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Home My WebLink About20201506 Ver 1_B-4407 Mussel Survey Report_20210211 Freshwater Mussel Survey Report Bridge No. 70 over Rocky River on US-52 TIP # B-4407 WBS: 38356.1.2 Anson/Stanly County Line, North Carolina NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Environmental Analysis Unit NCDOT Contact: Matt Haney 919-707-6122; mmhaney@ncdot.gov October 2018 FRESHWATER MUSSEL SURVEY REPORT PROJECT: Protected species survey report for the Carolina Heelsplitter (Lasmigona decorata), Atlantic Pigtoe (Fusconaia masoni), and Brook Floater (Alasmidonta varicosa) for the proposed US-52 bridge replacement over Rocky River within the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin on the Anson/Stanly county line. WBS: 38356.1.1, TIP No. B-4407. REPORT BIOLOGISTS: Joseph D. Alderman and John M. Alderman The North Carolina Department of Transportation proposes to replace Bridge No. 70 over Rocky River (Stream Index No. 13-17) on the Anson/Stanly county line (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 current Carolina Heelsplitter range. The Carolina Heelsplitter’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. 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 endangered or threatened during 2018. The Atlantic Pigtoe has records from the Altamaha River Basin in Georgia to the James River Basin in Virginia. The USFWS documents Union County as part of the current Atlantic Pigtoe range. 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. The Brook Floater is a federal At-Risk Species (USFWS) and is a native Atlantic Slope freshwater mussel species. The USFWS may list this species as endangered or threatened during 2018. The Brook Floater has records from Canada to the Savannah River Basin in Georgia and South Carolina. The USFWS documents Anson County as part of the current Brook Floater range. The Brook Floater 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. Prior to conducting in-stream surveys, reviews of the April 2018 North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP), 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 2016) is within Goose Creek, a tributary of the Rocky River in Union County (NCNHP). This occurrence is >44 stream miles upstream from the project site. Records from 1998 for the Atlantic Pigtoe exist in Goose Creek in Union County, which is >44 stream miles upstream from the project area (NCNHP). Ohio State University records for the Brook Floater (listed as A. robusta within their database) from 1968 exist within the Rocky River >22 stream miles upstream from the project area. Since past field records for Brook Floater and Carolina Elktoe (A. robusta) have often been confused, we have lumped all records for these species under Brook Floater for this report. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) records numerous NPDES permits within the Rocky River Subbasin. The closest discharge point is just downstream from the NC-52 bridge crossing. This discharge is a minor point source for the Town of Norwood. The lower Rocky River is a Class C stream, and is on the NCDEQ 303(d) list of impaired streams, due to excessive copper and turbidity. The Pee Dee River is the next major confluence with Rocky River, which is over four stream miles downstream from the project area. No dams exist within the Rocky River between the project site and Goose Creek, a known Carolina Heelsplitter and Atlantic Pigtoe stream. 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), Logan Williams, and John Fridell (both designated sub-permittees on John Alderman’s NCWRC permit) completed a mussel survey at the site on 19 June 2018 within 100+ meters upstream and 400+ meters downstream from the project stream crossing (Figures 1 and 2). Using visual and tactile searches, 5.5 person-hours were required to complete the survey within this relatively rural area of Anson and Stanly counties. Stream widths were up to 65 meters, and bank height was up to six meters. The river was low and slightly turbid. The surveyed reach canopy was mostly open, and wooded buffers were wide. Silt and sand were the dominant substrates with clay, gravel, pebble, boulder, organics, and mud present. Banks were undercut and eroded in places. There was no evidence of beavers in the surveyed reach. Four species of freshwater mussels were documented: Eastern Elliptio (Elliptio complanata) – 6 live, Creeper (Strophitus undulatus) – 1 shell, Carolina Lance (Elliptio angustata) – 3 live, and Eastern Creekshell (Villosa delumbis) – 1 live, gravid female. Elimia catenaria, a freshwater snail, was observed. The Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) was present. Biological Conclusion The Creeper and Eastern Creekshell are close species associates of the Carolina Heelsplitter. Since these species are present within the project area and since there are recent records for the Carolina Heelsplitter within the Rocky River Subbasin, the biological conclusion is “May Affect, Not Likely to Adversely Affect” the Carolina Heelsplitter if adequate erosion and sedimentation control methods are employed during project activities. Since the most recent Atlantic Pigtoe and Brook Floater records from the Rocky River Subbasin are 24 years old and Atlantic Pigtoe and Brook Floater habitat in the project area is limited, the biological conclusion is “No Effect” for these two species. References North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. 2017. October 2017 online database search. North Carolina Natural Heritage Program. 2018. April 2018 Database. North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. 2016. Final 2016 Category 5 Assessments – 303(d) List. Ohio State University Museum of Biodiversity. 2018 online database search. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. 2015 online database search.