20200609 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20200520

ltl North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 0
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
May 20, 2020
Ms. Amanda Fuemmeler
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Downes Project
North Fork New River, Ashe County
Dear Ms. Fuemmeler:
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to stabilize 1,087 ft of the North Fork New River in Ashe 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).
There are wild Brown Trout in the vicinity of the project, and project activities should be avoided
between October 15 and April 15 to minimize impacts to trout reproduction. The North Fork
New River is part of the North Fork New River Aquatic Habitat, rated Very High for the richness
of rare species it contains. Four rare fish are found in the North Fork New River in the vicinity
of the project --Kanawha Minnow (Phenacobius teretulus, US Federal Species of Concern, NC
Special Concern), Kanawha Rosyface Shiner [Notropis sp., NC Significantly Rare (SR)],
Kanawha Darter (Etheostoma kanawhae, NC SR), and Tonguetied Minnow (Exoglossum laurae,
NC SR). It is also possible that Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, US FSC, NC
SC) may be found on the project site.
The application proposes to stabilize an eroding reach of bank on the North Fork New River
through sloping the bank, planting native woody and herbaceous vegetation, and installing three
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
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Downes Project Page 2 May 20, 2020
North Fork New River, Ashe County
areas should be seeded, mulched and/or matted as soon as possible, preferably at the end of
each workday.
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 in order
to reduce the risk of fine sediment liberation and loss.
4. In -stream activities should be avoided between October 15 and April 15 to minimize impacts
to Brown Trout reproduction.
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 (Lori.williams&ncwildli&,.M) 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
Lori Williams and TJ Johnson, NCWRC