20200543 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20200423

ltl North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 0
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
April 23, 2020
Ms. Amanda Fuemmeler
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Thompson Project
Flannery Fork, Watauga County
Dear Ms. Fuemmeler:
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to stabilize 166 ft of Flannery Fork in Watauga County. Our comments on this
application are offered for your consideration under provisions of the Clean Water Act of 1977
(33 U.S.C. 466 et. seq.) and Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as amended; 16
U.S.C. 661-667d).
Wild Brown Trout are found in the project vicinity, and in -channel work should be avoided
between October 15 and April 15 to minimize impacts to trout reproduction. In addition, Eastern
Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, US Federal Species of Concern, NC Special
Concern), Kanawha Minnow (Phenacobius teretulus, NC SC), and Tongue-tied Minnow
(Exoglossum laurae, NC SR) are found in the vicinity of the project. Excellent erosion and
sediment control on this project is especially important to minimize impacts to these animals.
The application proposes to stabilize an eroding reach of bank on Flannery Fork through sloping
the bank, planting native woody and herbaceous vegetation, and installing two in -stream rock
vanes. Most work will be done from the bank, but some instream access may be necessary for
proper installation of the rock vane.
We offer the following recommendations to minimize impacts to the aquatic community:
1. In -channel work should be accomplished as quickly as possible and vigilance used in
sediment and erosion control during site preparation, construction, and clean up. Disturbed
areas should be seeded, mulched and/or matted as soon as possible, preferably at the end of
each work day.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Thompson Project Page 2 April 23, 2020
Flannery Fork, Watauga County
2. Any erosion control matting used should be free of nylon or plastic mesh, as this type of
mesh netting frequently entangles wildlife and is slow to degrade, resulting in a hazard that
may last for years.
3. For the rock vane installation, we recommend diverting flows around the work area at the
bank tie-in locations only, balancing the risk of sediment loss and direct impacts to
hellbender habitat, in order to reduce the risk of fine sediment liberation and loss.
4. The project manager should reach out to Lori Williams (lori.williams(&ncwildlife.org ) and
Andrea Leslie(andrea.leslie(d),ncwildlife.org) at least three weeks before construction begins
so that the area of impact can be surveyed for hellbenders, and animals relocated if found.
5. Shelter rocks potentially used by hellbenders should be left undisturbed during construction
activities. Shelter rocks are typically large flat rocks at least a foot in diameter. If animals
are disturbed during construction, they should be captured in a bucket and moved away from
the area of disturbance. Please notify Lori Williams if hellbenders are found.
6. We recommend that a woody buffer as wide as possible (we recommend at least 30 feet) be
planted on the stream as infrastructure allows in order to ensure project success. A wide
forested buffer can ensure greater bank stability, filter overland pollutants, and provide
habitat for birds and other wildlife.
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. Please contact me at
[phone] if you have any questions about these comments.
Sincerely,
Andrea Leslie
Mountain Region Coordinator, Habitat Conservation Program
ec: Glen Sullivan, Foggy Mountain Nursery
Sue Homewood, NC Division of Water Resources
Byron Hamstead, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Lori Williams, NCWRC