20201585 Ver 1_17BP.12.R.78_DWR 20201585v1_Iredell 254_Application__NCWRC Comments_20231109

9 North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 9
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director
November 9, 2023
Crystal Amschler
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Asheville Regulatory Field Office
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, NC 28801
Mary Plummer
401 and Buffer Transportation Permitting Branch
Department of Environmental Quality
610 E. Center Ave., Suite 301
Mooresville, NC 28115
SUBJECT: Comments on Application for Replacement of Bridge 254 on SR 1512 (Wood Bridge
Road) over 3rd Creek, Iredell County (17BP.12.R.78)
DWR 20201585vl
Dear Crystal and Mary,
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) applied for a 404 Permit and 401
Certification for the subject project. I visited the project site on November 9, 2023. Comments on the
application from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) are offered to conserve
wildlife resources that are affected by the project and to promote wildlife -based recreation in accordance
with applicable provisions of the state and federal Environmental Policy Acts (G.S. I I3A-lthrough 113-
10; 1 NCAC 25 and 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(c), respectively), the Clean Water Act of 1977 (33 U.S.C. 466 et
seq.), and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 661-667d).
The existing steel beam and timber deck bridge 254 over Third Creek will be replaced with a new bridge
on its existing alignment. An off -site detour will be used. Impacts to the stream are needed for rip rap
stabilization.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

17BP.12.R.78
Iredell County
Page 2 November 9, 2023
The NCWRC has no major concerns with the project and does not recommend any special conditions.
However, to better accommodate wildlife passage, we do encourage the NCDOT to consider not armoring
the top of the 20-foot or so wide benches that will be cut from the existing approach fills. The riparian
areas along this creek are forested and there is an identified high quality natural heritage area downstream
of the bridge (Third Creek Fen and Bottoms). Therefore, the proposed benches could improve riparian
habitat connectivity provided they remain unarmored. If the benches remain unarmored, then coir
matting should be used as a cover, if desired, though leaving them untreated would not pose an
appreciable habitat concern.
Thank you for the opportunity to review and provide recommendations on this project. Please contact me
at david.mchenryAncwildlife.org or [phone] if you have any questions about these comments.
Cordially,
Dave McHenry, NCWRC Western DOT Coordinator
cc: Jeff Wyatt, NCDOT Division 12 Environmental Officer