20230499 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20230425

K� North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 9
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director
April 25, 2023
Mitchell Anderson
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Fortune Stream Restoration Project
Broad River, Buncombe County
Dear Mr. Anderson:
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to stabilize 220 ft of the Broad River 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 Rainbow Trout are found in the vicinity of the project, and in -stream activities should be
avoided between January 1 and April 15.
The project involves stabilization of an eroding section of river with bank and bench grading, in -
stream boulder clusters and rock spurs, and a 25-ft native riparian buffer. It appears that the
project will be constructed in `the wet', but in -stream rock spur placement will be done while
flows are diverted away from the work areas.
We offer the following recommendations to minimize impacts to fish and wildlife resources:
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. 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. In -stream activities should be avoided between January 1 and April 15 to minimize impacts
to trout reproduction.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Fortune Stream Restoration Page 2 April 25, 2023
Broad R, Buncombe Co
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: Andrew Moore, NC Division of Water Resources
Julie Bernstorf, Wildlands Engineering