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Home My WebLink About20180196 Ver 1_CatfishPond_100039_MY4_2023_20231208 MONITORING YEAR 4 ANNUAL REPORT FINAL December 2023 CATFISH POND MITIGATION SITE Durham County, NC Neuse River Basin HUC 03020201 DMS Project No. 100039 NCDEQ Contract No. 007424 NCDWR Project No. 2018-0196 v1 USACE Action ID No. 2018-00424 Data Collection Dates: January - October 2023 PREPARED FOR: NC Department of Environmental Quality Division of Mitigation Services 1652 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1652 PREPARED BY: 312 West Millbrook Road, Suite 225 Raleigh, NC 27609 Jason Lorch jlorch@wildlandseng.com Phone: 919.851.9986 Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Monitoring Year 4 Annual Report - Final i CATFISH POND MITIGATION SITE Monitoring Year 4 Annual Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1: PROJECT OVERVIEW .......................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Project Quantities and Credits ................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Project Goals and Objectives ..................................................................................................... 1-2 1.3 Project Attributes ....................................................................................................................... 1-4 Section 2: MONITORING YEAR 4 DATA ASSESSMENT .......................................................................2-1 2.1 Vegetative Assessment .............................................................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Vegetation Areas of Concern and Management ....................................................................... 2-1 2.3 Stream Assessment .................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.4 Stream Areas of Concern and Management.............................................................................. 2-1 2.5 Hydrology Assessment ............................................................................................................... 2-2 2.6 Wetland Assessment .................................................................................................................. 2-2 2.7 Monitoring Year 4 Summary ...................................................................................................... 2-3 Section 3: REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................3-1 TABLES Table 1: Project Quantities and Credits ..................................................................................................... 1-1 Table 2: Goals, Performance Criteria, and Functional Improvements ...................................................... 1-3 Table 3: Project Attributes ......................................................................................................................... 1-4 FIGURES Figure 1-1b Current Condition Plan View APPENDICES Appendix A Visual Assessment Data Table 4 Visual Stream Morphology Stability Assessment Table Table 5 Vegetation Condition Assessment Table Stream Photographs Culvert Crossing Photographs Appendix B Vegetation Plot Data* Table 6 Vegetation Plot Data Table 7 Vegetation Performance Standards Summary Table Appendix C Stream Geomorphology Data* Cross-Section Plots Table 8 Baseline Stream Data Summary Table 9 Cross-Section Morphology Monitoring Summary *Content omitted from Monitoring Year 4 Report Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Monitoring Year 4 Annual Report - Final ii Appendix D Hydrology Data Table 10 Bankfull Events Table 11 Rainfall Summary Bankfull Event Visual Observation Table 12 Groundwater Gauge Summary Groundwater Gauge Plots Appendix E Project Timeline and Contact Info Table 13 Project Activity and Reporting History Table 14 Project Contact Table Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Monitoring Year 4 Annual Report - Final 1-1 Section 1: PROJECT OVERVIEW The Catfish Pond Mitigation Site (Site) is in Durham County, approximately 12 miles north of the City of Durham and approximately 3 miles east of the Orange/Durham County border. The project watershed consists primarily of agricultural and forested land. The streams drain to Mountain Creek, which flows into Little River, the Eno River, and then Falls Lake. A 20.73-acre conservation easement has been placed on the Site. Table 3 presents more information related to the project attributes. 1.1 Project Quantities and Credits Mitigation work within the Site included restoration and enhancement II of perennial and intermittent stream channels (Figures 1-1b). Table 1 below shows stream credits by reach and credit totals expected by project closeout. Table 1: Project Quantities and Credits PROJECT MITIGATION QUANTITIES Project Segment Mitigation Plan Footage As-Built Footage Mitigation Category Restoration Level Mitigation Ratio (X:1) Credits Comments Stream Catfish Creek Reach 1 115 115 Warm EII 2.5 46.000 Invasive Control, Conservation Easement Catfish Creek Reach 2 323 323 Warm EII 2.5 129.200 Invasive Control, Grade Control Structures, Planted Buffer, Livestock Exclusion Catfish Creek Reach 3 473 474 Warm EII 2.5 189.200 Invasive Control, Grade Control Structures, Planted