LAWRENCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (LEDC)
POINT INTERMODAL FACILITY
OEPA NO. 113816/USACE 2009-836-OHR
DRAFT CONCEPTUAL MITIGATION/MONITORING CHECKLIST - BASED ON OEPA CHECKLIST
ON-SITE CHANNEL MITIGATION SUMMARY - DRAFT 10/4/11
Introduction:
The LEDC has a 500+ acre ownership holding of lands between County Road 1 and US52 in South Point, OH. Approximately 9500LF of Solida Creek is present on the property. The Point Intermodal Facility development plans that have been developed in coordination with ODOT and which are under construction by J&H Erectors will involve impacts to wetlands and waters of the US, Wetland impacts to wetland 7 are being debited to the ODOT State Meigs County Fairgrounds Mitigation Site. After review of soil types and areas to be reviewed on site, no suitable wetland mitigation areas were found that could be both protected from development and provide appropriate hydric soils. We coordinated with ODOT to find an off site mitigation area of higher quality that will be protected. ODOT has available land and agreed to set aside 0.12 acres at the Meigs Mitigation Site contingent upon the approval of this mitigation plan. Impacts to 450 LF of open water ditch must be mitigated. Provided here is the mitigation proposal for the impacts.
The following is a summary of resource mapping reviewed or provided for this project as based on the environmental conditions of the impacted construction areas and the cumulative areas of the site.
Resource Mapping (Reference) / Reference Details / Areas of Permitted Construction Site / Area of Cumulative LEDC Site / CommentsLocal/State Road Mapping / Online internet based and LEDC development plan / Approx. 5+ Ac site located central between County Rd 1 and US 52 at proposed intermodal facility. / Approx. 500+ Ac site bordered by ST 1 to West, US 52 to East, property line to the north of Solida Creek, and the limits of South Point to the south.
USGS Mapping / Catlettsburg Quad / No blue-line USGS hydrology / Solida Creek is only waterway/hydrology shown
Location Info. / Latitude / 38.430174 / 38.443018\38.434781
Longitude / -82.591553 / -82.589631\-82.582288
USFWSWetland Mapping / Online NWI mapping and ODOT field delineation / 7 wetlands and ditch / 9 wetlands and Solida Creek
USDANRCS Soil Mapping / Online USDA WebSoil Survey / Mainly WeA soils. Somewhat poorly drained hydric soils. / Includes pits, EkB, EmB, No. These are very limited hydric soils within depressions.
FEMA Floodplains / Community Panel: 39087C0354D / No floodplains. / Zone AE floodplains at 848 as related to Ohio River flooding. Other areas Zone X.
Plan Views and Drawings - Available, previously provided or attached here.
□Conceptual Overview Map - See Project Overview/Topo overlay in Attachment A
□Road map and USGS map - USGS provided as Attachment B
□NWI map - Attachment C
□NRCS County Soil map (incl. hydric, non, non-hydric w/ incl) - See Above and Attachment D
□Recent aerial photography map with boundary of mitigation property - See Attachment A
□Map showing both location of mitigation site and impact site - See Attachment A
□Map of the proposed mitigation site showing the location of existing aquatic
resources, vegetation communities, boundary of preservation property, and areas
presently dominated by invasive species - See Attachment A and ODOT Categorical Exclusion Mapping
□Plan views showing expected approximate limits of cut and fill areas, limits of
vegetation removal, ditch plug areas, tile cutoff areas, berm locations, etc. - See Conceptual Mitigation Plan Details and Cross-sections in balance of Attachment A
□Conceptual plan view of boundaries showing existing aquatic resources, and limits
of proposed enhanced, restored, created, and preserved aquatic resources,
existing and proposed vegetation types, proposed planting areas, and proposed
habitat features. See Conceptual Mitigation Plan Details and Cross-sections in balance of Attachment A and ODOT Categorical Exclusion Mapping
□Conceptual cross section of mitigation and buffer areas showing existing land
surface, proposed land surface, expected maximum and normal water depths,
natural channel design measurements. - Pending and subject to Conceptual Wetland Mitigation Plan Details and Cross-section reviews of Permitting Authorities.
□For streams, also provide conceptual longitudinal profile of existing and proposed
land surface - Note: Longitudinal Profile of Passive and Mitigation Area specific Restoration Areas will remain unchanged for proposed mitigation on Solida Creek.
Information and Discussions:
The objective of this mitigation is to provide mitigation for 450 LF of lowquality constructed ditch. The ditch was apparently constructed through upland soils and is now classified as a navigable stream/waterway. Placement of 450LF of 60” corrugated metal culvert pipe into such channel will require mitigation. Permitting authorities have commented that local mitigation or selection of and placement of riparian improvements on Solida Creek would be potentially suitable mitigation. The balance of this mitigation proposal is based on the restoration or enhancements to Solida Creek on the Owner’s lands.
Objective of Ohio Law governing water quality protection is being met by the improvement of an existing water resource following impacts to the impacted waterway (ditch). The impacted site was evaluated and scored very low on QHEI project reporting. Functions lost at the impact site will be replaced with improvements on the local reaches of Solida Creek.
- Functions lost: Minor aquatic habitat for open water areas and minor shore-land buffer capacity at the rail-industrial yard.
- Functions replaced: aesthetic improvements (debris removal), enhancement of riparian oxbows and meandered stream habitat, vegetational diversity, native forb, shrub and tree plantings with increase in stabilization of channel.
Cumulative Solida Creek Areas: The following refers to the various restoration or mitigation options for an approximate 5400 LF length of Solida Creek. Area includes the Solida Creek areafrom the intersectionalor entrance of Solida Creek on the northwest corner of the property at County Road 1 to the area on the east side of the LEDC site where Solida Creek meanders east and then west again under US52.
