Info - Wetland Mitigation and Restoration Plan.pdf

WETLAND MITIGATION

AND RESTORATION PLAN:

DUNS # 804722486

TIN # 35-1844393

Order # DTFH71-09-F-00082

INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE

EAST STATE PARK ROAD RECONSTRUCTION

PORTER COUNTY, INDIANA

October 22, 2009 Revised November 24, 2009

Prepared for:

Federal Highway Administration

Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division 21400 Ridgetop Circle

Sterling, Virginia 20166-6511

Prepared by:

708 Roosevelt Walkerton, Indiana

(574) 586-3400

DUNS # 804722486, East State Park Road Reconstruction October 18, 2010 Porter County, Indiana i

File: 090401M.03

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 PURPOSE………………………………………………………………………

2.0 MITIGATION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES……………………………………………..1

3.0 BASELINE INFORMATION…………………………………………………

4.0 MITIGATION SITE SELECTION & JUSTIFICATION……………………………...….7

5.0 MITIGATION WORK PLAN…………………………………………………………

6.0 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS…………………………………………………..,….12

7.0 SITE PROTECTION AND MAINTENANCE………………………………………

8.0 MONITORING PLAN…………………………………………………………………

9.0 ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN………………………………………………

10.0 FINANCIAL ASSURANCES………………………………………………

11.0 RESTORATION PLAN…….………………………………………………

APPENDIX A: WETLAND DELINEATION REPORT

1.0 PURPOSE

1.1 Purpose of East State Park Road Project

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (INDU) propose to make improvements to East State Park Road and portions of Beverly Drive. The roadway is in a poor, unsafe condition due to frequent flooding of portions of the roadway from adjacent wetlands. In particular, the roadway at the intersection of Beverly Drive and East State Park Road is frequently flooded for long durations. Saturation of the road base and shoulders causes the road surface to deteriorate making for unsafe driving conditions and costly routine maintenance repairs. (Sheet 1).

1.2 Purpose of Mitigation

The project purpose is to mitigate for impacts to 7448 square feet (0.17 acre) of emergent and 37 square feet (0.0008 ac) of forested wetland associated with the FHWA reconstruction of East State Park Road and a portion of Beverly Drive, in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Porter County, Indiana (Sheets 12-16)

1.3 Project Description

FHWA will restore 0.76 acres and enhance 0.11 acre of emergent wetland east of the East State Park Road reconstruction site in Section 3 of Township 37 North Range 5 West, near the community of Beverly Shores in Porter County, Indiana to compensate for the loss of 0.18 acre of wetland. In addition, FHWA will temporarily impact 0.26 acre of emergent wetland at the intersection of Beverly Shores and East State Park Road through excavation for temporary diversion berms.

FHWA must reconstruct East State Park Road and a portion of Beverly Drive in order to ease flooding of the roadway and improve safety. The project will raise the road surface approximately 12 inches and include installation of 15 trench drains near the intersection of East State Park Road and Beverly Drive. The project will also resurface the remainder of East State Park Road. Approximately 142 cubic yards of road base material will be placed in the wetlands.

FHWA proposes to fill portions of three wetlands within the construction limits of East State Park Road and Beverly Drive in order to raise the road surface and install trench drains.

2.0 MITIGATION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of the mitigation is to restore 0.76 acre and enhance 0.11 acre of wetland within an extensive emergent wetland known as The Great Marsh, by removing portions of fill material from an abandoned roadway and home sites. The mitigation sites are located on land owned by Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and coincide with the Great Marsh management objectives of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

The project objective is to compensate for the loss of 7448 square feet of emergent and 37 square feet of forested, jurisdictional wetlands (total 0.17 acre) by restoring 0.76 acre and enhancing 0.11 acre of emergent wetland at three separate sites located along Beverly Drive, east of the project area, which will provide an approximate 4.8:1 ratio of mitigation for the impact of 0.17 acre of wetland at the East State Park Road and Beverly Drive. Also, the goal of the mitigation is to compensate for the lost functions associated with impacts to the wetlands.

Restoration of 0.76 acre and enhancement of 0.11 acre of emergent wetland will balance the loss of wildlife habitat, water storage, flood abatement and other functions associated with the emergent and forested wetlands along East State Park Road. (See Tables 1 and 2 for wetland acreage and credit accounting.)

2.1 Impact Site

Aquatic Resource Types and Functions Six wetlands were identified in the wetland delineation performed by JFNew in 2005 and revised by JFNew in 2009 (See Appendix A and Table 1). The wetlands are of moderate quality. The forested wetlands support spicebush (Lindera benzoin), red maple (Acer rubrum) and sensitive fern (Onoclea sensiblis) and in the emergent wetlands, skunk cabbage (Symphlocarpus foetidus) and impatiens (Impatiens capensis) grow among the cattail (Typha x glauca).

Functions associated with the wetlands include flood abatement, water storage, wildlife habitat, food chain support and some water quality purification. See Table 2 for quantification of impacts to wetlands.

Aquatic Resource Concerns in Watershed The Great Marsh frequently floods in the vicinity of this project. Since the impact site is relatively small (0.17 acre), its overall impact to the watershed is small, but it is important to note that mitigation will take place near the impact site in the Great Marsh watershed and therefore will account for the loss of the small amount of water storage capacity and other functions.