Buffer, Livestock Exclusion Catfish Creek Reach 4 374 373 Warm R 1.0 374.000 Full Channel Restoration, Planted Buffer, Livestock Exclusion 72 72 N/A N/A 0.0 0.000 Culvert Crossing Catfish Creek Reach 5 460 460 Warm EII 2.5 184.000 Grade Control Structures, Planted Buffer, Livestock Exclusion, Conservation Easement Catfish Creek Reach 6 454* 444 Warm R 1.0 454.000 Full Channel Restoration, Planted Buffer, Livestock Exclusion, Farm Pond Drained Catfish Creek Reach 7 1,071* 1,087 Warm EII 2.5 428.400 Invasive Control, Grade Control Structures, Planted Buffer, Livestock Exclusion *Due to a stationing error in the Mitigation Plan, linear feet and associated credits were overestimated on Catfish Creek Reach 6 and underestimated on Reach 7 for a net overage of 10.6 credits. Stream credits were calculated using Mitigation Plan footage because the 10.6 credits represent only 0.28% of the total stream credits. Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Monitoring Year 4 Annual Report - Final 1-2 PROJECT MITIGATION QUANTITIES Project Segment Mitigation Plan Footage As-Built Footage Mitigation Category Restoration Level Mitigation Ratio (X:1) Credits Comments Stream UT1 Reach 1 263 263 Warm EII 2.5 105.200 Invasive Control, Planted Buffer, Livestock Exclusion 42 42 N/A N/A 0.0 0.000 Culvert Crossing 717 711 Warm EII 2.5 286.800 Invasive Control, Planted Buffer, Livestock Exclusion UT1 Reach 2 515 520 Warm R 1.0 515.000 Full Channel Restoration, Planted Buffer, Livestock Exclusion 60 61 N/A N/A 0.0 0.000 Culvert Crossing UT1 Reach 3 149 149 Warm R 1.0 149.000 Full Channel Restoration, Planted Buffer, Livestock Exclusion UT1 Reach 4 446 446 Warm EII 2.5 178.400 Invasive Control, Planted Buffer, Livestock Exclusion UT2 412 412 Warm EII 2.5 164.800 Invasive Control, Grade Control Structures, Livestock Exclusion Mountain Tributary 1,362 1,362 Warm EII 2.5 544.800 Invasive Control, Grade Control Structures, Planted Buffer, Livestock Exclusion Total: 3,748.800 1.2 Project Goals and Objectives The project is intended to provide numerous ecological benefits. Table 2 below describes the project goals and objectives along with the expected outcomes to water quality and ecological processes. Blue = Restoration Orange = Enhancement II Restoration Level Stream Warm Cool Cold Restoration 1,492.000 Enhancement I -- Enhancement II 2,256.800 Preservation -- Totals 3,748.800 Total Stream Credit^ 3,748.800 ^Credits were adjusted at As-Built to include changes in stream alignment on Catfish Creek Reach 6 due to bedrock in the floodplain. Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Monitoring Year 4 Annual Report - Final 1-3 Additionally, performance criteria for project objectives and a summary of the related monitoring data results for Monitoring Year 4 (MY4) are included. Table 2: Goals, Performance Criteria, and Functional Improvements Goal Objective/ Treatment Likely Functional Uplift Performance Criteria Measurement Cumulative Monitoring Results Exclude livestock from streams. Install fencing around conservation easements adjacent to cattle pastures or remove livestock. Reduction in sediment, nutrient, and fecal coliform bacteria inputs through livestock exclusion. Contribution to protection of or improvement of Water Supply Waterbody. Exclusion fencing is installed and maintained. Livestock remain excluded from the project area. Visually inspect the perimeter, as well as interior, of the Site to ensure there are no signs of livestock entering the Site. No livestock access to the conservation easement has occurred. Reconnect channels with floodplains and riparian wetlands to allow a natural flooding regime. Reconstruct stream channels for bankfull dimensions and depth relative to the existing floodplain. Remove existing berms to re-connect channel with adjacent wetlands. Raise water table and hydrate riparian wetlands. Allow more frequent flood flows to disperse on the floodplain. Support geomorphology and higher-level functions. Four bankfull events in separate years within monitoring period. Crest gauge and/or pressure transducer recording flow elevations. Bankfull events were documented on both Catfish Creek and UT1. Improve the stability of stream channels. Construct stream channels that will maintain stable cross-sections, patterns, and profiles over time. Significantly reduce sediment inputs from bank erosion. Reduce shear stress on channel boundary. Support all stream functions above hydrology. Entrenchment ratio over 2.2 and bank height ratios below 1.2 with visual assessments showing stability. Cross-section data will be collected during MY1, MY2, MY3, MY5, and MY7 and visual inspections will be performed annually. Visual observations indicate streams are stable and functioning well. Improve in-stream habitat. Install habitat features such as constructed riffles, cover/lunker logs, and brush toes into restored/enhanced streams. Add woody materials to channel beds. Construct pools of varying depth. Increase and diversify available habitats for macroinvertebrates, fish, and amphibians leading to colonization and increase in biodiversity over time. Add complexity including LWD to streams. There is no performance standard for this metric. N/A N/A Restore and enhance native floodplain and streambank vegetation. Plant native tree and understory species in riparian zone and plant appropriate species on streambank. Reduce sediment inputs from bank erosion and runoff. Increase nutrient cycling and storage in floodplain. Provide riparian habitat. Add a source of LWD and organic material to stream. Support all stream functions. 