20080511 Ver 1_L-8 Year 5 Monitoring Report_20161208

FOURTH MONITORING REPORT
FIFTH POST -REMEDIATION GROWING SEASON
TRACTL-8
Contentnea Creek / Little Contentnea Creek Parcel
Greene Environmental Services, LLC
Neuse River Umbrella Mitigation Bank
DWQ #08-0511-01
Year 2016
Submitted to:
Katie Merritt
NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Division of Water Resources — Water Quality Programs
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
Phone: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
Submitted by:
GU
U
Jeff Becker
1004 Glencastle Way
Raleigh, NC 27606
Phone: [phone]; Fax: [phone]
1

FOURTH MONITORING REPORT
FIFTH POST -REMEDIATION GROWING SEASON
TRACT L - 8
Contentnea Creek / Little Contentnea Creek Parcel
Greene Environmental Services, LLC
Neuse River Umbrella Mitigation Bank
DWQ #08-0511-01
Year 2016
Table of Contents
Page
Introduction and Background
3
Monitoring and Results for 2016
3
Overall Condition, Maintenance and Supplemental Plantings
4
Tables
5
Figures
7
2

Introduction and Background
The Contentnea Creek / Little Contentnea Creek Parcel (CLCP) in southeastern Greene
County, is part of the Neuse River Umbrella Mitigation Bank offered and maintained by
Greene Environmental Services, LLC (GES). There were two sets of tracts with the
CLCP; a 1.23 -acre set of tracts located off Lower Field Road, north of the NC 903 in the
Scuffleton community, and a second set of tracts totaling 19.53 acres located off SR
1004, south of NC 903 in Scuffleton, NC (Figures 1 and 2). With the exception of two
tracts, Tract 8 and a mitigation bank expansion tract, Tract L-1OA, the field monitoring
obligations of GES have been completed. Tract L -10A is not presently being monitored.
The survival rate of planted trees in Tract L-8 was insufficient at the end of the initial
monitoring phase, thus, in accordance with NC Division of Water Resources
recommendations in 2011, remedial plantings were undertaken and a second 5 -year
monitoring phase was implemented. This report is the fourth of five, post -remedial
planting report for Tract L- 8. The riparian buffer and nutrient offset credits generated by
the CLCP may be used to offset impacts within Cataloging Unit 03020203 of the Neuse
River Basin.
Monitoring and Results for Year 2016
As specified in the CLCP Bank Parcel Development Package (BPDP), this report
represents the fourth of five post -remediation vegetative monitoring efforts in Tract L-8
of the CLCP. The BPDP requires the submission of an annual monitoring report each of
five successive years. However, GES did not submit an annual report for 2015.
Consequently, GES will continue monitoring Tract L-8 for an additional (sixth) growing
season and will submit a final monitoring report for the 2017 season.
Tract L-8, a 1.51 acre tract with two monitoring plots, Plots L -8A and L-813, was
included in the initial CLCP project area. However, due to poor survival rates among
planted tree species, this tract marginally meet success criteria for stem density.
NCDENR - Division of Water Resources personnel visited the site in November 2011
and agreed to a remediation plan for Tract L-8 that included planting two new species on
site that are well adapted to the excessively drained soils of the tract; turkey oak (Quercus
laevis) and longleaf pine (Pinus palustris). In January 2012, 600 bareroot turkey oak
seedlings and 270 containerized longleaf pine seedlings were planted on Tract 8. These
species were supplemental to the previously planted species green ash (Fraxinus
pennsylvanica), sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), white oak (Quercus alba), and bald
cypress (Taxodium distichum). Naturally colonizing species within the Tract included
sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), and black oak (Quercus
velutina). In October of 2013, an additional 220 longleaf pine seedlings were planted in
the Tract; unlike most hardwood species and other conifers that are typically planted
when fully dormant in winter months, the NC Forest Service recommends that longleaf
pine should be planted in October thus allowing root establishment prior to winter stress.

