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Home My WebLink About20200555 Ver 1_Chestnut Parkway_CEI_TE_Memo013118_20200426CAROLINA ECOSYSTEMS, INC. MEMORANDUM DATE: January 31, 2018 FROM: Phil May, Carolina Ecosystems, Inc. Greg Price, Carolina Ecosystems, Inc. TO: Allison Drake, P.E., RS&H 3040 NC Hwy 42 West; Clayton, NC 27520 P:919-274-5979 — F:919-585-5570 RE: Threatened and Endangered Species Surveys Chestnut Parkway Union County, NC As requested, Carolina Ecosystems, Inc. (CEI), along with Alderman Environmental Services, has completed threatened and endangered species surveys for the federally endangered Carolina heelsplitter (Lasmigona decorata), Michaux's sumac (Rhus michauxii), and Schweinitz's sunflower (Helianthus schweinitzii) for the Chestnut Parkway project in Union County. Detailed field assessments were performed on October 5, 2017 for Michaux's sumac and Schweinitz's sunflower within the USFWS recommended survey window, where potential habitat was found to exist within the study area. A mussel survey was conducted on November 10, 2017 by Alderman Environmental Services for Carolina heelsplitter in South Fork Crooked Creek within the project study area (see attached report). A brief description of each species' habitat requirements follows, along with the Biological Conclusion rendered based on survey results in the study areas. Habitat requirements for each species are based on the current best available information from referenced literature and/or USFWS. Carolina heelsplitter USFWS Recommended Survey Window: year round Habitat Description: The Carolina heelsplitter was historically known from several locations within the Catawba and Pee Dee River systems in North Carolina and the Pee Dee and Savannah River systems, and possibly the Saluda River system in South Carolina. In North Carolina, the species is now known only from a handful of streams in the Pee Dee and Catawba River systems. The species exists in very low abundances, usually within 6 feet of shorelines, throughout its known range. The general habitat requirements for the Carolina heelsplitter are shaded areas in large rivers to small streams, often burrowed into clay banks between the root systems of trees, or in runs along steep banks with moderate current. The more recent habitat where the Carolina heelsplitter has been found is in sections of streams containing bedrock with perpendicular crevices filled with sand and gravel, and with wide riparian buffers. Chestnut Parkway Page 2 of 4 January 31.2017 Biological Conclusion: No Effect Alderman Environmental Services performed a survey for Carolina heelsplitter on November 10, 2017. It was determined that South Fork Crooked Creek provides poor quality habitat for the Carolina heelsplitter. No individuals of Carolina heelsplitter or any other mussel species were observed during the survey (see attached report). A review of North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP) records, updated October 2017, indicates no known occurrences within 1.0 mile of the study area. Michaux's sumac USFWS Optimal Survey Window: May -October Habitat Description: Michaux's sumac, endemic to the inner Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont, grows in sandy or rocky, open, upland woods on acidic or circumneutral, well -drained sands or sandy loam soils with low cation exchange capacities. The species is also found on sandy or submesic loamy swales and depressions in the fall line Sandhills region as well as in openings along the rim of Carolina bays; maintained railroad, roadside, power line, and utility rights -of - way; areas where forest canopies have been opened up by blowdowns and/or storm damage; small wildlife food plots; abandoned building sites; under sparse to moderately dense pine or pine/hardwood canopies; and in and along edges of other artificially maintained clearings undergoing natural succession. In the central Piedmont, it occurs on clayey soils derived from mafic rocks. The plant is shade intolerant and, therefore, grows best where disturbance (e.g., mowing, clearing, grazing, periodic fire) maintains its open habitat. Biological Conclusion: No Effect Suitable habitat for Michaux's sumac is present in the study area in open, sunny areas, such as roadside shoulders, maintained field edges, and power line rights -of way. A survey for Michaux's sumac was conducted on October 5, 2017. No individuals were found. A review of the NCNHP records, updated October 2017, indicates no known occurrences within 1.0 mile of the study area. Schweinitz's sunflower USFWS optimal survey window: late August -October Habitat Description: Schweinitz's