2.2 Mitigation Site

Aquatic Resource Types and Functions Emergent wetland, 0.87 acre in size, will be restored at three different mitigation sites located along Beverly Drive, east of the impact site. The sites include an abandoned roadbed and former home sites. The mitigation wetland will provide flood abatement, wildlife habitat, water storage, food chain support and some water quality purification functions.

Contribution to Watershed The mitigation will compensate for the loss of wetland acreage and function to the watershed. It will provide flood abatement, wildlife habitat, food chain support and some water quality purification functions. A ratio of more than 4:1 of mitigation ensures that the minimal impact will be accounted for, and, moreover, the mitigation will occur within the same watershed and very near the impact site.

3.0 BASELINE INFORMATION

3.1 Impact Site

The impact site is located in Sections 8 and 9 of Township 37 North, Range 5 West, Porter County, Indiana in HUC 04040001 (Little Calumet-Galien Watershed). Table 1 identifies the jurisdictional wetlands located during the 2005 wetland delineation and 2009 updated delineation in the vicinity of the East State Park Road reconstruction. The NWI identifies the wetlands in the southern portion of the project as a forested palustrine type (PFO1C) and the wetlands in the northern portion as palustrine emergent, semi-permanently flooded (PEMF) types. Specifically, the impact sites consist of portions of Wetlands A, B and C at the intersection of Beverly Drive and East State Park Road (Sheets 12-16). The regulated impact acreages and the preferred mitigation acreage are presented in Table 2.

Table 1. Wetlands located along East State Park Road in Porter County, Indiana (JFNew, 2005, updated 2009).

Wetland Type Status Acreage A EM/SS Jurisdictional 2.59 B EM/FO Jurisdictional 5.08 C EM/FO Jurisdictional 7.44 D EM Jurisdictional 0.19 E EM Jurisdictional 0.17 F EM/FO Jurisdictional 0.05

TOTAL 15.52

Existing Hydrology The wetland delineation report indicates that the ground was saturated and that water was encountered at depths ranging from surface water to a few inches below ground surface. The area hydrology is likely associated with Lake Michigan and from surface runoff and regional drainage within the Great Marsh.

Existing vegetation The wetlands are of moderate quality with cattail (Typha x glauca) dominating the emergent wetlands and spicebush (Lindera benzoin), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) and red maple (Acer rubrum) dominating the forested wetlands.

Existing soils The existing soil in the forested wetland area is Maumee loamy sand, ponded (Mn). The soil in the emergent wetland is Houghton muck (Hm). These soils are both hydric soils.

Existing Land Use The existing land use of the impact wetlands is undeveloped land adjacent and parallel to East State Park Road and Beverly Drive.

Existing Wildlife Use It is unlikely that threatened, rare or endangered species inhabit the impact site since it is a narrow linear area adjacent to a roadway. However, the impact area likely supports a variety of song birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals due to its adjacency to large wetlands to the east and west.

Historic and Current Land Use The historic and current land use is undeveloped land adjacent to East State Park Road and Beverly Drive.

Current Owners Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Constantine J. Dillon, Park Superintendent 1100 N. Mineral Springs Rd., Porter, IN 46304 219-395-1699

Watershed Context The impact site and the mitigation sites are within the Little Calumet-Galien. The impact size is

0.17 acre. Specifically the impact site is located in the Dunes Creek watershed along with mitigation areas M3-M5. Mitigation areas M1 and M2 are located in the Great Marsh Derby Ditch watershed. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has made efforts to restore the hydrology of the Great Marsh area. Water control structures are in place in Derby Ditch and on the east side of the Broadway Street culvert. Some ditches have also been plugged in the area to increase surface flow of water through the marsh. Mapped watershed boundaries (HUC 14 digit) do not accurately depict the local watershed details.

3.2 Mitigation Site

The mitigation consists of three sites located along Beverly Drive. See Table 2 for acreage and wetland type of each site. Mitigation area 1 (M1) is located south of the intersection of Beverly Drive and Wells Road. M1 consists of an old home site adjacent to an abandoned road bed and Beverly Drive in Section 3 of Township 37 North Range 5 West. Mitigation area 2 (M2) is an abandoned road bed and former home site located across from St. Clair Street and Beverly Drive, in the same section as M1. Mitigation areas 3, 4 and 5 consist of former home sites adjacent to Beverly Drive in Section 9 of Township 37 North Range 5 West, approximately one half mile east of the impact site. All five mitigation sites are adjacent to the Great Marsh.

Mitigation Area M5 is a portion of a former home site that met wetland criteria during an April 2010 site visit. The area is dominated by Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis, FAC), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota, UPL), willow species (Salix sp.) and giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea, FACW). The soils were dark sand (10YR 4/2) with mottles (5YR 3/4) from 3-10 inches. From 10 -15 inches a sandy muck with course gravel was encountered. Soils were saturated at 9 inches with free water in a test pit at 14 inches. Mitigation Area M5 is adjacent to Mitigation Area M4, which is an upland portion of the same fill site, located adjacent to Beverly Drive. Enhancement of M5 will include removal of fill material and installation of native marsh vegetation, to make a continuous wetland area with M4.

Table 2: Summary of wetland mitigation sites type and acreage for the mitigation of 0.17 acres of wetland impact on Route 209 and Route 211, Porter County, Indiana.

