HomeMy WebLinkAbout20160742 Ver 6_WRC Comments_20230330® North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 9
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director
March 30, 2023
Ms. Brook Davis
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Cedar Cliff Auxiliary Spillway Upgrade Project - Permit Modification
Cedar Cliff Reservoir/East Fork Tuckasegee River, Jackson County
Dear Ms. Davis:
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to impact 0.35 acre of Cedar Cliff Reservoir. 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).
The project should not impact wild trout and a trout moratorium is not needed for this project.
We appreciate that Duke Energy has coordinated with NC Wildlife Resources Commission on
the boat ramp design.
We offer the following recommendations to address safety at the boat ramp:
1. Americans with Disabilities Act regulations note that if only one accessible parking space is
provided, it must be van accessible, with a minimum I I' x 20' space with a 5' wide access
aisle (preferably on the passenger side) or an 8' wide space with an 8' wide access aisle.
These access aisles should run the full length of the parking space. The plans show a 10'
wide space with sidewalks running along each side, which may not be compliant.
2. Ensure that the surface of the concrete ramp extension is grooved to match the existing
section of ramp.
3. It appears that there will be a ridge between the ramp and the constructed channel for the
creek to the south. This feature could be up to 10' above the surface of the ramp. This could
be a hazard to boaters approaching the ramp, particularly after dark. If this remains, we ask
that Duke Energy staff coordinate with NCWRC on marking this potential obstruction with
hazard markers or buoys.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: (919) 707-0220 • Fax: (919) 707-0028
Cedar Cliff Permit Modification Page 2 March 30, 2023
Cedar Cliff Reservoir, Jackson Co.
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. Please contact me at
(828) 400-4223 if you have any questions about these comments.
Sincerely,
Andrea Leslie
Mountain Region Coordinator, Habitat Conservation Program
cc: Eric Mularski, HDR
Amy Annino, NC Division of Water Resources
Jeff Ferguson, NCWRC