In each of the two, l Om by l Om (0.0247 -acre) monitoring plots all character trees were
recorded by species in November 2016 according to Carolina Vegetation Survey
sampling protocols referred to in the Mitigation Banking Instrument. Plot locations are
mapped in Figure 3. Vegetation plot photo points were located at the northwestern corner
of the plots (Figure 4).
During the November 2016 monitoring effort, a total of 30 stems (saplings or small trees)
representing eight species were recorded in the two monitoring plots (Table 1). Stems
were assessed as living based on the presence of green leaves and/or stem tissue. The
average stem density was 15+2.8 among the two plots; thus a calculated average stem
density of 607.3+114.5 stems per acre. Five species of planted trees were recorded. The
average density of stems for planted species was 12.5+3.5 for a calculated average
density of 506.1+143.1 stems per acre. For each monitoring plot and for the average
among the two plots, for both total seedlings and planted seedlings, the success criterion
of 320 seedlings per acre was exceeded (see Table 3).
The most common species found alive in the plots in 2016 were turkey oak (33 percent
relative density), white oak (17 percent relative density) and green ash (17 percent
relative density), accounting for 67 percent of all stems (Table 2). These same three
species accounted for the most common planted species as well, collectively accounting
for 80 percent of the planted stems. Black oak, loblolly pine and sweetgum were naturally
colonizing species and collectively accounted for 17 percent of the total stems; thus 83
percent of the total stems were of planted species.
A comparison of the November 2016 monitoring plot results to those of the most recent
previous monitoring effort in August 2014 (Table 3) indicates an average stem density
decrease of 323.9 stems per acre for all species and a decline of 283.4 stems per acre for
planted species only. The greatest change in stem density was for longleaf pine. No living
longleaf pine stems were found in the plots. The likely cause of plant mortality was
prolonged (approximately one week) flooding due to Hurricane Matthew in mid-October,
2016 (Figure 5). Tract L-8 is located adjacent to Little Contentnea Creek and experienced
flooding to depths of eight feet based on water marks and debris in nearby trees. The
planted species, green ash and the colonizing species black oak and loblolly pine also
decline in density. Most other species slightly increased in stem density; this is likely
attributable to resprouting and growth from surviving root stock over the two year
interval from 2014 to 2016.
Overall Condition, Maintenance and Supplemental Plantings
The 1.51 -acre, Tract L-8 continues to be a problematic site due to drought -prone site soil
conditions and grazing by deer thus plants are somewhat stunted. The brief but severe
flooding during Hurricane Matthew also impacted plant survival; especially for the most
susceptible species, longleaf pine. Annual, herbaceous weeds, especially dogfennel
(Eupatorium capillifolium) were robust; while these weeds compete with the planted
2

trees for water and nutrients during the growing season, they may also be beneficial by
moderating microsite conditions and providing some refuge from grazing. Coastal
Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), escaped and colonizing from an adjacent pasture is a
concern for belowground competition with planted trees for water and nutrients, but as
the trees mature and canopy closure develops, this competing species should become less
problematic. No supplemental planting will be required assuming stem densities
continue to be in excess of the target density and the trees recover from the October 2016
flooding event.
Table 1. Stem density in 100 m2 monitoring plots in CLCP Tract L-8. Contentnea Creek/
Little Contentnea Creek Parcel, 2016 Annual Report, Greene Environmental Services,
LLC.
*Species not planted but colonizing by natural propagation.
5
Plot L -8A
Plot L-813
Tract L-8 Averages
Number
Stems
Number
Stems
Number
Stems per
Species
Common
Name
Stems
per
Stems
per
Stems
acre
acre
acre
Fraxinus
Green ash
4
161.9
1
40.5
2.5
101.2
ennsylvanica
Liquidambar
styraciflua*
Sweetgum
0
0.0
1
40.5
0.5
20.2
Pinus
Longleaf
palustris
ine
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
0.0
Loblolly
Pinus taeda*
1
40.5
1
40.5
1
40.5
pine
Quercus alba
White oak
2
81.0
3
121.5
2.5
101.2
Quercus laevis
6
242.9
4
161.9
5
202.4
oak
Quercus rubra
Red oak
2
81.0
1
40.5
1.5
60.7
Quercus
Black oak
1
40.5
1
40.5
1
40.5
velutina*
Taxodium
Bald
distichum
cypress
1
40.5
1
40.5
1
40.5
Totals for All Species
17
688.3
13
526.3
15+2.8
607.3+114.5
Totals for Planted Species
15
607.3
10
404.9
12.5+3.5
506.1+143.1
*Species not planted but colonizing by natural propagation.
5

