20140157 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20140225

IQ North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
February 25, 2014
Mrs. Tasha McCormick
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801 -5006
SUBJECT: WRC Comments on The Standard at Boone, LLC 404 Permit Application
Stonegate Restoration, Boone Creek, Watauga County
Dear Mrs. McCormick:
We reviewed the application to restore about 900 feet of Boone Creek in Watauga County. 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 Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as amended;
16 U.S.C. 661- 667d).
Boone Creek does not support trout, but Hodges and Winkler creeks a short distance downstream support
wild brown and rainbow trout. Much of the creek below the work area is contained in culverts, so
sediment should be readily transported to trout water during construction. Therefore, the stream work
should be avoided from October 15 to April 15 when trout should be spawning.
Though we typically support stream restoration, we have some concerns about the impacts of these projects
on trout habitat. Therefore, we recommend attaching the following conditions to the permit to help minimize
adverse effects of this project on trout:
1. In- stream construction should be avoided from October 15 to April 15 of any year to prevent
harm to brown and rainbow trout that spawn downstream of the site.
2. Effective sediment and erosion control measures must be used and maintained to stabilize
disturbed stream banks. We support the proposed use of heavy fiber matting on the stream
banks. For added protection against severe storm flows, it may be advisable to cover the entire
Mailing Address: Division of Inland Fisheries • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699 -1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

The Standard at Boone, LLC Page 2 February 25, 2014
Watauga
channel riparian corridor versus just a few feet beyond bank -full. Regardless, any matting
should be well - anchored.
3. Rock must be large enough to resist washing -out during high flows.
4. The restored riparian areas should be planted with woody vegetation that will eventually provide
stream shade. This stream is already thermally impacted, so shading vegetation may help off -set
that impact.
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this regulatory action. Please contact Doug
Besler at (828) 659 -3324 if you have any questions about these comments or need further assistance.
Sincerely,
Dave McHenry
Mountain Region Coordinator
Habitat Conservation Program
ec: D. Goddard, Blue Ridge Environmental Consultants
K. Hodges, D. Besler, and K. Hining, NCWRC