210 planted stems per acre at MY7. Interim survival rate of 320 planted stems per acre at MY3 and 260 at MY5. Trees in each plot must average 7 ft at MY5 and 10 ft at MY7. One hundred square meter vegetation plots are placed on 2% of the planted area of the Site. Data will be collected during MY1, MY2, MY3, MY5, and MY7 and visual inspections will be performed annually. Visual observations indicate planted trees are thriving and on track to meet MY5 performance standards. Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Monitoring Year 4 Annual Report - Final 1-4 Goal Objective/ Treatment Likely Functional Uplift Performance Criteria Measurement Cumulative Monitoring Results Permanently protect the project Site from harmful uses. Establish conservation easements on the Site. Protect site from encroachment on the riparian corridor and direct impact to streams and wetlands. Support all stream functions. Prevent easement encroachment. Visually inspect the perimeter of the Site to ensure no easement encroachment is occurring. No easement encroachments have occurred. 1.3 Project Attributes The Site area has been used for livestock grazing or maintained as managed herbaceous cover since at least 1940. Cattle were continually rotated through all fields with access to the project streams. Based on aerial photos from 1940 to 2012, there was an increase in agricultural activity between 1955 and 1972, but on-site streams have existed in their approximate locations with very little change to riparian buffer extents since 1972. Catfish Pond was constructed sometime between 1940 and 1955, and extensive logging and farm road construction along the Site streams were prevalent during this period. Aerial photographs from 1972 show UT1 in a cleared condition. This imagery, in addition to the lack of sinuosity on UT1, suggests that the channel was straightened for agricultural purposes prior to 1972. UT1 showed no signs of riparian buffer growth until 2005, when an aerial photo shows a visible narrow corridor of trees. Catfish Creek, UT2, and Mountain Tributary do not show signs of channel manipulation. Table 3 below presents additional information on pre-restoration conditions. Project Activity and Reporting History, as well as the Project Contact Table are included in Appendix E. Table 3: Project Attributes PROJECT INFORMATION Project Name Catfish Pond Mitigation Site County Durham County Project Area (acres) 20.73 Project Coordinates 36° 9’ 48.03” N, 78° 54’ 37.66” W PROJECT WATERSHED SUMMARY INFORMATION Physiographic Province Carolina Slate Belt of Piedmont River Basin Neuse River USGS HUC 8-digit 03020201 USGS HUC 14-digit 03020201020040 DWR Sub-basin 03-04-01 Land Use Classification 45.6% forested, 54.2% cultivated, 0.2% wetland Project Drainage Area (acres) 227 (Catfish Creek - 197, Mountain Tributary - 30) Percentage of Impervious Area 0.0% Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Monitoring Year 4 Annual Report - Final 1-5 RESTORATION TRIBUTARY SUMMARY INFORMATION Parameters Catfish Creek UT1 Reach 4 Reach 6 Reach 2 Reach 3 Pre-project length (feet) 369 466 430 154 Post-project (feet) 373 444 520 149 Valley confinement Unconfined Moderately Confined Drainage area (acres) 56 70 105 107 Perennial, Intermittent, Ephemeral Perennial DWR Water Quality Classification WS-II/HQW/NSW Dominant Stream Classification (existing) Incised E6 N/A C6 E4b Dominant Stream Classification (proposed) C4 B4a C4 B4a Dominant Evolutionary class (Simon) if applicable Stage IV N/A Stage V Stage IV REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS Parameters Applicable? Resolved? Supporting Documentation Water of the United States - Section 404 Yes Yes USACE Nationwide Permit No. 27 and DWQ 401 Water Quality Certification No. 4134. Water of the United States - Section 401 Yes Yes Endangered Species Act Yes Yes Categorical Exclusion in Mitigation Plan (Wildlands, 2019) Historic Preservation Act Yes Yes Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA or CAMA) N/A N/A N/A Essential Fisheries Habitat N/A N/A N/A Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Monitoring Year 4 Annual Report - Final 2-1 Section 2: MONITORING YEAR 4 DATA ASSESSMENT Annual monitoring and site visits were conducted during MY4 to assess the condition of the project. The vegetation and stream success criteria for the Site follow the approved performance standards presented in the Mitigation Plan (Wildlands, 2019). Performance criteria for vegetation, stream, and hydrologic assessment are located in Section 1.2 Table 2: Goals, Performance Criteria, and Functional Improvements. Methodology for annual monitoring is presented in the Baseline Monitoring Document and As-Built Baseline Report (Wildlands, 2020). 