Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutWetlands monitoring plan99 Buck Island Road · Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Plan 1 99 Buck Island Road Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Plan 1.0 Wetland Monitoring Program In accordance with the guidance provided in the “Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Guidance for Water Withdrawal Permit Compliance,” CDM Smith prepared this 5-yr wetland hydrology monitoring plan for the 99 Buck Island Road Groundwater Discharge Permit site at the proposed location of the Yarmouth Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF). The intent of this program is to demonstrate, through five years of data collection and analysis, that the operation of the 99 Buck Island Road WRRF recharge beds will not adversely impact nearby wetland hydrology. Monitoring will focus on the potential for an increase in the apparent water table within the substrate of vegetated wetlands due to the effects of the recharged water on the groundwater elevation. 2.0 Description of Study Area and Prior Site Work The study area is shown on Figure 1 and is located within a cleared area at 99 Buck Island Road. The area is bordered by active cranberry bogs to the west and the north, Plashes Brook to the east and wetlands to the south. The wetlands areas were previously developed and utilized as cranberry bogs. Parts of Plashes Brook and wetlands are now part of the town-owned Raymond J. Syrjala conservation area. There are paths around the cranberry bogs and through the woods that are actively used for recreation. To the north and west of the proposed recharge site are cranberry bogs owned by the Town of Yarmouth and leased out for cranberry production. There are pathways for recreation around the bogs. These areas include drainage features to move water between the bogs, irrigation ponds and adjacent wetlands. To the east of the site is Plashes Brook. Flow north of Buck Island Road in Plashes Brook is controlled by water control structures in the cranberry bogs. Between Buck Island Road and Winslow Gray Road, Plashes brook flows through the remnants of historical cranberry bogs and into an area of deep marsh. The water level in the deep marsh area is controlled by a water control structure with planks just north of Winslow Gray Road. South of the site are natural wetlands, the cranberry bog tailwater pond and drainage from the cranberry bogs to the west. Plashes Brook and the cranberry bog drainage flow under Winslow Gray Road through wetlands and former cranberry bogs into Parkers River. The proposed project is part of the first Phase of the Town’s Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP). This CWMP is designed to reduce nitrogen loads to estuaries and harbors which will improve water quality by collection and centralized treatment of wastewater which current enters the aquifer through septic systems. There are 8 phases in the approved CWMP. Phase 1 includes the construction of a new centralized Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) at 99 Buck Island Road, construction of a collection system including sewers and pumping stations and return of highly treated wastewater to infiltration basins 99 Buck Island Road · Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Plan 2 at the 99 Buck Island Site. Wastewater will be collected in the Lewis By, Parkers River, Bass River and Nantucket Sound Watersheds. For Phase 1, an average annual flow 0.417 MGD will be collected, treated and returned to the groundwater at multiple locations. The 99 Buck Island Road is the first of several locations for proposed discharge. 2.1 On-Site Wetland Delineation An Order of Resource Area Delineation (ORAD) was issued on September 23, 2009 for the 99 Buck Island Site in support of the proposed Phase 1 Sewer Service Area. This resource area delineation expired in 2016 but provides information on existing wetland conditions. The infrastructure proposed in 2009 was not built. The summary of relevant wetlands as delineated in 2008 is below. Wetlands are highlighted on Attachment 9b Sheet R1 Wetland Resource Area Delineation Mapping and in detail in Attachment 9c Wetland Resource Area Delineation Mapping dated August 2009. In November and December 2008, Magdalena Lofstedt, PWS, and Andrew Poyant, Environmental Scientist delineated wetland resource areas for the Phase 1 sewer area. This area included the proposed treatment and disposal location at 99 Buck Island Road. The existing wetland resource boundaries were evaluated for conformance with the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act (MGL c. 131 s. 40) and Regulations (310 CMR 10.00) and the boundary was delineated in accordance U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 1987 Wetlands Delineation Manual (Environmental Laboratory, 1987, "Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual" Technical Report Y-87-1, US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Mississippi), using vegetation, soils and indicators of wetland hydrology. The wetland boundary was demarcated at the limit of wetland vegetation (limit of plant community dominated [50% or more cover] by species adapted to living in wetland conditions), visual inspections, as well as indicators of hydric soils and wetland hydrology. Wetland Boundaries were surveyed by Surveying and Mapping Consultants Inc. (SMC). A total of 29 wetland resource areas were identified and demarcated with blue wetland flagging in the field as part of this survey. Of the 29 wetland areas identified, 15 wetland areas (wetland areas 15 through 29) are located on or adjacent to the 99 Buck Island site. A summary of the wetland areas, corresponding sheet numbers in the Attachment 9c Wetland Resource Area Delineation dated August 2009 and a brief description is provided in Table 1. 99 Buck Island Road · Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Plan 3 Table 1. Delineated Wetlands on or adjacent to 99 Buck Island Road Wetland Number Sheet Numbers Location description 15 19 NW corner near cranberry bog irrigation pond 16 20 Wetland north of Buck Island Road 17 19 NW corner near cranberry bog irrigation pond 18 20 Wetland north of Buck Island Road 19 20 Wetland north of Buck Island Road 20 43, 45, 47 Plashes Brook 21 20 NW corner near cranberry bog irrigation pond 22 43 West between proposed WRRF site and cranberry bog 23 20 NW corner near cranberry bog irrigation pond 24 48 West between proposed WRRF site and cranberry bog 25 46 West between proposed WRRF site and cranberry bog 26 50 South of proposed WRRF site 27 48 South of proposed WRRF site 28 48 NW corner between irrigation pond and site driveway 29 50 South of proposed WRRF site 2.1 Bordering Vegetated Wetlands (BVW) Bordering Vegetated Wetlands are defined as: "freshwater wetlands which border on creeks, rivers, streams, ponds and lakes. The types of freshwater wetlands are wet meadows, marshes, swamps and bogs. Bordering Vegetated Wetlands are areas where the soils are saturated and/or inundated such that they support a predominance of wetland indicator plants. The ground and surface water regime and the vegetational community which occur in each type of freshwater wetland are specified in M.G.L.C. 131, § 40" [310 CMR 10.55 (2)(a)] West Yarmouth Road and Buck Island Road Wetland flags 15-1 through 15-10End and wetland flags 17-1 through 17-29End demarcate portions of a BVW boundary along a wooded swamp on the southeast side of the intersection. This BVW is connected to the Town-owned Cranberry Bogs located further south. Pockets of standing water were observed throughout this wetland. There are three man-made drainage channels that flow through this wetland system. They appear to be part of the cranberry bog drainage system. The channels are culverted beneath Buck Island Road. The BVW is vegetated by pitch pine (Pinus rigida), red maple, red oak, highbush blueberry (Viburnum cassinoides), coastal sweet pepperbush, wintergreen, cinnamon fern, leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculta), and greenbriers. Wetland flags 16-1 through 16-10End, 18-1 through 18-6End and 19-1 through 19- 6End demarcate three wooded wetlands on the north side of the Buck Island Road. Wetland 16 is connected to wetlands 15/17 via two culverts. Soils within Wetland 16 consisted of loamy sand 10YR 4/3 with 99 Buck Island Road · Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Plan 4 redoximorphic features. Vegetation in the overstory consisted of red maple and pitch pine. The shrub layer is dominated by sweet pepperbush and leatherleaf. The vine layer is dominated by greenbriers. Cinnamon fem was observed in the ground cover. Wetland 18 and 19 were very similar in species composition to wetland 16 except that highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) was observed in the shrub layer. Wetland 19 appears to be connected to a larger wetland set further north of Buck Island Road. Wetland 20 (Plashes Brook) Wetland flags 20-1 through 20-144End demarcate the large BVW system along Plashes Brook to the east of the proposed WRRF site. This wetland was listed as Parker River in the 2009 Resource Area Delineation) The BVW boundary closely follows the river valley in some areas and in others moves away from the river up the slope closer to the WRRF site. The overstory in Wetland 20 is dominated by pitch pine, red maple, Eastern white pine (Pinus strobes), and black gum. The shrub layer is dominated by sweet pepperbush, wintergreen, highbush blueberry, and winterberry. The vine layer consists of very densely growing greenbriars and poison ivy. The following species were observed in the ground cover: cinnamon fem, wintergreen, and bracken fem (Pteridium aquilinum). Wetland 24 Wetland flags 24-1 through 24-20End demarcate a BVW. Wetland 24 is vegetated by red maple, highbush blueberry, pitch pine, sweet pepperbush, white cedar, cinnamon fem, winterberry and greenbriers. Wetland 26 Wetland flags 26-1 through 26-8End were placed south of the proposed plant site demarcating a BVW associated with the Town owned bog system. This wetland can be characterized as a wooded wetland dominated by red maple in the overstory. The shrub layer is dominated by sweet pepperbush. Dominant species in the vine layer is greenbrier. On the ground a few individuals of cinnamon fern were observed. Wetland 27 Wetland flags 27-1 through 27-7End demarcate a BVW in Town-owned conservation land. A finger shaped portion of this wetland extends into the Town-owned parcel of land. Vegetation was similar to that observed for Wetland 24. Wetland 28 Wetland flags 28-1 through 28-15End demarcate a wooded wetland associated with the Town-owned bogs. Standing water was present throughout the wetland. There are piles of debris along the wetland edge including a car and multiple drums. The soils consisted of sand with a matrix of 10YR 4/3 with redoximorphic features. Wetland 28 is vegetated by sweet pepperbush, greenbriers, pitch pine, red maple, highbush blueberry, and sphagnum moss. Wetland 29 Wetland flags 29-1 through 29-8End demarcate a wooded wetland south of the proposed WRRF site adjacent to the Town-owned bogs. Wetland 29 contains standing water. Wetland 29 is vegetated by 99 Buck Island Road · Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Plan 5 black gum, red maple, pitch pine, sweet pepperbush, highbush blueberry, sheep laurel, maleberry (Lyonia ligustrina), alder (Alnus sp.), and cinnamon fern. Cranberry Bogs Wetland flags were not placed at the cranberry bogs due to the distinct break in slope. 2.2 Bordering Land Subject to Flooding (BLSF) Bordering Land Subject to Flooding is defined as: "an area with low, flat topography adjacent to and inundated by flood waters rising from creeks, rivers, streams, ponds or lakes. It extends from the banks of these waterways and waterbodies; where a bordering vegetated wetland occurs, it extends from said wetland." [310 CMR 10.57(2)(a)(l)] The boundary of BLSF is defined as: "the estimated maximum lateral extent of flood water which will theoretically result from the statistical 100-year frequency storm. Said boundary shall be that determined by reference to the most recently available flood profile data prepared for the community within which the work is proposed under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP, currently administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, successor to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development). Said Boundary, so determined, shall be presumed accurate. This presumption may be overcome only by credible evidence from a registered professional engineer or other professional competent in such matters." [310 CMR 10.57 (2)(1)(3)] The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map identifies the 100-year floodplain in the project area, see Attachment 4 for mapping. The 100-year floodplain elevation is 11 feet (NAVD88) within Plashes Brook east of the site (Zone AE). The proposed area for the infiltration basins is within an area of minimal flood hazard. 2.3 Riverfront Area (RFA) Riverfront Area is defined as: "the area of land between a river's mean annual high water line and a parallel line measured horizontally outward from the river and a parallel line located 200 feet away, ...In tidal rivers, the mean annual high-water line is coincident with the mean high water line determined under 310 CMR 10.23." [310 CMR 10.58 (2)] There is a 200-foot wide Riverfront Area associated with Plashes Brook, per the Rivers Protection Act. 2.4 Isolated Land Subject to Flooding Isolated Land Subject to Flooding is defined as: “Isolated Land Subject to Flooding is an isolated depression or closed basin without an inlet or an outlet. It is an area which at least once a year confines standing water to a volume of at least JA acre-feet and to an average depth of at least six inches." [310 CMR 10.57 (b) 1] 99 Buck Island Road · Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Plan 6 Table 2 summarizes the calculations for Local Vegetated Wetlands and Isolated Land Subject to Flooding for the relevant wetlands near the 99 Buck Island Road site as identified in 2008. Table 2. Local Vegetated Wetlands and Isolated Land Subject to Flooding on or adjacent to 99 Buck Island Road Wetland Area of Wetland in square feet and acres Local Vegetated Wetland Volume in acre- feet Volume of Tributary in acre-feet Isolated Land Subject to Flooding 21 2,750 / 0.05 No 0.025 - No 22 9,800 / 0.25 Yes 0.268 0.42 Yes 23 560 / 0.01 No 0.005 - No 25 4,200 / 0.01 Yes Incomplete contours - No Wetland 22 Wetland flags 22-1 through 22-14 and 22-1A through 22-1E demarcate a local Vegetated Wetland and Isolated Land Subject to flooding. This wetland is regulated as ILSF since it does hold 1/4-acre-foot of water. It is located west of the WRRF site and east of the Cranberry Bog path. This Isolated Wetland is vegetated by red maple, greenbriers, leatherleaf, pitch pine, cinnamon fem, sphagnum moss (Sphagnum sp.), white pine, highbush blueberry, and sweet pepperbush. 2.5 Local Vegetated Wetlands Local Vegetated Wetlands are defined as: "the line within which 50% or more of vegetational community consists of the wetland plant species identified in sections 3.02, (1) thru 3.02, (2), (c), (4), below. A minimum size of3,000 square feet is required for jurisdiction under these regulation." [Town of Yarmouth Wetland Protection Regulations 3.02 (2) (c)] Wetland 22 Wetland 22 is regulated as a Local Vegetated Wetland. Wetland 22 has an area of approximately 9,800 ft2. Wetland 25 Wetland flags 25-1 through 25-14End demarcate a Local Vegetated Wetland. This wetland has an area of approximately 4,200 ft2. Wetland 25 is a depression that is vegetated with oak (Quercus sp.), highbush blueberry, winterberry, sweet pepperbush, greenbriers, cinnamon fem, and pitch pine. 2.6 Federal Jurisdictional Isolated Wetland 21 Wetland flags 21-1 through 21-20End demarcate an Isolated Wetland with an area