Wetland Restoration Mitigation Wetland

Type Wetland Acreage

M1 Emergent 0.236 M2 Emergent 0.390 M3 Emergent 0.061 M4 Emergent 0.070

Total Wetland Restoration 0.76 Wetland Enhancement

Mitigation

M5 Emergent 0.11 Total Wetland Mitigation Emergent 0.87

Existing Hydrology The mitigation sites are located within Zone C of the Federal Insurance Rate Maps. A large portion of the Great Marsh between the mitigation sites is mapped as Zone A. Zone A indicates that the area is within the 100 year flood zone. Zone C indicates that the site does not have the potential for flooding under 100-year event conditions. The mitigation site is upland fill material.

The wetland delineation report shows that the soils are not saturated in the upper 12 inches and the water table is more than 15 inches from the ground surface. The adjoining emergent wetland area supports a high water table and saturated soil conditions (Sheet 2).

Existing Vegetation The sites targeted for mitigation are an abandoned roadbed and home sites (M1 through M5).

M1 and M2 are dominated by cottonwood (Populus deltoides, FAC) and black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis, UPL). M3 is dominated by speckled alder (Alnus rugosa, OBL) and multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora, FACU). Mitigation Sites M4 and M5 are dominated by cottonwood (Populus deltoides, FAC), willow (Salix sp.), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis, FAC) and Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota, UPL).

Existing Soils According to the NRCS soil survey of Porter County, Indiana, the soils within the proposed mitigation sites are mapped as Adrian muck, drained (Ad) in M2, Houghton muck, drained (Ho) in M1 and M2, and Maumee loamy sand, ponded (Mn) in M3, M4 and M5. All 3 soil types found in the mitigation areas are listed as hydric soils (Sheet 3). Since the mapped soils of the mitigation areas support hydric soils, it is likely that prior to the construction of the roadbed and home sites the proposed mitigation sites were also wetlands associated with the Great Marsh.

Existing Land Use The mitigation sites M1-M5 are currently a portion of an abandoned roadbed (M2) and ruined home sites that are overgrown with dense vegetation (Sheets 4-6). The mitigation sites are all located to the south of Beverly Drive, with access off of Beverly Drive. The mitigation sites all adjoin the Great Marsh wetlands. M1 is located adjacent to an abandoned road bed that continues to the south. The abandoned roadway portion of M2 continues to the south.

Existing Wildlife Use It is unlikely that threatened, rare or endangered species inhabit this area since it is degraded in nature and consists of small narrow upland “islands” in a large wetland complex. Since the mitigation sites are adjacent to Beverly Drive, they do not lend themselves to supporting wildlife;

instead as with any area adjacent to a roadway and the attendant traffic, wildlife, waterfowl and birds are subject to being killed as they cross the road and tend to avoid these areas or only pass through quickly before crossing the road. The mitigation sites are likely to support a variety of song birds due to its adjacency to the wetland and the plant cover that is present.

Historic and Current Land Use The historic and current land use is a developed roadway and home sites (M1-M5) built within a large wetland complex. The roadbed and home sites have been abandoned and fallen into ruin.

There is some debris remaining at the abandoned home sites.

Current Owners Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Constantine J. Dillon, Park Superintendent 1100 N. Mineral Springs Rd., Porter, IN 46304 219-395-1699

Watershed Context The mitigation sites are not within the 100-year floodplain. A large portion of the Great Marsh between the mitigation sites is mapped as Type A Floodplain. The mitigation sites are adjacent to existing wetlands and will add to the acreage of the surrounding Great Marsh wetland.

4.0 MITIGATION SITE SELECTION & JUSTIFICATION

4.1 Site Specific Objectives

Table 3 details and summarizes the proposed impacts and mitigation ratios required by IDEM.

FHWA proposes to restore 0.76 acre and 0.111 acre of emergent wetland along Broadway, in Beverly Shores. The 0.87 acre mitigation accounts for a combination of mitigation ratios based on whether impacts occur on forested or emergent wetlands. Typically a 4:1 mitigation ratio is applied to forested impacts and a 3:1 mitigation ratio for high quality emergent wetland impacts.

FHWA has proposed a combination of restoration and enhancement of wetlands for a total of

0.87 acres (Table 4), an approximate 5:1 ratio.

Table 3. Wetland Impacts and Required Mitigation at the East State Park Road Site.

Wetland Type Status

Perma nent

Impact (ac)

Mitigation Ratio

Required Mitigation for Permanent Impact (ac)

Temporary Impact (ac) (to be restored)

A EM/SS Jurisdictional 0.10 3:1 0.30 0.05 B EM/FO Jurisdictional 0.05 4:1 0.20 0.05 C EM/FO Jurisdictional 0.02 4:1 0.08 0.16 D EM Jurisdictional 0.00 3:1 0.00 E EM Jurisdictional 0.00 3:1 0.00 F EM/FO Jurisdictional 0.00 4:1 0.00 H EM/SS Jurisdictional 0.00 3:1 0.00

Total Wetland Impact & Mitigation

0.17 0.58

Table 4. Actual wetland creation, enhancement and restoration at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Sites.

Wetland Restoration Mitigation Type Acreage Buffer (feet)

M1 EM 0.236 10

M2 EM 0.390

M3 EM 0.061 10

M4 EM 0.070 10

Total Wetland Restoration

0.76

Wetland Enhancement Mitigation

0.11

M5 EM 10

Temporary Impact (ac)

(to be restored) 0.26

4.2 Watershed Objectives

Because the mitigation is located adjacent to the Great Marsh and within the same watershed as the impact site; functions such as flood abatement and wildlife habitat associated with presence of vegetative cover will be provided. These functions will not be lost from the watershed.

