Status of Plan: Final

The North Carolina Ecosystems Enhancement Program (EEP) enhanced 5,901 linear feet of the Whitelace Creek stream channel located west of Kinston, in Lenoir County, North Carolina. Additionally, 7.7 and 13.0 acres of wetland area were restored and enhanced, respectively. The site construction was completed in August of 2005, and planting occurred in March of 2006. This report provides the monitoring information for year two (2) of the stream enhancement and wetland restoration project. The project consists of a tributary of the Neuse River Basin, located in Lenoir County, within an EEP-owned conservation easement 6.5 miles west of Kinston. The site is located adjacent to the Kennedy Home, approximately one mile south of US 70 and comprises approximately 37.0 acres. Portions of the Whitelace Creek were identified as suitable for stream enhancement and wetland restoration by the NCEEP. Due to previous dredging and straightening which occurred to accommodate past land uses (i.e., a large dairy operation and other agricultural practices), the acreage of riverine wetlands in the area was reduced because of the lowering of the streambed elevation, adversely affecting wetland hydrology. Restoration activities for this project included excavation of the floodplain to provide Level 1 stream enhancement, riverine wetland enhancement and restoration, and Neuse River riparian buffer enhancement and restoration