20110438 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20110531

? North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 9
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
MEMORANDUM
TO: Ian McMillan, 401 Coordinator
Division of Water Quality
FROM: Shari L. Bryant, Piedmont Region Coordinator
Habitat Conservation Program
DATE: 31 May 2011
SUBJECT: Carolina Country Club - Irrigation Reservoir, Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina.
DWQ ID#: 20110438
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) have reviewed the
subject document and we are familiar with the habitat values of the area. Our comments are provided in
accordance with provisions of the Clean Water Act of 1977 (as amended), Fish and Wildlife Coordination
Act (48 Stat. 401, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 661-667d), and North Carolina General Statutes (G.S. 113-131
et seq.).
The Carolina Country Club proposes to construct an irrigation reservoir for its golf course. The
reservoir would be an offline storage reservoir using withdrawals from Beaverdam Creek to supplement
the volume and irrigation water needed. The design of the intake riser structure would capture only storm
flow to ensure that base flow and low-flow conditions are maintained year-round. The weir will be set
0.34 feet above base flow elevation, and the captured flow rate of 2.89 cfs is above the 7Q10 of 0.3 cfs.
Beaverdam Creek is a tributary to Crabtree Creek in the Neuse River basin. There are records for
the state threatened creeper (Strophitus undulatus) and triangle floater (Alasmidonta undulata) in Crabtree
Creek. In addition, the eggs of anadromous fish species such as American shad (Alosa sapidissima) have
been collected in Crabtree Creek. Lassiter Mill dam is the upstream extent for spawning of anadromous
fish. Beaverdam Creek confluences with Crabtree Creek downstream of Lassiter Mill dam; therefore it is
possible for anadromous fish species to migrate into Beaverdam Creek.
Generally, we prefer the construction of offline impoundments since these typically result in less
impacts to aquatic resources than inline impoundments. However, the proposed intake structure has the
potential to impact aquatic resources, particularly anadromous fish species. We offer the following
recommendations to minimize impacts to aquatic and terrestrial wildlife resources.
Mailing Address: Division of Inland Fisheries • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]
Page 2
31 May 2011
Carolina Country Club
DWQ ID#: 20110438
1. The intake structure should be designed with a maximum intake velocity of 0.5 ft/sec through a
mesh or slotted surface with openings not exceeding 1.0 millimeter to minimize impacts to
anadromous fish species and their eggs and larvae.
2. Implement an in-water work moratorium from 15 February to 30 June to minimize impacts to
anadromous fish species.
3. Concrete is toxic to aquatic life and should not be allowed to come in contact with surface waters
until cured.
4. If the applicant proposes to stock fish in the impoundment, then only native piedmont species
should be stocked. A stocking permit from the NCWRC is now required to stock any species of
fish, mollusks or crustaceans in the public, inland fishing waters of North Carolina. Applications
for a stocking permit are available at http://www.ncwildlife.org. There is no fee associated with
the permit application process.
5. If fish are stocked in the impoundment, then the outlet structure should be screened to prevent
migration of fish out of the pond.
6. Sediment and erosion control measures should be installed prior to any land clearing or
construction. These measures should be routinely inspected and properly maintained. Excessive
silt and sediment loads can have numerous detrimental effects on aquatic resources including
destruction of spawning habitat, suffocation of eggs, and clogging of gills of aquatic species.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this project. If we can be of further assistance,
please contact our office at [phone].
cc: Jaime Shern, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers