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Home My WebLink About20071010 Ver 1_Information Letter_20070611O~ic~ ~C~ ~~o ~ ° ~- ~. .>~ •~~:~.~ STATE OF I~TORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MICIIAEL F. EASLEY GOVERNOR June 4, 2007 MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: Mike Mills, PE Division Engineer Jared Gray, Environmental Supervisor Natural Environment Unit O~ --- O ~-~ 5 ~- LYNDO TIPPETT SECRETARr SUBJECT: Protected species survey report for the James spinymussel (Pleurobema collina) for the proposed bridge replacement project aver Pennon Creek on Badgett Sisters Parkway Road (SR 1156); Caswell County, Division 7 Project. ATTENTION: Jerry Parker Division Environmental Supervisor The following memorandum addresses the James spinymussel (Pleurobema collina), a federally protected species listed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service for Caswell County. The habitat requirements for the James spinymussel include creeks or river areas with substrate of cobble and sand in reaches with slow to moderate current (Bogan, 2002). Habitat for the James spinyrnussel does exist in Pennon Creek. However, these areas are patchy due to the fact most of the stream. was dominated by boulders or gravel. A survey for freshwater mussels was done with no freshwater mussels being found. Surveys, Habitat and Methods A mussel survey was conducted on May 17, 2007 by NCDOT biologists, Neil Medlin and Jared Gray. Pennon Creek crossing at SR 1156 (Badgett Sisters Parkway Road) contained riffles, runs and pool areas with normal substrate compactness. The substrate above and below the bridge consists of boulders being dominant and gravel ~, , being subdominant. The substrate also consisted of sand, silt cobble and bedrock with s``.~'° slow to medium current. The portion of the creek that was surveyed had a moderate ~=~ ~'~~f~~-.~.4 buffer. The stream banks had some erosion and undercut banks in some areas. The land ~? n~: ~ ~~''`~- use was naturaUactive pasture. Pennon Creek was shallow with 90 percent of the stream ~,';~ ,~. ° `:~r' less than 2 feet deep. Pennon Creek was 4.0 meter wide and the bank heights were 1.5 -~ ~~, r' M~.~!?. h .~....,-... meters. The survey was conducted by wading using a batiscope from approximately 400 ~ r;l, ~ ~,~. o ~~= meters downstream to l 00 meters upstream of the project crossing. No freshwater ~, _~ mussels were found in 2.25 man-hours of survey time. 2aP9 MAILING ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: 919-795-14223141 LOCATION: NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FAX: 919-715-1522 PARKER LINCOLN BUILDING PROJECT D EVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS 2728 CAPITAL BLOUVARD 1548 MA{L SERVICE CENTER WEBSITE: WWW.IUCDOT.ORG RALEIGH NC Qualifications of Investigators Investigator: Jared Gray Education: B.S. Environmental Science, Morehead State University Experience: Environmental Biologist, Enviro-Pro, October 1994 -May 1997 Environmental Technician, Appian Consulting Engineers, P.A., October 1997 -May 1998 Environmental Supervisor, NCDOT, October 1998-present Expertise: Endangered species (terrestriaUaquatic) surveys; benthic macroinvertebrate collection, wetland delineation; soils, water quality analysis, and 404/401 permitting. Investigator: Neil Medlin, Environmental Supervisor Education: M.A. Biology, Appalachian State University B.S. Biology, Appalachian State University Experience: Environmental Supervisor, NCDOT, January 2002 -present Environmental Biologist, NC Division of Water Quality June 1990 -January 2002 Environmental Biologist, FL Department of Environmental Protection (formerly Department of Environmental Regulation), August 1986 -June 1990 Expertise: Freshwater fish and benthic macroinvertebrate collection and identification; aquatic habitat evaluations and function; biocriteria and biotic indices evaluations; Endangered species (terrestriaUaquatic) surveys. BIOLOGICAL CONCLUSION: No Effect Given the survey results, that no freshwater mussels were found in Pennon, it is apparent that the James spinymussel does not occur in the project footprint. The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP) does not list a known population up or downstream in Pennon Creek, which flows into the South Country Line Creek approximately 0.25 miles downstream of the proposed project. There are no known occurrences in the South Country Line Creek immediately up or downstream of the confluence's of these two streams. From the confluence of Pennon Creek and South Country Line Creek, it is another 5.3 miles to where South Country Line Creek flows into the Country Line Creek. The James spinymussel has never been found in Country Line Creek. NCDOT believes the proposed bridge replacement project would not effect the James spinymussel. File: Pennon Creek Bogan, Art, 2002. Workbook and Key to the Freshwater Bivalves of North Carolina.