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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMonitoring report 2024 MONITORING REPORT DEP File Number: SE 83-2352 Project Address: 183 Route 28, Yarmouth, MA 02673 Date of Field Assessment: 9/29/24 Assessment Period: Oct 2023 – Oct 2024 Project Documents: The Cove at Yarmouth Plan Showing Proposed Site Improvements by Coastal Engineering Company, dated 8/16/2022 The Cove at Yarmouth Restoration Plan A by Crawford Land Management, dated 8/17/2022 The Cove at Yarmouth Restoration Plan B by Crawford Land Management, dated 8/17/2022 Project Overview This permit was filed as an after-the-fact NOI to rectify land management activities completed by the resort without permission from the Yarmouth Conservation Commission, including cutting existing vegetation and adding fill in several areas along the top of the coastal bank. Work approved under this permit included removing fill and restoring grade to its pre-existing condition, revegetating areas of illegal cutting with native vegetation, as well as connecting existing downspouts to collector pipes and subsurface drywells. Project Activities Completed to Date Work on this project began in January 2023, at which time the approved drywells were installed. At this time, minor restoration work was also completed, which involved treating any invasive or non-native vegetation with a direct stem application of an appropriate herbicide. At this same time, fill was removed from the top of the bank and grades were returned to their pre-existing condition. After fill was removed and grades were re- established, the bank was seeded and covered with erosion control blankets to promote bank stability. Restoration plantings were installed in April 2023 and trees were guyed in place and temporary above-ground irrigation was installed. Since our last assessment, four (4) maintenance visits were completed in late April, late May, early August, and mid- September to treat invasive or non-native vegetation, remove any dead fallen debris, adjust tree guides, mow/hand pull weeds, and maintain any erosion control materials. Additionally, a flexible growth medium with a native seed mix was applied in November 2023 to help hold seed in place and aid in its germination, and replacement plantings were installed in late August 2024 to replace any restoration plantings that had not survived the first growing season after planting. Assessment of Current Site Conditions At the time of this assessment, restoration plantings have performed well overall and most shrub specimens planted were alive and healthy, showing signs of growth and colonization. Most replacement restoration plantings appeared to be dry and showing signs of heat stress, which could be a result of direct sunlight, sandy soils, and/or not being tied into the irrigation system. Attention will need to be given to restoration plantings over the next growing season to assess their health and determine if adjustments to the irrigation system need to be made. Additionally, it appears that some plants continue to be browsed by wildlife. These plants may be able to withstand the browsing enough to become established and put on new growth. Seed germination appeared to be establishing more than in our last assessment however, there are still areas of patchy germination which will need to continue to be overseeded. This could possibly be due to the unconsolidated sandy sediment causing the seed to not receive enough water. There are a couple areas along the coastal bank where stormwater collects and creates runnels. It will be important to continue maintenance activities to establish a groundcover layer, which will help slow the velocity of stormwater and promote infiltration. Anticipated Activities to be Completed Next Monitoring Period Over the next monitoring period, CLM anticipates completing the following activities: • Evaluating the project area in early spring for occurrences of species requiring an early season maintenance treatment. • Continuing maintenance visits during the growing season (May – October) to target invasive, aggressive, and annual weed species. • Overseeding the restoration area as needed to establish a native vegetative groundcover. • Pruning of restoration plantings, as necessary, to remove any dead material to promote new growth. • Maintaining erosion control materials, including wattles/silt socks, as needed. • Adjusting the irrigation system, if necessary, to ensure restoration plantings receive adequate water. Recommendations for any Changes in Land Management Techniques We recommend continuing to hydroseed or overseed the bank using the specified native seed mix. As an alternative, we may recommend more irrigation, such as overhead rotors, to be installed to help promote germination more consistently throughout the project area. Replacement plantings should be tied into the existing irrigation system to avoid heat stress and drying out. Representative Project Area Photographs Coastal bank after the bank was seeded, scratched, a sprayed with FGM. November 2023. Restoration area where washouts have occurred. May 2024. Restoration area where seed germination is patchy; however, restoration plantings appear to be healthy and establishing. August 2024. Seed germination is patchy but continues to improve. August 2024. Areas where seed germination continues to do well. August 2024. Areas that have continued groundcover establishment and restoration plantings are healthy and established. September 2024.