20052016 Ver 5_Modifications_20241022

DIVISION OF COASTAL MANAGEMENT
FIELD INVESTIGATION REPORT
I. APPLICANT'S NAME: Town of Surf City
2. LOCATION OF PROJECT SITE: The project site is located in Surf City, from south of Humphrey
Avenue to north of 9" Street, in Pender and Onslow Counties.
Approx. Lat: 34.393194' N (start)/ 34.446004' N (end)
Long: 77.59326' W (start) / 77.506963' W (end)
3. INVESTIGATION TYPE: CAMA / D&F
4. INVESTIGATIVE PROCEDURE: Dates of Site Visit— 5/31/19
Was Applicant Present — No
5. PROCESSING PROCEDURE: Application Received —1 1/26/19 (complete)
Office — Wilmington
6. SITE DESCRIPTION:
(A) Local Land Use Plan — Town of Surf City
(B) AEC(s) Involved: OH, PTA
(C) Water Dependent: Yes
(D) Intended Use: Public
(E) Wastewater Treatment: Existing — Municipal Sewer
Planned - N/A
(F) Type of Structures: Existing — Primarily residential structures and accessways
Planned — Beach nourishment project
(G) Estimated Annual Rate of Erosion: 0'-1'/year
7. HABITAT DESCRIPTION: [AREA]
DREDGED FILLED QTPPR
(A) Vegetated Wetlands (coastal)
(B) Other (Below MHW)
— 96 acres
— 256.77 acres
(C) Other (Above MHW)
—36.24 acres
(II) Total Area Disturbed: —293 acres of beach fill
Primary Nursery Area: No
(I) Water Classification: SA/SB Open: Yes
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North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Coastal Management
Wilmington Office i 127 Cardinal Drive Extension I Wilmington, North Carolina 26405
910.796.7215

Town of Surf City Beach Nourishment
Page Two
8. PROJECT SUMMARY: The applicant is proposing a beach nourishment project from south of Humphrey
Avenue to north of 9th Street.
�9. PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The Town of Surf City is located on a southeast facing barrier island located in Pender and Onslow
Counties between Topsail Beach to the south and North Topsail Beach to the north. The Town of Surf
City is approximately 6 miles in length. It is bordered by Banks Channel and the Atlantic Intracoastal
Waterway (AIWW) to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The island is accessed via 2 bridges.
The southern bridge leads into the Town of Surf City from NC Highway 50. The northern bridge leads
onto the island in North Topsail Beach from NC Highway 210 through Sneads Ferry.
The project site extends the entire limits of the town with the tapers extending into Topsail Beach and
North Topsail Beach, a distance of approximately 32,500 linear feet from south of Humphrey Avenue to
north of 9" Street. The long-term erosion rate for the project area ranges from 0'-1'/year. The 100-year
storm recession line for the island was predicted to be 180'.
A federal Coastal Storm Damage Reduction (CSDR) project has been authorized for Surf City and North
Topsail Beach, but no funds have been appropriated and therefore no plans are currently underway for the
USACE to construct the project. In 2005, the Town of Surf City received a major CAMA/Dredge & Fill
permit for beach bulldozing (Permit No. 190-05). A dune restoration project was also authorized in 2019
as a minor modification to this permit. Authorization included reconstruction of the frontal dune along
32,200 If of shoreline utilizing an upland source of material (421 Sand), with all work to be conducted
above the Mean High Water (MHW) line. Construction of that project has commenced and is ongoing.
The native beach was characterized using data collected by TI Coastal in 2018. Fines were calculated at
0%, with sand composition at 99%, and granular and gravel material each representing less than 0.5% of
the overall volume. Mean grain size was calculated at 0.25mm. Calcium carbonate was reported at 6.6%.
Clast counts of shell and rock material greater than 3" in size was evaluated at an area between Craven
Avenue and N. Shore Drive (Stations 257+00 to 262+00). Ninety-eight (98) shells or rocks greater than
3" in size were found in the area.
The waters in the project area fall within the Cape Fear River Basin, as classified by the NC Division of
Water Resources (DWR). The waters of the Atlantic Ocean are classified as SB by the DWR and the
waters of Banks Channel are classified as SA. The NC Division of Marine Fisheries has NOT designated
any of the areas to be impacted as a Primary Nursery Area, and there are no foreseen impacts to
shellfish resources at this time.
PROPOSED PROJECT:
The applicant is proposing a beach nourishment project along the entire extent of the Town's limits. The
project area would extend from south of Humphrey Ave at the Topsail Beach town limit to north of 9th
Street at the North Topsail Beach town limit. The overall proposed project length is approximately 6
miles (32,500 linear feet). The beach would be filled to an elevation of+5' NAVD 88 with a 20:1 slope
out to tie into existing grade around -10' NAVD88. The berm fill would vary from approximately 50' to
125' (with an average of 85') in width. No dune construction is specifically proposed under this
authorization, as work would follow upon work conducted under the Town's dune restoration project.
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North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Coastal Management
Wilmington Office 1 127 Cardinal Drive Extension I Wilmington, North Carolina 28405
910.796,7215