of approximately 2,750 ft2. This wetland is not regulated as Isolated Land Subject to Flooding (ILSF) as it doesn't hold 99 Buck Island Road · Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Plan 7 1/4 acre-foot of water. This wetland is not regulated as a Local Vegetated Wetland as it doesn't have a minimum area of 3,000 ft2. There is standing water within the Isolated Wetland. Wetland 21 is vegetated by red maple, highbush blueberry, pitch pine, sweet pepperbush, white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides), sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia), and greenbriers. Wetland 23 Wetland flags 23-1 through 23-5End demarcate a depression with an area of approximately 560 ft2. This wetland is not regulated as Isolated Land Subject to Flooding (ILSF) as it doesn't hold 1/4 acre- foot of water. It is vegetated with sweet pepperbush, red maple, sphagnum moss, and northern arrowwood. 3.0 Baseline and Long-Term Monitoring Data Collection The following summary presents the monitoring protocols that will be utilized and tools that will be implemented to complete the monitoring of wetland hydrology at the 99 Buck Island Road site. Wetland hydrology, hydric soils, and plant data collection will take place semiannually during the growing season, early (May or June) and late (September or October) for 5 years with water level in monitoring wells and surface water levels collected monthly. Baseline information will be collected during the year prior to the recharge beds being put in service. Observations will be recorded on DEP Bordering Vegetated Wetland (310 CMR 10.55) Delineation Field Data Form and on water level and recording logs. 3.1 Collection of Wetland Hydrology Data Establishing Monitoring Locations The 2009 Resource Area Delineations identified 15 wetland areas. Within these wetland areas, 4 “wetland hydrology monitoring observation plots” (herein after referred to as “plots”) will be established. The location of each of the four fixed monitoring Plots will be established in the field during the baseline monitoring event with a wooden stake painted orange. The plot locations will be located as follows: · 1 location within the Plashes Brook area (wetland area #20) near MW-17 · 1 location near the cranberry bog irrigation pond (wetland areas #17) near MW-22A · 1 location west of the proposed WRRF site and (wetland areas #25) near BW-225 · 1 location south of the proposed WRRF site (wetland area #27) near MW-24 Color photographs of each Observation Plot will be captured from a fixed location and angle during each field visit. Groundwater Level Measurements Each wetland observation plot will be located close to a previously installed monitoring well. Water levels will be recorded at each monitoring well on a monthly basis for each sampling year (baseline and long-term program). Evidence of capillary fringe saturation and its influence on the root zone will 99 Buck Island Road · Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Plan 8 also be described. As described in the groundwater monitoring plan, pressure transducers will be installed in 9 groundwater wells to measure water level changes during the initial 3 months of system operations. Monthly groundwater levels will be taken during the baseline period and following system-start-up. Information on monitoring locations is provided in Attachment 6B Groundwater and Surface Water Monitoring Plan. Surface Water Level Measurements Plashes Brook on the east of the site and Gray Brook which drains the cranberry bogs to the west of the site are perennial streams within the study area. Seven locations have been identified for monitoring surface water levels within the system. These locations include surface water locations within the bogs and at water control structures within Plashes Brook Water levels at surface water monitoring locations will be recorded on a monthly basis during the sampling year (baseline and long-term program). 3.1.4 Wetland Hydrology Indicators Standard indicators of wetland hydrology as defined in Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual (Department of the Army, Waterways Experiment Station, Environmental Laboratory, Technical Report Y-87-1, 1988) will be monitored within each observation plot and noted on the Data Forms. Standard indicators of wetland hydrology include visual observation of inundation; visual observation of soil saturation; watermarks; drift lines; sediment deposits; drainage patterns within wetlands; oxidized channels (rhizospheres) associated with living roots and rhizomes; water-stained leaves; surface scoured areas; and morphological plant adaptations. 