20080807 Ver 1_Other Agency Comments_20080530

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® North Carolina Wildlife Resources
Commission' o
MEMORANDUM
TO: Monte Matthews, USACOE
Raleigh Regulatory Field Office
FROM: Ron Linville, Regional Coordinator ZVW
Habitat Conservation Program
DATE: May 15, 2008
SUBJECT: North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), SR1647, Colonel
Francis Road, Unnamed Tributaries Millpond Branch, Ashe County
NCDOT proposes to grade, drain, base, and pave SR1647. Biologists with the North Carolina
Wildlife Resources Commission are familiar with habitat values in the area. These comments
are provided in accordance with the provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48
Stat. 401, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 661-667d) and the North Carolina Environmental Policy Act
(G.S. 113A-1 through 113A-10; NCAC 25).
The project will widen the roadway from sixteen (16) feet to twenty (20) feet. Impacts to
jurisdictional waters total 121 linear feet. A temporary dewatering process will be used for the
project to allow portions of the project to be done in the dry and to minimize sedimentation and
turbidity. Wild Brown trout are anticipated by District biologists for streams in the area. In
addition, the Hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis (NCSC, FSC), the green floater,
Lasmigona subviridis (FSC, NCE) are known for downstream waters.
Based on our review of the submittal, we will not object to the project as proposed providing the
following conditions are implemented:
In stream work and land disturbance within the 25-foot wide buffer zone should be
prohibited during the brown and brook trout spawning season of October 15 through
April 15 to protect the egg and fry stages of trout from off-site sedimentation during
construction. Due to the condition of area streams, a waiver of the trout moratorium
is acceptable providing land disturbing work is completely segregated from waters.
2. Sediment and erosion control measures should adhere to the design standards for
sensitive watersheds (15A NCAC 4B .0124).

Mailing Address: Division of Inland Fisheries • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]
SR1647, Colonel Francis Rd. -Page 2 - May 15, 2008
3. To the extent practicable, culverts 48" or larger should be buried a foot into the
streambed. Culverts less than 48 inches in diameter should be buried to a depth equal
to or greater than 20% their size to allow for aquatic life passage. These
measurements should be based on natural thalweg depths. Riprap should not interfere
with aquatic life movement during low flows if practicable for these streams.
4. If any concrete will be used, work must be accomplished so that wet concrete does
not contact stream water.
5. Heavy equipment should be operated from the bank rather than in the stream channel
in order to minimize sedimentation and reduce the likelihood of introducing other
pollutants into the stream.
6. Temporary or permanent herbaceous vegetation should be planted on all bare soil
within five (5) days of ground disturbing activities in the twenty-five (25) foot trout
buffer to provide long-term erosion control. We encourage NCDOT to utilize onsite
vegetation and materials for stream bank stabilization when practicable.
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project during the early planning
stages. If you have any questions regarding these comments, please contact me at 336-769-9453.
E-copy: Amy Euliss, DWQ-WSRO
Heath Slaughter, NCDOT
Kathy Matthews, USEPA
Marla Chambers, NCWRC
Marella Buncick, USFWS
Sonya Gregory, DWQ-Raleigh