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Home My WebLink AboutChapter 12 Chapter 12 Natural Resources 12.1 Ecological Significance of the Little Tennessee Basin The Little Tennessee River basin has one of the most outstanding and diverse aquatic communities within the entire state. It is home to a variety of rare species, including crayfish, mussels, fish, aquatic insects, and amphibians. The stretch of Little Tennessee River between Franklin and Fontana Lake (25 miles) has a faunal diversity that rivals any in the state and perhaps in the nation. Forestland continues to comprise a large majority of this basin, owing to its relatively pristine condition. Although habitat fragmentation due to dam construction has occurred throughout this system in North Carolina and Tennessee, it continues to support an incredibly rich and diverse ecosystem. 12.2 Rare Aquatic and Wetland-Dwelling Animal Species Table 24 lists the rare fish, mollusks, insects, amphibians, and reptiles found throughout the Little Tennessee River basin. For information on any of the species listed in Table 24, visit the NC Natural Heritage Program (NHP) website at www.ncnhp.org. Considerable work is in progress regarding the life history of sicklefin redhorse, including movement and spawning habitat studies, which will soon lead to a formal species description. The Little Tennessee basin contains six species of redhorse, an amazing diversity of these bottom-dwelling fish. In 2005, specimens of littlewing pearlymussel were collected in the Little Tennessee River, after an absence of collection for nine years. This is a particularly encouraging find considering the species is presumed extirpated from the Hiwassee basin and the Little Tennessee is its only known remaining habitat within North Carolina. Efforts are under way to study populations of Appalachian elktoe and spotfin chub to inform U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of current status of these species. There are several rare freshwater mussels in the Little Tennessee River basin. In general, freshwater mussels are declining throughout the Southeast, which is the area of greatest freshwater mussel diversity in the world. Mussels have a unique life cycle that depends on the availability of a proper fish host. Female mussels are fertilized and produce larval mussels, called glochidia, which are often packaged as a ‘lure’ to attract fish. The fish ‘consumes’ the lure and glochidia attach to its fins and gills. The glochidia remain attached to the fish for a maturation period, then drop into the substrate to begin growth to adulthood. The continued survival of freshwater mussels depends on water quality but also on the availability of appropriate habitat and host fish. Chapter 12 – Natural Resources 151 Table 24 List of Rare Animals Associated with Aquatic and Wetland Habitats in the Little Tennessee River Basin (August 2006) Scientific Name Common Name Major Group State Status Federal Status Skistodiaptomus carolinensis Carolina Skistodiaptomus (a copepod) Crustacean SR Cambarus georgiae Little Tennessee River crayfish Crustacean SC Cambarus reburrus French Broad River crayfish Crustacean SR FSC Cambarus tuckasegee Tuckasegee stream crayfish Crustacean SR Orconectes sp. 3 No common name Crustacean SR Amblyscirtes reversa Reversed roadside-skipper (butterfly) Invertebrate SR Autochton cellus Golden banded-skipper (butterfly) Invertebrate SR Ladona julia Chalk-fronted corporal (dragonfly) Invertebrate SR Barbaetis benfieldi Benfield’s bearded small minnow mayfly Invertebrate SR Isoperla frisoni A stonefly Invertebrate SR Megaleuctra williamsae Williams’ rare winter stonefly Invertebrate SR Zapada chila A stonefly Invertebrate SR Matrioptila jeanae A caddisfly Invertebrate SR Micrasema burksi A caddisfly Invertebrate SR Rhyacophila amicis A caddisfly Invertebrate SR Rhyacophila mainensis A caddisfly Invertebrate SR Rhyacophila vibox A Rhyacophilan caddisfly Invertebrate SR Alasmidonta raveneliana Appalachian elktoe Mollusk E FE Alasmidonta viridis Slippershell mussel Mollusk E Elliptio dilatata Spike Mollusk SC Fusconaia barnesiana Tennessee pigtoe Mollusk E Lampsilis fasciola Wavy-rayed lampmussel Mollusk SC Pegias fabula Littlewing pearlymussel Mollusk E FE Villosa iris Rainbow Mollusk SC Ambystoma talpoideum Mole salamander Amphibian SC Cryptobranchus alleganiensis Hellbender Amphibian SC FSC Desmognathus aeneus Seepage salamander Amphibian SR FSC Desmognathus santeetlah Santeetlah dusky salamander Amphibian SR Eurycea junaluska Junaluska salamander Amphibian T FSC Eurycea longicauda Longtail salamander Amphibian SC Hemidactylium scutatum Four-toed salamander Amphibian SC Moxostoma sp. 2 Sicklefin redhorse Fish SR Clinostomus funduloides ssp. 1 Little Tennessee River rosyside dace Fish SC FSC Erimonax monachus Spotfin chub Fish T FT Luxilus chrysocephalus Striped shiner Fish T Notropis lutipinnis Yellowfin shiner Fish SC Noturus flavus Stonecat Fish E Etheostoma vulneratum Wounded darter Fish SC FSC Percina squamata Olive darter Fish SC FSC Sorex palustris punctulatus Southern water shrew Mammal SC FSC Glyptemys muhlenbergii Bog turtle Reptile T FT (S/A) Listing Abbreviations: E = Endangered; T = Threatened; SC = Special Concern; SR = Significantly Rare; FE = Federal Endangered; FT = Federal Threatened; FT (S/A) = Federal Threatened due to Similar Appearance; FSC = Federal Species of Concern 152 Chapter 12 – Natural Resources 12.3 Significant Natural Heritage Areas in the Little Tennessee River Basin The NC Natural Heritage Program (NHP) compiles a list of Significant Natural Heritage Areas as required by the Nature Preserves Act. The list is based on the program’s inventory of natural diversity in the state. Natural areas are evaluated based on the number and quality occurrences of rare plant and animal species, rare or high-quality natural communities, and special animal habitats. The global and statewide rarity of these elements and their quality at a site is compared with other occurrences to determine a site’s significance. Sites included on this list are the best representatives of the natural diversity of the state, and therefore, have priority for protection. Inclusion