20220882 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20220711

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director

Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

July 11, 2022

Lori Beckwith
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Asheville Regulatory Field Office
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, NC 28801

Kevin Mitchell
NCDEQ, DWR
2090 U.S. Hwy. 70
Swannanoa, N.C. 28778

Dear Ms. Beckwith and Mr. Mitchell,

SUBJECT: Comments on 404/401 Application for Replacement of Bridge No. 10536 on SR 1296
over Newfound Creek, Buncombe County
B-6018, WBS 48210.3.1, DWR 20220882 ver.1

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) applied for a 404 permit and 401
Certification for the subject project. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) staffs are
familiar with the wildlife resources in the region. Comments on the application from the NCWRC are
offered in accordance with applicable provisions of the state and federal Environmental Policy Acts (G.S.
113A-1through 113-10; 1 NCAC 25 and 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(c), respectively), the Clean Water Act of
1977 (33 U.S.C. 466 et seq.), and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as amended; 16
U.S.C. 661-667d).

The project will replace an existing timber bridge over Newfound Creek in Buncombe County with a
triple barrel reinforced concrete box culvert (RCBC) set at about 1% slope. Low and high flow cell sills
will be included.

Buncombe County is considered a “trout county”. However, Newfound Creek is not expected to support
trout, so the NCWRC concurs with a waiver of the trout moratorium requirement for construction.
B-6018 Page 2 July 11, 2022
Buncombe County

The NCWRC has no major concerns with this project including the use of rip rap as
underlayment for culvert backfill if determined necessary by NCDOT environmental staff.
Native material on site may be limited in quantity and quality. Rip rap in the boxes might help
hold the top-dressing of native material.

Thank you for the opportunity to review and provide recommendations on this project. Please contact me
at [e-mail] or [phone] if you have any questions about these comments.

Cordially,

Dave McHenry, NCWRC Western DOT Coordinator

ec: Roger Bryan, NCDOT Division 11 DEO