20221745 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20221219

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director
December 19, 2022
Ms. Brooke Davis
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Sleepy Hollow Stream Restoration
UTs to French Broad River, Buncombe County
Dear Ms. Davis:
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to restore 875 ft of two unnamed tributaries (UTs) to the French Broad River, known
as Dairy Branch and Sheep Branch, in Buncombe 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 reproduction should not be impacted by the project, and a trout moratorium is not
applicable. However, Appalachian Elktoe (Alasmidonta raveneliana, US and NC Endangered) is
found downstream of the project in the French Broad River. This species is especially sensitive
to excess sediment, and it is important to use excellent erosion and sediment control on the
project.
The application proposes to address unstable reaches of channel by addressing dimension,
pattern, and/or profile with constructed riffles, geolifts, bank sloping, benching, and planting a
25-ft native riparian buffer. Flows will be diverted around work areas.
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.
Due to the presence of Appalachian Elktoe downstream, we strongly recommend that
disturbed areas be stabilized at the end of each 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.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Sleepy Hollow Page 2 December 19, 2022
UTs French Broad R, Buncombe Co.
3. The plans specify River Birch in the planting list. River Birch is typically only found on
lower elevation rivers associated with large floodplains in the mountains; if it is not found in
the vicinity of the project, we recommend using a more suitable alternative, such as Sweet
Birch.
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: Eric Romaniszyn, ClearWater Environmental
Andrew Moore, NC Division of Water Resources