20061905 Ver 1_Year 8 Monitoring Report_20151203

Mason Property Wetland Mitigation Project
Hyde County, NC

2015 Supplemental Monitoring Report – Post Closeout
Year 8

NCEEP Project Number D06001
Tar-Pamlico River Basin CU: 03020105

Submitted to
NCDENR/Ecosystem Enhancement Program
217 West Jones St.,
Suite 3000A, Raleigh, N.C. 27603
Date: November, 2015

Monitoring:
Albemarle Restorations, LLC
P. O. Box 176
Fairfield, NC 27826

ii

Table of Contents

Executive Summary ……………………………………………………………………. 1
I. Project Background ………………………………………………………………….. 2
1.0 Project Objectives ……………………………………………………… 2
2.0 Project Structure, Restoration Type and Approach ……………………. 2
3.0 Location and Setting …………………………………………………… 3
4.0 Project History and Background ……………………………………….. 5
II. Project Condition and Monitor ing Results ………………………………………….. 7
1.0 Vegetation Assessment ………………………………………………… 7

List of Tables

Table E-S 1. Project Success Summary …………………………………………………1
Table I. Project Restoration Components ……………………………………………….3
Table II. Project Activity and Repo rting History ………………………………………..5

List of Figures

Figure 1. Composite Vicinity Map …………………………………………………..…. 4
Figure 2. Monitoring Plan View: Gauges and Vegetation Plots ………….……….…… 7

Appendices

Appendix A. Vegetation Data, Site Photos and Hydrographs

Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 1

Executive Summary

The Mason Property Wetland Mitigation Site went to closeout in the spring of 2013. Hydrology
was more than adequate but tree survival was suffering due to the damage done by Hurricane
Irene in 2011. As a result, the Interagency Rev iew Team agreed with Albemarle Restorations
recommendation that the site be replanted and monitored for an additional three years for
vegetation success. The IRT suggested that one hydrology monitoring gauge be maintained for
reference. Portions of the project area were disked to facilitate planting in September of 2013
and in November of 2014 the project area was replanted to varying densities as needed to bring
stocking levels up.

The Mason Project is a riverine and non-riverine wetland restoration pro ject located on U. S. Rt.
264 at Rose Bay in Hyde County, North Carolina. It was constructed by Albemarle Restorations,
LLC, under contract with EEP to provide compensatory wetland mitigation credits in the Tar-
Pamlico River Basin. Construction activities, in accordance with the approved restoration plan,
began March 14, 2007, and were completed on Ma y 14, 2007. The result ing features include a
main swamp run and adjacent areas of lower elevation that retain flood water for extended
periods.

Four vegetative monitoring plots are installed and permanently monumented. Due to the disking
activities, the plots had to be re-installed but they are all at or very near their original locations
which ensure an accurate sampling of the entire vegetative communit y. Each plot is a 10m X
10m square, as recommended by the CVS-EEP Protocol for recording vegetation sampling. In
this eight h year of monitoring, all four plots met the Year 5 success criterion of 260 living
planted stems per acre.

Table ES-1 shows the levels of success attained by each of the vegetation plots since monitoring
began. Success criterion for the vegetation plots is 260 live stems per acre (the year 5 criterion
for survival). Average stocking for the entire project at the end of 2015 was 374 stems per acre
down only slightly from the 2014 average of 392 stems per acre.

Table ES 1.
Plot
Stems per acre for these years:
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
1 364 445 454 412 0 412 371 364
2 324 445 371 330 206 495 454 445
3 243 405 495 495 41 412 412 364
4 40 405 371 330 82 330 330 323

Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 2

I. Project Background

1.0 Project Objectives

The goal of the Mason Property Mitigation Project was to create both riverine and non-riverine
wetland systems that will accomplish several goals. Primary among those goals is the
establishment of functioning wetlands that will aid in flood attenuation and improve water
quality on site and downstream. The project is to serve as compensation for wetland loss in the
Tar-Pamlico River Basin. The restoration plan was developed and implemented to eliminate
pattern drainage and restore topography and hydrology that more closely resembled that of
similar undisturbed land. Construction resulted in the development of a broad, frequently
flooded swamp ru n following the historical path as evidenced by aerial photographs and
signature topography. Subsequent planting was designed to restore a wetland forest ecosystem
that is typically found in the immediate area characteristic of similar soils, topography a nd
hydrology.