Table 2. Relative density of species in 100 m2 monitoring plots in CLCP Tract L-8.
Contentnea Creek / Little Contentnea Creek Parcel, 2016 Annual Report, Greene
Environmental Services, LLC.
Species
Common
name
Percent of Total
Stems by Species
Percent of Planted
Stems by Species
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Green ash
17
20
Liquidambar styraciflua*
Sweetgum
3
NA
Pinus palustris
Longleaf pine
0
0
Pinus taeda*
Loblolly pine
7
NA
Quercus alba
White oak
17
20
Quercus laevis
Turkey oak
33
40
Quercus rubra
Red oak
10
12
Quercus velutina*
Black oak
7
NA
Taxodium distichum
I Bald cypress 1
7 1
8
Planted species
accounted for 85% of the total seedlings
in plots.
*Species not planted but colonizing by natural propagation.
Table 3. Comparison of 2014 and 2016 stem density in 100 m2 monitoring plots in CLCP
Tract L-8. Contentnea Creek / Little Contentnea Creek Parcel. Positive numbers represent
an increase in seedling density, negative number represent a decline in seedling density
and zero represent no change is seedling density. 2016 Annual Report, Greene
Environmental Services, LLC.
*Species not planted but colonizing by natural propagation.
2
Stems per acre
Stems per acre
Change in Stem
Species
Common name
2014
2016
Density per
Acre
Fraxinus
Green ash
121.5
101.2
-20.2
pennsylvanica
Liquidambar
Sweetgum
20.2
20.2
0.0
styraciflua
Pinus palustris
Longleaf pine
384.6
0.0
-384.6
Pinus taeda*
Loblolly pine
60.7
40.5
-20.2
Quercia alba
White oak
40.5
101.2
60.7
Quercus laevis
Turkey oak
182.2
202.4
20.2
Quercus rubra
Red oak
40.5
60.7
20.2
Quercus
Black oak
60.7
40.5
-20.2
velutina*
Taxodium
Bald cypress
20.2
40.5
20.2
distichum
Totals for All Species
931.2
607.3
-323.9
Totals for Planted Species
789.5
506.1
-283.4
*Species not planted but colonizing by natural propagation.
2

} FFA yde n
' .:.:. Aden , N
:�► cu.ffleto N
k`
. r
R
F
r`
Image USDA Farm-. I San �
- - C 2012 gl� •'
(, l�e�r�-�
SIF �L �Ima
.gS�. Ge; logical 5uryuey a �� i.� -
ImagefyDal' j5i312C11119n k 35'26'56.72" N 77"2$'15.8£x" W Clay 37 ft E yc ali 41a)�[3 tt

Figure 2. Contentnea Creek / Little Contentnea Creek (CLCP) location map (USGS 7.5'
Quadrangle, Ayden, NC) for project tracts; Tract 8 is identified in relation to other tracts.
Greene Environmental Services, LLC. Annual Report for 2016.
M

Figure 3. Monitoring plot locations for Contentnea Creek / Little Contentnea Creek Tracts including Tract L-8. Greene Environmental Services,
LLC. Annual Report for 2016.

Figure 4. Contentnea Creek / Little Contentnea Creek Parcel, Tract 8, Plots 8A and 8B. November
2016, Greene Environmental Services.
Plot 8A
Plot 8B
10

Longleaf pine killed by prolonged flooding.
Water stained and killed vegetation; sycamores survived but were not in monitoring plots.
Figure 5. Site conditions affected by flooding due to Hurricane Mathew in October 2016.