20020233 Ver 1_More Info Received_20050520

CP J C?O LAX6
E'nV
Environmental Consulting Services Inc.
April 26, 2005
Ms. Cyndi Karoly
NC DENR DWQ
Wetlands/401 Unit
1621 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1621
aa-0a2li3
A TF
3764 Rominger Road
Banner Elk, NC 28604
Ph/Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]

RE: Ginn - LA Laurel Creek, LLLP Resort Golf Development, Watauga County
DWQ # 02-0233 USACE Action ID No 200330353
Dear Ms. Karoly:
This letter is in reference to the Section 401 Water Quality Certification No. 3429 issued 8-26-2003 for
the referenced project. Specifically this submittal refers to permit condition #2.b) viii, which specifies
that:
"A monitoring plan for stability of the remaining streams and wetlands downstream of the
project site to the property boundary must be approved in writing by this office before any of
the impacts approved in this certification occur...."
Enclosed under this cover is a plan to monitor and evaluate the stability of several stream reaches
located downstream of the project area. Please review the plan and let me know as soon as possible if
this is approved or if you need modifications or additional information.
If you have any questions regarding this request please call me at 828-297-6946, thank you.
Sincerely,
hn C. Vilas
President, E'nV Environmental Consulting Services Inc.
Cc: Patrick Warren, PE, McGill and Associates
Bob Oelberg
Doug Miller
Q?c?c?Q?c?Q
MAY 1 1 2005
WETI M AND STORM A R BRANCH
Ginn Laurel Creek Project
Stream Stability Monitoring Plan
DWQ Project #: 02-0233, USACE Action ID: 200330353
Background: The Ginn Laurel Creek Project (formally, the Heavenly Mountain Project)
will involve the construction of an 18 hole golf course, several miles of subdivision roads
and the construction of numerous buildings including single family homes, multi-family
condominiums, a club house and several maintenance buildings. An Individual Clean
Water Act 404 Permit and Individual 401 Water Quality Certification were applied for
and obtained for this project. Sedimentation and subsequent destabilization of the on-site
streams and downstream reaches was the most significant threat to water quality
mentioned during the permit review process and public comment period. In response to
these concerns the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NC Division of Water Quality
placed a condition on the permit mandating that:
"A monitoring plan for stability of the remaining streams and wetlands
downstream of the project site to the property boundary must be approved in
writing by this office before the impacts approved in this certification occur."
The concept of stream stability, as defined by Rosgen, focuses on the existence of a
consistent dimension, pattern and profile and the ability of the stream to move sediment
and detritus produced from the contributing watershed over time, within the existing
climate without either aggrading or degrading.
With regard to the Ginn Laurel Creek Project, stream stability concerns arise from two
primary activities. The first relates to three proposed stream relocation projects scheduled
to occur within the next year and a half on project area streams. The concern with these is
that the new sections of channel may not be stable and therefore, may contribute excess
sediment to downstream reaches, or that changes in morphological characteristics of the
relocated sections will result in stability problems for reaches immediately upstream or
downstream. The second activity of concern involves the remaining development
proposed over the watershed of these streams and the effects that increased
imperviousness associated with residential and golf course development may have on
downstream wetlands and streams.
Purpose: This plan is intended to set forth a procedure by which the stability of streams
and wetlands downstream of project site will be monitored. The intended purpose of the
storm water management and erosion control plans currently under development for this
project are to maintain a consistent dynamic between the pre and post-construction
condition at the site and below the site with respect to stream flow, sediment production
and transport, aquatic habitat, stream bank stability and a variety of other morphological
and water quality aspects of the streams potentially affected by this project. Given the
magnitude of the proposed work, it is unrealistic to assume that at some point there will
not be conditions that result in deviations from the consistent dynamic. From the
standpoint of stream stability the questions becomes whether or not project induced
changes remain within the range of natural variability and if the streams in the area are
able to remain in a stable state under this scenario.
Heavenly Mountain Resort 1 4/26/2005
Golf Course
Stream Stability Monitoring Plan
The goal for this plan is to establish a procedure to measure several critical and
significant variables of project area streams both before during and after the permitted
work is completed. This plan is intended to be initiated during the pre-construction period
and will continue until all construction is complete and the site is stabilized.
Procedure: The monitoring program for determining stream stability in project area
streams will consist of several distinct phases:
• Approach
• Specific Data Needs
• Monitoring Site Selection
• Sampling Protocol
• Data Evaluation and Reporting
Approach: Stream Stability in the project area will be evaluated using four sites
located below areas within the project that will experience significant construction
activity such as road building, golf course construction and building construction.
In addition to these sites there will be a control site established on a reach that will
not experience any significant construction activity. The primary goal of this
monitoring procedure is to assess current stability in project area streams and
associated wetlands, and to track changes over time in any of the parameters
closely linked to stream stability. The first step will be to collect preconstruction
data at all sampling locations. All sites will be reevaluated approximately every
six months for a period not less than 2 years after completion of major
constructions activities within the watershed.
Specific Data Needs: The protocol for this analysis will consist of similar
procedures used for a basic "Rosgen" stream classification.
• Cross Sections: Two permanent cross sections will be set up at each
sampling site. Cross sections will be used to determine if the stream is
aggrading or degrading, or if there is any measurable lateral migration.
