Attachment 3

Missouri Agricultural Wetland Mitigation Bank Pilot Project

Mitigation Site Plan and Cost Estimate

This wetland mitigation plan has been prepared in support of the Missouri Agricultural Wetland Mitigation Bank. The major goals of the proposed wetland mitigation are to replace the hydrologic, biogeochemical, plant community, and habitat functions impacted by the proposed farmed wetland conversions within the Bootheel Region of Missouri. These include flood attenuation, groundwater recharge and discharge, sediment retention, nutrient and contaminant removal, plant community structure and function, and wildlife habitat. The following sections provide information on historic and existing site conditions; objectives and rationale for establishing each wetland function, and proposed restoration measures; performance standards and compliance monitoring procedures; a site restoration plan, including operation, maintenance and management procedures; a restoration cost estimate; and allowed compatible and supplemental uses for the bank site.

The mitigation bank site is located in Section 19, T24N, R 9E, Stoddard County, in the southeast portion of Missouri, commonly referred to as the Bootheel Region (Figure 1). The bank site is bounded to the north by actively farmed, prior converted cropland; to the east and west by county drainage ditches; and to the south by the Otter Slough Wildlife Area, which is managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation (Figure 2).

Historically, the entire site was wooded. Hardwood timber was present on the higher elevation areas in the central portion of the site. The lower elevation areas to the east and west were characterized as cypress-tupelo sloughs. The soils at the project site, Amagon, Crowley, and Forestdale, are poorly drained and nearly level. Amagon soils are in the former drainageways of delta streams and basins. Included with the Crowley soils in the mapping are poorly drained Amagon and Forestdale soils. Forestdale soils have more clay and are in lower depressions than Amagon soils.

The land was initially cleared in the early 1960's and has been actively farmed since that time. During the 1970's, the site was graded and levees were established. During the 1980's, the site was precision graded and additional levee work was conducted. Throughout the period of agricultural use, the site has been planted to corn, soybeans, or rice.

The entire area has been graded for rice and soybean production and is now the same approximate elevation. The site is classified as prior converted cropland and is currently in soybean production. The soils have redoximorphic features close to the surface and are suitable for the restoration of wetland functions. The 48 inches of annual average precipitation, along with the existing soil characteristics, has the potential to restore wetlands on the site. Additional information on site conditions and surrounding land use is presented in Figure 2 and Photographs 1 through 4.

The proposed project includes the purchase of a permanent conservation easement on an 80-acre parcel of prior converted cropland. The 80-acre parcel is farmed every year and is currently in soybean production. The proposed restoration effort will involve (a) restoring site hydrology; and (b) restoring native vegetation through plantings and site management. The goal of the mitigation effort is to establish a 73-acre wetland complex surrounded by a berm that encompasses the remaining 7 acres (Figure 3). A detailed site plan, including restoration notes, is provided as Map Sheet 1. A restoration cost estimate is also provided as Appendix 1.

Hydrologic functions of wetlands are viewed primarily in the context of modified flow regimes. Increased contact and residence time increases groundwater recharge and storage, which in mm augment baseflows. Complex plant community structure also promotes the slowing and infiltration of overland flows.

Constructing low profile levees or dikes at locations shown on the restoration site plan (Figure 3 and Map Sheet 1) will restore site hydrology. Levees will total approximately 8,800 feet, will be approximately 2.5 feet in height with side slopes of 4:1, and will comprise approximately 12,000 cubic yards. The levees will be constructed to maintain saturation to the surface within approximately 80 percent of the site, with 70 percent of the pool depth to hold more than 6 inches of water during full pool period. A series of shallow pools will also be excavated to provide open water habitat, not to exceed three feet in depth, throughout the site.

The chief objective of this effort is to stop the mobilization and transport of nutrients and contaminants.

This objective will be accomplished by maximizing the contact and residence time of any nutrient-laden waters within the mitigation site as described above. The establishment of native wetland plant communities, described below, will also serve to sequester nutrients entering the system via overland flow. This assimilative capacity, together With the planned increase in microtopographic relief, assures that overland transport through the mitigation site will be minimized and that surface water and groundwater nutrient levels will be reduced.

