historical adjacent floodplain areas along the river will be improved and restored by constructing low benches
and removing man-made berms.
A minimum 25-11 native herbaceous and woody buffer will be planted in the riparian areas to promote long-term stability, soil strength, and water quality benefits. Mature native trees along
the stream banks will be preserved, when feasible. Disturbed and restored areas of the stream buffer will be replanted using a combination of native riparian seed mix, live stakes, and/or
bare root seedlings. Work will be completed using tracked excavators and dump trucks by a qualified stream restoration contractor. Equipment will be well maintained, cleaned prior to
mobilization, and checked daily for leaks of petroleum products. Fueling operations shall be performed in an area away from all surface waters. See attached plan sheets for additional
details.
5. Jurisdictional Determinations
5a. Have the wetlands or streams been delineated on the property or proposed impact areas?*
Yes
No
Comments:
A field survey of the project area was conducted to locate streams and wetlands. The purpose of the
survey was to make an effective analysis of the presence of waters and wetlands within the project
area in order determine proposed impacts to these aquatic features. Jennings Environmental is not
requesting the Corps make a jurisdiction determination of the aquatic features in the project area.
5b. If the Corps made a jurisdictional determination, what type of determination was made? *
Preliminary Approved Not Verified Unknown N/A
Corps AID Number:
5c. If 5a is yes, who delineated the jurisdictional areas?
O Unknown
Name (if known):

Agency/Consultant Company:
Other:
6. Future Project Plans
6a. Is this a phased project?*
Yes O No
6b. If yes, explain.
Due to funding and grant deadlines, the project will be conducted in two phases. Phase 1 is on the Platt and Wickwire parcels and will be conducted in 2023. The work for Phase 1 is from
stations 3+04 to 19+21 of the design plans. Phase 2 is on the Whitmire and Ganner parcels and will be conducted in 2024-25. The work for Phase 2 is from stations 19+21 to 30+00 of the
design plans.
Are any other NWP(s), regional general permit(s), or individual permits(s) used, or intended to be used, to authorize any part of the proposed project or related activity?
N/A
D. Proposed Impacts Inventory
1. Impacts Summary
1a. Where are the impacts associated with your project? (check all that apply):
Wetlands Streams -tributaries Buffers
Open Waters Pond Construction
3. Stream Impacts
F
3a. Reason for impact (?)
3b.lmpact type*
3c. Type of impact*
3d. S. name*
3e. Stream Type*
?)
3f. Type of
Jurisdiction*
3g. S. width
3h. Impact
length*
S1
Stream restoration
Permanent
Other It
k French Broad River
Perennial
Corps f�][#;;:]
3i. Total jurisdictional ditch impact in square feet:
0
3i. Total permanent stream impacts:
2,696
3i. Total stream and ditch impacts:
2
3j. Comments:
None
E. Impact Justification and Mitigation
1. Avoidance and Minimization
3i. Total temporary stream impacts:
0
1a. Specifically describe measures taken to avoid or minimize the proposed impacts in designing the project:
As this project is an aquatic restoration project, it is impossible to completely avoid impacts to waters. However, considerations were made to minimize
disturbance to the extent necessary to provide appropriate functional uplift to aquatic resources.
1b. Specifically describe measures taken to avoid or minimize the proposed impacts through construction techniques:
Appropriately sized equipment will be utilized to minimize soil compaction and access grading. Scheduling and staging of equipment and materials will
be timed to minimize time spent working in the active stream channel. Ground/soil disturbance will be minimized to the extent possible.
Most of the work will be conducted in sections of existing channel. It will not be feasible to pump/pipe around the stream base flow for the project work.
The contractor shall use gravel and cobble to create a berm that diverts flows around active work areas to minimize interaction of stream flows with
areas being disturbed by earth and construction activities. Also, construction impacts will be minimized by limiting in -channel work to low -flow conditions
and working from the stream banks where possible.
Graded stream banks will be stabilized by using a native seed mix, straw mulch, and biodegradable erosion control matting. Areas will be stabilized
within 3 working days of bank grading completion. Following construction activities, the site will be planted with native riparian vegetation to establish a
natural stream buffer. Erosion control matting that incorporates plastic mesh and/or plastic twine will not be used within stream channel(s) or along
stream banks.
Any discharge associated with the proposed impacts would consist of suitable clean fill material (no trash, asphalt, etc.). The fill material would also be
free of pollutants in toxic amounts. Proper sediment and erosion control devices would be installed prior to and during construction. Downstream turbidity
levels will likely increase during construction but would subside upon completion of in -stream work. An erosion and sediment control plan will be
submitted to NC DEMLR for review and approval prior to construction.
2. Compensatory Mitigation for Impacts to Waters of the U.S. or Waters of the State
O
2a. Does the project require Compensatory Mitigation for impacts to Waters of the U.S. or Waters of the State?
Yes No

