20061203 Ver 2_Emails_20100628

Kane, Evan
From: Bryant, Shari L.
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 4:03 PM
To: Kane, Evan
Subject: Western Wake - SCI Guidance/Stream Crossing Information
Evan,
The Guidance Memorandum to Address and Mitigate Secondary and Cumulative Impacts to Aquatic and Terrestrial
Wildlife Resources and Water Quality (August 2002) is available on N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's web site at
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Wildlife Species Con/documents/pg7c3 impacts.pdf. The Guidance Memorandum is
divided into two sections "General Mitigation Measures for All Watersheds" and "Specific Mitigation Measures for
Waters Containing Federally Listed Species". For most of the Western Wake service area, the general measures apply;
however, a federally listed species (dwarf wedgemussel; Alasmidonta heterodon) is found in Middle Creek downstream
of portions of the service area within the jurisdictions of Cary and Holly Springs, so the specific measures would apply in
these areas.
Since the sewer line corridor will not be installed within watersheds that support federally listed species, our
recommendations related to the sewer line and streams/wetland crossings are found in the section titled "General
Mitigation Measures for All Watersheds" in the Guidance Memorandum. Because N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
Game Lands were located within the proposed project boundaries, and the sewer line corridor had the potential to
impact these areas, there were some additional recommendations regarding the sewer line corridor. Below is a bulleted
list of the general recommendations; the recommendations specific to this project are italicized (Note: these italicized
recommendations are included in our comments to Melba McGee dated 22 April 2009).
• Sewer lines should be kept out of riparian buffer areas. A minimum 100 foot setback should be maintained on
perennial streams, and a 50-foot setback on intermittent streams and wetlands. In circumstances where
minimum setbacks cannot be attained, sewer lines should be constructed of ductile iron or other substance of
equal durability. We prefer and recommend the use of road rights-of-way for construction of the influent and
effluent lines to the maximum extent practicable. Although we do not object to the use of utility corridors, we
prefer and recommend the use of those utility corridors that are located closer to or at the edge of game land
boundaries rather than utility corridors that transect game lands. A vegetation change from forest to grass
would impact wildlife species that use forested areas. In addition, increasing the width of the right-of-way
(ROW) corridor (e.g., utility ROW plus influent/effluent line ROW) may fragment the habitat for some terrestrial
wildlife species.
• All utility crossings should be kept to a minimum, which includes careful routing design and the combination of
utility crossings into the same right-of-way (provided there is not a safety issue).
• The directional bore (installation of utilities beneath the riverbed, avoiding impacts to the stream and buffer)
stream crossing method should be used for utility crossings wherever practicable, and the open cut stream
crossing method should only be used when water level is low and stream flow is minimal.
• Manholes or similar access structures should not be allowed within buffer areas.
• Stream crossings should be near perpendicular (75° to 105°) to stream flow and should be monitored at least
every three months for maintenance needs during the first 24 months of the project and then annually
thereafter.
• Sewer lines associated with crossing areas should be maintained and operated at all times to prevent the
discharge to land or surface waters.
• Pesticides (including insecticides and herbicides) should not be used for maintenance of rights-of-way within 100
feet of perennial streams and 50 feet of intermittent streams, or within floodplains and wetlands associated
with these streams.
• Avoid the removal of large trees at the edges of construction corridors.
• Re-seed disturbed areas with seed mixtures that are beneficial to wildlife. Wheat/clover mixes should be
planted with the edges maintained in native warm season grasses for bugging, nesting, and loafing sites. The
warm season grasses should be mixed with other beneficial wildlife plantings (i.e., partridge pea, beggar weed,
and ragweed) to present some variety of food and cover. It is the "step-down" edge effect from forest to open
land that wildlife seem to prefer.
• Where feasible, use woody debris and logs from corridor clearing to establish brush piles and downed logs
adjacent to the cleared right-of-way to improve habitat for wildlife.
• Minimize corridor maintenance and prohibit mowing between April 1 and October 1 to minimize impacts to
nesting wildlife. We suggest a maintenance schedule that incorporates only a portion of the area - one third of
the area, for example - each year instead of the entire project every 3 or 4 years.
I hope this is the information that you needed. If you need additional information, please let me know.
Shari Bryant
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
P.O. Box 129
Sedalia, NC 27342-0129
336.449.7625
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