20070173 Ver 2_Emails_20151030

Burdette, Jennifer a
From: [e-mail]
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2015 4:31 PM
To: Burdette, Jennifer a
Cc: [e-mail]
Subject: Bright Sky Project - NCWAM Classifications
Attachments: Fig l_QL2_LiDAR-Ma p.pdf, Fig2_2_Foot_Contours.pdf, Fig3_USGS.pdf; NC WAM Final
Key v4.1 10-10-19.pdf
Good afternoon Jennifer,
Please find attached three figures for the Bright Sky Project in Clayton, NC showing topographic contours from three
different sources. The Figure 1 displays the site overlain with 1 -foot contours extracted from the QL2 LiDAR data for
Johnston County. Figure 2 shows the site with the NCDOT 2 -foot contour lines overlain, and Figure 3 shows the USGS
Topographic Map for the project area with USGS contour lines. We need to confirm with you whether or not wetlands WF
and WG are considered to be within a natural topographic crenulation. Based on the three different sources of elevation
data attached to this email, it is our opinion that wetlands WF and WG are located within natural topographic
crenulations and are therefore keyed out as headwater forest wetlands using the NCWAM method (I have also attached
the NCWAM dichotomous key for wetland types for your convenience). As verified in the field on Wednesday, wetlands
WF and WG have been isolated from their historic connection, however based on the contour lines and the landscape
surrounding each of these wetlands, they appear to be located within the original topographic features and are therefore
appear to be headwater forests according to the key.
Please review the attached documentation, and feel free to call either Beth or myself to discuss the classification of
wetlands WF and WG with respect to NCWAM.
Sincerely,
Ja oin III°larts hoirin
Kimley-Horn 13001 Weston IParkway, Cary, INC 27513Direct: 919 678 41::5 I I oL)ile: 919 41.7 1781

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Legend
QL2 LiDAR Data
1 -Foot Contour Lines a:
1
5 -Foot Contour Lines
Wetlands
Project Study Area
Feet ` 'r
0 250 500 750 1,000 � NC 0 eMap, NIC—Center for Geographic Inforrnaation and An Lysis, NC 911
Board 'tl.3'r
Figure 1: QL2 1 -Foot Contour Map
Kimle >>> Hornright Sky Project
Y ClClayton, Johnston County
October 2015

Legend
NCDOT 2 -Foot Contours
Wetlands
rq Project Study Area
Feet
0 250 500 750 1,000
Kimley>>> Horn
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YX„= WB
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gure 2: NCDOT 2 -Foot Contour Map
Bright Sky Project
Clayton, Johnston County
October 2015

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Legend
Feet
Project Study Area i 0 300 600 900 1,200
Figure 3: USGS Topographic Map
(Powhatan, 1981)
Kimley>>> Horn Bright Sky Project
Clayton, Johnston County
September 2015