on the list does not imply that any protection or public access to the site exists. The Significant Natural Heritage Areas found in the Little Tennessee River basin are shown in Figure 16. The NC NHP compiles a list of Significant Natural Heritage Areas as required by the Nature Preserves Act. The list is based on the program’s inventory of natural diversity in the state. The terrestrial and aquatic natural heritage areas included on this list are the best representatives of the natural diversity of the state, and therefore, have priority for protection. Inclusion on the list does not imply that any protection or public access to the site exists. The identification of a significant natural heritage area conveys no protection; these lands are the responsibility of the landowner. The Little Tennessee basin has over 90 designated significant natural heritage areas; twelve of these are aquatic significant natural heritage areas, as listed below in Table 25. Table 25 Little Tennessee River Basin Aquatic Significant Natural Heritage Areas Aquatic Significant Natural Heritage Area Significance Cartoogechaye Creek State Cheoah River State Cullasaja River/Ellijay Creek State Little Tennessee River (Lower) National Little Tennessee River (Upper) State Oconaluftee River State Raven Fork Regional Santeetlah Creek Regional Snowbird Creek Regional Tuckasegee River National Upper Nantahala River Regional Whiteoak Creek State There are several nationally significant natural heritage areas that have a direct effect on the quality of aquatic systems in the basin. The majority of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina is located in the Little Tennessee River basin. The park affords great protection to headwater streams in the basin, which are vital to the proper functioning of downstream areas. The floodplains of the Cheoah River provide protection for aquatic species such as Appalachian elktoe, in addition to providing habitat for several salamanders, including seepage, Junaluska, and longtail. Additionally, there are several rare plant species associated with this habitat such as the federally threatened Virginia spiraea. Chapter 12 – Natural Resources 153 Joyce Kilmer Wilderness Area is over 13,000 acres of largely old-growth forest and provides protection to the headwaters of Little Santeetlah and Slickrock Creeks. This area is one of the best examples of old-growth forests in the Southern Appalachians. Cove forests in this area contain massive trees, including tulip poplars and hemlocks. Additional extensive protected acreage of younger forests occurs in the other watersheds in the designated wilderness area. Granitic domes with steep slopes, rugged gorges, unusual flat-bottomed valleys, and sandy meandering streams with bogs and potholes characterize the remote Panthertown Valley Natural Area. Wetland communities are present in part of the flat valley bottom, including several examples of the rare Southern Appalachian Bog community and a Swamp Forest-Bog Complex. The bogs have a generally open character with sedges, broomsedge, rushes, and sundews growing over a dense mat of peatmoss. An excellent Spray Cliff occurs near the scenic Schoolhouse Falls, and supports several rare plant species. The tract encompasses the headwaters of Tuckasegee River formed by Panthertown, Greenland and Flat Creeks. Panthertown Creek has excellent water quality and a high diversity of invertebrates. The Nantahala River Bogs Natural Area includes five of the few remaining high quality montane wetlands, with high diversity of plant species and good examples of two rare mountain bog natural communities. Several of the bogs support bog turtles (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) and the proximity of sites may be important for dispersal and survival of this species. Several rare plant species occur in the site as well. Beaver are present at the Big Indian Creek Bog and White Oak Bottoms sites, and may be an important part of the ecological dynamics of these poorly understood communities. 12.4 Public Lands Over 2 million acres in the Little Tennessee River basin are comprised of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Nantahala National Forest. The presence of these large and fairly contiguous segments of well-preserved lands has no doubt played a vital role in maintaining the impressive ecological diversity present within the basin. An extremely important addition of state-owned land in the Little Tennessee basin occurred in January 2004. The Needmore Tract, 4500 acres, was purchased after four years of extensive partnership activities between local governments, residents, state and federal agencies, sportspersons, and environmentalists. The Tract protects 26 miles of river-front property along the Little Tennessee, 37 miles of tributary streams, and serves as a corridor between the Nantahala and Cowee mountain ranges. Over half of the extraordinarily diverse section of the Little Tennessee River between Franklin and Fontana Lake is protected by the Needmore Tract and efforts are under way by local land trusts to gain additional land holdings adjacent to the Tract. The Needmore Tract is managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. 154 Chapter 12 – Natural Resources SWAIN GRAHAM Robbinsville Fontana Lake Santeetlah Lake Santeetlah Little Tennessee River Nantahala Lake Bryson City Franklin Sylva Dillsboro Webster Forest Hills Highlands Little Tennesse e R iv e r N ata h ala River Forney C r e e k Yellow Creek S n o wbird C r e e k Eagle Cree k Hazel Cree k Oconaluftee R iv e rEllijay Cre e k T uck aseegee River Alarka C r e ek Soco Cr e e k R a ven Fork Deep C reek Indian Creek Little Tenness e e R iv e r Nantahala Riv e r Bu c k Cre e k Cullasaja R iv er Can e y Fo rk MACON JACKSON Cart o o g e chaye Creek Witeoa k Creek Che o ah R i ver Sa n t e e tlah Creek Ha z e l C r e e k Noland C r eek Bradley Fork ® 0 5 10 15 202.5 Miles Planning Section Basinwide Planning Unit August 18, 2006 Figure 16 Significant Natural Heritage Areas in the Little Tennessee River Basin Legend County Boundary Subbasin Boundary Hydrography Municipality Significant Natural Heritage Area 156 Chapter 12 – Natural Resources