20240175 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20240225

0 North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 9
Cameron Ingram, Executive Director
February 25, 2024
Ms. Amanda Fuemmeler
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Mouth of Hardin Creek Restoration
UTs South Fork New River and Wetlands, Watauga County
Dear Ms. Fuemmeler:
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to restore 2,520 ft of three unnamed tributaries (UTs) to the South Fork New River
and impact 1.54 acre of wetland in Watauga 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).
There are Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout in the vicinity of the project, and in -stream activities
should be avoided between October 15 and April 15 in order to minimize impacts to trout
reproduction. In addition, the South Fork New River is recognized by the NC Natural Heritage
Program as the South Fork New River Aquatic Habitat, rated Exceptional for the richness of rare
species it contains. Rare and listed species found in the river in the vicinity of the project include
Seep Mudalia [Leptoxis dilatata, NC Special Concem (SC)], Kanawha Minnow (Phenacobius
terelutus, NC SQ, Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, US Federal Species of
Concern, NC SQ, Kanawha Darter [Etheostoma kanawhae, NC Significantly Rare (SR)],
Tongue-tied Minnow (Exoglossum laurae, NC SR), Kanawha Rosyface Shiner (Notropis sp., NC
SR), and Appalachia Darter (Percina gymnocephala, NC SR). These rare species are especially
sensitive to sediment, and excellent erosion and sediment control is essential to minimize
impacts to these species.
The application proposes to stabilize unstable reaches of stream by building a new channel with
constructed riffles, log vanes, boulder and log j -hooks, and toewood. Berms will be removed and
floodplain benches constructed. A 75-ft wide riparian buffer will be planted. Work will involve
considerable wetland impacts, although wetlands within floodplain benches will be restored and
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation - 1721 Mail Service Center - Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] - Fax: [phone]

Mouth of Hardin Creek Restoration Page 2 February 25, 2024
UTs South Fork New R & Wetlands, Watauga Co
0.41 acre of new wetland created. Mud mats will be used to cross wetlands and timber bridges
used to cross streams. The channel will mostly be constructed off-line.
We offer the following recommendations to minimize impacts to the aquatic community:
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 work day.
2. Where work is to be done in live flows, flows should be pumped around work areas due to
the ecological importance of the South Fork River just downstream.
3. 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.
4. In -stream activities should be done outside the October 15 to April 15 trout moratorium to
minimize impacts to Brown Trout reproduction.
5. A large area of wetland will be impacted, but the plan does not specify any wetland
plantings. We recommend using native wetland seed mix for impacted wetland areas.
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
cc: David Brown, Jennings Environmental
Seren Homer, NC Division of Water Resources