4.3 Connectivity and Adjacent Land Use

The wetland mitigation sites will be adjacent to the Great Marsh, a large wetland complex. The mitigation sites and the adjacent lands are within the boundaries of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

4.4 Site Selection Methodology

Removal of old road beds and home sites within the Great Marsh meets the cooperative objectives for this project between the Federal Highway Administration and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The mitigation sites provide the benefits of 1) proximity to the impact site,

2) reasonable expectation of removing the old roadbed and home sites, 3) creating wetland habitat which likely existed before the placement of the fill material, and 4) parallels overall habitat restoration efforts in the great marsh by Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

4.5 Expectation of Sustainability

The mitigation will succeed because fill material associated with the old roadbed and home sites will be removed and the ground lowered to the elevation of the existing surrounding wetland.

Groundwater and surface water from the surrounding wetland are the sources of water for the mitigation site.

5.0 MITIGATION WORK PLAN

5.1 Wetland Restoration and Enhancement

In order to establish native wetland habitat, techniques will be employed to provide adequate wetland hydrology and hydrophytic vegetation. Wetland hydrology will be established by removing fill material to the same elevation as the adjacent wetland. Both direct precipitation and overland flow from the surrounding area will provide the source of hydrology for the mitigation wetland. The surrounding wetlands have year round soil saturation and long durations of standing water during the spring and fall of the year.

In order to provide the 0.58 acre of required wetland mitigation, 0.76 acre of emergent wetland will be restored and 0.11 acre of emergent wetland will be enhanced by excavating the former home sites and abandoned road bed. Excavation will remove fill material to lower the grade of the mitigation sites to the grade of the surrounding Great Marsh. The mitigation wetlands will be seeded and planted with plugs.

Mitigation sites M1-M4 are currently filled upland areas. They will be restored by removing the fill as close to possible to original wetland grades. The current vegetation in M5 is a mix of wetland and upland species, including species that are typical of disturbed sites. The enhancement of this partially filled wetland area (M5) will be obtained by removing the fill material. Approximately 6-12 inches of fill will be removed from the surface to restore the original wetland grade. All areas will then be planted with native emergent wetland vegetative.

There is a 10-foot buffer around wetland mitigation areas M1 (0.236 acres), M3 (0.61 acre), M4 (0.70 acre), and M5 (0.111 acre) that also will be excavated to the same grade and planting plan as the mitigation areas. The buffer areas are not included in the mitigation area acreages.

5.2 Timing of Mitigation

Mitigation construction will occur at the same time the roadway improvements at East State Park Road and Beverly Drive are constructed.

5.3 Grading Plan

Grading (excavating) will be required to construct each of the wetland mitigation and enhancement areas. Approximately 1.5 feet of fill material will be removed from the abandoned roadbed and home sites at M1 through M4. The mitigation wetlands will blend into existing emergent wetlands that surround the mitigation areas. See Sheets 4-6. M2 will be excavated

0.20 feet below the final grade elevation. It is anticipated that due to the narrow footprint of M2 that silt and organic debris from adjacent wetlands will settle into the mitigation area. In addition, there may be some rebounding of the compressed muck soils under the roadway fill.

The final grade of the wetland planting areas may be left somewhat irregular to maximize microhabitat diversity and to minimize construction activity which results in soil compaction. It is important that final grade is not smoothed or compacted and that a rough surface remain.

5.4 Construction Methods

The mitigation sites must be cleared of trees and brush. An excavator, wide track dozer, and dump trucks will be required. The site will be staked and expected grades established according to the plan. Silt fence will placed between the mitigation area and the existing wetland area.

The excavator and dozer will be used to remove and place trees, brush, debris, and fill material into the dump trucks and the material will be hauled to an upland disposal site. Compaction of soil will be minimized during all operations by utilizing equipment having low unit pressure ground contact and by limiting repeat passes over the same areas.

Equipment access and travel will be routed around all planting areas, and repeat passes over the same area will be limited during all grading, topsoil application, and de-compaction work.

Equipment having low unit pressure ground contact will be utilized whenever possible.

Mitigation areas that are located in muck soils (M1 and M2) will be over-excavated 3 inches to allow for rebound of the fill material placed on muck soil. Mitigation areas M3-M5 will be excavated to proposed grade since the native soil is loamy sand, which is not expected to have significant rebound once fill is removed.

Native seed will be spread using a hand-held spreader and incorporated in the ground using a multi-pack or crimping equipment. Plugs will be installed by hand.

5.5 Construction Schedule

Construction of the road is scheduled for spring 2011 and mitigation will occur at the same time.

5.6 Planned Hydrology

Water for the mitigation site will come from the adjacent wetland by removing the fill and excavating the grade to the grade of the surrounding wetland. (See Sheets 4-6).

The source of water for the mitigation sites is ground water and surface water associated with the Great Marsh. The ground surface will be saturated in the fall, winter and spring. Depth to water table may range from 6 inches above the ground surface to 12 inches below the ground surface for at least 12.5 percent of the growing season. Surface water may be present in the mitigation wetlands after heavy rain events. Surface water will drain from the mitigation sites through the channels and ditches of the Great Marsh. In order to secure the necessary water elevations in area M-1, three check dams (each approximately 1 foot high and 2 feet wide) will be placed in the adjacent drainage ditch to prevent drainage of the site.

5.7 Planted Vegetation

Tables 5 and 6 are the proposed plant species. Refer to Sheet 10 of the mitigation plan drawings for the proposed planting plan.

