20160404 Ver 1_Buffer& Nutrient Viability Letter_20160428

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Water Resources
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
April 28, 2016
Scott Hunt
Water & Land Solutions, LLC
11030 Raven Ridge Rd, Suite 119
Raleigh, NC 27614
(via electronic mail)
PAT MCCRORY
Governor
DONALD R. VAN DER VAART
Secretary
S. JAY ZIMMERMAN
Director
DWR Project #: 2016-0404
Re: Site Viability for Buffer Mitigation & Nutrient Offset — Edwards/Johnson Properties
Located near the intersection of Lake Wendell Rd and Wendell Rd in Wendell, NC
Johnston County
Dear Mr. Hunt,
On April 8, 2016, Katie Merritt, with the Division of Water Resources (DWR), assisted you and
others from Water & Land Solutions, LLC at the proposed Edwards Johnson Mitigation Site (Site) in
Wendell, NC. The Site is located in the Neuse River Basin within the 8 -digit Hydrologic Unit Code
03020201. The Site is being proposed as part of a full -delivery stream restoration project for the
Division of Mitigation Services (RFP #16-006477). The Interagency Review Team (IRT) was also
present onsite. At your request, Ms. Merritt performed a site assessment of features onsite to
determine suitability for buffer and nutrient offset mitigation. Features are more accurately shown in
the attached maps signed by Ms. Merritt on April 26, 2016. If approved, mitigating this site could
provide stream mitigation credits, riparian buffer credits and/or nutrient offset credits.
Ms. Merritt's evaluation of the features from Top of Bank (TOB) out to 200' for buffer and nutrient
offset mitigation pursuant to Rule 15A NCAC 02B .0295 (effective November 1, 2015) and Rule
15A NCAC 02B .0240 is provided in the table below:
Feature
Classification
15ubiect
Adjacent Land uses
36uffer
2Nutrient
Mitigation TVpe/Comments
to Buffer
Credit
Offset Viable
Rule
at 2,273
Viable
lbs acre
R1 (below
Stream w/
Yes
Native hardwood
Yes3
Yes, but only
Forested areas = Preservation per 15A
wetland to
riparian
(stream
forest, closed
in fields &
NCAC 02B .0295 (o)(5)
confluence
wetland
only w/
canopy; Adjacent
outside of the
Fields = Restoration
w/ R4)
complexes
start &
fields are in active
buffer
*stream determination from DWR is
throughout
stop
row crop agriculture
mitigation
recommended for start and stop points
points
area
*No buffer credit within or around
needed)
wetlands
R3 (start @
Stream w/
Yes
Native hardwood
Yes3
Yes, but only
Forested areas = Preservation per 15A
R1 and R4
riparian
(stream
forest, closed
in fields &
NCAC 02B.0295 (o)(5)
confluence
wetland
only)
canopy; Adjacent
outside of the
Fields = Restoration
to wetland
complexes
fields are in active
buffer
*stream determination from DWR is
near
throughout
row crop agriculture
mitigation
recommended for start and stop points
Buffalo
area
*No buffer credit within or around
Creek)
wetlands
State of North Carolina I Environmental Quality I Water Resources
1617 Mail service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1617
919 807 6300

Edwards Johnson Mitigation Site
April 28, 2016
Page 2 of 2
R4 (where
Stream w/
Yes
Native hardwood
Yes3
Yes, but only
Forested areas = Preservation per 15A
shown on
man-made
forest, closed
in fields &
NCAC 0213 .0295 (o)(5)
figure 9)
impoundment
canopy; Adjacent
outside of the
Fields = Restoration
field is in active row
buffer
*stream determination from DWR is
crop agriculture, in-
mitigation
recommended for start and stop points
line impoundment to
area
*No buffer credit within or around
be removed
wetlands;
Subjectivity calls were determined using the 1:24,000 scale quadrangle topographic map prepared by USGS and the most
recent printed version of the soil survey map prepared by the NRCS
2For nutrient offset viability to be determined, the landowner must provide proof in writing that the land is being used for
agriculture or has been used for agriculture previously (prior to rule baseline). Dates, supported by photos or other
written records, must be included to confirm that the uses of the open fields onsite are/were for hay crop cultivation/row
crop/cattle.
'The area of preservation credit within a buffer mitigation site shall comprise of no more than 25 percent (25%) of the total
area of buffer mitigation per 15A NCAC 0295 (o)(5). Site cannot be a Preservation only site to comply with this rule.
Maps showing the project site and the features are provided and are signed by Ms. Merritt on April
25, 2016. This letter should be provided in all future mitigation plans for this Site. In addition, all
vegetative plantings, performance criteria and other mitigation requirements for riparian restoration,
enhancement and preservation must follow the requirements in 15A NCAC 02B .0295 to be eligible
for buffer and/or nutrient offset credits.
Where buffer and nutrient offset credits are viable in the same area, only one credit type is allowed to
be generated for credit, not both.
For any areas depicted as not being viable for nutrient offset credit, one could propose a different
measure other than riparian restoration/enhancement, along with supporting calculations and
sufficient detail to support estimates of load reduction, for review by the DWR to determine viability
for nutrient offset according to 15A NCAC 02B .0240.
Please contact Katie Merritt at (919)-807-6371 if you have any questions regarding this
correspondence.
Sincerely, —�
Karen Higgins, Supervisor
401 and Buffer Permitting Br ch
KAH/kn
Attachments: Site Aerial Map, USGS Topographic Map,
cc:File Copy (Katie Merritt)
DMS — Jeff Schaffer (via electronic mail)

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