20201447 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20201204

® North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director
December 4, 2020
Ms. Brandee Boggs
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Big Elkin Creek Restoration
Big Elkin Creek and UTs, Wilkes County
Dear Ms. Boggs,
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to impact 4,534 ft of Big Elkin Creek and two unnamed tributaries (UTs) to restore
an eroding reach of stream in Wilkes 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 trout reproduction should not be negatively impacted by the project, and a trout moratorium
is not required.
The project involves adjustment of planform, installation of rock vanes, log vanes, and toewood
with geolifts. Banks will be sloped and a native woody buffer approximately 50 ft in width will
be established.
We offer the following recommendations to minimize impacts to fish and wildlife resources:
1. Be vigilant with sediment and erosion control during site staging, construction, and cleanup.
Disturbed areas should be stabilized 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.
We recommend replacing Willow Oak and Water Oak with other regionally appropriate
species. Both of these species tend to occur in the coastal plain and central/eastern piedmont
of NC.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Big Elkin Creek Restoration Page 2 December 4, 2020
Big Elkin Cr, Wilkes Co
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. Please contact meat
[phone] if you have any questions about these comments.
Sincerely,
Andrea Leslie
Mountain Region Coordinator, Habitat Conservation Program
ec: Jake Byers, Ecosystem Planning and Restoration
Sue Homewood, NC Division of Water Resources