Table 5. Seed for mitigation sites (0.87 acre) and buffer areas Botanical Name Common Name Ounces/Acre Alisma subcordatum common water plantain 1.5 Angelica atropurpurea great angelica 2.5 Asclepias incarnata swamp milkweed 1.5 Calamagrostis canadensis blue joint grass 1 Carex cristatella crested oval sedge 2 Carex scoparia lance‐fruited oval sedge 2 Carex stipata common fox sedge 1 Carex vulpinoidea brown fox sedge 2 Doellingeria umbellata var. umbellata flat‐top aster 1.5 Eupatorium maculatum spotted joe pye weed 1 Eupatorium perfoliatum common boneset 0.5 Glyceria striata fowl meadow grass 4 Mimulus ringens monkey flower 0.3 Pycnanthemum virginianum common mountain mint 0.3 Sagittaria latifolia common arrowhead 3 Scirpus atrovirens dark green rush 2 Scutellaria galericulata marsh skullcap 0.3 Scutellaria lateriflora mad‐dog skullcap 0.3 Symphyotrichum puniceum var.

puniceum bristly aster 2 Verbena hastata blue vervain 1 Total 29.70 Temporary Cover:

Avena sativa Common Oats 537.00 Lolium multiflorum Annual Rye 12.00 Total 549.00

Table 6. Plugs for mitigation sites (0.87 acre) and buffer areas Botanical Name Common Name Plugs/Acre Carex aquatilis long‐brated tussock sedge 500 Carex crinita fringed sedge 250 Carex lacustris common lake sedge 250 Carex lurida bottlebrush sedge 250 Carex stricta common tussock sedge 5000 Iris virginica blue flag 250 Lobelia siphilitica great blue lobelia 0.3 Schoenoplectus pungens var. pungens chairmaker's rush 250 Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani soft stem 4 Sparganium eurycarpum common bur reed 150 Total 6904.3

5.8 Planned Soils and Erosion Control

The final grade of wetland planting areas may be left somewhat irregular to maximize microhabitat diversity and minimize construction activity which results in soil compaction. Soil amendment will not be required since it is expected that suitable planting substrate exists below and within the fill material. Erosion control blankets will be applied to slopes greater than 3:1.

Straw mulch will be applied to areas where the slope is less than 3:1. Silt fence will be placed at the edge of the mitigation areas to prevent disturbed soil from moving into the adjacent wetlands during construction. A temporary cover crop will be planted on all slopes immediately after completion of earthwork activities to prevent soil erosion. Slopes along Beverly Drive, where wetland and upland meet, will be permanently seeded with a slope stabilization mix (See Table 6). Within three months of the completion of construction, at least 90% of the slope area will be vegetated, as measured by aerial coverage.

Table 7. Slope Stabilization Mix 0.16 acre.

Botanical Name Common Name PLS

Ounces/Acre Andropogon gerardii Big Bluestem 48.00 Bouteloua curtipendula Side-Oats Grama 16.00 Carex spp. Prairie Sedge Mix 4.00 Elymus canadensis Canada Wild Rye 32.00 Elymus virginicus Virginia Wild Rye 24.00 Panicum virgatum Switch Grass 12.00 Schizachyrium scoparium Little Bluestem 32.00 Sorghastrum nutans Indian Grass 32.00 Total 200.00 Temporary Cover:

Avena sativa Common Oat 512.00 Lolium multiflorum Annual Rye 240.00 Total 752.00

5.9 Exotic and Undesirable Species Control

There will be two to three visits per growing season to spot treat any invasive/exotic species that enter the site as indicated by the maintenance and monitoring plan.

The National Park Service is undergoing efforts to control exotic species in several areas of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, including the great marsh. Efforts will include chemical treatment of Phragmites australis, Typha angustifolia and Typha X glauca adjacent to mitigation area M2.

5.10 Construction Monitoring

The project will require oversight from a qualified contractor conversant with wetland restoration construction.

6.0 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

The following is a description of the predetermined goals set forth for the mitigation wetland areas M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5. A failure to meet these goals will result in the need for remedial actions which may include supplemental plantings, replanting or reseeding, adjustments to hydrology levels, removal of aggressive species, and/or adding wetland acreage. The site will be monitored to determine the percent cover by hydrophytic species and to determine the presence of wetland hydrology. In order to be considered successful, the mitigation wetland must meet all of the following performance standards for two consecutive years within a five-year period. The buffer areas surrounding mitigation areas M1, M3, M4, and M5 are not included in these performance standard requirements.

6.1 Wetlands M1, M2, M3 and M4

• A minimum of 0.76 acre (per required mitigation ratio) of emergent (marsh) wetland will be restored to support an emergent wetland community.

• A minimum of 15 of the native perennial wetland species proposed for establishment will be present in the marsh wetland community. At least 50% of the 15 minimum native perennial wetland species will occur at a frequency of 10% or greater within the mitigation wetland.

• Native wetland plant species excluding Typha spp. must cover at least 50% of the mitigation site.

• The wetland and restoration site will be free of Lythrum salicaria, Phragmites australis, and Myriophyullum spicatum based on transect data.

• Wetland hydrology will be present within the mitigation sites in accordance with criteria in the United States Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation manual, Technical Report Y-87-1 (January 1987) and any appropriate supplements.