- Passive Mitigation: Remove debris and trash from Solida Creek from Station along approximate 5400 LF length noted above (NW portion of LEDC site to 375’ south of ODOT Solida Creek culverts at US52.
- Restoration based Mitigation Area 1: Remove debris, grade, and stabilize outer bend of Solida Creek at Mitigation Area No. 1(300 LF) - southward flowing-westward bend of Solida Creek. Typical detail provided. Proposed riparian cross-sections improvements to include use of nature restoration mix, shrub bioengineering replacements, and highquality bottomland tree placements.
- Restoration based Mitigation Area 2: West bank channel enhancements with riparian mast tree, shrub, and pollinationfriendly species planting for upstream areas of ODOT culverts at east side of the LEDC site where Solida Creek meanders west of US52 for the final time on the site. (375 LF).
- Project length - Where suitable conditions and substrates exist: provide toe of slope or coir roll bank stabilization with native plug installations.
- Long-term protection of Solida Creek and mitigation areas will be provided by conservation easement or other deed restriction for areas of Solida Creek at Mitigation Area 1 and 2.
Both impacted and mitigation site is locatedon Lawrence Economic Development Corporation Lands (LEDC) Lands in Lawrence County, Ohio, Perry and Fayette Townships, City of South Point, Ohio. HUC Code area 05090103.
ODOT and clientprovided wetland mapping shows 7-9 wetlands on the project site plus about 9300 LF of Solida Creek evident within wooded and open meanders on the LEDC site. Approximately one-quarter to one-third of Solida Creek is in broader floodplain areas. Floodplain elevation is 848 as based on Ohio River flooding. Existing aquatic resources of Solida Creek and the impacted ditch are shown in photosin the QHEI/HHEI portion of the application.
ORAM, HHEI, and QHEI evaluations were completed for the impacted wetland, Solida Creek and the impacted stream channel are noted below.
- HHEI for Solida Creek = Scored as 62 for moderately stable, partially meandered fair to good quality stream in commercial/redevelopment setting.
- QHEI for Ditch Impacted = Scored 50 as based on disturbed, linear, intermittent ditch.
- ORAM for Wetland 7 = Scored 11. Documents low-quality Category 1 emergent wetland
The above listed HHEI, QHEI, and ORAM summary for the ditch impacts for this J&H Erectors/LEDC project area are as based on September 22, 2011 field evaluation by Strand staff.
Additional ODOT results of their project specific ODOT waters and wetlands evaluations are provided in the ODOT categorical exclusion of July 27, 2009. Their data for the 7-9 wetlands indicated the following: limited, poor to moderate quality wetlands on industrial site.
Project contacts for this report
Owner: Lawrenceburg Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), Bill Dingus, Director
Contractor: J&H Erectors Attention: Mark Rolling
Design Engineer: Strand Associates, Inc.® Attention: Kris Ruggles
Mitigation Site Owner: LEDC as Owner of Solida Creek environs.
The 500+ acre site dedicated to the redevelopment of railcar, river barge, and intermodaltransportation. The entire 500 acre site was determined to be redevelopment ready by LEDC and the USEPA on October 26, 2004.
The water budget and hydraulics of Solida Creek will not be altered. Spot enhancements, improvements, stream habitat, and bank stabilizations will be conducted based on hydraulic design criteria.
There are areas of Solida Creek devoid of topsoil; where possible, stockpiled topsoil will be used from idle parts of the LEDC site to amend necessary areas. Otherwise, existing subsoils will be managed or planted to enhance recolonization by shrub and herbaceous species. Where possible, native plugs will be planted along suitable toe of slopes.
Summary of Conceptual Mitigation Plan Ideas.
- Length of Solida Creek - Approximately 5400 feet of channel will be reviewed, assessed and cleared of debris/trash.
- Mitigation Area 1 - Approximately 300LF of 10-20 feet of bank and 50’ buffer area ) will be stabilized and restored with the selected native restoration mix components.
- Mitigation Area 2 - Approximately 350LF of variable width bank and idle adjacent lands) will be planted to riparian seed mix, shrub cuttings, and mast trees.
- Approximately 650LF of channel will be planted with highquality tree species at density of 5 trees per 100 LF.
Vegetation/Invasive Management: Much of the agricultural portions of the LEDC site are cropped or idle and are subject to invasive and agronomic species colonization.
The major portion of Solida Creek onsite contains native and introduced species. Species of concern in wooded areas includes kudzu, autumn olive, and honey suckle. Control of invasive species within the 600 to 650 mitigation restoration areas will include spot spraying, dense over seeding, hand removals, and clearing and grubbing during the construction and monitoring period. Passive restoration along the remaining portion of the 5400 LF of channel to be monitored will include selective removals where management allows.
Quantitative performance criteria. This conceptual plan will be revised to a final mitigation plan after coordination with OEPA and USACE. Standardized performance criteria for USACE monitoring will be summarized therein. Basic evaluations to include:
- Document 70percent aerial coverage of planted herbaceous species.
- Stabilization of regraded banks with 70percent survival of planted shrubs/cuttings.
- 50percent survival of planted trees
Attachments:
Attachment A- Project Overview/Topo overlay and Draft Plan View and Typicals
Attachment B- Catlettsburg USGS map
Attachment C - NWI map
Attachment D - NRCS County Soil map mapping
Refer to the QHEI and HHEI section- Onsite Resource Data (Select or requested ORAM, QHEI, HHEI forms)
MEIGS COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS MITIGATION (SUMMARY PAGES)
Source of Outline:
S:\COO\3600--3699\3640\003\Wrd\Draft Mititgation and Monitoring.100711.final.docx