25-003 140 Riverbank Road Notice of Intent-FINAL-2015.pdf
Bank Restoration
140 Riverbank Road
Northampton, Massachusetts
August 19, 2015
:
Kim Urban
140 Riverbank Road
Northampton, MA
NEE Project No. 15-4680
Narrative
Figures
Data Source: Office of Geographic Information
(MassGIS)
USGS Topographic Quadrangle Images
¯1000 0 1000500 ft
Latitude 42° 20' 18" N
Longitude 72° 37' 0.06" W
New England Environmental, Inc.
www.neeinc.com
15 Research Drive
Amherst, MA 01002
(p) 413.256.0202
6 Way Road, Suite 214
Middlefield, CT 06455
(p) 860.316.2001
Environmental Consulting
20 May 2015
Figure 1: USGS
Topographic Map
140 Riverbank Road
Northampton, MA
NEE Job # 15-4680
USGS Northampton MA Quadrangle
Project Location
Data Source: Office of Geographic Information
(MassGIS)
30 cm Color Digital Ortho Image 2008/2009
Digital Parcel Standard, Level 3
¯340 0 340170 ft
Latitude 42° 20' 18" N
Longitude 72° 37' 0.06" W
New England Environmental, Inc.
www.neeinc.com
15 Research Drive
Amherst, MA 01002
(p) 413.256.0202
6 Way Road, Suite 214
Middlefield, CT 06455
(p) 860.316.2001
Environmental Consulting
20 May 2015
Figure 2: Orthophoto
140 Riverbank Road
Northampton, MA
NEE Job # 15-4680
140 Riverbank Road
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Data Source: Office of Geographic Information
(MassGIS)
NHESP Priority & Estimated Habitats of Rare
Species, Oct 2008
NHESP Certified Vernal Pool, Oct 2013
NHESP Potential Vernal Pools ¯850 0 850425 ft
Latitude 42° 20' 18" N
Longitude 72° 37' 0.06" W
20 May 2015
Figure 3: NHESP
140 Riverbank Road
Northampton, MA
NEE Job # 15-4680
Project Location
kj Certified Vernal Pool
kj Potential Vernal Pool
Priority Habitats of Rare Species
Estimated Habitats of Rare Wildlife
New England Environmental, Inc.
www.neeinc.com
15 Research Drive
Amherst, MA 01002
(p) 413.256.0202
6 Way Road, Suite 214
Middlefield, CT 06455
(p) 860.316.2001
Environmental Consulting
Data Source: Office of Geographic Information
(MassGIS)
FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer - 2014
FEMA Q3 Flood - 1997
¯
New England Environmental, Inc.
www.neeinc.com
15 Research Drive
Amherst, MA 01002
(p) 413.256.0202
6 Way Road, Suite 214
Middlefield, CT 06455
(p) 860.316.2001
Environmental Consulting
20 May 2015
Figure 4: 100-Year Flood Zone
140 Riverbank Road
Northampton, MA
NEE Job # 15-4680
Latitude 42°20' 18" N
Longitude 72° 37' 0.06" W
0 2,0001,000
Feet
100-Year Flood Zone
Property Boundary
140 Riverbank Road
APPENDIX A
Photographs
SECTION 2 Site Plan Figures Locus Map Orthophoto NHESP Designated Locations
APPENDIX B
Abutter List, Abutter Notification
Letter, Affidavit of Service, Copies of
Submittal Fee Checks
MBL MB OWNER_1 OWNER_2 MAILING_AD CITY STATE ZIP
25 -002-001 25 -002 CITRO JOHN P O BOX 702 GOSHEN MA 01032
25 -010-001 25 -010 FOURNIER DAVID & MELANIE A RACHEL B PERRY & RICHARD H WATLING 131 RIVERBANK RD NORTHAMPTON MA 01060
25 -024-001 25 -024 MELLO CYNTHIA 135 RIVERBANK RD NORTHAMPTON MA 01060
25 -022-001 25 -022 REARDON ANN C 141 RIVERBANK RD NORTHAMPTON MA 01060
25 -023-001 25 -023 REARDON SHEILA M & CYNTHIA M REARDON 139 RIVERBANK RD NORTHAMPTON MA 01060
25 -003-001 25 -003 URBAN KIMBERELY A 140 RIVERBANK RD NORTHAMPTON MA 01060
25 -026-001 25 -026 WATLING RICHARD H 68 BRADFORD ST STE F NORTHAMPTON MA 01060
25 -021-001 25 -021 WATLING SHERYL V &RACHEL B PERRY 145 RIVERBANK RD NORTHAMPTON MA 01060
25 -006-001 25 -006 WHITLEY NANCY B TRUSTEE 144 RIVERBANK RD NORTHAMPTON MA 01060
APPENDIX C
Wildlife Habitat Evaluation
May 28, 2015
Northampton Conservation Commission
City Hall
210 Main Street
Northampton, MA 01060
RE: Wildlife Habitat Evaluation
New England Environmental Inc. (NEE) completed a detailed wildlife habitat assessment on behalf of
Kim Urban, property owner of 140 Riverbank Road, Northampton, MA, on May 22, 2015. Temporary
impacts to Bank resource area are proposed as part of this restoration project and therefore a Wildlife
Habitat Evaluation is required (310 CMR 10.60). NEE’s Certified Wildlife Biologist, Christin McDonough
[who is qualified as determined at 10.60 (1)(b)], evaluated the site for significant habitat features present
within the restoration area. These are quantified on the attached dataforms, and described in this
document.
