20211769 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20220104

® North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director
January 4, 2022
Ms. Crystal Amschler
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Carolyn Hart Project
South Fork New River, Ashe County
Dear Ms. Amschler:
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to stabilize 410 ft of the South Fork New River in Ashe 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).
Project activities should not impact wild trout and do not need to be avoided during the trout
moratorium. This portion of the river is recognized by the NC Natural Heritage Program as part
of the South Fork New River Aquatic Habitat, rated Exceptional for the richness of rare species it
contains. A number of rare and listed species are found in the project vicinity, including the
Green Floater [Lasmigona subviridis, US Federal Species of Concern (FSC), NC Endangered],
Spike mussel [Eurynia dilatata, NC Special Concern (SC)], Seep Mudalia (Leptoxis dilatata, NC
SC), and two rare fish --Kanawha Minnow [Phenacobius teretulus, NC SC] and Tonguetied
Minnow (Exoglossum laurae, NC Significantly Rare). In addition, Eastern Hellbender
(Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, US FSC, NC SC) is present in the South Fork New River. It is
essential to use effective erosion and sediment control measure for this project are essential to
protect these species.
The application proposes to stabilize a reach of bank on the South Fork New River by sloping
the bank, planting native woody and herbaceous vegetation, and installing two rock vanes. Most
work will be done from the bank, but some instream access will be necessary for proper
installation of the rock structures.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Carolyn Hart Project Page 2 January 4, 2022
S Fork New R, Ashe Co
We offer the following recommendations to minimize impacts to the aquatic community:
I. In -channel work should be accomplished as quickly as possible and vigilance used in
sediment and erosion control during site preparation, construction, and clean up. Disturbed
areas should be seeded, mulched and/or matted as soon as possible, preferably at the end of
each work day.
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. Work should be performed during low flows. For the rock vane installation, we recommend
diverting flows around the work area especially at the bank tie in location to reduce the risk
of fine sediment liberation and loss.
4. NCWRC staff will likely survey the site before project construction for rare animals. We ask
that the project manager coordinate with Andrea Leslie (andrea.lesliegncwildlife.org) and
Luke Etchison (luke.etchisongncwildlife.org) to ensure access to the site, and we ask that
the project manager reach out to them at least three weeks before construction begins.
5. Shelter rocks potentially used by hellbenders should be left undisturbed during construction
activities. Shelter rocks are typically large flat rocks at least a foot in diameter. If animals
are disturbed during construction, they should be captured in a bucket and moved away from
the area of disturbance. Please notify Lori Williams (lori.williamsgncwildlife.org) if
hellbenders are found.
6. To increase habitat diversity, we recommend incorporating stable woody debris into the
project design.
7. We recommend that a woody buffer of at least 30 feet be planted on the stream banks as
infrastructure allows in order to ensure project success.
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. Please contact meat
[phone] if you have any questions about these comments.
Sincerely,
Andrea Leslie
Mountain Region Coordinator, Habitat Conservation Program
ec: Glen Sullivan, Foggy Mountain Nursery
Sue Homewood, NC Division of Water Resources
Byron Hamstead, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Luke Etchison & Lori Williams, NCWRC