Union County Monitoring
Union County, NC
NC State staff is monitoring three stream restoration projects in Union County according to the guidelines listed below. The NC State staff will provide all stream monitoring services for the five year period for each of the specified project sites: 601 North, 601 West, and Wolf Pond.
Each site is visited monthly (ten months per year) to collect crest gage data. Each stream site is visited at the specified intervals to gather dimensional and aquatic data. All data is processed and analyzed for preparation into a report format. Electronic and hard copies are provided to the client.
Purpose- Suggest maintenance actions necessary for continued progress at each site, and remedial actions necessary to get a site, or portion of a site, back on track to achieving the success criteria
- Determine the progress, or lack of progress, towards achieving the success criteria specific to each site
- Present data in a form required by the Restoration Plan for each site to document the status of each site regarding the success criteria specific to each site
Methods
Bankfull events are documented through the use of an on-site crest gage and observations of debris lines and watermarks on the floodplain. The crest gage was installed by the University immediately after construction had been completed on the site, in an area where bank height ratios are 1.0, and is being maintained by the University.
During monthly monitoring visits to the site, the crest gage is checked by the University to determine whether an out-of-bank event occurred since the last monitoring visit. If so, the stage recorded by the crest gage is measured and recorded. If any debris lines or watermarks are observed during monthly monitoring visits, photographs are taken to document the features.
Stream dimensions are assessed by the University using permanent cross-sections. Two permanent cross-sections were installed and are maintained by the University per 1,000 feet of restored stream channel, with one cross-section located in a riffle and one cross-section located in a pool. The extents of each cross-section are marked by the use of iron pins driven into the ground and set in concrete, and stakes driven in near the pins that are visible over vegetation. Each cross-section extends at least 10 feet beyond the top of the stream bank on either side of the restored channel. Enough points are surveyed within each cross-section to accurately document cross-section shape, and the location or any fluvial features present (benches, scour lines, sediment deposits, etc.).
Stream profile is assessed by the University using a surveyed longitudinal profile. The longitudinal profile was conducted by the University immediately following construction, and will be conducted once a year for the duration of the monitoring period.
Bank stability is assessed by the University using the survey data collected from the permanent cross-sections. Cross-section data collected each year is compared with the previous year's data to assess any lateral migration of the stream banks.
Pebble counts are conducted at specified locations to monitor particle size distribution.
Photographs are taken by the University to visually document the condition of the restored stream channel and in-stream structures. Photographs are used to visually document restoration success. Reference stations were photographed before construction. Reference photos are taken once a year at reference stations that are marked with wooden stakes.
Lateral reference photos: reference photo transects are taken by the University at each permanent cross section. Both banks at each cross section are photographed.
Structure photos: photographs are taken by the University at each grade control structure along the restored stream.
