20030909 Ver 1_Other Agency Comments_20030916

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®_ ~Ior~h Carolina Wildlife Resources. Connmission
Charles R I~u1lwe~od, Z:zecutit~e Director
MEMORANDUM
T0: ~ Eric Alsmeyer, U'.S. Army Corps of Engineers
12aleigh Field Office
PROM: Travis W. Wilson, Highway Project Coordinator,,~.,^;,., ,~~~,'~~~~-~~
Habitat Conservation Program
D.A,TE: September 16, 2003
SUBJECT: U_S: Azzny Cozhs of Engineers P~ubltc Notice for Action ID No.
200321137, review of application for North Carolina Department of
Transportation (NCDOT) to discharge dredge or fill material into waters
and wetlands to construct Sections AB and AC of the Greensboro Western
Urban Loop in Guilford County, North Carolina. TB' No. U-2524AB and
AC.
Staffbiologists with the N. C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) have
reviewed tlae infozxxzation provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Ouz comments
are provided in accordance 'with certain provisions of the Clean Water Act of 1977 (33
U.S.C. 466 et seq.) and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as
amended; 16 U.S.C. 661-667d).
N'C170T proposes to impact 4.14 acres of jurisdictional wetlands 11,4601inear
feet ofjurisdictioztal streams, and 8.62 acres of ponds to construct sections AB and~AC'of
the Greensboro Western ~Trban Loap, with a new interchange at ~~'endover Avenue and
expanded interchanges at X-85 and I-40.
~l'CDOT has proposed the use of two wetland mitigation sites (Sandy Creek and
Blue), aztd three stream mitigation sites (V~oodlyn Way, Tick Creek, and Unnamed
Tributary to Bear Creek) to mitigate for a portion of the stream and wetland impacts.
NCDOT has mitigated for the remainder of stretlm and wetland impacts by payment to
the North Carolina L'~etland Restoration Program. Two stream relocations are associated
with this project, Long Branch south of 1-40 and an unnamed tributary to Reddick's
Creek. NCJ~OT has committed to using natural stream designs and wooded buffers for
these relocations
'4'Ve feel that NCDOT has minimiz~:d impacts to wetlands and streams to the
maximum e~ctent practicable. •rhe mitigation proposed for the unavoidable impacts
appears to be sufficient. We do not object to the issuance of the `404' pernut for this
project provided the following conditions are part of the permit:
Mailing Address: Division of Inland Fisheries • l?21 M;ril Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] ext. '!81 I~ax: [phone]
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Mem°randum 2 September 16, 2003
1. Riprap placed for bank stabili~.ation should be limited to the streambank
below the high water mark, and vegetation should be used for stabilization
above the high water elevation.
2. Culverts and pipes must be designed to allow for aquatic life and fish passage.
Culverts 48" or larger should be buried approximately l' into the stxeambed.
Culverts less than 48 inches in diameter should be buried to a depth equal to
or greater than 20% their size to allow for aquatic life passage. These
measurements must be based on natural thalweg depths. If multiple barrels
are required, barrels other than the base flow barrel(s) should be placed on or
near stream bankfull or floodplain bench elevation (similar to Lyonsfeld
design). This may be uccoinplishrd try utili~iz7tg gills on the upst~sux~ erect to
restrict or divert flow to the base tlow barrel(s). Sufficient water depth should
be provided in the base flow barrels} during low flows to accommodate fish
nnovement. Install alternating ar notched baffles in a manner that mimics
existing scream pattern. This should enhance aquatic life passage by
depositing sediments in the ba~zel, maintaining channel depth and flow
regimes, and providing resting places for fish and other aquatic organisms. In
essence, base flow barrel(s) should provide a continuum of water depth and
channel width without substantial modifications of velocity.
3. The dimension, pattern, and profile of the stream above and below the base
flow barrel(s) should not be mndified by widening the stream channel or
reducing the depth of tl~e stream.
4. Stormwater should be routed tc~ buffc7 ai•cas and not discharge directly to the
streams.
S. Heavy equipment should be operated from the bank rather than in the stream
channel in order to minimize scdimentatii~n and reduce the likelihood of
introducing other pollutants into the streams.
6. If concrete is used during construction, adequate precautions must be taken to
prevent direct contact between wet (uncured) concrete and stream water due
to the potential for elevated pH that can cause a fish kill. Water that has
contacted uncured concrete should not be discharged to surface waters.
7. Discharging hydroseeding mixtures and washing out hydroseeders and other
equipzbtent iri or adjacent to surface waters is strictly prohibited.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this permit application. If you have
any questions or we can be of further assistance please call me at [phone].
ec: Gary Jordan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Raleigh
John l:Iennessy, DWQ, Raleigh
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