The specific project goals and objectives include:
1) Provide floodflow attenuation.
2) Water quality improvement through sediment, toxicant, and nutrient r etention and
reduction.
3) Slow over bank flow rates and provide storage and desynchronization of flood waters.
4) Alleviate downstream flooding issues by lessening the effect of pulse or flashy flows.
5) Provide shading through forest cover to reduce algae growth and associated low
dissolved oxygen levels in surface water moving through the site.
6) The production and export of food sources.
7) The creation of wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities.

2.0 Project Structure, Restoration Type, and Approach

Table I lists the estimated wetland acreage by community type to be restored on the Mason
Property. The mitigation plan provides for the restoration of 16.0 acres of riverine wetlands and
20.0 acres of non-riverine wetlands. The 36.0 acre easement area is located within the
boundaries of the larger Maso n farm which has been used for row crop production. The project
area was bisected by a deep drainage ditch that acted as a stream that ran from north to south
through the property. Degradation to the channel and surrounding areas by past agricultural
act ivities, including channel straightening and planting of row crops up to the channel edges had
eliminated any significant natural habitat on the site and allowed excessive nutrient and sediment
accumulation in the c hannel. Construction, in accordance with the approved restoration plan,
began in March of 2007 and was completed in May of 2007. The resulting features and
topography allow for frequent over bank flooding of the newly created swamp run, which in turn
allows for adjacent areas that are lower in elevation to retain water even after stream flow returns
to normal.

Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 3

Table I. Project Restoration Components
Mason Property Wetland Mitigation Site/EEP #D06001
Post
Community Pre-Existing Construction Credit Ratio Mitigation
Type Acreage Acreage (Restoration WMU) Units
Riverine
Wetland 0.0 16.0 1:1 16.0
Non-Riverine
Wetland 0.0 20.0 1:1 20.0

Total 36.0

3.0 Location and Setting

The Mason Property Mitigation Site is located in Hyde County, on the north side of U.S.
Highway 264, approximately 1 mile northwest of Rose Bay, NC (intersection of Turnpike Rd.
and U.S. 264). The easement area is situated in the center of the Mason property and lies along
the mid and upper reaches of an unnamed tr ibutary to Rose Bay, referred to locally as the
“Mason Ditch.” Downstream from this site, the tributary flows almost exclusively through
wooded areas containing extensive wetland communities before joining the main run of Rose
Bay Creek. The surrounding area is primarily forest and agricultural land with residential
properties as a minor component.

Figure 1 is a location map for the project area. Directions to the site are as follows: t ravel west
from Rose Bay on U.S. Hwy. 264 approximately 1 mile and turn right (north) onto the property.
Access to the site is via a farm path.

Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 4

Figure 1. Composite Vicinity Map

Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 5

4.0 Project History and Background

Table II provides the history of data collection and actual completion of various milestones of
the Mason Property Wetland Mitigation Site.

Table II. Project Activity and Reporting History
Mason Property Wetland Mitigation Project/EEP #D06001
Data Collection Actual Completion
Activity or Report Complete or Delivery
Restoration Plan June 2006 November 2006
Final Design -90% June 2006 November 2006
Construction N/A May 2007
Temporary S & E mix applied to entire project area N/A May 2007
Permanent seed mix applied to entire project area N/A May 2007
Containerized and Bare Root Planting N/A May 2007
Mitigation Plan/As-built (Year 1 monitoring - baseline) Oct. 07/Sept. 08 December 2008
Year 2 monitoring September 2009 January 2010
Year 3 monitoring September 2010 December 2010
Year 4 monitoring September 2011 September 2011
Year 5 monitoring September 2012 December 2012
Year 6 monitoring (post closeout) November 2013 November 2013
Year 7 monitoring (post closeout) December 2014 December 2014
Year 8 monitoring (post closeout) November 2015 November 2015

Figure 2 provides a plan view of the site showing the location of the four vegetation monitoring
plots and the location of the rain gauge and single hydrologic gauge.

Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 6
Plot 1
Plot 4
Plot 3
Plot 2
Figure 2 – Plot and Gauge Locations
Hydrology Gauge 1

Hydrology Gauge 2

Ref. Hydrology Gauge

Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 7

II. Project Condition and Monitoring Results

1.0 Vegetation Assessment

The vegetation success criterion was developed in accordance with the CVS-EEP protocol. The
Mason project was planned to include various topographies and a contiguous plant community
consistent with those found naturally occurring along swamp runs and associated broad
hardwood flats. The original species mix was based on the vegetation noted at the reference site.
At the end of the 2012 growing season only Plot 4 had a significant number of live stems.
Mortality in 2012 across the site was due to salt water intrusion caused by high tides during
Hurricane Irene.

In September of 2013 portions of the site were disked to reduce the heavy cattail cover and
facilitate planting. In November of 2013 6,000 containerized bald cypress (T. distichum) were
planted. Bald cypress was chosen as it has proven to be the best suited species for the site given
the frequency and duration of high water and the possibility of future salt wate r intrusion.
Mortality between 2014 and 2015 was very slight and the trees have shown both height and
diameter growth between the two years. Crowns of many of the trees have emerged above the
dense cattails as can be seen in the photos.

Hydrology success was met in year five but three gauges are still on site for reference.
Hydrographs for the gauges are included in Appendix A. The site continues to be very wet but
the cypress appears to be able to not only tolerate the water but show growth as well. The
cattails shown in the photos average between 5 and 7 feet in height at the end of each growing
season, but the cypress crowns are gradually overtaking them.

Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 8

Appendix A

Vegetation Data Tables

Site Photos

Hydrographs

Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 9

Table 1. Project Summary
Report Prepared By Ashby Brown
Date Prepared 11/10/2015 0:00

database name AlbemarleRestorations_2015_A.mdb

DESCRIPTION OF
WORKSHEETS
Vigor by Spp Frequency distribution of vigor classes listed by species.
Damage
List of most frequent damage classes with number of occurrences and percent of total stems impacted by
each.
Damage by Spp Damage values tallied by type for each species.
Damage by Plot Damage values tallied by type for each plot.
ALL Stems by Plot and spp A matrix of the count of total living stems of each species (planted and natural volunteers combined) for
each plot; dead and missing stems are excluded.

PROJECT SUMMARY
Project Code D06001
project Name Mason Riverine
Description Mason Riverine wetland project in Hyde county, NC
River Basin Tar-Pamlico

Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 10

Table 2. Vigor by Species
Species CommonName 4 3 2 1 0 Missing
Taxodium distichum bald cypress 37 1 7
TOT: 1 1 37 1 7

Table 3. Damage by Species
Species CommonName Count of Damage Categories (no damage)
Taxodium distichum bald cypress 0 45
TOT: 1 1 0 45

Table 4. Damage by Plot
Plot Count of Damage Categories (no damage)
D06001-ABET-0001-year:7 0 10
D06001-ABET-0002-year:7 0 12
D06001-ABET-0003-year:7 0 15
D06001-ABET-0004-year:7 0 8
TOT: 4 0 45

Table 5. All Stems by Plot and Species
Plots
Species CommonName
Total
Stems
#
plots avg# stems 1 2 3 4
Taxodium distichum bald cypress 38 4 9.5 9 11 10 8
TOT: 1 1 38 1 9 11 10 8
Stems/Acre 364 445 364 323

Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 11

Cypress crowns getting above cattails

Crown of an older tree well above cattails.

Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 12

Good stocking and growth.

Standing water in November, crowns getting above cattails.

Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 13
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Mason Monitoring Gauge #1 (9669810)
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Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 14
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Albemarle Restorations, LLC
Mason Wetland Project – Hyde County, NC
2015 – Year 8 Post Closeout Supplemental Report 15
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