NCG500188_2019 Water Quality & Biotic Indices Studies_20200831

ROY COOPER
Governor
MICHAEL S. REGAN
Secretary
LINDA CULPEPPER
Director
August 315t, 2020
NORTH CAROLINA
Environmental Quality
Jeffrey Lineberger
Director, Water Strategy and Hydro Licensing
Duke Energy
526 South Church Street/EC12Y
Charlotte, NC 28202
Subject: Review of Duke Energy Walters Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 432): 2019
Water Quality and Biotic Indices Studies.
Dear Mr. Lineberger:
Based on a review of the fish data provided to us, we find no issues with the data presented. As
for the benthos data, we note good general agreement between the historic Duke data and our
own data at stations PRO and PR1. However, for future reports some caution should be
exercised in reporting certain species names. For example, in Appendix E Leucrocuta aphrodite
and Procloeon sp. B are reported. Most Leucrocuta species (including aphrodite) cannot reliably
be keyed to species as many larvae have been erroneously associated with named adults,
definitive comparisons of reared or associated larvae have not been completed, and there are
likely undescribed species present in the Southeast. Similarly, there remains undescribed and
unassociated species of Procloeon in the Southeast as well. Therefore, for future reports if
there is any uncertainty about reporting certain species designations (particularly among the
Mayflies, Stoneflies, and Caddisflies), feel free to have your lead taxonomist contact Eric Reek
(eric.fleek(cDncdenr.gov) for guidance.
If you have any questions regarding these comments or requests, please do not hesitate to
contact me.
Sincerely,
Cyndi Karoly
Chief, Water Sciences Section
Cc: Landon Davidson, Asheville Regional Office
Sergei Chernikov, Complex Permitting Unit
Kennedy Holt, NC DHHS
�DFQ North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality I Division of Water Resources
512 North Salisbury Street 1 1634 Mail Service Center I Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1634
—^�\ 919-707.9000