The objective of the plant community replacement is to assure the establishment and development of self-sustaining, native wetland plant communities. This will be accomplished through land shaping and plantings to produce a wetland mosaic of open water, emergent, scrub-shrub, and forest plant communities.

Reforestation is planned for 20 acres (Figure 3 and Map Sheet 1) to provide a wooded corridor between existing tracts, Otter Slough Conservation Area on the south (see photograph 3) and a private duck club (locally known as the Webb Club) on the north (see photograph 4). Reforestation activities will include site preparation for planting of either 200 bare root seedlings or 20 Root Production Method (RPM) trees per acre. Areas planted to trees will be seeded to redtop at 1.7 pounds per acre to control competition of other vegetation. Tree plantings will consist of a mix of the following bottomland tree species and quantities:

Quantities and composition may be modified, pending availability of planting stock

Upon completion of the earthwork, wheat will be broadcast throughout the site to stabilize the area the first year. A redtop seed mix will be broadcast throughout the site, excluding the pool areas, at a rate of 1.7 pounds per acre the second year. The pool areas will be planted to millett and smartweed the second year.

Newly constructed levees and other disturbed areas will be seeded according to NRCS Standards and Specifications. We recommend application of lime at the rate of 1500 pounds per acre ENM, fertilize at the rate of 0 - 60 - 30 per acre, and 10 PLS switchgrass per acre.

We anticipate that the remaining portions of the site will become established through natural colonization and site management, as described in Section VII. If site monitoring indicates that natural colonization is not occurring, then additional plantings will be proposed.

The establishment of a compositional and structural complex wetland ecosystem will meet food web support and habitat functional objectives.

The proposed mitigation plan will replace food web support and habitat characteristics impacted by the proposed project at the mitigation sites. This will be accomplished by increasing the structural diversity and food base within the mitigation site as described in the hydrology and the plant community sections.

Compliance monitoring is an essential component of any mitigation program. An annual monitoring plan will be undertaken until it can be demonstrated that the site has reached an ecologically sound, self-sustaining condition for three consecutive years. The monitoring will be designed to achieve the following objectives:

Show Degree of Success: Annual changes in the functional status of the mitigation area hydrology, biogeochemistry, plant community maintenance, and food web support/habitat will be documented. In this way, progression of the mitigation site towards the performance standards can be assessed.

Trigger Contingency Plans: The monitoring will provide annual feedback to the MBRT concerning the progression of measured parameters towards stipulated goals. This feedback will clearly illustrate any problems or deficiencies in the implementation of the mitigation plan, and thus allow for implementation of contingency measures in the event of failures prior to achieving a stable ecological condition.

The mitigation site will be monitored by NRCS or their designated party, on an annual basis, and provide the results to the MBRT after each monitoring visit until it can be demonstrated that the site has reached an ecologically sound, self-sustaining condition for three consecutive years.

Site visits and field data collection efforts will be performed annually for a minimum of three years at the bank site. Color photographs will be taken from permanent reference points throughout the bank site to ensure adequate photographic coverage and documentation &yearly conditions.

Field monitoring will involve the collection of data relative to vegetation diversity and density. Surface water conditions will also be assessed as part of the vegetation sampling procedures. Data will be collected at the mitigation bank site at set intervals along permanent line transects. Sample data sheets are provided as Appendix 2 of this Attachment. During the data collection efforts, observations on wildlife use will also be documented. Within the twenty acres that are planted to trees, additional information will be gathered on percent survival and ,tree height. This information will be used to assess the feasibility of the two planting strategies, i.e., bare root seedlings versus RPM trees.

Following data collection and analysis, a monitoring report will be prepared which includes: (a) monitoring procedures; (b) color photographs; (c) plant species list; (d) mitigation bank site map identifying the location and extent of plant communities and open water areas; (e) narrative of overall site conditions, general wildlife observations, potential problems (e.g., survival rates of tree plantings, presence of invasive species etc.), and any future management strategies to correct these problems; and (f) field data collection sheets.

During the initial growing season, all data collection efforts will be replicated at the restored farmed wetland complex on the Otter Slough Wildlife Area (Figure 4). Information from the Otter Slough site will be used as reference data for comparison with the bank site to determine when the bank site mitigation effort is successful. The information from the Otter Slough site will also be included in the initial monitoring report and referenced in follow-up reports to determine whether the bank site is moving toward mitigation success.

