20040337 Ver 2_Other Agency Comments_20151023 (2)

North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Pat McCrory Donald R. van der Vaart
Governor Secretary
October 23, 2015
To: Karen Higgins, Division of Water Resources
From: Anne Deaton, Division of Marine Fisheries
Subject: Water's Edge Homeowner's Association (Great Oaks Dr.)
Hampstead, NC
I was asked by the applicant's contractor, Jimmy North, to conduct an SAV survey for the above referenced
property to satisfy the Division of Water Resource's (DWR) request for additional information. I was told by
Division of Coastal Management (DCM) staff that although DCM fisheries resource specialists conducted a
field visit and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) survey in June, a survey was needed from the Division of
Marine Fisheries (DMF) or a consultant.
Under G.S. 113 -131, the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has authority to review and comment on
development projects. In 2013, DMF transferred fisheries resource specialist positions to the Division of
Coastal Management (DCM). These two positions were responsible for reviewing permit applications for
DMF, and were to continue doing that function at DCM. I have attached a memo explaining that
agreement. Currently the two positions that serve as the fisheries resource specialists are Gregg Bodnar
and Shane Staples. I have worked with both and have complete confidence in their abilities.
Mr. Bodnar and other DCM staff surveyed the site in April and June and submitted comments in a letter
dated August 20, 2015 (attached letter and survey sketch). At that time, they found SAV within the
footprint of both the northern (slip # 5 -9) and southern (slip #1 -4) docks. The dominant species present at
that time was eelgrass (Z. marina), with density ranging from 10 -70 %. SAV coverage was more prevalent
and denser on the northern dock.
On October 23, 2015, 1 visited the site at low tide. Water depth at the northern dock was 0.25 - 0.54 m and
a portion of the floating dock was sitting on the bottom. Water depth at the southern dock was 0.74 — 0.92
m deep. There appears to be about a 1 m tide range at the site. I observed SAV to be present in similar
locations and densities as identified by DCM staff, although the major species present was shoal grass (H.
wrightii). Eelgrass and shoal grass tend to occur in mixed beds, with eelgrass more abundant in the spring
and early summer and shoal grass more abundant in the late summer and fall, so this difference in species
was expected. Based on my visual inspection of the proposed dredge site, I concur with the previous
survey results found by DCM in June.
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