1.0 SITE DESCRIPTION
The property contains an owner occupied single family home, with a small driveway and on-site septic
system, overlooking the Connecticut River just downstream from the Coolidge Bridge. The existing
riverbank was badly damaged from a microburst in 2014, which uprooted approximately 6 trees, and
destroyed the retaining wall materials, boat dock and stairs leading from the top of the bank down to the
dock. The lower bank has been previously armored with large rounded rock (see photopages), some of
which was also displaced due to the force of the microburst.
The damaged section of bank will need to be restored in order to secure the existing home and septic
tank, and to remove the old retaining wall materials (which included telephone poles and rock curbing –
see photopages). The proposed limit of restoration will span approximately 60 feet in total linear length.
The elevational limit of restoration includes the land between the low water level and the mean annual
high water mark, which was field-identified by the change in vegetation and erosion marks on the bank.
Temporary impacts to Riverfront area are proposed as part of this project as well. However, a wildlife
habitat evaluation is not required for those impacts [see CMR 10.58(5)], and only Bank resource
thresholds are proposed to be exceeded.
1.1 Site Characteristics
The riverbank is densely vegetated with shrub and vine cover, and is armored with a stone toe. There is
little to no canopy cover affecting the bank since approximately 6 trees have fallen as a result of the
microburst. The shrub/sapling strata consists of box elder (Acer negundo), American elm (Ulmus
americana), silver maple (Acer sacharinum.), Norway maple (Acer platanoides), and raspberry (Rubus
spp.), totaling approximately 55% cover. Grape (Vittis spp.) is dominant and provides approximately 65%
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of the vegetative cover, with some Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia, approximately 5%) and
sparse oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus). Herbaceous cover is very sparse (1%), and bare
ground is approximately 35% cover. The soil is classified as Hadley silt loam.
As stated, approximately 6 trees have been knocked down, towards the River, and are lying against the
bank face with their tops in the water. In addition to the woody debris, the bank is littered with other
material, such as garden/chicken coop wire, telephone poles, chunks of curbing, cement, the broken
dock, and the broken staircase.
2.0 HABITAT FEATURES
The Appendix B detailed wildlife habitat evaluation dataforms list numerous important habitat features
(see datasheets, attached). These are described further below.
Some of the plants on the bank provide somewhat important upland food for wildlife. Maple seeds are
consumed by raccoons (Procyon lotor), squirrels (Sciurid carolinensis), chipmunks (Tamias striatus),
small mammals (ex., Peromyscus or Microtus), rabbits (Sylvatigus floridanus), and nuthatch (Sitta spp.),
although maple seeds do not the staple for any of these species. Grape vine provides approximately 60%
cover along this section of the bank. Fruiting shrubs, such as grape and raspberry, provide significant
food contributions to cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis), mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos), robins (Turdus
migratorius), cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum), woodpeckers (ex., Melanerpes carolinus), catbirds
(Melanoptila glabrirostris), skunks (Mephitis mephitis), and raccoons.
Standing dead trees often provide hollow areas and cavities used by mammals and birds for nesting,
roosting, foraging, and perching and are considered significant habitat features to wildlife if present.
Perches such as these are often utilized by kingfishers (Ceryle alcyon) if they overlook open water, or dead
snags can be used as foraging habitat for a number of woodpeckers. There is 1 dead snag near the top of
the bank and at the limit of the assessment area. This snag does provide a good view of the river. This
snag does not contain any obvious cavities, however, and does not provide a nesting site.
