20161028_Div 7-Bridge 248 over Carroll Creek mussel report_20161026

PAT MCCRORY
GOVERNOR
Memorandum to
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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
NICHOLAS 7. TENNYSON
SECRETARY
March 18, 2016
Jerry Parker, Division 7 Environmental Supervisor
Matt Haney, Environmental Senior Specialist
NES, Biological Surveys Group
Subject: Freshwater Fish and Mussel Survey Report for the Proposed
Replacement of Bridge No. 248 on SR 2009 (Camp Dan
Valley Road) over Carroll Creek, Rockingham County.
WBS # 17BP.7.R.103
The North Carolina Department of Transportation proposes to replace Bridge No.
248 on SR 2009 (Camp Dan Valley Road) over Carroll Creek in Rockingham County.
Carroll Creek is in the Roanoke River basin. From the project, this stream flows
approximately 0.9 mile until converging with Lake Hazel. The federally endangered
Roanoke logperch (Percina rex) and James spinymussel (Pleurobema collina) are listed
by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as potentially occurring in Rockingham
County.
In North Carolina, the Roanoke logperch is known from the upper Roanoke River
basin. The fish typically inhabits warm, usually clear, small to medium-sized rivers.
These waterways have a moderate to low gradient, and the fish usually inhabit riffles and
runs, with silt-free sandy to boulder-strewn bottoms. Young are usually found in slow
runs and pools with clean sandy bottoms. In winter, Roanoke logperch may be more
tolerant of silty substrates, and may also inhabit pools. Spawning occurs in April or May
in deep runs over gravel and small cobble. Males are associated with shallow riffles
during the reproductive period; females are common in deep runs over gravel and small
cobble, where they spawn. The upper Roanoke River population is threatened by
urbanization, industrial development, water supply and flood control projects, and
agricultural runoff in the upper basin.
The James spinymussel was once found throughout the main stem of the James
River and all of its major tributaries upstream of Richmond VA. The species has
experienced a precipitous decline over the past two decades and now exists only in small,
headwater tributaries of the upper James River basin in Virginia and West Virginia and
the upper Roanoke River drainage of Virginia and North Carolina. The James
spinymussel is found in waters with slow to moderate current and relatively hard water on
sand and mixed sand-gravel substrates that are free from silt.
MAILING ADDRESS: TE�EPHONE: 919-707-6000 LOCATION:
NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FAX: [phone] CENTURY CENTER, BUILDING A
PROJECT DEVELOPMENTAND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS WEBSITE: 1000 BIRCH RIDGE DRIVE
1548 MAIL SERVICE CENTER HTTPS://CONNECT.NCDOT.GOV/RESOURCES/ENVIRON Ra�Ei�H NC 27610
Ra�Ei�H NC 27699-1548 MENTAUPAGES/DEFAULT.ASPX

Carroll Creek is not classified as a 303d stream. There is a NPDES facility
(Rockingham County School, Permit No. NC0034410) that discharges into an unnamed
tributary to Carroll Creek approximately 0.5 mile upstream of this project.
Prior to conducting in-stream surveys, a review of the NC Natural Heritage
Program database was conducted (February 29, 2016) to determine if there were any
records of rare mussels or fish within the proposed project study area or receiving waters.
This review indicated that there are no known occurrences of the federally
endangered Roanoke logperch or James spinymussel in Carroll Creek. The closest
known occurrence of Roanoke logperch is approximately 18 river miles downstream
from this project in Wolf Island Creek. The closest known occurrence of James
spinymussel is in the Mayo River, which is in a different watershed.
A habitat assessment and mussel survey of Carroll Creek was conducted on March
l, 2016 by NCDOT biologists Jared Gray (Permit No. 15-ES00314), Neil Medlin (Permit
No. 15-ES00030) and Matt Haney. A total of 1.0 person-hour was spent surveying.
Carroll Creek ranged in width from 9-13 feet wide and the water depth was
shallow with 98% of the stream less than 2 feet deep. The streambanks were
approximately 6 feet high. Some erosion and undercutting was observed, along with some
unstable streambanks. The dominant substrate consisted of sand, but also contained
gravel, cobble, bedrock and boulder. The land use was natural and rural. The buffer
width was wide and the percent cover was 90%. No live mussels or shells were observed
during 1.0 person-hour of search time. Ten live Asiatic clams (Corbicula fZuminea), along
with 30 shells were observed in a patchy distribution.
Due to the size of the stream, this project being located too high in the watershed,
the stream being too high gradient, and that there are no known occurrences of either
species in this stream, this project will have no effect on these species. Also, Cascade
Creek flows into Lake Hazel, which decreases the chance for recolonization of either
species to occur.
Biological Conclusions: No Effect for Roanoke logperch and James spinymussel for
WBS # 17BP.7.R103