3.2 Collection of Supportive Data 3.2.1 Collecting Description of Plant Community The plot position and dimensions will be based on criteria in Delineating Bordering Vegetated Wetlands Under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act [MADEP 1995], as follows: 1. Establish a fixed monitoring point(s) with a stake, rebar or an iron pipe painted orange. The procedure involves evaluating vegetation within concentric sampling plots, with the largest radius equaling 30 feet. 2. Conduct annual vegetation monitoring in each plot(s) during the growing season. Use the DEP Bordering Vegetated Wetland (310 CMR 10.55) Delineation Field Data Form to record vegetation data as follows: a. Herbaceous Layer - is evaluated using a 1-meter radius plot. Measure and temporarily mark a plot with a 1-meter radius. Identify and list all plants within the herbaceous layer. The herbaceous layer includes all non-woody plants less than 3.28 feet (1 meter) tall, including grasses, annuals, non-woody perennial species, and seedlings of shrubs and trees. Estimate the percent cover for each species and note the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) wetland indicator status for each species. Calculate the sum of cover for each species to establish total percent cover in this layer and divide the 99 Buck Island Road · Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Plan 9 percent cover for each species by the total percent cover for the layer to establish relative percent cover (dominance) for each species. b. Shrub Layer - is evaluated using a 15-foot radius. Measure and temporarily mark a plot with a 15-foot radius. Identify and list all plants within the shrub layer and note the USFWS wetland indicator status for each species. Shrubs are all woody plants less than 3 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH) and greater than or equal to 3.28 feet (1 meter) tall, including tree saplings and seedlings. Estimate the percent cover for each species. Follow the procedure described above for shrubs. c. Sapling Layer - is evaluated using a 15-foot radius. Measure and temporarily mark a plot with a 15-foot radius. Identify and list all plants within the sapling layer and note the USFWS wetland indicator status for each species. Shrubs are all woody plants less than 3 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH) and greater than or equal to 3.28 feet (1 meter) tall, including tree saplings and seedlings. Estimate the percent cover for each species. Calculate the sum of cover for each species to establish total percent cover in this layer and divide the percent cover for each species by the total percent cover for the layer to establish relative percent cover (dominance) for each species. d. Tree Layer - is evaluated using a 30-foot radius plot. Identify and list all plants within the shrub layer and note the USFWS wetland indicator status for each species. Trees are all woody plants greater than 3 inches (7.6 cm) in DBH, regardless of height. Estimate the percent cover for each species. Follow the procedure described above for saplings and shrubs. Dominant plant species are determined using the dominance measures described above, listing the species in each stratum of the plot that, when ranked in descending order of abundance (percent dominance) and cumulatively totaled, immediately exceed 50 percent of the total dominance measure for the stratum plus any additional species that comprise 20 percent or more of the dominance measure for that stratum. From the relative percent cover for each species and the wetland indicator status, it can be determined whether the plant community is dominated by wetland species or upland species. With a compilation of data in this way, one can monitor changes in the species community over time based on species presence/ absence and changes in relative dominance (e.g., increased cover by upland species over time). The water regime affinity of the particular wetland plant communities found within each of the observation plots will also be determined using professional experience. 3.2.2 Hydric Soils Soils profiles will be examined using Field Indicators for Identifying Hydric Soils in New England [NEIWPCC (Version 4, April 2019)] and recorded on the Data Form. Analysis of soil profiles will reference hydrologic characteristics included within the technical definition of hydric soils, natural soil drainage classes, and high-water table/flooding data specific to the soil series encountered. 99 Buck Island Road · Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Plan 10 4.0 Data Analysis and Reporting Annual draft and final “Wetland Hydrology Monitoring Reports” will be submitted at the end of each of the five growing seasons. The baseline monitoring report will be submitted prior to the start of operation of the new WRRF recharge beds. The first year of monitoring will be the year following the start of operation of the WRRF beds. The reports will, at a minimum, include the following:  Data Forms  Groundwater and surface water recording logs  Provide a thorough narrative description of the wetland hydrology at each Plot.  Compare or contrast the water affinity for each wetland plant community within each Plot with the water regime modifier initially assigned to each observation plot, and explain any discrepancies observed.  Climatological anomalies will be accounted for within the data analysis using the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Water and Climate Center, WETS Tables for additional climatological data http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/water/w_clim.html).  A thorough analysis of the collected data with relation to the conceptual model for wetland hydrology developed by the applicant for the study area, including an analysis of observed or expected sources of bias which may compromise the data set, if applicable.  Any documented invasive species and proposed eradication/control plan(s) for review and approval by MassDEP, if applicable.