20150821 Ver 1_NCWRC Comments_20150911

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Gordon Myers, Executive Director

TO: John Thomas, NCDOT Regulatory Project Manager
Raleigh Regulatory Field Office, USACE

FROM: Marla Chambers, Western NCDOT Coordinator
Habitat Conservation Program, NCWRC

DATE: September 11, 2015

SUBJECT: Review of NCDOT’s permit application for Section 404 and 401 permits to
replace Bridge No. 103 over Wood Benton Branch on SR 1707 (Stewart Road),
Stokes County, North Carolina.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has submitted an application to
obtain a Section 404 Permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and a 401 Water
Quality Certification from the NC Division of Water Resources (NCDWR). Staff biologists with
the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) have reviewed the information
provided. These comments are provided in accordance with the provisions of the state and
federal Environmental Policy Acts (G.S. 113A-1through 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), as applicable.

The NCDOT proposes to replace Bridge No. 103 over Wood Benton Branch on SR 1707
(Stewart Road) with a 24’5” W x 8’11” H x 128’ L aluminum box culvert on a 0.8% slope.
Notched sills will be placed at the inlet, outlet and midpoint of the culvert to prevent stream
over-widening and facilitate fish passage. Permanent stream impacts include 128 linear feet (lf)
for the culvert and 66 lf for riprap stabilization. Temporary impacts total 22 lf for dewatering.
Trout are not expected to occur in the project area; therefore, we are not requesting a trout
moratorium.

Wood Benton Branch joins the Dan River a short distance downstream, where the Green Floater
(Alasmidonta subviridis), a State Endangered and Federal Species of Concern mussel, and other
rare species occur. We prefer that sediment and erosion control measures meet the Design
Standards in Sensitive Watersheds. At a minimum, special attention must be paid to the

Mailing Address:
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission • 1701 Mail Service Center • Raleigh NC 27699-1701
Telephone:
[phone]

SR 1707 (Stewart Rd.)
Wood Benton Branch, Stokes Co. 2 September 11, 2015
installation and strict maintenance of the sediment and erosion control measures to avoid
negative impacts to this sensitive species.

NCWRC does not object to the issuance of Section 404 and 401 permits provided that the
following conditions are implemented:

1.Stringent sedimentation and erosion control measures must be implemented and
maintained on the project site until project completion to avoid impacts to downstream
aquatic resources.

2.Herbaceous vegetation shall be planted on all bare soil as soon as possible following the
completion of permanent or temporary ground disturbing activities to provide appropriate
long-term erosion control.

3.Tall fescue and straw mulch shall not be used in riparian areas. We encourage NCDOT
to utilize onsite vegetation and materials for bank stabilization when practicable. Erosion
control matting shall be used on steep slopes and for establishing permanent vegetation in
riparian areas. The matting shall be well anchored with staples or wooden stakes and,
whenever possible, include live stakes of native trees. Matting in riparian areas should
not contain plastic mesh, which can entangle and trap small animals.

4.Stormwater should be directed to buffer areas or retention basins and should not be
routed directly into the waterway.

5.The natural dimension, pattern, and profile of the waterway above and below the crossing
should not be modified by widening the channel or changing the depth of the waterway.

6.Removal of vegetation in riparian areas should be minimized. Native trees and shrubs
should be planted along the banks, as appropriate to the setting, to reestablish the riparian
zone and to provide long-term erosion control.

7.Grading and backfilling should be minimized, and tree and shrub growth should be
retained, if possible, to ensure long term availability of shoreline cover for fish and
wildlife.

8.Where practicable, riprap placed for bank stabilization should be limited to the banks
below the high water mark, and vegetation should be used for stabilization above the high
water elevation.

9.If concrete will be used during construction, work must be accomplished so that wet
(uncured) concrete does not contact surface waters. This will lessen the chance of
altering the water chemistry and causing a fish kill.

10.Discharging hydroseeding mixtures and washing out hydroseeders and other equipment
in or adjacent to surface waters is prohibited.

SR 1707 (Stewart Rd.)
Wood Benton Branch, Stokes Co. 3 September 11, 2015

11.Heavy equipment should be operated from the bank rather than in the channel whenever
possible in order to minimize sedimentation and reduce the likelihood of introducing
other pollutants into the waterway. All mechanized equipment operated near surface
waters should be inspected and maintained regularly to prevent contamination of surface
waters from fuels, lubricants, hydraulic fluids or other toxic materials.

Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. If you have any questions
regarding these comments, please contact me at [e-mail] or (704) 982-
9181.

cc: Amy Chapman, NCDWR
Dave Wanucha, NCDWR
Heath Slaughter, NCDOT