20201388 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20210505

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director
May 5, 2021
Ms. Brandee Boggs
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Hodges Creek Restoration
UT Fisher River, Surry County
Dear Ms. Boggs,
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to impact 2,814 ft of two unnamed tributaries (UTs) to the Fisher River to restore
eroding reaches of stream in Surry County. Our comments on this application are offered for
your consideration under provisions of the Clean Water Act of 1977 (33 U.S.C. 466 et. seq.) and
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 661-667d).
Wild trout reproduction should not be negatively impacted by the project, and a trout moratorium
is not required.
The project involves adjustment of planform, installation of in -stream structures and bank
structures such as toewood and geolifts. Banks will be sloped and a native woody buffer of 28 ft
in width established. Flows will be pumped around the in -stream work area.
We offer the following recommendations to minimize impacts to fish and wildlife resources:
1. Be vigilant with sediment and erosion control during site staging, construction, and cleanup.
Disturbed areas should be stabilized at the end of each workday.
2. Any erosion control matting used should be free of nylon or plastic mesh, as this type of
mesh netting frequently entangles wildlife and is slow to degrade, resulting in a hazard that
may last for years.
3. We recommend replacing Willow Oak and Water Oak with other regionally appropriate
species. Both of these species tend to occur in the coastal plain and central/eastern piedmont
of NC.
4. The streams run through a forested riparian area. Efforts should be made to avoid damage
and removal of mature native vegetation as much as possible.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Hodges Creek Restoration Page 2 May 5, 2021
UTs Fisher River, Surry Co
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. Please contact me at
[phone] if you have any questions about these comments.
Sincerely,
Andrea Leslie
Mountain Region Coordinator, Habitat Conservation Program
ec: Erin Bennett, Ecosystem Planning and Restoration
Charles Anderson, Resource Institute
Sue Homewood, NC Division of Water Resources