20130320 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20130424

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Gordon Myers, Executive Director

April 24, 2013

Mrs. Tasha McCormick
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006

SUBJECT: Nationwide Permit for Marianne Cook
Stabilization, South Fork New River, Ashe County

Dear Mrs. McCormick:

Ms. Marianne Cook requested a permit to stabilize about 180 feet of eroding bank on the South Fork New
River using rock. Also proposed is the placement of 34 feet of culvert in a tributary to the river
Comments from the WRC 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 the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat.
401, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 661-667d).

Although there are brown trout in this reach of the river, trout spawning is probably limited. This project
should not harm trout resources and does not need to be avoided during the spawning moratorium.

Bank stabilization on this river should be done with natural design techniques and vegetation planting, but
we realize that this may be impractical for this project. Although trout are not a concern, several rare
animals such as the spike mussel (NC SC) are found in this part of the river. Therefore, the stabilization
fill should only extend as far out into the channel as needed to form a stable structure and to reestablish
what eroded recently (i.e. last few years). Also, any bare soil remaining along the river needs to be
quickly stabilized with ground cover.

Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this regulatory action. Please contact me at
[phone] extension 24 if you have any questions about these comments.

Mailing Address:
-1721
Telephone:Fax:
[phone] [phone]

Cook Page 2 April 24, 2013
Ashe

Sincerely,

Dave McHenry
Mountain Region Coordinator
Habitat Conservation Program

ec: Ms. Sue Homewood, NCDENR DWQ
Mr. Derek Goddard, Blue Ridge Environmental Consultants
Mr. Steve Fraley and Mr. TR. Russ
Mr. Kevin Hining and Mr. Kin Hodges, NCWRC