20220786 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20220705

® North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director
July 5, 2022
Ms. Amanda Fuemmeler
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Valle Crucis Watauga River Put -in
Wetland along the Watauga River, Watauga County
Dear Ms. Fuemmeler:
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to fill 0.007 acre of wetland on the Watauga River in Watauga 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).
Wild trout should not be impacted by project activities, and a trout moratorium is not required for
the project. However, the Watauga River is recognized by the NC Natural Heritage Program as
part of the Watauga River Aquatic Habitat, rated Very High for the richness of rare species it
contains. The Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, US Federal Species of
Concern, NC Special Concern) is found in the Watauga River, and in order to avoid detrimental
impacts to this species it is important to use excellent erosion and sediment control on the
project.
The application proposes to construct a boat put -in, parking lot, and access drive. The access
drive would cross a linear wetland, which would be culverted. A'/4-acre parking lot would be
constructed. We recommend that stormwater BMPs (e.g., bioretention area and grassed swale)
be incorporated into the design to treat and retain stormwater from the parking lot. In addition, it
appears that there is no woody riparian vegetation on the Watauga River on this parcel; we
strongly encourage the Blue Ridge Conservancy to restore a native riparian buffer on the
property that is as wide as possible.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Valle Crucis Put -in Page 2 July 5, 2022
Wetland on Watauga R, Watauga Co.
We offer the following recommendations to minimize impacts to fish and wildlife resources:
1. Work should be accomplished as quickly as possible and vigilance used in sediment and
erosion control during site preparation, construction, and clean up. The application notes that
disturbed areas will be stabilized at the end of each workday.
2. Any erosion control matting used should be free of plastic or nylon mesh, as this type of
mesh frequently entangles wildlife and is slow to degrade, resulting in a hazard that may last
for years.
3. Manage stormwater from the parking lot to encourage infiltration and to treat pollutants with
low impact development measures such as a bioretention area and grassed swale.
4. Establish a native riparian buffer on the Watauga River that is as wide as possible. A wide
forested buffer can ensure greater bank stability, filter overland pollutants, and provide
habitat for birds and other wildlife.
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,
y,�d"&
Andrea Leslie
Mountain Region Coordinator, Habitat Conservation Program
ec: Sarah Kilby, Brushy Fork
Sue Homewood, NC Division of Water Resources