Annual report for ... Long Creek bridge mitigation site, Pender County, TIP no. B-2854

              ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2003
Long Creek Bridge Mitigation Site
Pender County
TIP No. B-2854
Prepared By:
Natural Systems Unit & Roadside Environmental Unit
North Carolina Department of Transportation
December 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUMMARY...........................................................................................................1
1.0 Introduction ...............................................................................................2
.1 Project Description .........................................................................2
.2 Purpose .........................................................................................2
.3 Project History ................................................................................2
2.0 Vegetation: ................................................................................................4
.1 Success Criteria .............................................................................4
.2 Description of Species.....................................................................4
.3 Results of Vegetation Monitoring ....................................................4
.4 Conclusions. ...................................................................................4
3.0 Overall Conclusions and Recommendations .............................................4
FIGURES
Figure 1 – Site Location Map ...............................................................................3
APPENDICES
Appendix A – Site Photos.....................................................................................5SUMMARY
The Long Creek Bridge Mitigation Site is located in Pender County. The site was left to naturally re-establish vegetation in 2002 and was designed as mitigation for wetland impacts associated with bridge project B-2854.
The mitigation encompasses approximately 0.30 acres of wetland restoration. The restoration effort involved allowing the temporarily impacted area to naturally re-establish vegetation. This area was temporarily impacted due to mechanized land clearing. The area is being monitored to ensure that it re-attains wetland jurisdictional status. No hydrologic monitoring is required for this project; however, vegetation monitoring is required for three years.
After the second year of monitoring, the Long Creek Bridge Site shows, by visual observation, that the vegetation is re-establishing naturally, and the impacted area is re-attaining jurisdictional status.
NCDOT recommends continuing vegetation monitoring on this site.
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1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Project Description
The Long Creek Bridge Mitigation Site is located at Bridge No. 9 on SR 1120 in Pender County (Figure 1). The site consists of approximately 0.30 acres of mitigation for wetland impacts associated with project B-2854.
1.2 Purpose
In order for a mitigation site to be considered successful, a site must meet vegetation success criteria. This report details the vegetation monitoring in 2003 at the Long Creek Bridge Mitigation Site. Hydrologic monitoring was not required for the site.
1.3 Project History
March 2002 Construction Completed
December 2002 Vegetation Monitoring (1 year)
August 2003 Vegetation Monitoring (2 year)
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2.0 VEGETATION: LONG CREEK BRIDGE MITIGATION SITE (YEAR 2 MONITORING)
2.1 Success Criteria
Success criteria states that the temporarily impacted area where mechanized clearing occurred should be allowed to naturally re-vegetate and must re-attain jurisdictional status at the end of three years.
2.2 Description of Species
No species of trees were planted. The site was graded down to its original contours and elevation and left to re-establish vegetation naturally.
2.3 Results of Vegetation Monitoring
The impacted area where mechanized land clearing occurred is re-attaining jurisdictional status due to the re-establishment of natural vegetation. This natural vegetation includes Spartina sp., Juncus sp., cattail, black willow, wool grass, red maple, baldcypress, green ash, and other marsh species.
2.4 Conclusions
There were approximately 0.30 acres of wetland restoration on site. There were no plots established on the site. By visual observation, the Long Creek Bridge site shows that natural re-vegetation is occurring and that the impacted area is re-attaining jurisdictional status.
3.0 Overall Conclusions and Recommendations
NCDOT will continue vegetation monitoring at the Long Creek Bridge Site.
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APPENDIX A
SITE PHOTOS
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Long Creek Bridge
Photo 1 Photo 2
Photo 3 Photo 4
2003