20061851 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20070305

MAR 5 2007
FROM: Ron Linville, Regional Coordinator
Habitat Conservation Program ~ciV{~c - VvATER t1.llAltTY
NE 11,~NUS e~dD STQRa,1WATkR BRANCH
DATE: March 1, 2007
SUBJECT: Speedway Motorsports (Speedway), Unnamed Tributaries Mallard Creek and Rocky River,
Cabarrus County
Speedway proposes to relocate concession areas and to construct stormwater management facilities and parking
areas for Lowes Motor Speedway in Concord. Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
(NCWRC) are familiar with habitat values in the area. The NCWRC is authorized to comment and make
recommendations which relate to the impacts of this project on fish and wildlife pursuant to Clean Water Act of
1977, North Carolina Environmental Policy Act, US National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act
(16 U. S. C. 1531-1543; 87 Stat 884), the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as amended; 16 U.S.C.
661-667d) and/or Federal License of Water Resource Project Act (Federal Power Act-16 U.S.C. 791a et seq.) as
applicable.
The proposed project will impact 1.38 acres of wetlands and 2942 linear feet of streams associated with streams
within the Rocky River basin. Rocky River supports warm water aquatic habitats and is known to contain habitats
suitable for freshwater mussels, including the Carolina heelsplitter, Lasmigona decorata (NCE, FE) although
diminished water quality is believed to limit aquatic species considerably. The lack of listed species in the area may
be related to poor water quality caused by stormwater issues from elevated pollutant loading and intense
development in this area of Cabamis County. Without stonmwater management and substantial provision of
undisturbed forested buffers, these conditions will worsen.
Based on our review of the submittal and. ow knowledge of the area, we agree that stonnwater management should
be provided for existing imperviousness as well as for new construction in the area. The following conditions are
recommended for CWA 404 Permits and 401 Certifications:
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission ~
Richard B. Hamilton, Executive Director [~
TO: Steve Chapin, USACOE ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ U'~C
Asheville Regulatory Field Office
1. To the extent practicable, stormwater management facilities should be located outside jurisdictional waters
and wetlands as protection of existing uses of these areas is a stated goal of the Clean Water Act. These
measures should provide management of stormwater to mimic runoff issues equal to those anticipated if the
area were entirely a piedmont prairie (possible pre-development condition for some of this area of Cabarrus
County).
2. If some reconfiguration of the Speedway and stormwater facilities isn't possible, relocation of natural
streams and wetlands should be provided using natural channel design and natural wetland restoration
techniques. Perennial or important intermittent streams should be relocated using state of the art natural
channel design methodologies whenever hydrologically practical. We recommend minimum of 50'
Mailing Address: Division of Inland Fisheries 1721 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] Faz: (919} 707-0028

Speedway Motorsports -Page 2 -
March 1, 2007
intermittent stream and minimum 100' perennial stream buffers. These buffers should be preserved by
conservation easements as undisturbed forested areas. Open areas adjacent to forested buffers should be
maintained as piedmont prairies. Prairie zone maintenance should occur on a three (3) year mowing or
burning rotation so that only a third of the prairie is managed annually.
3. Stormwater facilities should be provided to protect these relocated stream and wetland aquatic habitat
areas. Low Impact Development (LID) methodologies should be dispersed throughout landscaping areas
within the Speedway facility. LID methodologies should be incorporated into parking lot tree islands,
parking lot pavement, and other open space areas. Information about LID measures and techniques can be
found at www.lawirnp:~ctdcvelo~rncnt.org and snnilar envirotunental plannurg websites.
4. Ample spill containment should be provided due to petroleum and automotive activities associated with the
Speedway. Such measures should ensure that fire and emergency situations will contain any spills or
chemical discharges that could occur on the property before they affect streams and wetland plantings or
jurisdictional waters.
5. If trash and debris associated with racing events is a significant issue, additional interdiction measures
should be incorporated into the design, construction, and operation of the speedway facility to ensure that
plastic bags, 6-pack rings, etc. are not released into the environment due to harm these items can cause to
wildlife.
6. Sediment and erosion control measures should adhere to the design standards for sensitive watersheds as
streams within this watershed are known to be impaired.
7. Autochthonous plants should be used for green and open spaces. Where practicable, piedmont prairie
plants (see attached) are recommended. Similarly, native plants are reconunended for stormwater
management ponds and wetlands. If any stormwater ponds will be provided, they should incorporate
forested edges and littoral shelves for safety and to restore diminished terrestrial and edge habitats (see
attached example).
8. Work must be accomplished so that wet concrete does not contact stream water.
Irregardless of which measures are permitted, it is essential that the post development hydrograph mimic the
predevelopment hydrograph and that stormwater control measures reduce stormwater destabilization of downstream
streambanks. It is also essential that pollutant loading into area streams be reduced through physical means as well
as by plant sequestration. Constructed wetlands should be utilized as polishing features instead of main water
treatment trains.
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. If you have any questions regarding these
comments, please contact me at 336-'769-9453.
Attachments: Recommendations of Piedmont Prairie Restoration and Creation
Piedmont Stormwater Pond Planting Recommendations
E-copy: Cyndi Karoly, DWQ-Raleigh
Allan Johnson, DWQ-MRO
Leonard Rindner, PWS

Speedway Motor~ports -Page 3 - March 1, 2007
Recommendations of Piedmont Prairie Restoration and Creation
Laura M. Fogo, Private Lands Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service
RESTORATION
If you discover a potential prairie remnant, it is recommended that you reestablish fire
into the ecosystem and thin the site depending on your goals for prairie, savannah, or woodland.
Thinning a site will allow sunlight to reach the forest floor to encourage herbaceous plants to
grow. Your native understory vegetation may already be there and it may not be necessary to
plant. See Piedmont Prairies and a Partnership, to reference associated community types to look
for.
CREATION/REESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIVE PRAIItIE
Seed Source: Try to obtain local genotypes of native plant material to reestablish a
prairie. I only recommend buying seed from outside NC if it's a creation project or the local
genotypes are not available or present. There is limited availability of NC grass seed from
nursery growers. There are commercial nurseries that provide local plants and seed. If you have
the time and want only local seed sources, it will take more effort. For large scale restoration,
some projects may want to go ahead and purchase seeds. It is agreed by the partnership to
collect local seed from remnant sites and roadside populations for trying to restore remnant
prairies. Planting associated prairie species provides habitat for migratory songbirds and other
early successional wildlife dependant species.
Native Warm Season Grasses (NWSG): Attached are commercial native seed sources
and planting guides to establish NWSG prepared by Bob Glennon, USFWS. He mentions
applying fertilizer the year after it is established. These grasses are fertilized to grow hay
(forage) for cows as far as a productivity production, however, it will encourage undesirable
weedy competition. It has been recommended only to lime according to your soil's needs.
These grasses are native and grow on poor sites anyway and are not used to having good
nutrients. I would re-evaluate after a year and establishment.
Remember that it may take at least two years to see good results on the NWSG. Bob has
done a great job on explaining methods: using a seed drill, calibrations, seeding depths, etc.
Follow his instructions. When planting, drilling is best, but if you cannot, broad cast and run a
cultapacker over it. You can plant the different ones at the same time (except gama) and place
them in the appropriate seed boxes in the no-till drill. Yau put the fluffy-chaffy ones, big blue,
little blue, and Indian grass in the chaffy seed box and plant 1/4" seed depth. The small box is
used for smooth grass seeds like switch grass and gama. He said to make a separate pass for the
gama grass at 1" seed depth.
Plantin tg imes: For NWSG, it is recommended, to plant in the fall after Thanksgiving,
after the first killing frost (Oct. 31 Piedmont-Nov. Coast) until the last killing frost in the spring
(March 15 on the coast, April 1 for most of the state, April 15 in the west). As soon as you have
the site prepared, you might want to plant winter annuals such as winter wheat, barley, and
ryegrass grain. Be cautious planting ryegrass, because it may re-seed and cause competition the

Speedway Motorsports -Page 4 - March 1, 2007
next spring. NWSG's require to be pre-chilled in moist conditions at least two weeks at 40
degrees F (stratification). So November planting is fine.