sunflower is endemic to the Piedmont of North and South Carolina. The few sites where this rhizomatous perennial herb occurs in relatively natural vegetation are found in Xeric Hardpan Forests. The species is also found along roadside rights - of -way, maintained power lines and other utility rights -of -way, edges of thickets and old pastures, clearings and edges of upland oak -pine -hickory woods and Piedmont longleaf pine forests, and other sunny or semi -sunny habitats where disturbances (e.g., mowing, clearing, grazing, blow downs, storms, frequent fire) help create open or partially open areas for sunlight. It is intolerant of full shade and excessive competition from other vegetation. Schweinitz's sunflower occurs in a variety of soil series, including Badin, Cecil, Cid, Enon, Gaston, Georgeville, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Misenheimer, Secrest, Tatum, Uwharrie, and Zion, among others. It is generally found growing on shallow sandy soils with high gravel content; shallow, poor, clayey hardpans; or shallow rocky soils, especially those derived from mafic rocks. Chestnut Parkway January 31.2017 Page 3 of 4 Biological Conclusion: No Effect Suitable habitat for Schweinitz's sunflower is present in the study area in open, sunny areas, such as roadside shoulders, maintained field edges, and power line rights -of way. A survey for Schweinitz's sunflower was conducted on October 5, 2017. No individuals were found. A review of the NCNHP records, updated October 2017, indicates no known occurrences within 1.0 mile of the study area. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Phil May at your earliest convenience at 919-606-1065 or phil.may@carolinaeco.com Chestnut Parkway Page 4 of 4 January 31.2017 References N.C. Natural Heritage Program. 2001. Guide to Federally Listed Endangered and Threatened Species of North Carolina. Raleigh, NC. 134 pp. N.C. Natural Heritage Program Data Search. October 2017 Elemental Occurrences. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Office of Land and Water Stewardship, Raleigh, NC. United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Endangered Species, Threatened Species, Federal Species of Concern, and Candidate Species, Union County, NC. https://www.fws.gov/raleigh/species/cntylist/union.html. (Updated: June 1, 2017). United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Carolina heelsplitter (Lasmigona decorata). https://www.fws.gov/asheville/htmis/listed_species/Carolina_heelsplitter.html (Accessed: October 4, 2017). United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Michaux's sumac (Rhus michauxii). https://www.fws.gov/raleigh/species/es_michauxs_sumac.html (Accessed: October 4, 2017). United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Schweinitz's Sunflower (Helianthus schweinitzii) https://www.fws.gov/raleigh/species/es_schweinitz_sunflower.html (Accessed: October 4, 2017). United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 2015. Optimal Survey Windows for North Carolina's Federally Threatened and Endangered Plant Species. http://www.fws. gov/raleigh/pdfs/Optimal_Survey_Windows_for_listed_plants.pdf (Accessed: October 4, 2017). Freshwater Mussel Survey Report Planned Road Crossing of South Fork Crooked Creek Upstream from Waxhaw-Indian Trial Road Union County, North Carolina PREPARED FOR CAROLINA ECOSYSTEMS, INC. 3040 NC HWY 42 W CLAYTON, NC 27520 BY ALDERMAN ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, INC. 202 LAKESHORE DR. HILLSBOROUGH, NC 27278 November 2017 FRESHWATER MUSSEL SURVEY REPORT 14 November 2017 PROJECT: Protected species survey report for Carolina Heelsplitter (Lasmigona decorata) and Atlantic Pigtoe (Fusconaia masoni) for the proposed new Union County road crossing over South Fork Crooked Creek within the Pee Dee River Basin in Union County. REPORT BIOLOGISTS: Joseph D. Alderman and John M. Alderman Union County proposes to build a new road crossing over South Fork Crooked Creek (Stream Index No. 13-17-20-2) in Union County (Figures 1 and 2). The Carolina Heelsplitter is federally listed Endangered by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the Atlantic Pigtoe is a federal Species of Concern (USFWS). The USFWS may list the Atlantic Pigtoe as Endangered or Threatened in 2018. These species are native Southeast Atlantic Slope freshwater mussel species. The Carolina Heelsplitter exists from the Savannah River Basin in South Carolina to the Pee Dee River Basin in North Carolina. The USFWS documents Union County as part of the current Carolina Heelsplitter range. The Atlantic Pigtoe has records from the Altamaha River Basin in Georgia to the James River