20201716 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20210204

0 North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 0
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
February 4, 2021
Ms. Brandee Boggs
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Wheeler River Bank Stabilization
Cane River, Yancey County
Dear Ms. Boggs,
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to stabilize 530 ft of the Cane River in Yancey County. NCWRC staff attended a site
visit with Natural Resources Conservation Service staff today, February 4, 2021. Our comments
on this application are offered for your consideration under provisions of the Clean Water Act of
1977 (33 U.S.C. 466 et. seq.) and Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as amended;
16 U.S.C. 661-667d).
This project should not affect wild trout reproduction and the activities do not need to be avoided
during the trout spawning moratorium. However, the site is part of the Cane River Aquatic
Habitat, a NC Natural Heritage Program natural area rated Very High due to the richness of rare
species it supports. Appalachian Elktoe [Alasmidonta raveneliana, US and NC Endangered (E)],
Eastern Hellbender [Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, US Federal Species of Concern (FSC), NC
Special Concern (SC)], Wavy -rayed Lampmussel (Lampsilis fasciola, NC SC), and Striped
Shiner (Luxilus chrysocephalus, NC SC) are found in the Cane River in the vicinity of the
project. Due to the sensitivity of these species to fine sediments, it is essential that excellent
erosion and sediment control be maintained during the project.
The project involves the installation of a j-hook, bankfull bench, and single -wing deflector, as
well as sloping and planting. Work will be performed from the bank with the exception of the j-
hook installation, when heavy equipment will be used within the channel, but restricted to the
near bank. We request that a coffer dam (e.g., construction boulders) be used to divert flows
from instream work areas at the j-hook and single -wing deflector locations.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Wheeler project Page 2 February 4, 2021
Cane River, Yancey County
NCWRC staff surveyed the site on February 4, 2021 for rare and listed aquatic animals and did
not observe any mussels or hellbenders at this time. We request that NCWRC staff be allowed to
survey the site again after the project has been completed.
We offer the following recommendations to minimize impacts to fish and wildlife resources:
1. Be vigilant with sediment and erosion control during site staging, construction, and cleanup.
Disturbed areas must be stabilized each day; this is extremely important at this site.
2. Work should be done at low flows, and a coffer dam (e.g., construction boulders) used to
divert flows from instream work areas at the j-hook and single -wing deflector locations.
3. Any erosion control matting used should be free of nylon or plastic mesh, as this type of
mesh netting frequently entangles wildlife and is slow to degrade, resulting in a hazard that
may last for years.
4. The planted buffer width is estimated to be 20 ft. We recommend that a woody buffer of at
least 30 feet be planted in order to ensure project success. A wide forested buffer can ensure
greater bank stability, filter overland pollutants, and provide habitat for birds and other
wildlife.
5. If Eastern Hellbenders are disturbed during construction, they should be captured in a bucket
and moved away from the area of disturbance. Contact Lori Williams
(lori.williamskncwildlife.org) if animals are seen.
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. Please contact me at
[phone] if you have any questions about these comments.
Sincerely,
Andrea Leslie
Mountain Region Coordinator, Habitat Conservation Program
cc: Jake Stokes and Renee Ray, NRCS
Andrew Moore, NC Division of Water Resources
Byron Hamstead, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Luke Etchison and Lori Williams, NCWRC