As-Built Credit Release_Starker_SAW-2015-01540

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WILMINGTON DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
69 DARLINGTON AVENUE
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA 28403-1343

August 17, 2023

Regulatory Division

SUBJECT: As-built baseline monitoring report approval and credit release associated
with the WLS Catawba 01 Umbrella Mitigation Bank, Starker Mitigation Site

Ms. Catherine Roland
Water & Land Solutions, LLC
7721 Six Forks Rd., Suite 130
Raleigh, NC 27615

Dear Ms. Roland:

This letter is to inform you that the Wilmington District, Corps of Engineers (Corps)
has reviewed the as-built baseline monitoring report for the WLS Catawba 01 Umbrella
Mitigation Bank(UMB), Starker Mitigation Site (Action ID SAW-2020-01540), received
May 30, 2023. The Starker site is situated between Conover and Claremont in Catawba
County, North Carolina, and is bisected by Interstate 40 between mile markers 133 and
135 (35.727984°N, -81.176076°W), within the Catawba watershed (HUC 03050101).

Pursuant to the site’s Umbrella Mitigation Banking Instrument and the site-specific
Mitigation Plan, the following mitigation credits shall be available for sale provided the
annual monitoring report demonstrates interim performance standards are being met:

• 15% of the total enhancement and/or restoration Stream Mitigation Units
(SMUs) associated with year 0/As-Built annual monitoring (1448.51 warm water SMUs)

Based on a review of the data provided for the stream restoration and enhancement
on the site, we confirm that you have satisfied the above requirements, 1448.51 warm
water SMUs are now available for sale.

Please review the comments provided by the North Carolina Interagency Review
Team during their review of the monitoring report and field visit held on June 21, 2023.
While it is not necessary to provide a response to specific comments at this time, please
be sure to address the issues raised in future monitoring report submittals.

-2-

Please note that this electronic copy provided to you via email is your official copy.
Should you wish to receive a paper copy of this correspondence, please contact us.
Thank you for your time and cooperation. If you have any questions, please contact me
by email at [e-mail] or by phone at [phone].

Sincerely,

for
Todd Tugwell
Chief, Mitigation Branch

Enclosure

cc (by email):
NCIRT Distribution List

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WILMINGTON DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
69 DARLINGTON AVENUE
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA 28403-1343

CESAW-RG/Kichefski August 15, 2023

MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD

SUBJECT: Action ID # SAW-2020-01540, NCIRT Review Comments on the WLS
Catawba 01 Umbrella Mitigation Bank, Starker Mitigation Site As-built baseline
monitoring report

Erin Davis/Steve Kichefski, USACE:

Review the attached WLS meeting minutes from the IRT site visit conducted on June
21, 2023, for IRT comments. Some WLS action items are noted below:

1. Several floodplain benches showed saturation/standing water with potential
wetland development. Closely monitor woody vegetation survival due to
conditions wetter than anticipated and the potential need for supplemental
planting of wetter species. We recommend changing fixed veg plots 6, 13, 20
and 22 into mobile/random veg plots to better monitor areas of vegetative
concern such as the saturated floodplain, dense juncus areas and steep sloped
areas on S200 north of I-40. .
2. Please correct the mislabel of Priority I restoration for S200 on the CCPV.
3. Monitor the minor headcut in the left floodplain of S200 just above the crossing.
4. The thick Juncus vegetation was an IRT concern for suppressing other
vegetative growth on S100 north of I-40. We recommend one of the mobile veg
plots be placed in this dense juncus floodplain for the MY1 data collection.
5. Please monitor and include a discussion of the water quality treatment features
located throughout the site to the MY1 report.