Dichotomous Key to General North Carolina Wetland Types
Accompanies NC WAM User Manual, Version 4.1
Before using this key, the assessor should read and become familiar with descriptions of the general
wetland types. The assessor should use best professional judgment to verify that the wetland type
determined with the use of this key matches the written description (see User Manual page number
following wetland type name).
The following rule should be used to assist in the selection of the most appropriate general wetland type.
Narrative descriptions are also available to assist in this choice (see User Manual Section 3.1).
Wetlands with alterations (man-made or natural) should generally be classified as the
original, naturally occurring type if this determination can be made. However, if the full
range of stable, existing, wetland parameters (vegetation, hydrology, and soils) better
resembles another wetland type because of long-established, permanent alterations, the
wetland should be classified as this current, more appropriate type.
If there is evidence suggesting the wetland is a type other than the keyed type, the wetland may be
classified as the evidenced type. Also, if the wetland does not appear to conform to any of the following
general types, the site should be evaluated based on what the assessor believes is the closest wetland
type. If the wetland is "intensively managed" or "intensively disturbed," the assessor should note this fact
on the field assessment form and then select the most appropriate general wetland type based on the
guidance provided above.
Wetland affected by lunar or wind tide, may include woody areas contiguous with tidal marsh
A. Wetland affected, at least occasionally, by brackish or salt water
i. Dominated by herbaceous vegetation — Salt/Brackish Marsh (p. 12)
ii. Dominated by woody vegetation — Estuarine Woody Wetland (p. 15)
B. Wetland primarily affected by freshwater
i. Dominated by herbaceous vegetation — Tidal Freshwater Marsh (p. 17)
ii. Dominated by woody vegetation — Riverine Swamp Forest (p. 19)
Wetland not affected by tides
A. Not in a geomorphic floodplain or a natural topographic crenulation and not contiguous with an
open water 20 acres or larger
i. On a side slope — Seep (p. 24)
ii. On interstream divides or on a coastal island
1. Flats on interstream divides in Coastal Plain ecoregions
a. Dominated by deciduous trees
i. Seasonally saturated to seasonally inundated (typically dominated by sweetgum
and oaks) — Hardwood Flat (p. 26)
ii. Seasonally to semi -permanently inundated (typically dominated by cypress and
black gum) — Non-Riverine Swamp Forest (p. 28)
b. Dominated by evergreens
i. Dominated by dense, waxy shrub species (typically include gallberries,
fetterbushes, honeycup, greenbriar); canopy may include pond pine, Atlantic
white cedar, and bays — Pocosin (p. 30)
ii. Not dominated by dense, waxy shrub species
1. Dominated by long -leaf or pond pine and wire grass — Pine Savanna (p. 32)
2. Dominated by loblolly or slash pines — Pine Flat (p. 33)
2. In depressions surrounded by uplands anywhere in the state (mafic depressions, lime
sinks, Carolina bays) or contiguous with an open water
NC Wetland Assessment Method (NC WAM) v4.1 vii Dichotomous Key to General Wetland Types

Dichotomous Key to General NC Wetland Types, Continued
2. In depressions surrounded by uplands anywhere in the state (mafic depressions, lime
sinks, Carolina bays) or contiguous with an open water (repeated from the
previous page)
a. Dominated by dense, waxy shrub species (typically include gallberries, fetterbushes,
honeycup, greenbriar); canopy may include pond pine, Atlantic white cedar, and bays
and not characterized by clay -based soils— Pocosin (p. 30)
b. Not dominated by dense, waxy shrub species and not characterized by a peat -filled
bay — Basin Wetland (p. 35)
B. Ina geomorphic floodplain or a natural topographic crenulation or contiguous with an open water
20 acres or larger
i. Northern Inner Piedmont or Blue Ridge Mountains ecoregions and dense herbaceous or
mixed shrub/herbaceous vegetation with characteristic bog species (see wetland type
description), with or without tree canopy; at least semi-permanent saturation; typically on
organic or mucky soils; sphagnum moss commonly present — Bog (p. 37)
ii. Anywhere in the state and not Bog
1. Dominated by herbaceous vegetation. At least semi -permanently inundated or saturated.
Includes lacustrine and riparian fringe and beaver ponds with dense herbaceous
vegetation; sphagnum moss scarce or absent — Non -Tidal Freshwater Marsh (p. 40)
2. Dominated by woody vegetation. Trees may be present on edges or hummocks.
a. Localized depression and semi -permanently inundated — Floodplain Pool (p. 43)
b. Not "a"
i. Less than second -order stream or in a topographic crenulation without a stream.
Diffuse surface flow and groundwater more important than overbank flooding.
1. Seasonally to semi -permanently saturated and/or only intermittently
inundated — Headwater Forest (p. 45)
2. Seasonally to semi -permanently inundated — Riverine Swamp Forest
(p. 19)
ii. Second -order or greater stream or contiguous with an open water 20 acres or
larger
1. Intermittently to seasonally inundated (may be dominated by sweetgum,
ash, sycamore, and oaks) — Bottomland Hardwood Forest (p. 49)
2. Seasonally to semi -permanently inundated (may be dominated by
cypress and blackgums in Coastal Plain and ash, overcup oak, and elms
in Piedmont and Mountains) — Riverine Swamp Forest (p. 19)
'See stream order schematic diagrams in User Manual Appendix C.
NC Wetland Assessment Method (NC WAM) v4.1 viii Dichotomous Key to General Wetland Types