• Profile: A survey of the stream bed along the entire length of the sample
reach will be performed at each location. The purpose of the profile survey
is to establish the relative elevation of the thalweg through several pools
and riffles within the sample reach. This survey will also establish the
relative position and length of pools, glides, riffles and runs longitudinally
along the profile. Once established these parameters will be reevaluated
during each monitoring visit.
• Pebble Count: Pebble counts will be performed at each site and are useful
to evaluate sediment transport and delivery characteristics of the reach.
Changes in mean particle size in a particular reach are often reflective of
changes in the contributing watershed such as significant grading activities
or increases in impervious area or the effectiveness of measures designed
and constructed to mitigate these changes.
Heavenly Mountain Resort 2 4/26/2005
Golf Course
Stream Stability Monitoring Plan
• Vegetation Community Type: Riparian vegetation serves numerous
stability, water quality, and habitat functions. Observable changes to the
riparian plant community may be indicative of stability problems within
the reach or contributing watershed.
Monitoring Site Selection: A total of five monitoring sites are proposed, four
will be located below areas that will be disturbed in the course of the golf course
construction and one that will remain undisturbed (see Stream and Wetland
Stability Monitoring Plan, Site Location Map). The selected sites were chosen
with two objectives in mind. First, that all permitted impact areas will be
monitored and second, that a range of impact intensity will be represented in the
data. Of the four disturbed area monitoring sites, two are located on Flat Branch,
one on Swift Ford Branch and one on Pine Knob Branch. The control site is
located on Swift Ford Branch. The two sites along Flat Branch were selected
because this drainage area is the most heavily impacted by the project. The stream
monitoring site is located at the lower end of the eastern fork of Flat Branch, the
stream/wetland site is located approximately 1200 feet upstream on the western
branch in an area below proposed grading for golf holes 3 and 4. The site
proposed along Pine Knob Branch is located downstream of 390 linear feet of
pipe impact and extensive grading activities proposed to construct the 5d' hole;
this site contains wetlands. The site proposed along Swift Ford Branch is located
below extensive grading activities that will occur during construction of the 15th
hole. While there are no direct wetland, stream or buffer impacts located on Swift
Ford Branch, the grading on the 15th hole will come to the edge of the stream
buffer.
Sampling Protocol: The preconstruction sampling will involve the establishment
of permanent, monumented cross sections, elevation reference points, initial
profile, pebble count, vegetation and stability assessments, and photo reference
points. Details of the assessment are outlined below:
Stream Sites:
1. Establish a sampling reach that is approximately 24 bankfull
widths long and consists of at least 2 meander wavelengths.
Reach boundaries will be clearly marked in the field.
2. Determine location of permanent cross sections. These shall
consist of at least one pool and one riffle at each assessment site.
Sections should be located in an area where the stream is free to
adjust its boundaries. Each cross section shall be clearly marked in
the field.
3. Prepare a profile plot of the entire reach, this plot shall contain
thalweg, water surface, and bankfull elevations sufficient to
describe facet lengths, depths and other characteristics throughout
the reach.
4. Perform a reach pebble count to determine the reach D50 and
other significant stream bed characteristics. This count shall
Heavenly Mountain Resort 3 4/26/2005
Golf Course
Stream Stability Monitoring Plan
consist of 100 samples taken from 10 transects proportionately
determined based on the reach profile.
5. Perform a vegetation assessment along the reach. This shall
consist of a description species composition and community type,
as well as an assessment of function and relative vigor of the
riparian zone.
6. Evaluation of stream bank stability over the reach. This shall be
determined by measuring the length of bank with visible sloughs,
exposed roots or other clear signs of channel migration or bank
failure.
7. Complete a NCDWQ Habitat Assessment Form (Mountain
Region) for the reach, this form shall be reevaluated at each visit.
Wetland Sites:
1. Establish the boundaries of the wetland area and install semi-
permanent markers to delineate the margin
2. Install one groundwater monitoring well and monitor level
periodically, correlate with site rain gage data
3. Monitor the vegetation community throughout the wetland and in
particular those species in the boundary region for indications of
stress or changes in community structure
Data Evaluation and Reporting: All data collected in the field will be
downloaded and worked up in the office. Profiles and cross sections will be
plotted, pebble counts will be reported graphically, vegetation assessments,
stability analysis and habitat forms will be reported in table or text format. The
initial or preconstruction evaluation of each site will be reported as baseline and
each subsequent evaluation will be compared to the baseline for evidence of
instability or indications that the stream is adjusting to changes in flow or
sediment regime. Reports will be submitted to the NCDWQ and USACE annually
and not later than 60 days following the collection of all field data. _
Heavenly Mountain Resort 4 4/26/2005
Golf Course
Stream Stability Monitoring Plan
Ginn - LA Laurel Creek, LLLP
Stream and Wetland Stability Monitoring Plan
Site Location Map
PIN
B ANCH
PUNCHEON EK Site 2, Stream
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trea an Wetla 7
6 FLA BRANCH
4
ciA t e 3 LAUREL
S ream d Wet 1 U ! CREEK
4 9 P 1 0' R
SE VATION
BUFFER
(ZONE 4)
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ELK CREEK
16 ROAD
4
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SW T FORD
RANCH
DUGGER CREEK
ontrol Site
Site 1, ream