No bank swallow (Riparia riparia) or kingfisher nest cavities are located within the assessment area, and
no impacts to these species are associated with this restoration project.
Veery (Catharus fuscescens) nest in damp, but not flooded, deciduous or mixed forests and riparian
habitats. They prefer disturbed or early succession forests with a dense understory. These habitat
requirements are not consistent with the assessment areas.
Burrows are often made by voles, chipmunks and mice but are utilized by a number of other species
including snakes and sometimes overwintering amphibians. The presence of burrows can also imply that
the prey base may be abundant and available for predators such as fox (Vulpes vulpes). Small mammal
burrows are present, indicating sufficient cover for rodents, amphibians, and/or reptiles such as small
snakes.
Areas which may provide cover habitat for wildlife may include coarse woody debris (amphibians, snakes,
small mammals, and birds), and dense vegetative cover (birds, snakes and small mammals). The grape
vines have created a dense cover blanket approximately 2 feet off the surface of the ground, which shields
ground dwelling animals from aerial view. This is important cover habitat for small mammals, waterfowl,
and snakes to find refuge and forage. Steeply undercut sandy banks with overhanging roots are not
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present at the restoration site or the tailrace site.
The site is not part of a large, contiguous or interior forest, there is no emergent marsh, is not a
significant natural community type, and the site is within an area reasonably considered to be developed.
3.0 IMPACTS TO HABITAT FEATURES
In order to stabilize the bank the vegetation will be temporarily disturbed. Native grape and raspberry will
become reestablished within 1 or 2 growing seasons. Post-construction monitoring is recommended to
ensure non-native species such as oriental bittersweet do not aggressively colonize the recently disturbed
area and out-compete native important wildlife food sources.
The dead snag located near the top of the bank will need to be removed for safety reasons. It does
provide a good view of the river and may be an important perch site for kingfishers, for example.
The section of bank where work is proposed is part of a riparian corridor, and therefore marinating
vegetative cover is important to maintaining habitat continuity. Mitigation plans will include the
replacement of native vegetation. Post-construction monitoring is recommended to evaluate the planting
success.
3.0 MITIGATION/RECOMMENDATIONS
While there are habitat features included on the dataform checklist, such as small mammal burrows and
a standing dead tree, the most significant habitat feature to be considered for mitigation is the dense
fruiting vegetative cover. This dense grape and box elder thicket provides important cover, refuge and
foraging habitat. Further, maintaining a well vegetated riparian corridor is important for maintaining
habitat continuity. Therefore, the principal mitigation considerations are:
• Vegetation Community Restoration Plan – the replacement plants should include species which
are considered to provide important wildlife food sources, such as grape and raspberry.
Additionally, American elm should be replaced. Willow (Salix spp.), dogwoods (Cornus spp.),
and/or viburnum spp. should be considered for mitigation, since these species provide bank
stabilization, are compatible with the existing habitat conditions, and provide habitat value
(dogwoods and viburnums are important berry producers).
• Improve habitat by controlling invasive plant colonization, cleaning up trash/debris such as wire,
creosote-covered telephone poles, and angular curbing material.
Sincerely,
New England Environmental, Inc.
Christin McDonough
Certified Wildlife Biologist®
1 | Photo Page
Photo 1: View of the bank toe showing the
broken dock and fallen tree to be removed in
background.
all photos taken on May 22, 2015
Photo 2: View of the dying snag, which
provides a good view of the River and may be an
important perch site for kingfishers, for example.
Photo 3: View from the low water level showing
the historically armored toe (note the sediment
covering the rock) and the view underneath the
vegetation.
2 | Photo Page
Photo 4: View of the dead/dying snag to be
removed.
Photo 5: View facing up the bank from the
toe, showing the dense vegetated ‘mat’ formed
from grape vine. This provides cover from aerial
view, along with refuge and foraging habitat.
Photo 6: View from the toe of the bank showing
the available woody debris and vegetative cover.
3 | Photo Page
Photo 7: View of the snag to be removed.
Photo 8: View facing upstream showing the
rock toe and fallen trees.
APPENDIX D
Operations and Maintenance Plan
APPENDIX E
Copy of NHESP proof of mailing and
Copy of Filing Fee Check to NHESP
APPENDIX F
Septic Design Plan