The overall goal of the mitigation effort is to restore and maintain a 73-acre wetland complex consisting of emergent, scrub-shrub and forested wetlands and open water areas. The proposed plan involves planting 20 acres of trees that will ultimately result in a forested wetland corridor through the site that will connect with the two wooded areas adjacent to the site. The remainder of the site will be allowed to develop naturally to scrub-shrub and emergent wetland. Since these are the two wetland types which will most

likely be impacted by permitted agricultural activities, this approach will address one of the concerns of the MBRT related to "like-kind', mitigation. The MBRT has discussed the issue of location and extent of emergent and scrub-shrub wetlands at several meetings, including the site visit, and the group consensus was to develop a percentage of the site with known tree planting locations and allow the remainder of the site to develop into wetland areas on its own. For these reasons, we are not providing a map of anticipated wetland locations and/or wetland acreages. However, within the wetland areas that develop at the bank site we describe performance standards for success in the following section.

Vegetation diversity and density have been chosen as the primary performance standards for mitigation site success, because sites without sufficient plant biomass support low populations of fish and wildlife and provide insignificant water quality functions. The following performance standards will be used to determine the success of the mitigation effort:

Emergent wetlands - within three full growing seasons, the emergent wetland areas will be dominated by three native species with an indicator status of Obligate or Facultative Wet.

Scrub-shrub wetlands - within three full growing seasons, these wetland areas will be dominated by two species of native wetland shrubs with an indicator status of Obligate, Facultative Wet, or Facultative. No more than 50 percent of the species shall be Facultative.

Forested wetlands - within three full growing seasons, these wetland areas will be dominated by two species of native wetland trees and two species of native wetland shrubs with an indicator status of Obligate, Facultative Wet, or Facultative. No more than 50 percent of the species shall be Facultative.

Operation and maintenance of all practices essential to restore and maintain hydrology and vegetative cover is required for the life of the Bank site at the landowner's expense. At the time of the required replacement of any restoration practice, an evaluation will be made by the MBKT to determine if the restored wetland functional values can be maintained without the replacement or maintenance of the practice in question.

State identified noxious weeds will be controlled as required by state law or if they present a threat to the functions and values of the wetland. Control techniques will be applied in a manner consistent with state and federal laws to minimize and/or eliminate potential threats to human health and the environment. Pesticides, if necessary, will be used in accordance with label directions, and applied in a manner that will not adversely affect wildlife or the wetland area.

Management of the mitigation site will emphasize establishment and perpetuation of a diverse wetland system. Future conditions on the site and the juxtaposition with other habitats will provide critical habitat for both resident and transient wildlife species. Proper planning and implementation of hydrology and vegetation will optimize wetland conditions and provide for ease of long term management.

Historically, forested habitats in southeast Missouri were subject to periodic flooding that varied widely from year to year. This fluctuation maintained the forest in a thriving, productive state. Management of bottomland hardwoods, within units where water level control is possible (green-tree reservoirs), should include careful water level management to ensure survival and long-term productivity of the forest. Proper management of these forested wetlands should include fluctuating water conditions to emulate natural flooding. Water control structures and levees provide the ability to manage water levels to maximize habitat conditions. To ensure that these forested habitats are maintained, management should include the following techniques:

Live trees should not be intentionally flooded before leaves begin to turn color in the fall, and should be drained before new leaves appear in the spring. Experience and studies have shown that flooding too early in the fall is more detrimental than late flooding in the spring. Fall flooding dates should vary from October 1 to December 15. Draining of the wetland should vary from year to year within a three-month period, from January 1 - April 1. Natural precipitation amounts tend to be on a 7-year cycle; in other words every 7 years there is a peak high or low in annual precipitation. To emulate natural conditions managed-forested wetlands should be left dry every 6 - 8 years.

Flood to different depths from year to year, and fluctuate flooding depths within the same fall - winter period. Water depths should not be excessive. Most wetland wildlife species prefer very shallow water depths. For example, the preferred feeding depth for mallards is less than 6 inches.

