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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20051110 Ver 2_More Info Letter_20080310?OF W A rFRQ Michael F. Easley, Governor William G. Ross Jr., Secretary 7 North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources p Coleen H. Sullins, Director Division of Water Quality March 10, 2008 DWQ Project # 05-1110, Ver. 2 Wake County CERTIFIED MAIL: RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED Mr. Roe O'Donnell, Deputy Town Manager Town of Wake Forest 401 Elm Street Wake Forest, NC 27587-2932 Subject Property: Richland Creek Restoration Site Richland Creek [030402, 27-21-(0.5), C, NSW] REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION Dear Mr. O'Donnell: On February 21, 2008, the Division of Water Quality (DWQ) received your application dated February 21, 2008, to fill or otherwise impact 1,900 linear feet of perennial stream to conduct a stream restoration at the site. The DWQ requested a site visit to evaluate the stream and riparian zone conditions. The site visit was conducted by Eric Kulz of this Office on March 6, 2008. Based on the site visit and further review of the application materials, DWQ has determined that your application was incomplete and/or provided inaccurate information as discussed below. The DWQ will require additional information in order to process your application to impact protected wetlands and/or streams on the subject property. Therefore, unless we receive five copies of the additional information requested below, we will have to move toward denial of your application as required by 15A NCAC 2H .0506 and will place this project on hold as incomplete until we receive this additional information. Please provide the following information so that we may continue to review your project. Additional Information Requested: Based on the site visit and additional review of the application and restoration plan, DWQ believes that the scope of work proposed for the site is not compatible with current site conditions. For instance, the stream is not overly incised, and appears to access its floodplain at least annually. While the system has considerable sediment, the source of the sediment appears to be from upstream, since potential source areas within the proposed restoration reach were observed to be limited. Riffle-pool complexes were observed except in areas affected by beaver dams. It is the opinion of DWQ that the removal of a relatively mature, wooded riparian buffer for the purpose of adding floodplain benches and limited pattern (meanders) will not provide sufficient uplift and water quality improvement to offset the loss of the existing wooded riparian zone. Nom Carolina 401 Oversight/Express Review Permitting Unit turll!!y 1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650 2321 Crabtree Boulevard, Suite 250, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 Phone: 919-733-1786 / FAX 919-733-6893 / Internet: http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/ncwetlands Town of Wake Forest Page 2 of 2 March 10, 2008 Please redesign the project as a stream enhancement project, eliminating the clearing of the wooded riparian buffers and significant earthwork proposed in the current plan. Activities that may benefit the stream include, but are not limited to: • Localized bank re-sloping, application of coir matting, and live staking disturbed streambank area; • Installation of brush mattresses to protect/stabilize streambanks; • Rock toe protection where necessary; • Installation of vanes, where and if necessary, to direct flow away from eroding banks; • Supplemental planting of riparian vegetation; • Removal of debris jams; and • Beaver management to reduce impacts of long-term inundation on the stream banks and riparian areas. Please provide a revised restoration plan which does not involve clearing of the wooded riparian zone, except locally where necessary to access areas of streambanks where stabilization requires use of heavy equipment. Impacts to large, high-value trees, and their root zones, must be avoided. The plan should include detailed descriptions of the methods used at specific locations, and the rationale for the use of such methods. Areas where trees must be removed must be shown, and provisions to restore areas cleared for access reasons must be described in the plan. Please submit this information within 30 calendar days of the date of this letter. If we do not receive this requested information within 30 calendar days of the date of this letter, your project will be withdrawn and you will need to reapply with a new application and a new fee. This letter only addresses the application review and does not authorize any impacts to wetlands, waters or protected buffers. Please be aware that any impacts requested within your application are not authorized (at this time) by the DWQ. Please call Ms. Cyndi Karoly or Mr.Eric Kulz at 919-733-1786 if you have any questions regarding or would like to set up a meeting to discuss this matter. Sincerely, n Vndijaro?ly, upervisor 401 Oversight/Express Review Permitting Unit CBK/ewk cc: Lauren Witherspoon, DWQ Raleigh Regional Office USACE Raleigh Regulatory Field Office File Copy Central Files Steve Stokes, KCI Associates of North Carolina, P.A., Landmark Center 11, Suite 220, 4601 Six Forks Road, Raleigh, NC 27609-5210 Beth McGee - Clean Water Management Trust Fund, 1651 MSC, Raleigh, NC 27699-1651 Filename: 051110Ver2RichlandCreekRestorationSite(Wake)On_Hold2