20090341 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20090413

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? North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission P
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
MEMORANDUM
TO: Amanda Jones, USACOE
Asheville Regulatory Field Office
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FROM: Ron Linville, Regional Coordinator
Habitat Conservation Program
19, Errm' s.. ISilly f? ?
APR 1 3 2009
DENR - WATER QUALITY
WETLAzS AND STQRMATER BRANCH
DATE: March 30, 2009
SUBJECT: Diamond Creek Stream Enhancement Project, Horse Bottom Creek (C-Trout),
Avery County
The applicant proposes to enhance Brook trout habitats through stream enhancements.
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 is to enhance 370 linear feet of stream to improve Brook trout habitat. This
watershed supports wild Brook, Brown and Rainbow trout.
Based on our review of the submittal, it appears that portions of the stream to be enhanced
appear overly wide. Accordingly, we will not object to the project; however, the following non-
prioritized recommendations are proposed for project conditions:
1. In stream work and land disturbance within the 25-foot wide buffer zone are
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.
2. The project should be done using state-of-the-art natural channel design and
construction methodologies. This natural channel methodology should include the
provision of a thalwegpassing. through a narrowed meandering; stream channel
having access to its floodplain. This provision should mimic a nearby reference reach
Mailing Address: Division of Inland Fisheries - 1721 Mail Service Center - Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] - Fax: [phone]
Diamond Creek Enhancement Page 2
March 30, 2009
to a greater or lesser degree and further enhance Brook trout habitats. The narrowed
stream and its floodplain should be shaded with autochthonous (native) plants like
silky dogwood, rhododendron, dog hobble, mountain pepperbush, paw paw, red
maple, silky willow, tag alder, black willow, sycamore, river birch, or other native
woody species. Temporary or permanent native herbaceous vegetation should be
established 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. Natural fiber
matting is recommended over plastic matting that can impinge and entrap small
animals. Non-native and invasive plant species should be controlled and removed.
As of July 1, 2005, anyone interested in stocking inland fishing waters with fish,
mollusks or crustaceans must obtain a stocking permit issued by the N.C. Wildlife
Resources Commission pursuant to 15A NCAC 10C .0209. The purpose of this new
regulation is to protect native or legally established aquatic species from the
potentially damaging effects of unauthorized stockings.
4. Sediment and erosion control measures should adhere to the design standards for
sensitive watersheds (15A NCAC 4B .0124).
If any concrete will be used, work must be accomplished so that wet concrete does
not contact stream water.
6. 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.
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, especially the preference for a
thalweg/base flow channel, please contact me at 336-769-9453.
E-copy: Kevin Barnett, DWQ-ARO