Water that has been in the forested wetland throughout the fall and winter should be drained slowly. Nutrients and algae suspended in the water are important to maintaining the productivity of bottomland forests. A rapid drawdown flushes nutrients out of the wetland and is detrimental to long-term productivity. An acceptable slow drawdown is one that would remove about one inch of water per day.

Bottomland forests are adapted to short-duration (< 30 days) periodic flooding during the growing season, however, this water should be removed as soon as possible so as to not flood the trees for a long period of time. Flooding during the growing season can cause stress and ultimately tree mortality if not removed within a few days. To maintain healthy trees, managed forested wetlands with levees and water control structures should be monitored frequently.

Forested sites without managed water levels, but subjected to periodic flooding, naturally provide fluctuation of hydrology and therefore can be managed more opportunistically. This site lends itself well to this type management because of the topographic relief and the relative flood elevations (Figure 3). Herbaceous vegetation in the pool areas can be maintained with annual flooding of long duration, while bottomland forest on the higher elevations will be subjected to a more fluctuating water regime.

Herbaceous wetlands have a predominance of non-woody vegetation, and are usually managed to maintain seed production of desirable plants, and control undesirable plants. Herbaceous wetlands generally are categorized as either seasonally flooded (moist soil) or emergent wetlands (marshes). Seasonally flooded or moist soil wetlands typically have fluctuating water levels throughout the year and contain early succession or "moist soil" plants. This plant community is generally made up of annual, rather than perennial, grasses, sedges, and broadleaf plants. These wetlands are flooded during wet periods of the year or during the migration season. Emergent wetlands, sometimes called "semi-permanent" marshes, tend to be flooded for much longer durations than seasonally flooded wetlands, but productive marshes have very dynamic water fluctuations both within and among years. The vegetation is adapted to longer periods of flooding, and is characterized by emergent perennial plants. Management of these types of herbaceous wetlands includes the following techniques:

Moist soil management is designed to provide moist or saturated soil conditions at the right time of the year to stimulate germination and growth of wetland plants. This management of wetland "hydrology" can be manipulated to encourage growth and seed production of a desirable group of plants. We call these plants - "moist soil plants" and the management of them - "moist soil management", because these plants germinate and thrive in moist or saturated soil conditions. Wild millet or barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crusgalli), smartweed (Polygonum spp.), pigweed (Cycloloma atriplicifolium), and beggarticks (Bidens aritosa & B. frondosa) are examples of moist soil plants that are also important wildlife foods. This group of desirable moist soil plants is generally annual plants that are stimulated by draining the water from the wetland each year. The kinds of plants and the amount of food produced can be controlled by varying the time of drawdown, how fast the water is removed, and by disking periodically, drawdown during the period of April 15 - June 15 will usually result in excellent growth of moist soil plants. Timing of this drawdown influences the response of different plants. Typically, wild millet (Echinochloa crusgalli) and annual smartweed (Polygonurn spp.) respond best to an early drawdown, while rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides), beggarticks (Bidens aritosa & B. frondosa), redroot sedge (Cyperus erythrorhizos), wild millet (Echinochloa muricata), sprangletop (Leptochloafiliformis), and panicum (Panicurn rigidulum) to a late season drawdown.

The speed at which the water is drained from a wetland will also influence plant response. As a general rule a slow drawdown will result in more diversity of plants while a fast drawdown will result in a more monotypic stand. Slow drawdown is usually recommended because slowly receding water levels create mudflats and excellent shorebird habitat. Removing water slowly is especially important during a late season drawdown because temperatures and evaporation rates are high. Rapid drying of the soil surface can result in crusting of the soil, which suppresses germination of desirable moist soil plants and often results in rank stands of cocklebur. A slow drawdown would be one that the water is removed at a rate of 1" per day, or over a 2 - 3 week period. A fast drawdown is when the water is drained as fast as the water control structure will allow. A rapid drawdown might be recommended during late April or early May in wetland units where fairly pure stands of wild millet or annual smartweed are desire.

Moist soil plant production can be increased by flood irrigating during the hot summer period. This can be accomplished by artificial flooding or catching rainfall by closing water control structures. Moist soil wetlands can be flooded around Sept. 15 each year to provide habitat for early migrants such as teal and pintail.