2.1 Vegetative Assessment Detailed vegetation inventory and analysis is not required during MY4. Visual assessment indicated that vegetation is performing adequately to attain interim success criteria of 260 planted stems per acre at the end of MY5 and terminal success criteria of 210 planted stems per acre averaging ten feet in height at the end of MY7. Volunteer tree species continue to become established adding to stem density and species diversity. Herbaceous vegetation is dense and providing streambank stabilization as well as wildlife habitat. 2.2 Vegetation Areas of Concern and Management While planted trees are growing well, herbaceous vegetation is dense. In May 2023, another round of herbicide ring sprays was applied around the base of trees, targeting the area around trees waist high or less in height. Soil amendments were also added to the base of these stems to give them an advantage in competing for resources, therefore helping them grow above herbaceous vegetation. Soil amendments consisted of a mix of nutrients and lime to help neutralize soil, making it easier for roots to absorb those nutrients. In March 2023, invasive and aggressively growing species were treated using various approaches along Catfish Creek. Isolated resprouts of Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense) were treated through a cut stump herbicide application or hand pulled. Sporadic patches of multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), and competing blackberry (Rubus spp.) were treated with a foliar spray of triclopyr. Wildlands will continue to monitor for invasive species and additional treatments will be applied as necessary. 2.3 Stream Assessment Detailed morphological survey and analysis is not required during MY4. Visual monitoring indicated that the stream channel is performing as designed. No deposition or erosion exceeding approximate natural levels, or indicators of channel instability, were observed. The area on UT1 Reach 3 around cross-section 7 that was repaired in July 2021 (MY2) appears to be stable and functioning well. See Appendix A for stream photographs and visual assessment data. 2.4 Stream Areas of Concern and Management In light of the difficulties documenting bankfull events on Catfish Creek, it was suggested at the June 2022 Interagency Review Team (IRT) site walk that the focus for Catfish Creek be on optimizing high frequency of streamflow. Streamflow has been documented throughout the year using both pressure transducers and trail cameras. Streamflow has been strong and continuous for much of the year. Wildlands will continue to monitor for both flow and bankfull events but does not believe stream flow is a cause for concern. See Section 2.5 below for more detailed information. Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Monitoring Year 4 Annual Report - Final 2-2 2.5 Hydrology Assessment By the end of MY7, four or more bankfull events must have occurred in separate years within the restoration reaches. A bankfull event was recorded on Catfish Creek Reach 6 and on UT1 Reach 2 on July 9, 2023. The bankfull event on Catfish Creek Reach 6 was documented by the trail camera at the lower end of the reach (see Bankfull Event Visual Observations in Appendix D). The bankfull event on UT1 Reach 2 was recorded by the pressure transducer installed on the reach. None of the pressure transducers on Catfish Creek have recorded a bankfull event in MY4 so far. They did record a significant spike in flow on July 9, 2023 when the bankfull event was recorded on UT1 and the Catfish Creek trail camera. We believe they are functioning correctly, but the pressure transducers are set to read every 30 minutes at the 00- and 30-minute marks. The trail camera on Catfish Creek Reach 6 happened to be taking quick videos every 30 minutes around the 15- and 45-minute marks. The bankfull was recorded at around the 45-minute mark. While it is possible Catfish Creek did not reach bankfull at the location of the Catfish Creek Reach 6 pressure transducer, we believe that the crest of bankfull flow at that location did not last long enough for the pressure transducer to take a reading while it was out of bank. As mentioned in the MY2 Report, Wildlands installed two additional crest gauges on Catfish Creek Reach 4 in the hopes of determining if bankfull events were occurring in other locations along the stream (see Figure 1a for locations). In September 2022, they were re-installed to function both as flow and crest gauges to turn the focus toward stream flow as discussed at the June 2022 IRT site walk. Catfish Creek Reach 4 gauge B shows 165 consecutive and 199 total days of flow and Catfish Creek Reach 4 gauge C shows 161 consecutive and 197 total days of flow, out of 285 total days of monitoring for 2023. As in the previous year, neither gauge recorded a bankfull event. Because of the bedrock on Reach 6, it is almost impossible to install flow gauges. However, stream flow is documented in the trail cam video linked below. Trail cameras installed during MY3 to monitor flow on Catfish Creek Reach 4 and Reach 6 were adjusted in winter 2022/2023. Both cameras face upstream and show timelapse of stream flow during daylight hours (See Figure 1a for location). Streams show consistent flow throughout winter and spring, with gradually decreasing flow in late summer. As mentioned