• No more than 10% of the surface area coverage of the mitigation wetland will be open water, bare ground or a combination of the two. Open water and bare ground are defined as areas with less than 10% areal vegetative cover.

• None of the 3 most dominant plant species in the mitigation wetland will be non-native or weedy species including Typha angustifolia, Typha X glauca, Salix interior, and Phalaris arundinacea. These species will cumulatively comprise less than 5% of the total percent cover in the mitigation wetland.

• The native Floristic Quality Index value (FQI) for the marsh wetland will be ≥ 20 as measured over the entire mitigation site (based on transect and inventory calculations).

• A native mean coefficient of conservatism value (mean C value) of greater than or equal to 3.5 will be achieved over the entire mitigation site (based on transect and inventory calculations).

• Greater than 50% of the dominant vegetation species will have a wetland indicator of FAC or better.

• Native perennial species will represent at least 80% of the total dominance measure in the mitigation wetland.

6.2 Wetland M5

• A minimum of 0.11 acre of wetland will be enhanced by removal of existing fill to support an emergent wetland community.

• A minimum of 15 of the native perennial wetland species proposed for establishment will be present in the marsh wetland community. At least 50% of the 15 minimum native perennial species will occur at a frequency of 10% or greater within the mitigation wetland.

• Native plant species excluding Typha spp. must cover at least 50% of the mitigation site.

• The restoration sites will be free of Lythrum salicaria, Phragmites australis and Myriophyullum spicatum based on transect data.

• Wetland hydrology will be present within the mitigation sites in accordance with criteria in the United States Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation manual, Technical Report Y-87-1 (January 1987) and any appropriate supplements.

• No more than 10% of the surface area coverage of the mitigation wetland will be open water, bare ground or a combination of the two. Open water and bare ground are defined as areas with less than 10% areal vegetative cover.

• None of the 3 most dominant plant species in the mitigation wetland will be non-native or weedy species including Typha angustifolia, Typha X glauca, Salix interior, and Phalaris arundinacea. These species will cumulatively comprise less than 5% of the total percent cover in the mitigation wetland.

• The FQI for the wetland will be ≥ 20 as measured over the entire mitigation site (based on transect and inventory calculations).

• A native mean C value of greater than or equal to 3.5 will be achieved over the entire mitigation site (based on transect and inventory calculations).

• Greater than 50% of the dominant vegetation species will have a wetland indicator of FAC or better.

• Native perennial wetland species will represent at least 80% of the total dominance measure in the mitigation wetland.

7.0 SITE PROTECTION AND MAINTENANCE PLAN

The mitigation sites will continue to be owned and managed by the National Park Service, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, as wetlands in perpetuity.

Long-term management of the emergent wetland mitigation is the responsibility of:

Federal Highway Administration Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division 21400 Ridgetop Circle Sterling, Virginia 20166-6511 Contact: Lisa Landers, Environmental Protection Specialist, 571-434-1592

If monitoring indicates that performance standards are not being met, actions to remedy the lack of cover may include spot herbicide treatment, seeding, tree planting or other means to achieve the mitigation goals.

On-site maintenance may include any combination of the following: selective herbicide application, mowing, hand-pulling undesirable species, remedial seeding/planting, and supplemental seeding/planting. Maintenance will occur two to three times per year.

8.0 MONITORING PLAN

8.1 Data Collection and Reporting

A qualified wetland scientist will monitor the mitigation wetlands twice annually (May/June and August/September) for a period of 5 years or until released by the Corps and IDEM. A report will be submitted to the Corps and IDEM by December 31 of the calendar year. The monitoring period will commence with notice by the permittee to the Corps and IDEM that the planting of the mitigation area has been completed.

The monitoring inspections will observe the following guidelines:

• Estimation of percent plant cover for all species present and for the wetland mitigation site as a whole. Test pits will be sampled to note evidence of wetland hydrology and/or hydric soils.

• Permanent photographic stations will be set up to provide visual documentation of wetland and upland development. The photographic stations will be representative of the mitigation site and sampling points.

• Wildlife use will be noted through informal surveys.

• A botanical inventory of only the mitigation wetland will be performed in order to note species that are present, but were missed by the quantitative sampling efforts. Also, a floristic quality assessment (FQA) after Swink and Wilhelm (1994) will be provided to measure the trend in level of conservatism (mean C value) and the floristic quality index (I value).

• In the final year of monitoring, a wetland delineation will be performed to document the extent of wetland that has been created at the mitigation site. The delineation will be conducted on-site using the hydrology and vegetation parameters from the United States Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual, Technical Report Y-87-1 (January 1987) and applicable regional supplements. The acreages of the mitigation wetland will be assessed and provided in the final monitoring and delineation reports.

Yearly monitoring reports will provide a discussion of plant community development based on percent cover of plant species and other success criteria. Plots to measure plant cover will be established in the wetland, and thus will indicate the extent to which the wetland mitigation is meeting the performance standards. The first several monitoring reports will not include a delineation of the wetlands and will not provide acreages. Mitigation monitoring reports will include a table detailing the progress of the mitigation wetland development based on the above success criteria. The report will also include location and site maps, representative site photographs, and a general species inventory. After performance standards have been met for two consecutive monitoring periods, a delineation of the mitigation wetland will be provided. The delineation will include a survey of the wetland boundaries.