Steve Kichefski
Mitigation Project Manager
Mitigation Branch

[phone] • [e-mail]
7721 Six Forks Road, Suite 130, Raleigh, NC 27615, United States
www.waterlandsolutions.com

Meeting Minutes

Starker Mitigation Project: SAW-2020-01540

Subject: NCIRT As-Built/MY0 Site Meeting
Date Prepared: June 22, 2023
Meeting Date and Time: June 21, 2023, at 1:30 pm
Meeting Location: Starker Mitigation Project (Catawba County, NC)
Attendees: USACE: Steve Kichefski and Erin Davis (NCIRT)
NCDEQ DWR: Maria Polizzi (NCIRT)
NC WRC: Dave McHenry (NCIRT)
WLS: Kayne Van Stell, Catherine Roland, Kyle Obermiller

These meeting minutes document notes and discussion points from the North Carolina Interagency
Review Team (NCIRT) As-Built/MY0 Site Visit for the Starker Mitigation Project (Catawba River Basin,
CU 03050101). The site is in Catawba County, near Conover, North Carolina. The meeting began at
1:30 pm with a project overview and discussion of MY0 report documentation. After the short discussion,
attendees toured the project site to review the site’s as-built conditions and MY0 features. The project
site review notes are presented below.

S200 South of I-40
• The group walked S200 South of I-40 from the NCDOT culvert to the installed culvert crossing
near station 26+00.
• Steve and Erin commented that the planted vegetation was establishing well within the floodplain
and on graded slopes.
• Steve asked if the floodplain wetness was a concern for tree survivability. WLS responded that
monitoring of vegetation will be ongoing, and any replanting areas will be determined after
completion of two growing seasons.
• Steve noted that S200 above the crossing was mislabeled as Priority I restoration on the CCPV
Figure 1c. WLS will update the CCPV map and properly label this reach as Priority II restoration.
• Erin noted that overland flow coming into the left floodplain just above the crossing has a minor
headcut within the conservation easement. WLS will monitor the area and take appropriate action
to stabilize the area, if necessary.
• Steve asked if the site had received signification rainfall during construction and noted a recent
overbank flow event. WLS responded that the site had received multiple 3-to-4-inch 24hr rain
events and the channel was stable and functioning properly.

[phone] • [e-mail]
7721 Six Forks Road, Suite 130, Raleigh, NC 27615, United States
www.waterlandsolutions.com
• Maria noted minor rilling occurring outside of the conservation easement on the slopes leading to
the crossing. WLS will monitor any overland flow and address future stability concerns and/or fine
sediment entering the conservation easement.

S100 North of I-40
• The group walked inside the conservation easement of S100 North of I-40 from station 10+00 to
the installed culvert crossing near station 22+20.
• Erin stated concern about the thick Juncus effusus growth within the wet areas of the floodplain.
WLS will monitor these areas for tree survival and any remedial measures will be determined
after two growing seasons.
• Erin asked WLS about the establishment of any random vegetation plots within the project. WLS
commented that all 24 plots are permanent fixed plots, as proposed in the approved mitigation
plan. Erin stated that the NCIRT would recommend at a later date changing a small number of
fixed plots to random, keeping the total number of vegetation plots at 24.
• Kayne and Steve discussed the possibility of WLS adding wetland crediting to the project. WLS
will evaluate this possibility as soon as possible and coordinate with the NCIRT on any proposed
modifications to wetland creds of the project.
• Erin requested WLS include information discussing the water quality treatment features located
throughout the site. WLS will monitor the stability of these features and add language to the MY1
report.

S200 North of I-40
• The group walked S200 North of I-40.
• Erin asked that WLS monitor the vegetation establishment on the steep side slopes.
• Erin commented that the bare root planted trees were establishing well on the reach.

Summary
• Meeting minutes to be emailed to Steve for review and included in the MY1 report.
• Steve commented overall that the site is stable and the IRT approved the WLS request as-built
credit release as proposed in the as-built/MY0 report.

The above minutes represent Water & Land Solutions’ interpretation and understanding of the meeting
discussion and actions. If recipients of these minutes should find any information contained in these
minutes to be in error, incomplete, please notify the author with appropriate corrections and/or additions
within five business days to allow adequate time for correction and redistribution.