20221583 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20221129

® North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director
November 29, 2022
Ms. Brandee Boggs
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: UT Cooks Creek Stream Restoration
UTs Cooks Creek, Surry County
Dear Ms. Boggs,
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to restore 3,133 ft of unnamed tributaries (UTs) to Cooks Creek in Surry County.
This will entail permanent impacts to 0.19 acre and temporary impacts to 1.8 acre of wetland.
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 reproduction should not be negatively impacted by the project, and a trout moratorium
is not required.
The project involves a mix of Priority 2 restoration enhancement approaches for five streams. It
is unclear if work will be performed in the dry. The streams will be restored by using instream
structures, such as rock cross -vanes, j-hooks, log rollers, woody riffles, and geolifts. A diverse
riparian buffer will be established, but it is not clear how wide the riparian buffer will be. Plans
show a fence line that is approximately 20 ft from the streams in some locations, and farther
away from the streams in others.
We offer the following recommendations to minimize impacts to fish and wildlife resources:
1. Be vigilant with sediment and erosion control during site staging, construction, and cleanup.
We appreciate that disturbed stream banks will be stabilized 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.
In -stream work should be accomplished in the dry.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

UT Cooks Cr Stream Restoration Page 2 November 29, 2022
UTs Cooks Cr, Surry Co
4. We recommend that a woody buffer of at least 30 feet be planted on both sides of the stream
as infrastructure allows in order to ensure project success. A wide forested buffer can ensure
greater bank stability, filter overland pollutants, and provide habitat for birds and other
wildlife.
5. Any heavy equipment that accesses wetland areas should be placed on temporary mud mats.
Disturbed wetland areas should be reseeded with native wetland seed.
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,
zov''d"f�am
Andrea Leslie
Mountain Region Coordinator, Habitat Conservation Program
ec: Scott King, Ecosystem Planning & Restoration
Sue Homewood, NC Division of Water Resources