Town of Surf City Beach Nourishment
Page Three
However, the applicant has stated that any repairs of scarped dunes is also proposed to be restored at a 5:1
slope. A volume of 1.6 million cubic yards of sand has been calculated as needed to fill the template
under current conditions. It is currently estimated that IIJ85,009 square feet (256.77 acres and 1,518,248
cubic yards) would be filled below MHW. Of that material, approximately 10,020,425 square feet
(1,127,029 cubic yards) would also be located below MLW. Approximately 1,578,541 square feet (36.24
acres and 231,752 cubic yards) of beach fill material would be placed above the MHW line.
The applicant has identified the dredging of Banks Channel for the project's primary sand source with
additional material trucked in from the ST Wooten mine to complete the beach template, as needed. Note
that the ST Wooten mine is the same sand source originally approved for the Town's dune restoration
project, authorized through a recent DCM modification of Permit No. 190-05. No USACE or DWR
authorizations were required for that project as all work was proposed above MHW. Dredging dimensions
are proposed to closely follow the footprint authorized for the Topsail Beach project earlier this year
(CAMA Permit No. 22-09, ACE Action Id No. SAW- 2013-00404, DWR Project No. 2008 1615v5). The
dredging limits have been reduced in scope from the Topsail Beach project on the south side of Banks
Channel to eliminate the side channels, cut -through and connector channels, as well as Topsail Creek and
inlet dredging (which will be performed under the Topsail Beach project this winter). This project
proposes to extend from Station 35+00 north in Banks Channel, following the same footprint, but with an
increased dredge distance of 3,500' to the north from Station 210+00 to Station 245+00. Dredging is
proposed at the same depths as that for Topsail Beach. Station 35+00 to 40+00 would be excavated to a
depth of -16' +2' Mean Low Water (MLW) and from Stations 41+00 to 245+00, excavation would only
be performed to a depth of-12'+2' MLW. Channel width is still proposed at 200'. The applicant has
estimated that approximately 1.3 million cubic yards would be dredged from Banks Channel, with an
additional 450,000 cubic yards to be hauled from the ST Wooten site (acknowledging additional material
may be needed to account for losses during dredging and placement). Material within the proposed
dredge area in Banks Channel was calculated to contain 94.1 % sand with a mean grain size of 0.33mm,
0.1% fines, less than 3% gravel and 16.5% calcium carbonate. Material from the ST Wooten site is
calculated with a mean grain size of 0.27mm, with nearly 98% sand, less than 2% fines and 0.1 % gravel.
Due to the presence of larger material discovered during a previous dune restoration project in Surf City
post -Florence, the applicant has committed to screening all material from the ST Wooten site using a 3/4"
MEC basket.
The material from Banks Channel would be dredged via a cutterhead dredge and piped directly to the
beach from the borrow area using an existing pipeline sleeve in Topsail Beach at Queens Grant and
through installation of a new temporary crossing at Oleander Drive. The new pipeline crossing sleeve is
proposed to run over NC Highway 210. Crush and run would be installed over the pipeline with an
additional 2' of cover for a length of 30', width of 24' to allow two 12' lanes of traffic, and with a 6H:1 V
slope on either side of the crossing crest. Gravel would be installed at a 2H:1 V slope along the lateral
sides of the roadway crossing and water barriers would also be installed to separate the vehicular traffic
from pedestrians. The applicant has indicated that this design is preferred by the Department of
Transportation (NCDOT). This work would be temporary and removed and restored to pre -project
conditions after completion of work in this area. Dredge depths are proposed to follow the Topsail Beach
dredging/beach nourishment project with supplementary sand trucked in from the ST Wooten site. Trucks
hauling material from St Wooten and other equipment needed by the contractor would access the beach at
existing vehicle crossovers at Kinston Avenue and Broadway Avenue. Approximately 450,000 cubic
yards would be brought in from the ST Wooten site. Should unsuitable material be encountered during
dredging, the applicant has proposed to remove and stockpile any non -compatible material at the
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North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Coastal Management
Wilmington Office 1127 Cardinal Drive Extension I Wilmington, North Carolina 28405
910.796.7215

Town of Surf City Beach Nourishment
Page Four
Broadway Avenue staging area. At the end of project completion, the material would be removed with
proposed placement outside of the USACE right-of-way at DA-203, or used to repair any eroded dike
areas, as needed. DA-203 is state-owned property. The applicant has also stated that specifications in the
contract will also require the contractor to closely monitor the material being discharged onto the beach.
10. ANTICIPATED IMPACTS
The proposed dredging associated with the project would result in impacts to up to 4,200,000 square feet
(-96 acres) of submerged shallow bottom. The project would result in the fill of approximately 36 acres
of upper beach (above MHW) and would fill approximately 257 acres of intertidal area and near -shore
shallow bottom. The dredging and beach fill would result in temporary increases in turbidity. Temporary
impacts to benthic and invertebrate infaunal communities can be expected. The applicant has stated that
all work would fall within the guidelines already established by existing Biological Opinions, including
the N.C. Statewide Programmatic Biological Opinion.
Submitted by: Heather Coats Date: December 20, 2019 Office: Wilmington
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Coastal Management
Wilmington Office 1127 Cardinal Drive Extension I Wilmington, North Carolina 28405
910.796.7215