In order to be released from monitoring, the mitigation wetland must meet the performance standards for two consecutive monitoring efforts within the 5-year period. A final monitoring report will be submitted once the mitigation wetland has met this requirement, and monitoring will be suspended. If the Corps and IDEM determine that the performance standards have not been met, then remedial actions will be assessed and monitoring will resume upon written notification by the Corps and IDEM. If the Corps and IDEM confirm that the performance standards have been met, then monitoring will be discontinued permanently.

9.0 ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN

Any necessary adaptive management shall be the responsibility of:

Federal Highway Administration Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division 21400 Ridgetop Circle Sterling, Virginia 20166-6511 Contact: Lisa Landers, Environmental Protection Specialist, 571-434-1592

Potential problems include lack of plug survival, invasive plant species, lack of water or too much water. If monitoring indicates that performance standards are not being met, actions to remedy the lack of vegetative cover may include additional seeding or planting, Measures to control exotics may include spot herbicide treatment, hand removal, or burning. If adequate hydrology is not present, additional excavation, control structures or other means may be needed to satisfy required performance standards. If too much water is present, drainage structures or fill may need to be installed to decrease maximum water elevations.

10.0 FINANCIAL ASSURANCES

Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division 21400 Ridgetop Circle Sterling, Virginia 20166-6511 Contact: Lisa Landers, Environmental Protection Specialist, 571-434-1592

The Federal Highway Administration at this time will not be providing specific types of assurances.

11.0 RESTORATION PLAN SUMMARY

FHWA will restore 11,241 sq ft (0.26 acre) of emergent wetland (Sheets 12-16) at the impact site where temporary diversion berms will be in place during construction. After construction of the new road surface and installation of the trench drains under East State Park Road, the temporary diversion berms will be removed and the ground surface will be restored to previous conditions, in order to restore wetland hydrology. The restoration site is currently a cattail dominated marsh along East State Park Road. The restoration area will not be restored to the previous existing conditions; instead the site will be planted with the same native plant seed and plug species as in the mitigation wetlands (Table 5 and 6). The restoration area will be visited two to three times during the first complete growing season to spot treat any invasive/exotic species that enter the area. The purpose of the wetland restoration is to restore wetland hydrology to the temporarily impacted areas and not necessarily improve the quality of the vegetated community in the impacted area. However, all efforts will be made to establish and maintain a diverse native plant community in the temporarily impacted areas. The temporarily impacted areas will be held to performance standards and monitored on the same schedule as the mitigation areas. The performance standards for all five mitigation areas are:

• The wetland and restoration site will be free of Lythrum salicaria, Phragmites australis, and Myriophyullum spicatum based on transect data.

• Wetland hydrology will be present within the mitigation sites in accordance with criteria in the United States Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation manual, Technical Report Y-87-1 (January 1987) and any appropriate supplements.

• Greater than 50% of the dominant vegetation species will have a wetland indicator of FAC or better.

• Native perennial species will represent at least 80% of the total dominance measure in the mitigation wetland.

APPENDIX A

WETLAND DELINEATION REPORT

Wetland Delineation Report

INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE

PORTER COUNTY, INDIANA

October 14, 2010

Prepared For:

FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION

21400 RIDGETOP CIRCLE

STERLING, VIRGINIA 20166

703-404-6377

Prepared By:

708 ROOSEVELT ROAD

WALKERTON, INDIANA 46574

574-586-3400

Federal Highway Administration October 14, 2010

JFNew Project # 090401M.03 Page i

INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0 REGULATORY DEFINITIONS

3.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

4.0 SITE INVESTIGATION AND DESCRIPTION

5.0 JURISDICTIONAL ANALYSIS

6.0 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

FIGURES

APPENDIX A PHOTOGRAPHS

APPENDIX B DATA SHEETS

JFNew Project # 090401M.03

WETLAND DELINEATION REPORT:

INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE,

PORTER COUNTY, INDIANA

1.0 INTRODUCTION

J.F. New & Associates, Inc. (JFNew) was contracted to perform a jurisdictional determination and delineation of the boundaries of “waters of the United States” and “waters of the State,” including wetlands, which occur within the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore rights-of-way along the intersection of East State Park Road and Beverly Drive in Porter County (Figure 1) in Sections 8 and 9 of Township 37 North, Range 5 West of Porter County, Indiana (Figure 1). Approximately 15.52 acres of wetlands were identified. This report also includes three separate sites identified for mitigation for impacts associated with the reconstruction of East State Park Road and Beverly Drive.

The mitigation sites are located along Beverly Drive, east of the impact site.

The original delineation report for the East State Park Road site was dated October 11, 2005. The wetland delineation was revised in the field on October 12, 13 and 16, 2009.

The mitigation sites were delineated on April 16 and July 20, 2010. The revised East State Park Road site and the mitigation sites along Beverly Drive are included in this Wetland Delineation Report.

This report identifies the jurisdictional status of the project area based on JFNew’s best professional understanding and interpretation of the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual (1987), Interim Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: North-central Northeast, 2009 and Corps of Engineers guidance documents and regulations. Jurisdictional determinations for other “waters of the United States” were made based on definitions and guidance found in 33 CFR 328.3, Corps Regulatory Guidance Letters, and the wetland delineation manual. The Corps of Engineers administers Section 404 of the Clean Water Act which regulates the discharge of fill or dredged material into all “waters of the United States,” and is the regulatory authority that must make the final determination as to the jurisdictional status of the project area.