There are some exceptions for plaming in the spring before May. The exception is if you have
not eradicated all the non-natives or fescue. If you plant in the spring, you run the risk of loosing
the new seedlings to drought. If you plant in the winter, it will give the grasses time to establish
a root system to be better prepared for potential dry times in spring or summer. It may be
possible to apply herbicide on fescue in the spring, then plant immediately.
Fortis associated with Piedmont Prairies: Attached is a list of fortis for propagation
compiled by members of the partnership derived from the "Vascular Flora of Piedmont Prairies:
Evidence from .Several Prairie Remnants" by Davis, et al. 2002. This document establishes a
good baseline of Piedmont prairie vegetation for reestablishment and identification. Please
notify me or Moni Bates, NC Plant Conservation Program, if you are interested in seed
collection and propagation.
Recommended Prairie Mixture: Below is a mixture recommended based on the list
mentioned above for planting five warm season grasses: big blue stem, little blue stem, Indian
grass, gama grass and switch grass (see rates below). When you mix it and add native
wildflowers, it will make your project more diverse and more like a natural prairie community.
For starting over, I recommend planting at 6-8 pounds per acre of the following mixture of
NWSG:
1 pound of a switch grass (Panicum virgatum) (Plateau will injure), or
P. anceps =Beaked Panicum, P. clandestinum = Deertangue,
2 pounds of big blue stem
2 pounds of little blue stem
2 pounds of Indian Grass
1 pound of Gama grass (Plateau will injure)
(Note: For forage production, higher rates are recommended).
A mixture that is compatible with Plateau or herbicides with the same chemical:
3 pounds of big blue stem
2 pounds of little blue stem
3 pounds of Indian Grass
For wildflowers: plant 1 pound per acre and mix it with the grass. I picked the following:
Butterfly milkweed, Purple coneflower, Careopsis lanceolata, Coreopsis tinctoria (annual),
Rough blazing star (Liatris aspera} and black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta}.
When developing and customizing a seed mixture, I recommend checking the local
county plant species list (if there is one) and Vascular Plants of the Carolinas for species
diversity, as well as consulting with botanists. The NC Botanical Garden is a good reference and
has a native seed source list of Local commercial growers.

Speedway Motorsports -Page 5 - March 1, 2007
Figure 1. Listed rare vascular plant species associated with Piedmont prairies and associated
communities (not all inclusive)
Common Name Scientific Name Status
Schweinitz's sunflower Helianthus schweinitzii Federally Endan eyed
smooth coneflower Echinacea laevi ata Federall Endan eyed
Geor 'a aster S h otrichum eor ~anum Federal S ies of Concern
Carolina birdfoot-trefoil Lotus helleri Federal S ies of Concern
Tall lacks ur Del hinium exaltatum Federal S ies of Concern
Butner Barbara's buttons Marshallia 1 Federal S ies of Concern
Heller's rabbit tobacco Gna halium helleri Si ~ cant] rare-Pro sed
Carolina thistle Cirsium carolinianus Si 'cant] rare-Pro sed
Sessile Tick-trefoil Desmodium sessilifolium Si ificantl rare-Pro sed
Carolina thistle Cirsium carolinianum Si 'cant] rare-Pro sed
Thick- white wild indi o Ba tisia alba Si ificanil rare-Pro sed
Thin- white wild indi o Ba tisia albescens Si 'cant] rare-Pro sed
Smooth sunflower Helianthus laevi tus Si ~ icantl rare-Pro sed
Earle's blazin star Liatris uamilosa Si `cant] rare-Pro sed
Southeastern bold oldenrod Solida o ri 'da ss abrata Si ificantl rare-Pro sed
Prairie dock Sil hium terebinthinaceum Si ificantl rare-Fro osed
Glade wild uinine Parthenium auriculatum Si 'ficantl rare-Threatened
Figure 2. NC Partners In Flight Priority Bird Species associated with prairie/grassland, shrub-
scrub, and savanna habitats (not all inclusive)
Prairie/Grassland Sbrub-scnib Pine savanna
Henslow's ow Prairie warbler Red~ockaded wood ker
Bachman's w American woodcock Bachman's ow
Northern bobwhite Northern bobwhite Brown-headed nuthatch
Lo erhead shrike Fields arrow Henslow's s arrow
Short-eared owl (winter, b) Eastern towhee Northern bobwhite
Barn owl Orchard oriole Summer tans er
Northenn harrier (winter) Yellow-breasted chat American kestrel
Grassho r w Gra catbird Red-headed wood cker
Eastern kin bird Common ellowthroat Northern flicker
Eastern meadowlark Brown thrasher Chuck will's widow
Sed a wren (winter) White-e ed vireo Whi r-will
Dickcissel Willow fl catcher
Bobolink (mi t, b) Ve r w (winter)
Horned lark (winter, b) Lo erhead shrike
Barn owl
NC sources are: Garrett Wildflower seed farm 919-818-4309 (Don Lee) ~~~~~ «~.cnistsccci.com Adams Briscoe &
SharpE Bro. for Americas Indian grass from Georgia. Contact NC Botanical Garden and ask for their nursery list.
