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Home My WebLink About20201507 Ver 1_B-5818 Mussel Survey Report 2019_20201211 Freshwater Mussel Survey Report Bridge No. 11 over Deadfall Creek on NC 109 TIP # B-5818 WBS: 45771.1.1 Anson County, North Carolina NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Project Development and Environmental Analysis Unit Natural Environment Section NCDOT Contact: Matt Haney 919-707-6122; mmhaney@ncdot.gov June 2019 FRESHWATER MUSSEL SURVEY REPORT PROJECT: Protected species survey report for Carolina Heelsplitter (Lasmigona decorata), Brook Floater (Alasmidonta varicosa), and Atlantic Pigtoe (Fusconaia masoni) for the proposed replacement of Bridge No. 11 on NC 109 over Deadfall Creek within the Pee Dee River Basin in Anson County. WBS: 45771.1.1, TIP No. B-5818. REPORT BIOLOGISTS: Joseph D. Alderman and John M. Alderman The North Carolina Department of Transportation proposes to replace Bridge No. 11 over Deadfall Creek (Stream Index No. 13-47-2) in Anson County (Figures 1 and 2). The Carolina Heelsplitter is federally listed Endangered by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS). The Carolina Heelsplitter exists from the Savannah River Basin in South Carolina to the Pee Dee River Basin in North Carolina. The USFWS documents Union County as part of the historical Carolina Heelsplitter range. The Brook Floater is a federal At-Risk species (USFWS). The Brook Floater’s range extends from Canada to the South Carolina/Georgia state line, including Brown’s Creek in Anson County, North Carolina. The Atlantic Pigtoe is a federal At-Risk Species (USFWS) and is a native Southeast Atlantic Slope freshwater mussel species. The USFWS may list this species as threatened during 2019. The Atlantic Pigtoe has records from the Altamaha River Basin in Georgia to the James River Basin in Virginia. The USFWS documents adjacent Union County as part of the current Atlantic Pigtoe range. The Carolina Heelsplitter and Brook Floater’s preferred habitats include low to higher gradient stable banked streams with relatively silt free substrates. Coarser substrates, including cobble, boulder, and bedrock, are usually present within an occupied stream reach. The best populations have been found in higher water quality, well-oxygenated streams. In general, woodland dominates the landscape. Carolina Heelsplitter records exist in first order streams up to main channels of large rivers. Brook Floater records mostly exist in third order and larger streams. The Atlantic Pigtoe normally requires clean sand and pea gravel substrates and circumneutral pH water. The highest densities recorded for this species existed in silt free, unconsolidated coarse sand and pea gravel within “run” stream reaches. The best populations have been documented from North Carolina Division of Water Resources Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) stream reaches or within streams potentially suitable for such designations. Prior to and after conducting in-stream surveys, reviews of the January 2019 North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP), November 2018 North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Aquatics Database (NCWRC), NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Alderman Environmental Services, Inc. (AES), Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences (ANSP), and Ohio State University Museum of Biodiversity databases were conducted to determine if there were any records of rare mussels within the proposed project study area or receiving waters. This review indicated that the closest occurrence of the Carolina Heelsplitter (documented in 2017) is within Goose Creek, a tributary of the Rocky River in Union County (NCNHP, NCWRC). This occurrence is more than 100 stream miles downstream from the project site. The closest occurrence of the Brook Floater is Browns Creek in Anson County, which is more than 50 stream miles downstream from Deadfall Creek. The closest occurrence of the Atlantic Pigtoe occurred in the Little River in Montgomery County in 1987, which is more than 75 stream miles from the project site (NCNHP). No dams exist along the main channel of Deadfall Creek. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) records no NPDES permits for Deadfall Creek. Deadfall Creek is a Class C stream (NCDEQ 2014). Rhoddy Creek is the next major confluence with Deadfall Creek, which is approximately 1.6 stream mile down from Bridge No. 11. Alderman Environmental Services, Inc. biologists Joseph D. Alderman (USFWS Permit No. TE28597A-1), John M. Alderman (North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Permit No. 18-ES00009 and USFWS Permit No. TE065756-3), and Logan Williams (subpermittee under John Alderman’s NCWRC permit) completed a mussel survey at the site on October 23, 2018 within 100+ meters upstream and 400+ meters downstream from the project stream crossing (Figures 1 and 2). Using visual and tactile searches, three person-hours were required to complete the survey within this relatively rural area of Anson County. Stream widths were approximately 15 meters, and banks were up to three meters tall. Depth averaged less than 0.3 meter. The surveyed reach canopy was mostly closed, and wooded buffers were wide. Water was slightly turbid and low. Substrates included silt, sand, gravel, pebble, cobble, boulder, and with bedrock dominate. Beaver activity (gnawed sticks) was observed in Deadfall Creek. Documented freshwater mussels included eight live Eastern Elliptio (Elliptio complanata), two live Eastern Creekshell (Villosa delumbis), three live Notched Rainbow (Villosa constricta), two live Creeper (Strophitus undulatus), four live Atlantic Spike (E. producta). The Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) was observed. Biological Conclusion Deadfall Creek near Bridge No. 11 provides good quality habitat for the Carolina Heelsplitter, Brook Floater, and Atlantic Pigtoe. These species are usually associated with streams with high diversities and abundances of other mussel taxa. Although diversity is relatively high within the surveyed reach of Deadfall Creek, observed abundances were low. Given low abundances of other freshwater mussel taxa within the surveyed reach, and the distance to any recent element occurrences (see above data), the project will not affect the Carolina Heelsplitter, Brook Floater, or Atlantic Pigtoe. References North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. 2016. 1 November 2016 online database search. North Carolina Natural Heritage Program. 2019. January 2019 Database. North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. 2014. GIS shapefiles of 303(d) listed streams and NPDES permits.