2.0 REGULATORY DEFINITIONS

2.1 Waters of the United States

“Waters of the United States” are within the jurisdiction of the Corps of Engineers under the Clean Water Act. “Waters of the United States” is a broad term which includes waters that are used or could be used for interstate commerce. This includes wetlands, ponds, lakes, territorial seas, rivers, tributary streams including any definable intermittent waterways, and some ditches below the “Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM).” Also included are manmade waterbodies such as quarries and ponds which are no longer actively being mined or constructed. Wetlands, mudflats, vegetated shallows, riffle and pool complexes, coral reefs, sanctuaries, and refuges are all

JFNew Project # 090401M.03 Page 2 considered special aquatic sites which involve more rigorous regulatory permitting requirements. A specific, detailed definition of “waters of the United States” can be found in the Federal Register (33 CFR 328.3).

2.2 Wetlands

Wetlands are a category of “waters of the United States” for which a specific identification methodology has been developed. As described in detail in the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual (1987), wetland boundaries are delineated using three criteria: hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology.

2.2.1 Wetland Vegetation

In the course of developing the wetland determination methodology the Corps, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Soil Conservation Service, compiled a comprehensive list of wetland vegetation. The indicator status of plant species is expressed in terms of the estimated probabilities of that species occurring in wetland conditions within a given region. The indicator categories as defined by the Corps are:

Obligate Wetland (OBL) Occur almost always (estimated probability >99%) under natural conditions in wetlands.

Facultative Wetland (FACW) Usually occur in wetlands (estimated probability 67%-99%), but occasionally found in non-wetlands.

Facultative (FAC) Equally likely to occur in wetlands or non-wetlands (estimated probability 34%-66%).

Facultative Upland (FACU) Usually occur in non-wetlands, but occasionally found in wetlands (estimated probability 1%-33%).

Obligate Upland (UPL) Occur almost always (estimated probability >99%) in uplands.

Plants which are OBL, FACW, and FAC are considered wetland species.

The percentage of the dominant wetland species in each of the vegetation strata in the sample area determines the hydrophytic, or wetland, status of the plant community. Soil type and hydroperiod are two factors important in controlling species composition.

2.2.2 Hydric Soils

JFNew Project # 090401M.03 Page 3

The National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils (NTCHS) defines a hydric soil as a soil that formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part (USDA Soil Conservation Service, 1994). Nearly all hydric soils exhibit characteristic morphologies that result from repeated periods of saturation or inundation for more than a few days.

Saturation or inundation, when combined with microbial activity in the soil, causes the depletion of oxygen. This anaerobiosis promotes certain biogeochemical processes, such as the accumulation of organic matter and the reduction, translocation, or accumulation of iron and other reducible elements. These processes result in distinctive characteristics that persist in the soil during both wet and dry periods, making them particularly useful for identifying hydric soils in the field (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2010). The indicators that we use are a subset of the NTCHS Field Indicators of Hydric soils in the United States, Version 7.0. 2010 that are commonly found in the Midwest. Indicators are presented in three groups. Indicators for “All Soils” include eight indicators of hydric soil regardless of soil texture. There are five indicators for “Sandy Soils” for use in soil layers with a texture of loamy fine sand or coarser. There are six indicators for “Loamy and Clayey Soils” in the Midwest for use in soil layers with a loamy very fine sand or finer texture.

In this report, soil colors are described using the Munsell notation system. This method of describing soil color consists of separate notations for hue, value, and chroma, which are combined in that order to form the color designation. The hue notation of a color indicates its relation to red, yellow, green, blue, and purple; the value notation indicates its lightness; and the chroma notation indicates its strength or departure from a neutral of the same lightness.

The symbol for hue consists of a number from 1 to 10, followed by the letter abbreviation of the color. Within each letter range, the hue becomes more yellow and less red as the numbers increase. The notation for value consists of numbers from 0 for absolute black, to 10 for absolute white. The notation for chroma consists of numbers beginning with /0 for neutral grays and increasing at equal intervals. Soil color along with its texture and depth; provides the basis for assigning a hydric soil indicator.

2.2.3 Wetland Hydrology

Wetland hydrology is defined as the presence of water for a significant period of time at or near the surface (within the root zone) during the growing season. Wetland hydrology is present only seasonally in many cases, and is often inferred by indirect evidence.

Hydrology is controlled by such factors as seasonal and long-term rainfall patterns, local geology and topography, soil type, local water table conditions, and drainage. Wetland hydrology indicators for the Midwest Region include primary and secondary indicators grouped as: A) Observation of Surface Water or Saturated Soils, B) Evidence of Recent Inundation, C) Evidence of Current or Recent Soil Saturation, and D) Evidence of Other Site Conditions or Data. One primary indicator or two or more secondary indicators are required to establish a positive indication of hydrology.

JFNew Project # 090401M.03 Page 4

2.2.4 Wetland Definition Summary

In general, an area must meet all three criteria to be classified as a wetland. In certain problem areas such as seasonal wetlands which are not wet at all times, or in recently disturbed (atypical) situations, an area may be considered a wetland if only two criteria are met. In special situations, an area which meets the wetland definition may not be within the Corps of Engineers jurisdiction due to a specific regulatory exemption.

3.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3.1 Existing Maps

Several sources of information were consulted to identify potential wetlands and wetland soil units on the site. These include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetland Inventory (NWI) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) Soil Survey for this county. These maps identify potential wetlands and wetland soil units on the site. The NWI maps were prepared from high altitude photography and in most cases were not field checked. Because of this, wetlands are sometimes erroneously identified, missed, or misidentified.