20110227 Ver 1_More Info Letter_20110413

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NCDENR
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Beverly Eaves Perdue
Governor
Division of Water Quality
Colleen H. Sullins
Director
Dee Freeman
Secretary
April 13, 2011
Clement Riddle
ClearWater Environmental Consultants, Inc.
224 South Grove Street, Suite F
Hendersonville, NC 28792
Subject: Request for More Information
401 Water Quality Certification
Cashiers Lake - Dam Maintenance
DWQ Project # 11-0227
Jackson County
Response deadline: May 13, 2011
Dear Mr. Riddle:
The Division of Water Quality (DWQ) has performed a preliminary review of a 401 Water Quality Certification
application submitted for the above referenced property. Additional information will be required in order to
complete the review process.
Please provide the following information so that we may continue to review your project:
Please clarify all impacts. The DWQ is unclear how the 141 linear feet of stream will be
impacted. Please review the acres of temporary Open Water Impacts (C.4.) - the temporary
impact does not match what is on Sheet EX-1 by LandDesign.
2. State why the rip-rap apron ends well prior to the downstream tributary. If this is a Division of
Land Resources requirement, please state how erosion below the rip-rap will be prevented; has
the rip-rap apron been designed to ensure non-erosive velocities? Will the discharge re-
channelize and cause erosion prior to the downstream tributary?
3. Regarding Wildlife Resource Commission's (WRC) comments pertaining to temperature, DWQ
requests that you investigate the possibility of continuously releasing bottom flow waters; it may
be possible to achieve this through the new emergency spillway riser, through a continual release
from the existing bottom drain (or modification of the bottom drain), or by another method.
Location: 2090 U.S. Highway 70, Swannanoa, North Carolina 28778
Phone: [phone] FAX: [phone] Customer Service: 1-877-623-6748
Internet: www.ncwaterqualo.org
An Equal Opportunity k Affirmative Action Employer
NorthCarolina
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Mr. Riddle
April 13, 2011
Page 2 of 3
4. Care should be taken to prevent any release of sediment downstream during the lake drawdown
and construction process. DWQ requests that a site supervisor inspect downstream at the
beginning of the work day and the end of the workday to ensure no sediment is lost (and record
observations/take remedial action in the event of sediment loss). Elevated turbidity must be
avoided (the instream water quality standard for Trout waters is 10 NTU). It appears from the
proposed project sequence that this has been taken into consideration.
Please state why efforts are not being made to remove sediment from the lake after drawdown.
Work on the dam is an opportune time to remove sediment that has likely been built up over
time.
DWQ concurs with WRC's comments regarding lake refilling (and doing this gradually to
ensure continual downstream flow). Please state how this will be accomplished.
6. All applicable conditions outlined in Water Quality Certification No. 3687 must be adhered to
during the process.
Please provide your response in writing to the addresses below by May13, 2011. Four copies of the required
information should be provided to the 401 Permitting Unit at:
Mr. Ian McMillan
401 Permitting Unit
1650 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1650
and a single copy to the Asheville Regional Office at:
Ms. Susan A. Wilson
Surface Water Protection Section
2090 US HWY 70
Swannanoa, NC 28778
If we do not hear from you by the deadline, we will assume that you no longer want to pursue this project and
we will consider the project withdrawn.
This letter only addresses the preliminary application review and does not authorize any impacts to wetlands,
waters or protected buffers. Please be aware that any impacts requested within your application are not
authorized (at this time) by the DWQ.
?Mr. Riddle
April 13, 2011
Page 3 of 3
Please contact Ms. Wilson 828-296-4665 or [e-mail], if you have any questions.
Sincerely,

Roger C. Edwards, Regional Supervisor
Surface Water Protection
Asheville Regional Office
cc: Tyler Crumbley - US Army Corps of Engineers Asheville Field Office
David McHenry - North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Ian McMillan - 401 Permitting Unit
Steve McEvoy, DLR, Dam Safety
Randy Martin, Lake Association, Inc. c/o Browder & Martin, LLC
1440 S. Tryon St., Suite 104
Charlotte, NC 28203
Paul Smith, Registered Agent, Lake Association, Inc.
6745 N. Baltusrol Lane
Charlotte, NC 28210
Jackson County Planning
ARO File copy
S:\SWPUackson\401s\Non-DOT1Cashiers Lake Dam\Addlnfo.Cashiers Dam Maint.4 201 Ldoc