20220913 Ver 1_Staff Report Annino, Amy M_20220711

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director
July 27, 2022
Mr. David Brown
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Burningtown FD NCDA Stream Restoration Project
Younce Creek, Macon County
Dear Mr. Brown:
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to stabilize 110 ft of Younce Creek in Macon 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 Rainbow Trout are found in the project vicinity, and in -stream activities should be avoided
during the trout moratorium of January 1 to April 15. In addition, Younce Creek is part of the
Little Tennessee River (Lower) Aquatic Habitat, a NC Natural Heritage Program natural area
rated Exceptional due to the richness and importance of aquatic species it supports. In the
vicinity of the project, these species include Sicklefin Redhorse (Moxostoma sp., NC
Threatened), Eastern Hellbender [Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, US Federal Species of Concern
(FSC), NC Special Concern (SC)], Little Tennessee Crayfish (Cambarus georgiae, US FSC, NC
SC), and Smoky Dace (Clinostomus sp., NC SC). Trout and these rare species are especially
sensitive to excess sediment, and proper sediment and erosion control is essential to protect this
aquatic community.
The application proposes to restore an unstable reach of that is threatening a parking lot. The
stream will be stabilized by shifting the stream channel away from the parking lot, grading
banks, planting a native riparian buffer, and installing j-hooks and constructed riffles. Plans note
that work will be done at low flows or in the dry as much as possible. A 20-ft buffer will be
planted where infrastructure allows.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Burningtown FD Stream Restoration Page 2 July 27, 2022
Younce Cr, Macon Co
We support the use of natural channel design measures to stabilize Younce Creek. We offer the
following recommendations to minimize impacts to the aquatic community:
1. 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. Plans note
that the site will be made storm -ready by the end of each work week. Instead, disturbed
areas should be seeded, mulched and/or matted as soon as possible, preferably at the end of
each workday.
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. Flows should be pumped around in -stream work areas, or at the very least, diverted around
work areas.
4. In -stream work should be avoided between January 1 and April 15 to minimize impacts to
trout reproduction.
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. Please contact me at
[phone] if you have any questions about these comments.
Sincerely,
Andrea Leslie
Mountain Region Coordinator, Habitat Conservation Program
ec: Jeff Bellflower, designer
Amy Annino, NC Division of Water Resources