20120776 Ver 1_Other Agency Comments_20120910

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
September 10, 2012
Ms. Tasha McCormick
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulator- Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801 -5006
SUBJECT: Nationwide Permit Application for Town of Boone Water System Improvements
Watauga County
DWQ NO. 20120776
Dear Ms. McCormick:
Mr. Greg Young with the Town of Boone requested a permit for stream and wetland impacts associated with
construction of a new water intake in the South Fork New River near Todd and connection of a line to the
existing treatment plant in Boone. Comments from the Commission on this permit action are offered for your
consideration under 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).
Some of the water line crossings are on streams that either support wild trout populations or are a short
distance upstream of waters where trout spawning occurs. These include the UT South Fork New River in
Boone (S 1), Hardin Creek (S2), and the UT to Gap Creek (S5), the latter of which is where a 32 foot long box
culvert is also proposed (S6). Work in and near these streams should not be undertaken between October 15
and April 15 (trout spawning moratorium) to avoid harm to brown and brook trout spawning in the South
Fork New River and Gap Creek, respectively. Note, I observed unidentified fish in the UT to Gap Creek
upstream of the US 421 box culvert.
The box culverts in the UT to Gap Creek and Meadow Creek must be constructed so that fish passage is
minimally impeded. We appreciate the inclusion of baffles in the box culverts to help retain bedload.
However, the constructed riffles should not be included unless they are necessaiv to backwater the culverts,
help retain upstream bedload, or ensure that outlet perching does not develop. Typically, these issues should
not be encountered if the culvert invert is recessed well below the natural stream grade, though the steep grade
(6 % +) on the UT to Gap Creek site may be problematic. Also, if constructed, the riffles should be "over -
seeded" with smaller gravel if they initially cause the stream to flow subsurface.
Mailing Address: Division of Inland Fisheries • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699 -1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Town of Boone Page 2 September 10, 2012
Watauga
We have no major concerns with the project provided it is completed as described in the application and
consistent with measures articulated in the EA. These include doing the majority of stream work, particularly
the intake work in the river, in the dry- and first relocating the spike mussels from said location. Also, it is
particularly important that effective erosion controls be used consistently with this project. In addition to wild
brook trout and spike mussels, there also are rare fish such as Kanawha darters and minnows near the sites.
In addition to considering the preceding comments, Nve recommend attaching the folloNving conditions to the
permit/certification to help conserve fish and wildlife habitats, particularly during construction:
Work in and near UT South Fork New River in Boone (S1), Hardin Creek (S2), and the UT to Gap
Creek (S5 and S6) should not be undertaken between October 15 and April 15 (trout spawning
moratorium) to avoid harm to brown and brook trout spawning in the South Fork New River and Gap
Creek, respectively.
The culverts must be installed with their base barrel /s recessed about 1 foot below the natural grades
of the streams. Baffles must be used in the culverts to help retain bedload. Backfilling Nvith
stockpiled stream gravel and cobble is recommended.
Sediment and erosion control measures for sensitive watersheds (15A NCAC 4B .0124) must be used
and maintained until all disturbed soils are permanently stabilized. All bare soil shall be seeded as
soon as possible after ground disturbance and erosion control matting used with seeding on disturbed
stream banks. Matting should be secured with stakes or, wherever possible, live stakes of native
trees. Tall fescue must not be used along streams.
4. Stream and river channel excavation shall be conducted in the dry using sandbags or other temporaiv
diversion structures
Clearing of riparian vegetation should be avoided as much as possible by routing utility line corridors
outside of streamside buffer areas. Trees and shrubs should be cut with their stumps left in the
ground (e.g. no grubbing) where temporary access is needed.
Rock, sand, or other materials must not be excavated from stream channels except in the immediate
permitted areas.
The stream channels must be restored to stable and near natural conditions after completing the pipe
installations. The stream bottoms should not be covered with rip rap and any rock used for
stabilization should be limited to below the normal high water level.
8. Vegetation should be used for stabilization above the ordinaiv high water level.
9. Any concrete work must be isolated from water because uncured concrete can kill aquatic life.
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. Please contact me at (828) 452-
2546 extension 24 if you have any questions about these comments.
Sincerely,
°`, 0 +
Dave MCHemv
Mountain Region Coordinator, Habitat Conservation Program

Town of Boone Page 3 September 10, 2012
Watauga
cc: Mr. Sue Homewood, NC Division of Water Quality
Mr. Ward Marotti, WK Dickson