above, the trail camera at the downstream end of Catfish Creek Reach 6 also recorded a bankfull event on 7/9/2023 around 1:45pm. The Catfish Creek Reach 4 timelapse does not add useful information beyond what can be seen in the Catfish Creek Reach 6 timelapse. Video processing is time intensive, so the Reach 4 video files were not processed completely and are not included here. The Catfish Creek Reach 6 timelapse video recording flow from January 1 to October 13, 2023 has been uploaded to YouTube: https://youtu.be/2__qw7OjiQI. Hydrology on Catfish Creek will continue to be monitored via pressure transducers, where possible, and trail camera, if necessary, to confirm flow and document bankfull events. The Catfish Creek Reach 4 trail camera and the Catfish Creek Reach 4 gauge C transducer will be removed because neither seem to provide additional useful information. The Catfish Creek Reach 4 gauge B pressure transducer will suffice to record both flow and possible bankfull events on Reach 4. The original crest gauge on Catfish Creek Reach 6 and the trail camera will remain as they are. Refer to Appendix D for hydrology data. 2.6 Wetland Assessment As requested by the North Carolina Division of Water Resources (NCDWR), four groundwater wells with pressure transducers were installed and monitored within the existing wetlands zones (one along Catfish Creek Reach 4 and three along UT1 Reach 2). The purpose of these gauges was to assess Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Monitoring Year 4 Annual Report - Final 2-3 potential effects to wetland hydrology from the construction of the restored stream channels. The monitoring results are not tied to performance standards. Groundwater gauges monitoring existing wetlands have consistently shown wetlands are functioning well in the 3-4 years post stream restoration. Since the existing wetlands are not for credit, and have consistently shown wetland hydroperiods, groundwater gauges were removed on May 17, 2023 with approval from the IRT (June 2022 IRT site walk and April 2023 Credit Release Meeting). The data for the first 78 days of the MY4 growing season, before gauge removal, has been included in Appendix D. The measured hydroperiods for those 78 days were 14.5% (37 days) and 30.5% (78 days) of the growing season. 2.7 Monitoring Year 4 Summary Visual assessment indicated that all stream reaches within the Site are geomorphically stable and functioning as designed. Vegetation is well established along the stream banks and desirable volunteer tree species continue to add to stem density and species diversity. Survival and growth of planted trees appear to be on track to surpass MY5 interim success criteria. Sporadic resprouts of invasive vegetation were treated and herbicide ring sprays were applied around smaller trees in Monitoring Year 4. Wildlands will continue to monitor and treat as necessary. Bankfull events were recorded on both tributaries, and the flow gauges on Catfish Creek showed baseflow for 165 consecutive days and a total of 199 days out of the 285 days monitored. Groundwater gauges have shown existing, not for credit, wetlands are functioning well post stream restoration and were removed with permission. No easement encroachment or stream crossing issues have been identified in MY4. Overall, the Site is on track to meet MY7 success criteria. Summary information and data related to the performance of various project and monitoring elements can be found in the tables and figures in the report appendices. All raw data supporting the tables and figures in the appendices are available from DMS upon request. Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Monitoring Year 4 Annual Report - Final 3-1 Section 3: REFERENCES Breeding, R. 2010. Neuse River Basin Restoration Priorities 2010. NCEEP, NC Doll, B.A., Grabow, G.L., Hall, K.A., Halley, J., Harman, W.A., Jennings, G.D., and Wise, D.E. 2003. Stream Restoration A Natural Channel Design Handbook. Harrelson, C.C., Rawlins, C.L., Potyondy, J.P. 1994. Stream Channel Reference Sites: An Illustrated Guide to Field Technique. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-245. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 61 p. Rosgen, D. L. 1994. A classification of natural rivers. Catena 22:169-199. Rosgen, D.L. 1996. Applied River Morphology. Pagosa Springs, CO: Wildland Hydrology Books. Rosgen, D.L. 1997. A Geomorphological Approach to Restoration of Incised Rivers. Proceedings of the Conference on Management of Landscapes Disturbed by Channel Incision. Center For Computational Hydroscience and Bioengineering, Oxford Campus, University of Mississippi, Pages 12-22. North Carolina Division of Water Resources (DWR). 2015. Neuse 01 CU Update. River Basin Restoration Priorities Transition Approach. North Carolina Interagency Review Team (NCIRT). 2016. Wilmington District Stream and Wetland Compensatory Mitigation Update. Accessed at: https://saw- reg.usace.army.mil/PN/2016/Wilmington-District-Mitigation-Update.pdf United States Army Corps of Engineers. 2003. Stream Mitigation Guidelines. USACE, NCDENR-DWQ, USEPA, NCWRC. United States Geological Survey. 1998. North Carolina Geology. Wildlands Engineering, Inc. (2019). Catfish Pond Mitigation Project Mitigation Plan. DMS, Raleigh, NC. Wildlands Engineering, Inc. (2020). Catfish Pond Mitigation Project Baseline Monitoring Report. DMS, Raleigh, NC. APPENDIX A. Visual Assessment Data Table 4. Visual Stream Morphology Stability Assessment Table Catfish Pond Mitigation Site DMS Project No. 100039 Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Catfish Creek Reach 4 373 746 Surface Scour/ Bare Bank Bank lacking vegetative cover resulting simply from poor growth and/or surface scour.0 100% Toe Erosion Bank toe eroding to the extent that bank failure appears likely. Does NOT include undercuts that are modest, appear sustainable and are providing habitat. 0 100% Bank Failure Fluvial and geotechnical - rotational, slumping, calving, or collapse.0 100% 0 100% Grade Control Grade control structures exhibiting maintenance of grade across the sill. 25 25 100% Bank Protection Bank erosion within the structures extent of influence does not exceed 15%. 58 58 100% Visual assessment was completed October 13, 2023. Catfish Creek Reach 6 444 888 Surface Scour/ Bare Bank Bank lacking vegetative cover resulting simply from poor growth and/or surface scour.0 100% Toe Erosion Bank toe eroding to the extent that bank failure appears likely. Does NOT include undercuts that are modest, appear sustainable and are providing habitat. 0 100% Bank Failure Fluvial and geotechnical - rotational, slumping, calving, or collapse.0 100% 0 100% Grade Control Grade control structures exhibiting maintenance of grade across the sill. 15 15 100% Bank Protection Bank erosion within the structures extent of influence does not exceed 15%. 4 4 100% Visual assessment was completed October 13, 2023. % Stable, Performing as Intended Major Channel Category Metric Number Stable, Performing as Intended Total Number in As-Built Amount of Unstable Footage % Stable, Performing as Intended Assessed Stream Length Assessed Bank Length Bank Totals: Structure Structure Major Channel Category Metric Number Stable, Performing as Intended Total Number in As-Built Amount of Unstable Footage Assessed Stream Length Assessed Bank Length Bank Totals: Table 4. Visual Stream Morphology Stability Assessment Table Catfish Pond Mitigation Site DMS Project No. 100039 Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 UT1 Reach 2 520 1,040 Surface Scour/ Bare Bank Bank lacking vegetative cover resulting simply from poor growth and/or surface scour.0 100% Toe Erosion Bank toe eroding to the extent that bank failure appears likely. Does NOT include undercuts that are modest, appear sustainable and are providing habitat. 0 100% Bank Failure Fluvial and geotechnical - rotational, slumping, calving, or collapse.0 100% 0 100% Grade Control Grade control structures exhibiting maintenance of grade across the sill. 22 22 100% Bank Protection Bank erosion within the structures extent of influence does not exceed 15%. 30 30 100% Visual assessment was completed October 13, 2023. UT1 Reach 3 149 298 Surface Scour/ Bare Bank Bank lacking vegetative cover resulting simply from poor growth and/or surface scour.0 100% Toe Erosion Bank toe eroding to the extent that bank failure appears likely. Does NOT include undercuts that are modest, appear sustainable and are providing habitat. 0 100% Bank Failure Fluvial and geotechnical - rotational, slumping, calving, or collapse.0 100% 0 100% Grade Control Grade control structures exhibiting maintenance of grade across the sill. 14 14 100% Bank Protection Bank erosion within the structures extent of influence does not exceed 15%. 7 7 100% Visual assessment was completed October 13, 2023. % Stable, Performing as Intended Major Channel Category Metric Number Stable, Performing as Intended Total Number in As-Built Amount of Unstable Footage Assessed Stream Length Assessed Bank Length Totals: Bank Structure Totals: Structure % Stable, Performing as Intended Assessed Stream Length Assessed Bank Length Bank Major Channel Category Metric Number Stable, Performing as Intended Total Number in As-Built Amount of Unstable Footage Catfish Pond Mitigation Site DMS Project No. 100039 Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Planted Acreage 8.00 Vegetation Category Definitions Mapping Threshold (ac) Combined Acreage % of Planted Acreage Bare Areas Very limited cover of both woody and herbaceous material.0.10 0 0% Low Stem Density Areas Woody stem densities clearly below target levels based on MY3, 4, or 5 stem count criteria.0.10 0 0% 0.00 0% Areas of Poor Growth Rates Areas with woody stems of a size class that are obviously small given the monitoring year.0.25 0 0% 0.00 0% Visual assessment was completed October 13, 2023. Easement Acreage 20.73 Vegetation Category Definitions Mapping Threshold (ac) Combined Acreage % of Easement Acreage Easement Encroachment Areas Areas of points (if too small to render as polygons at map scale).none Visual assessment was completed October 13, 2023. Table 5. Vegetation Condition Assessment Table Total Cumulative Total 0 Encroachments Noted / 0 ac Invasive Areas of Concern Areas of points (if too small to render as polygons at map scale).0.10 0 0% STREAM PHOTOGRAPHS Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Appendix A: Visual Assessment Data – Stream Photographs PHOTO POINT 1 Catfish Creek R1 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 1 Catfish Creek R1 – downstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 2 Catfish Creek R2 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 2 Catfish Creek R2 – downstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 3 Catfish Creek R3 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 3 Catfish Creek R3 – downstream (03/14/2023) Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Appendix A: Visual Assessment Data – Stream Photographs PHOTO POINT 4 Catfish Creek R4 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 4 Catfish Creek R4 – downstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 5 Catfish Creek R5 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 5 Catfish Creek R5 – downstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 6 Catfish Creek R6 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 6 Catfish Creek R6 – downstream (03/14/2023) Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Appendix A: Visual Assessment Data – Stream Photographs PHOTO POINT 7 Catfish Creek R7 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 7 Catfish Creek R7 – downstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 8 Catfish Creek R7 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 8 Catfish Creek R7 – downstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 9 Catfish Creek R7 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 9 Catfish Creek R7 – downstream (03/14/2023) Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Appendix A: Visual Assessment Data – Stream Photographs PHOTO POINT 10 UT1 R1 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 10 UT1 R1 – downstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 11 UT1 R1 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 11 UT1 R1 – downstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 12 UT1 R1 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 12 UT1 R1 – downstream (03/14/2023) Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Appendix A: Visual Assessment Data – Stream Photographs PHOTO POINT 13 UT1 R2 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 13 UT1 R2 – downstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 14 UT1 R2 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 14 UT1 R2 – downstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 15 UT1 R3 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 15 UT1 R3 – downstream (03/14/2023) Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Appendix A: Visual Assessment Data – Stream Photographs PHOTO POINT 16 UT1 R4 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 16 UT1 R4 – downstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 17 UT2 – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 17 UT2 – downstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 18 Mountain Trib – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 18 Mountain Trib – downstream (03/14/2023) Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Appendix A: Visual Assessment Data – Stream Photographs PHOTO POINT 19 Mountain Trib – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 19 Mountain Trib – downstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 20 Mountain Trib – upstream (03/14/2023) PHOTO POINT 20 Mountain Trib – downstream (03/14/2023) CULVERT CROSSING PHOTOGRAPHS Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Appendix A: Visual Assessment Data – Culvert Crossing Photographs Catfish Creek R4 – Looking Upstream (03/14/2023) Catfish Creek R4 – Looking Downstream (03/14/2023) UT1 R1 – Looking Upstream (03/14/2023) UT1 R1 – Looking Downstream (03/14/2023) UT1 R2 – Looking Upstream (03/14/2023) UT1 R2 – Looking Downstream (03/14/2023) APPENDIX B. Vegetation Plot Data Vegetation inventory and analysis not required during MY4. APPENDIX C. Stream Geomorphology Data Morphological survey and analysis not required during MY4. APPENDIX D. Hydrology Data Reach MY1 (2020)MY2 (2021)MY3 (2022)MY4 (2023)*MY5 (2024)MY6 (2025)MY7 (2026) Catfish Creek Reach 6 10/11/2020 N/A N/A 7/9/2023^ UT1 Reach 2 12/14/2020 1/3/2021 2/15/2021 4/9/2021 5/23-24/2022 7/9/2023 *Data was collected 1/1/2023 to 10/13/2023. Data from the remainder of MY4 will be updated in MY5. ^Bankfull documented visually on trail camera. A screenshot from the Catfish Creek Reach 6 video is included in Appendix D. MY1 (2020)MY2 (2021)MY3 (2022)MY4 (2023)MY5 (2024)MY6 (2025)MY7 (2026) Annual Precipitation Total 60.41 in 40.55 in 46.15 in 36.56 in* 30 Year Average Precip WETS 30th Percentile 42.80 in 43.74 in 43.01 in 43.57 in 30 Year Average Precip WETS 70th Percentile 50.25 in 51.35 in 50.84 in 51.23 in Annual Precipitation Compared to Normal High Low Normal * 30 Year Average Precipitation Source: Roxboro 7 ESE Station, Person County, NC, AgACIS (Approximately 14 miles from Site) *Annual precipitation was collected 1/1/2023 to 10/13/2023. Data from the remainder of MY4 will be updated in MY5. Annual Precipitation Source: Butner Beef Cattle Laboratory (BAHA) Station, Durham County, NC, State Climate Office (Approximately 5.5 miles from Site) Catfish Pond Mitigation Site DMS Project No. 100039 Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Table 10. Bankfull Events Catfish Pond Mitigation Site DMS Project No. 100039 Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Table 11. Rainfall Summary BANKFULL EVENT VISUAL OBSERVATION Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Appendix D: Hydrology Data – Bankfull Event Visual Observation Catfish Creek Reach 6: Bankfull event recorded on Catfish 4 trail camera (07/09/2023) Table 12. Groundwater Gauge Summary Catfish Pond Mitigation Site DMS Project No. 100039 Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 MY1 (2020)MY2 (2021)MY3 (2022)MY4 (2023)*MY5 (2024)MY6 (2025)MY7 (2026) 1 14 Days (5.3%) 49 Days (19.1%) 45 Days (17.6%) 37 Days (14.5%) 2 100 Days (37.6%) 80 Days (31.3%) 59 Days (23.0%) 78 Days (30.5%) 3 109 Days (41.0%) 87 Days (34.0%) 71 Days (27.7%) 78 Days (30.5%) 4 59 Days (22.2%) 80 Days (31.3%) 36 Days (14.1%) 78 Days (30.5%) Growing Season: 3/1/2023 to 11/11/2023 (255 Days) Perfomance Standard: None Gauge Max. Consecutive Hydroperiod (Percentage) *Reflects the data collected from 3/1/2023 to 05/17/2023 (78 days). Groundwater gauges were removed on May 17, 2023. Groundwater Gauge Plot Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Catfish Pond Mitigation Site DMS Project No. 100039 St a r t o f G r o w i n g S e a s o n 3/ 1 / 2 0 2 3 37 max consecutive days Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 Pr e c i p i t a t i o n ( i n ) Wa t e r L e v e l ( i n ) Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Daily Precipitation Gauge #1 Criteria Level Soil Surface 30-Day Rolling Precip Total 30th & 70th Percentile Catfish Pond Groundwater Gauge #1 Groundwater Gauge Plot Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Catfish Pond Mitigation Site DMS Project No. 100039 St a r t o f G r o w i n g S e a s o n 3/ 1 / 2 0 2 3 78 max consecutive days Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 Pr e c i p i t a t i o n ( i n ) Wa t e r L e v e l ( i n ) Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Daily Precipitation Gauge #2 Criteria Level Soil Surface 30-Day Rolling Precip Total 30th & 70th Percentile Catfish Pond Groundwater Gauge #2 Groundwater Gauge Plot Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Catfish Pond Mitigation Site DMS Project No. 100039 St a r t o f G r o w i n g S e a s o n 3/ 1 / 2 0 2 3 78 max consecutive days Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 Pr e c i p i t a t i o n ( i n ) Wa t e r L e v e l ( i n ) Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Daily Precipitation Gauge #3 Criteria Level Soil Surface 30-Day Rolling Precip Total 30th & 70th Percentile Catfish Pond Groundwater Gauge #3 Groundwater Gauge Plot Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Catfish Pond Mitigation Site DMS Project No. 100039 St a r t o f G r o w i n g S e a s o n 3/ 1 / 2 0 2 3 78 max consecutive days Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 Pr e c i p i t a t i o n ( i n ) Wa t e r L e v e l ( i n ) Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Daily Precipitation Gauge #4 Criteria Level Soil Surface 30-Day Rolling Precip Total 30th & 70th Percentile Catfish Pond Groundwater Gauge #4 APPENDIX E. Project Timeline and Contact Info DMS Project No. 100039 DMS Project No. 100039 October 2020 April-May 2020 July 2021 Year 1 Monitoring Competitive Vegetation Treatment 1 Invasive Vegetation Treatment Stream channel repairs on UT1 Reach 3 Year 2 Monitoring Stream Survey October 2020 April & October 2021 Invasive Vegetation Treatment September 2021 May & September 2020 December 2020Vegetation Survey Table 13. Project Activity and Reporting History Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Activity or Deliverable Data Collection Complete Completion or Scheduled Delivery Project Instituted NA January 2018 Mitigation Plan Approved July 2019 July 2019 As-Built Survey Completed March-April 2020 April 2020 Construction (Grading) Completed February-March 2020 March 2020 Planting Completed NA March 2020 Baseline Monitoring Document (Year 0)Stream Survey March-April 2020 June 2020Vegetation Survey March 2020 December 2021Vegetation Survey September 2021 Stream Survey April 2022 December 2022Vegetation Survey September 2022 Stream Survey April 2022 May 2022 June 2022 October 2023 Year 5 Monitoring Stream Survey 2024 December 2024Vegetation Survey 2024 Year 4 Monitoring Visual Assessments Completed Invasive Vegetation Treatment March 2023 May 2023Competitive Vegetation Treatment 1 with Soil Amendments Year 6 Monitoring December 2025 Year 7 Monitoring Stream Survey 2026 December 2026Vegetation Survey 2026 843.277.6221 Monitoring, POC Jason Lorch 919.851.9986 Monitoring Performers Wildlands Engineering, Inc. Year 3 Monitoring In-stream Vegetation Treatment Invasive Vegetation Treatment Competitive Vegetation Treatment 1 with Soil Amendments Construction Contractor Main Stream Earthwork, Inc. 631 Camp Dan Valley Rd Reidsville, NC 27320 1Herbicide ring sprays around the base of planted stems. Table 14. Project Contact Table Catfish Pond Mitigation Site Monitoring Year 4 - 2023 Designer Daniel Johnson, PE Wildlands Engineering, Inc. 497 Bramson Ct, Suite 104 Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464