ColdSpringsCrRehabilitation_ColdSpringsFallBr_Haywood_NCWRCComments

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director

Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]
June 6, 2023

Mr. Joey Winston
NC Division of Water Resources
2090 US 70
Swannanoa, NC 28778

SUBJECT: Cold Springs Creek Stream Rehabilitation Project
Cold Springs Creek and Fall Branch, Haywood County

Dear Mr. Winston,

Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to impact 1050 ft of Cold Springs Creek and Fall Branch in Haywood 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 and Brown Trout are found in the vicinity of the project; in-stream work
should be avoided between October 15 and April 15 to minimize impacts to trout reproduction.
The project area is within Cold Spring Flats, a NC Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP) natural
area, which is rated as Moderate due to its ecological importance. We recommend coordinating
with the NCNHP to ensure that impacts to this natural area are minimized.

The project involves the restoration of reaches of Cold Springs Creek and Fall Branch that have
been manipulated over time and are unstable, lacking in habitat, and have inadequate access to
the floodplain. Within the Fall Branch watershed, 2 culverts will be replaced with fords, log
vanes and debris jams will be constructed, a portion of the channel will be diverted into relic
channel, and berms will be removed. On Cold Springs Creek, log vanes and debris jams will be
installed.

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.
Disturbed areas should be stabilized as soon as possible, preferably at the end of each work
day.
Cold Springs Rehabilitation Page 2 June 6, 2023
Cold Springs Cr & Fall Br, Haywood Co
2. Work should be done at low flows, and flows diverted around in-stream work areas to
minimize fine sediment loss to the stream, especially where there is more risk of sediment
loss, such as bank tie-in areas.
3. Construction should be overseen by USFS staff, and the construction contractors should have
prior experience in stream restoration.
4. In-stream work should be avoided between October 15 and April 15 to minimize impacts to
trout reproduction.
5. 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.
6. Aquatic animals in the abandoned channel in Fall Branch should be relocated upstream as
soon as flows are diverted to the relic channel.
7. The applicant should coordinate with NCNHP staff to ensure that project activities will not
negatively impact the Cold Spring Flats natural area.

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: Brady Dodd, US Forest Service
Powell Wheeler, NCWRC
Joey Winston, NC Division of Water Resources
Mike Schafale, NCNHP