Disking, or some other type of soil disturbance, is necessary to rejuvenate the plant community and maintain a more productive early successional stage of annual plants. How often the site needs to be disturbed varies from site to site due to variations in soil type, hydrology, and seed availability. Usually disking every 3 - 5 years is sufficient. However, some sites continue to produce excellent foods for many more years without disturbance. Monitoring of the seed production and species composition is important to determine the best management strategies for individual wetlands.

Emergent marshes are flooded throughout most of the year, but are shallow enough to allow Plant growth. They are not just shallow ponds with stable water levels. The health, productivity, and longevity of an emergent marsh are dependent on fluctuating water levels within and among years. Emergent vegetation becomes established during dry periods, but are adapted to flooding for long durations during the year. Common emergent plants include cattails, bulrush, sedges, spikerushes, arrowhead, pondweeds, and American lotus. Emergent wetlands typically contain a mix of robust emergent vegetation scattered in clumps among patches of open water. Studies have shown that 50% open water and 50% emergent vegetation is best for most wetland wildlife.

Vegetation in newly created emergent marshes takes time to get established. Water levels should be partially drained to provide 6" - 10" of water throughout most of the summer, if possible. These wetter conditions will discourage woody plants and herbaceous plants not adapted to extremely wet conditions. Plant succession will occur, with the initial vegetation being dominated by early succession annual plants, however, within approximately three years the plant community will contain more perennial plants.

Management will be necessary to maintain some open water, as these plants may become too dense. Openings in this dense vegetation will greatly increase wildlife use. Creating and maintaining openings will require completely draining the pool to allow mowing, disking, or burning. These activities will be completed according to an annual operational plan approved by the NRCS and the COE.

• Hydrology management and draw down activities may be allowed in accordance with a water level management plan. All water level management and draw down plans must maintain the functions and values of the restored wetland and be approved by the MBRT before installation.
• Commercial nut harvest is allowed with the following restrictions: no mechanical equipment may be used in shaking or gathering the nuts; no more than 25% of the woodland may be harvested each year; and the nut harvest activities must not degrade the functions and values of the restored wetland.
• On areas allowed to revert to natural herbaceous cover, mowing, disking, prescribed fire, or other mechanical means in accordance with the management recommendations from the MBRT may be utilized to control woody plants. Prescribed burning of the herbaceous area is only allowed according to an approved bum plan prepared by NRCS or MDC.
• Debris and other foreign material may be removed as needed. These materials must be treated or relocated in a manner that does not degrade the functions and values of the restored wetland.
• Hunting, fishing, and trapping are permitted in accordance with applicable state and
  federal regulation

• Fee hunting, fishing, and trapping are permitted in accordance with applicable state and federal regulations.

• Borrow material for levee repairs may be taken from the easement area in accordance to a plan developed by NRCS, with approval from the MBRT. This activity must comply with all applicable state and federal laws and permits.
• Timber management and harvest activities are allowed in accordance with a forestry plan developed by the local MDC forester, prior to management or harvest activities. All timber management and harvest plans must maintain the functions and values of the restored wetland and be approved by the MBRT before implementation.
• Walking trails may be maintained within the easement area. These trails must be
  maintained as approved by the MBRT.
• Food plots may be planted with the following restrictions: 1) Total acres in food plots cannot exceed 10% of the total easement area. 2) Size of each individual food plot cannot exceed ! acre in size. 3) Food plots should be located to maximize wildlife use. Individual food plots must be a minimum of 50 feet apart. 4) Food plots should be rotated to provide plant succession control within the herbaceous vegetation management portions of the easement area. No harvest for commercial purposes is allowed.

• Planting of adapted nut and acorn producing trees and shrubs is permitted according to a plan approved by the MBRT.

• Hunting blinds may be erected and maintained within the easement area in accordance
  with state and federal wildlife regulations.
• Supplemental practices that enhance the functions and values of the wetland or easement area may be developed at a future date. All supplemental practices will be approved by the MBKT.
• The landowner will complete the restoration work and will be reimbursed by the Trust at the rate listed in this Attachment. Restoration work will be completed according to the final implementation design and according to NRCS Standards and Specifications.