20201480 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20201015

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� North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission IQ
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director
October 15, 2020
Ms. Amanda Fuemmeler
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Sweet Birch Phase III
UT to Swannanoa River and wetlands, Buncombe County
Dear Ms. Fuemmeler:
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to fill 0.095 acre of wetland and culvert 66 ft of an unnamed tributary (UT) to the
Swannanoa River in Buncombe 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 Rainbow Trout in the project vicinity, and in -stream work should be avoided
between January 1 and April 15 in order to minimize impacts to reproduction. In addition, the
Swannanoa River supports the Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, US Federal
Species of Concern, NC Special Concern). These species are especially sensitive to
sedimentation, and effective erosion and sediment control measures for this project are essential
to protect these species.
We offer the following recommendations to minimize impacts to fish and wildlife:
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 workday.
2. Any erosion control matting used should be free of plastic or nylon mesh, as this type of
mesh frequently entangles wildlife and is slow to degrade, resulting in a hazard that may last
for years.
3. Non -impact wetland areas should be clearly demarcated with fence so that equipment stays
out of these sensitive areas.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Sweet Birch Phase III Page 2 October 15, 2020
UT Swannanoa R& wetland, Buncombe Co
4. In -stream activities should be avoided during January 1 to April 15 to minimize impacts to
Rainbow Trout reproduction.
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: Alea Tuttle, C1earWater Environmental
Andrew Moore, NC Division of Water Resources