2b. If this project DOES NOT require Compensatory Mitigation, explain why:
The project objective is to construct a more natural functioning stream reach to replace the degraded and unstable stream reach. The project will result in permanent impacts to waters, but
these impacts will not result in a permanent loss of waters that require compensatory mitigation.
F. Stormwater Management and Diffuse Flow Plan (required by DWR)
1. Diffuse Flow Plan
1a. Does the project include or is it adjacent to protected riparian buffers identified within one of the NC Riparian Buffer Protection Rules?
Yes No
If no, explain why:
The project is located in the French Broad Basin.
2. Stormwater Management Plan
2a. Is this a NCDOT project subject to compliance with NCDOT's Individual NPDES permit NCS000250?
Yes No
2b. Does this project meet the requirements for low density projects as defined in 15A NCAC 02H .1003(2)?
Yes No
Comments:
Stream restoration project. No impervious area(s) are proposed as part of this project.
G. Supplementary Information
1. Environmental Documentation
1a. Does the project involve an expenditure of public (federal/state/local) funds or the use of public (federal/state) land?
Yes No
1b. If you answered "yes" to the above, does the project require preparation of an environmental document pursuant to the requirements of the National or State (North Carolina)
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA/SEPA)?*
Yes No
Comments: *
Project is below thresholds for requiring an environmental document.
2. Violations (DWR Requirement)
2a. Is the site in violation of DWR Water Quality Certification Rules (15A NCAC 2H .0500), Isolated Wetland Rules (15A NCAC 2H .1300), or DWR Surface Water or Wetland Standards or
Riparian Buffer Rules (15A NCAC 2B .0200)? *
Yes No
3. Cumulative Impacts (DWR Requirement)
3a. Will this project result in additional development, which could impact nearby downstream water quality?
Yes No
3b. If you answered "no," provide a short narrative description.
Project will not result in change in adjacent land uses.
4. Sewage Disposal (DWR Requirement)
4a. Is sewage disposal required by DWR for this project?
Yes No N/A
5. Endangered Species and Designated Critical Habitat (Corps Requirement)
5a. Will this project occur in or near an area with federally protected species or habitat?*
Yes No
5b. Have you checked with the USFWS concerning Endangered Species Act impacts?
Yes No
5d. Is another Federal agency involved?*
Yes No Unknown
What Federal Agency is involved?
USDA-NRCS
5e. Is this a DOT project located within Division's 1-8?
Yes No

5f. Will you cut any trees in order to conduct the work in waters of the U.S.?
Yes No
5g. Does this project involve bridge maintenance or removal?
Yes No
5h. Does this project involve the construction/installation of a wind turbine(s)?*
Yes No
5i. Does this project involve (1) blasting, and/or (2) other percussive activities that will be conducted by machines, such as jackhammers, mechanized pile drivers, etc.?
Yes No
5j. What data sources did you use to determine whether your site would impact Endangered Species or Designated Critical Habitat?
Jennings Environmental reviewed the latest versions of NC Natural Heritage Program data on element occurrences for listed species and USFWS online
interactive mapping and species occurrence datasets (IPaC, county species lists, etc.) to determine the likelihood for the presence of federally listed
species and/or their critical in the project area. No listed federally endangered/threatened species were located in/near project site and no suitable
habitat exists based upon information submitted to date. Since this project is funded by the NRCS, the agency will be responsible for comply with the
applicable federal ESA reviews.
6. Essential Fish Habitat (Corps Requirement)
6a. Will this project occur in or near an area designated as an Essential Fish Habitat?
Yes No
6b. What data sources did you use to determine whether your site would impact an Essential Fish Habitat?
NOAA EFH Mapper
7. Historic or Prehistoric Cultural Resources (Corps Requirement)
7a. Will this project occur in or near an area that the state, federal or tribal governments have designated as having historic or cultural preservation status?
Yes No
7b. What data sources did you use to determine whether your site would impact historic or archeological resources? *
Jennings Environmental has reviewed NCDCR maps and online data. There are no known historic resources identified in the project area. Since this
project is funded by the NRCS, the agency will be responsible for comply with the applicable federal and state cultural resources reviews.
8. Flood Zone Designation (Corps Requirement)
8a. Will this project occur in a FEMA-designated 100-year floodplain? *
Yes No
8b. If yes, explain how project meets FEMA requirements:
A no -rise certification has been submitted to Transylvania County for review and approval.
8c. What source(s) did you use to make the floodplain determination?*
NCFRIS
Miscellaneous
Please use the space below to attach all required documentation or any additional information you feel is helpful for application review. Documents should be combined into one file when
possible, with a Cover Letter, Table of Contents, and a Cover Sheet for each Section preferred.
Click the upload button or drag and drop files here to attach document
401 Pre -filing Request.pdf
1.02MB
Agent Authorization Form Platt -Wickwire East Fork FBR - 2.pdf
182.99KB
IPaC List.pdf
646.43KB
PLATT_E_FORK_FBR_PERMIT_DRAW I NG.pdf
5.95MB
Site Photos & Figures.pdf
16.91MB
Soil Survey.pdf
611.08KB
StreamStats Platt E Fk FB.pdf
209.05KB
File must be PDF or KMZ
Comments
Jennings Environmental is requesting a waiver of the work in the dry condition from DWR since the drainage area is greater than 5 square miles. See Section E, Part 1b above.
Supporting Attachments:
Agent Authorization Form
Permit Design Drawings/Plans
Existing Condition Photographs
USGS StreamStats
Soil Map
401 Pre -filing Meeting Request
Parcel Maps
USFWS IPaC
Signature O

p By checking the box and signing below, I certify that:
• The project proponent hereby certifies that all information contained herein is true, accurate, and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief'; and
• The project proponent hereby requests that the certifying authority review and take action on this CWA 401 certification request within the applicable reasonable period of time.
• I have given true, accurate, and complete information on this form;
• I agree that submission of this PCN form is a "transaction" subject to Chapter 66, Article 40 of the NC General Statutes (the "Uniform Electronic Transactions Act");
• I agree to conduct this transaction by electronic means pursuant to Chapter 66, Article 40 of the NC General Statutes (the "Uniform Electronic Transactions Act");
• I understand that an electronic signature has the same legal effect and can be enforced in the same way as a written signature; AND
• I intend to electronically sign and submit the PCN form.
Full Name:
David Brown
Signature
Date
5/4/2023