Local plant information maybe obtained by contacting Mr. Don Serriff at 704-336-8798 or 704-432-1391 with the
Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department.

Speedway Motarsports -Page 6 - March 1, 2007
Piedmont Stormwater Pond Planting Recommendations
Instead of using the typical fescue grasses, the upper interior and exterior of the structure should be planted with the
following mix to reduce thermal impacts and to restore some diminished wildlife habitats:
Spring/Summer Mixture, May 1-Sept. 15 FalUWinter Mixture, Sept. 15 - Apri130
Browntop millet 201bs/a Winter Wheat 1201bs/a
Kobe lespedeza 201bs1a Kobe lespedeza 201bs/a
Shrub lespedeza i lb/a Shrub lespedeza l lb/a
Switchgrass* S lbla Switchgrass* 51b/ac
Add to fall or spring plantings: `Tioga' Deertongue (Panicum clandestinum) at a rate of 7 lbs. Pure Live Seeds
(PLS) per acre.
* When possible on slopes less than 3:1 use Switchgrass instead of lespedezas and on slopes greater than 3:1 use
Orchard Grass or Creeping Red Fescue. Other native species may be appropriate depending on soil, slope, and
region. Korean lespedeza may be appropriate in colder geophysical areas. We do not recommend Sericea
lespedeza. Native plants and warm season grasses are preferred over exotic plants.
Add one of the following to the above mixture:
Creeping Red Fescue 51bs/acre
Ladino Clover** S lbs/acre
Atlantic Coastal Panic Grass S Ibs/acre (PLS)
Alfalfa** 51bs/acre (requires fertilizer containing Boron)
* * Lime & fertilize disturbed areas according to NRCS soil test results and follow planting guidelines as appropriate
and necessary. Depending on elevation and region, other native species may be appropriate. Note that mowing
should be limited to late winter or early spring. Mowing should only occur as needed to prevent unwanted tree
growth on a 2-3 year schedule.
The provision of shade around impounded waters can significantly reduce thermal impacts. Trees and shrubs (1
year bare root seedlings) should be planted randomly at a minimal rate of 100 trees per acre on the top and upper
portions of the structure and at a minimal rate of 150 per acre around the norn~al water elevation and littoral shelf
area. The following list of tree species may assist in providing habitat benefits:
Loblolly Pine* Red Cedar Black Gum American Holly Dogwood
Hickory Sumac White Oak Willow Oak Red Maple** Oak
Viburnum Green Ash Ironwood Black Cherry Persimmon
Water Oak Spice Bush Willow (sp) Serviceberry
Swamp Chestnut Silky Dogwood
Other species may be utilized depending on site requirements and native plant availability. Pines* should not
exceed 15% of the reforestation. No more than 20% of the tree species will be of a single species. An 80% success
rate is acceptable over five years. Large or fast growing trees like Sycamore and Maple** may not be appropriate
near detention facility dams.
Additional planting suggestions and plant supply sources may be obtained from Stewardship biologist, Elizabeth
Hughes at [phone].