20211423 Ver 1_Mitigation Site Visit_20211026

Strickland, Bev
From: Matthews, Kathryn H <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2021 2:23 PM
To: Tugwell, Todd J CIV USARMY CESAW (US); Davis, Erin B; Wilson, Travis W.; Bowers,
Todd
Cc: Dailey, Samantha J CIV USARMY CESAW (USA); Haywood, Casey M CIV (USA); Kim
Browning; Chris Roessler; Ellis, John
Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] Wildlands Tar Pam 01 UMBI - Great Meadows Stream and Wetland
Mitigation Site Draft Prospectus Review
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Thanks for the opportunity to go onsite at this proposed mitigation site. The USFWS is excited about the
opportunities for enhancement, restoration, and preservation. We walked most of the site during our field
meeting, and the USFWS agrees that most of the tributary reaches will benefit from restoration or
enhancement. Swift Creek will also greatly benefit from the proposed restoration, enhancement, and
protection of buffers. We have the following comments on the project, most of which we discussed last week
on site.
1. The project encompasses portions of four tributaries to Swift Creek in the Tar River basin. In the project
area, Swift Creek has known occurrences of the following federally listed species:
Neuse River Waterdog (aquatic salamander) - threatened
Carolina Madtom (fish) - endangered
Yellow Lance (mussel) - threatened
Tar River Spinymussel - endangered
Atlantic Pigtoe (mussel) - proposed threatened
Swift Creek in the project area is also designated critical habitat for Neuse River Waterdog, Carolina Madtom,
and Yellow Lance, and proposed critical habitat for Atlantic Pigtoe. Tar River Spinymussel does not have any
designated critical habitat. Critical habitat is a term defined and used in the Endangered Species Act. It is
specific geographic areas that contain features essential to the conservation of an endangered or threatened
species and that may require special management and protection. Critical habitat may also include areas that
are not currently occupied by the species but will be needed for its recovery. In this case, all of the critical
habitat in the project area is known to be occupied by the species.
2. We recommend that the Corp request initiation of formal consultation when complete information is
available for the project (draft mitigation plans and sediment and erosion control plans); however, we also
recommend close coordination as necessary prior to any significant decisions on restoration vs. enhancement,
stream crossings, etc. If we have the opportunity to review decisions as they come along, perhaps there will
be no outstanding issues at the time of the draft plan.
i

Complete information will be necessary prior to initiating formal consultation so that we can negotiate terms
and conditions and draft the biological opinion. Please see our web site for an overview of consultation and
an explanation of what is typically provided in a biological assessment. lithe info in the mitigation plans and
erosion control plans is complete enough, a separate BA shouldn't be
necessary. https://www.fws.gov/raleigh/es consultation.html
3. We recommend that the number of stream crossings be limited to the extent possible, and that any
perched culverts be removed. Replacement culverts should be designed to provide appropriate flow and
aquatic species movement in low -flow conditions (in perennial streams).
4. We agree that most of the tributaries on the site do not have suitable habitat for listed species, particularly
in the upper reaches. However, Gideon Swamp, particularly downstream of the beaver dam, appears to have
suitable habitat for multiple species. We recommend that a qualified, permitted mussel biologist conduct
suitable habitat surveys in Gideon Swamp and the lower reaches of the other 3 tributaries to the Swift. If
suitable habitat is present, then we can either assume that the species are present, or surveys may be
conducted. Depending on the results, salvage (relocation surveys) may be needed prior to earth -moving work
on the site.
5. We encourage the mitigation provider to approach the landowner(s) along the south bank of Swift Creek to
see if they would be willing to buffer the stream and wetlands on that side of Swift Creek. Swift Creek in this
area is a high quality resource, and the USFWS would be willing to provide better credit ratios for preservation
credit.
6. Please coordinate with us on the plans for beaver dam removal in Gideon Swamp.
7. The USFWS understands that the owner sometimes pumps water from Swift Creek when flows are low, to
irrigate pumpkin seeds. This may not be directly related to the mitigation project, but please provide us with
the typical amount of water that is removed from the stream (we recall that the seeds are irrigated with one
inch of water), and the typical time of year.
Thanks again for the opportunity to coordinate on this project. We look forward to consultation. Have a good
week,
Please note that I am teleworking almost exclusively. Email is the best way to reach me. Thanks,
Kathy Matthews
NC Renewable Energy Coordinator &
Fish and Wildlife Biologist
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
551-F Pylon Drive
Raleigh, NC 27606
919-856-4520, x. 27
From: Tugwell, Todd J CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2021 1:59 PM
To: Davis, Erin B <[e-mail]>; Wilson, Travis W. <[e-mail]>; Bowers, Todd
<[e-mail]>; Matthews, Kathryn H <[e-mail]>
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Cc: Dailey, Samantha J CIV USARMY CESAW (USA) <[e-mail]>; Haywood, Casey M CIV (USA)
<[e-mail]>; Browning, Kimberly D CIV USARMY CESAW (USA)
<[e-mail]>; Chris Roessler <[e-mail]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Wildlands Tar Pam 01 UMBI - Great Meadows Stream and Wetland Mitigation Site Draft Prospectus
Review
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attachments, or responding.
IRT Members,
Wildlands Engineering has provided us with a Draft Prospectus of a new Umbrella Mitigation Bank in the Tar Pamlico 01
HUCT. The Great Meadows Stream and Wetland Site is included in the submittal as the first site for the bank. The Draft
Prospectus has been uploaded to RIBITS, and we are initiating the 30-day review of the Draft Prospectus with this
email. Information about the proposed bank is below:
Umbrella Bank Name: Wildlands Tar Pamlico UMB
Sponsor: Wildlands Engineering, Inc. (Contact: Chris Roessler)
Location: 36.1288, -77.9508 Nash county, 03020101 HUC
USACE Action ID: SAW-2021-01714
USACE Bank PM: Todd Tugwell
Deadline for comments on the Draft Prospectus: Oct. 27, 2021
I would also like to go ahead and schedule a time for a review of the site — Oct. 20th is the next available open IRT
meeting day, so please reserve the morning of the 20th for the meeting and I will provide more information as we get
closer. In the meantime, please let me know if you need a hard copy of the Draft Prospectus and I will arrange to have a
copy delivered. As note that this is still the Draft stage, so the project has not been put on Public Notice as of yet. Also,
because the site meeting is more than 30 days out, I have set the deadline for comments as one week after the site
meeting (Oct. 27th)
Thanks,
Todd Tugwell
Mitigation Project Manager
Wilmington District, US Army Corps of Engineers
3331 Heritage Trade Drive, Suite 105
Wake Forest, North Carolina 27587
[phone]
We would appreciate your feedback on how we are performing our duties. Our automated Customer Service Survey is
located at: https://regulatory.ops.usace.army.mil/customer-service-survey/ Thank you for taking the time to visit this
site and complete the survey.
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