Basin in Virginia, including current records from Union County, North Carolina. The Carolina Heelsplitter's preferred habitats includes low to higher gradient, stable banked streams with relatively silt free substrates. Coarser substrates, including cobble, boulder, and bedrock are usually present within an occupied stream reach. The best populations have been found in higher water quality, well -oxygenated streams. In general, woodland dominates the landscape. Carolina Heelsplitter records exist in first order streams up to main channels of large rivers. The Atlantic Pigtoe normally requires clean sand and pea gravel substrates and circumneutral pH water. The highest densities recorded for this species existed in silt free, unconsolidated coarse sand and pea gravel within "run" stream reaches. The best populations have been documented from North Carolina Division of Water Resources Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) stream reaches or within streams potentially suitable for such designations. Prior to conducting in -stream surveys, reviews of the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP), NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Alderman Environmental Services, Inc. (AES), and Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences (ANSP) databases were conducted to determine if there were any records of rare mussels within the proposed project study area or receiving waters. These reviews indicated that the closest occurrence of the Carolina Heelsplitter occurred in Goose Creek, Union County, North Carolina, in 2015 (NCNHP). Goose Creek is >28 stream miles from the surveyed stream reach in South Fork Crooked Creek. The closest occurrence of the Atlantic Pigtoe occurred in Goose Creek in 1998, which is >28 stream miles from the project area (NCNHP). The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) records no NPDES permits for South Fork Crooked Creek. South Fork Crooked Creek is on the state 303(d) list of impaired streams, due to fair fish community status (NCDEQ 2014). North Fork Crooked Creek is the next major confluence with South Fork Crooked Creek, which is > 13 stream miles down from the project area. Alderman Environmental Services, Inc. biologists Joseph D. Alderman (USFWS Permit No. TE28597A-1) and John M. Alderman (North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Permit No. 17-ES00009 and USFWS Permit No. TE065756-3) completed a mussel survey at the site on 10 November 2017 within 100+ meters upstream and 400+ meters downstream from the Waxhaw-Indian Trial Road crossing over South Fork Crooked Creek (Figures 1 and 2). Using visual and tactile searches, 2 person -hours were required to complete the survey within this urbanizing area of Union County. Stream widths were approximately two meters, and banks were mostly 1.5 meter tall. Except for a few pool areas, most of the surveyed reach was dry. The surveyed reach canopy was mostly closed, and wooded buffers varied in width. Substrates included silt, clay, gravel, pebble, cobble, boulder, bedrock, and with sand dominant. No beaver activity was observed in South Fork Crooked Creek. No documented freshwater mussel live individuals, shells, or shell fragments were observed during the survey. The Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) was not observed. South Fork Crooked Creek provides poor quality habitat for the Carolina Heelsplitter and Atlantic Pigtoe. These species are usually associated with streams with high diversities and abundances of other mussel taxa. Given no evidence of other freshwater mussel taxa within the surveyed reach and the distance to any recent element occurrences (see above data), the biological conclusion associated with this project for the Carolina Heelsplitter and Atlantic Pigtoe is "No Effect." References North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. 2017.4 August 2017 online database search. North Carolina Natural Heritage Program. 2017. April 2017 Database. North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. 2014. GIS shapefiles of 303(d) listed streams and NPDES permits. CO, i/ `r% T L;clr.ir yi i `s 4"iy e yens Cira- ?r RKI c Zelda Tizompson Matthews Tbwnshj q:' '�` �� .;_ - A/ 1_4 Cpcc - Oy ,�� f 3 c% ��a P.Voa5 t S Gataw a C o Unionville -Indian frail Unknown a ' Middle > RainlL'. fir• ti ��r2. S. Fork Crooked Cr. ;s /Ix pickPtts Cst Courtfeld � `' Net �� roc 0/d �te,Narts Cree Union County, NC f pundtn '� " 0.75 15�'�dmrne Mile -- Figure 1 VICINITY MAP Union County. NC Planned New Road Crossing over South Fork Crooked Cr. Planned Road Crossing 303(d) listed stream Stream s Roads Date: 11/14/2017 By: JMA 4;