20041246 Ver 1_Information Letter_20030627

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
The proposed project calls for the improvement and widening of the existing section of US 321
between SR 1370 (Kirby Mountain Road) to SR 1600 (Blackberry Road) from two lanes to four
lanes, a distance of 6.5 miles. The Project Vicinity Map is shown in Exhibit 1 and the location
map in Exhibit 2. The location of the two additional lanes varies from the east to the west side
of the existing roadway depending upon the location of existing development, natural and
historic resources, severity of terrain, and design objectives.
The project lies within the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. The Blue Ridge Province is a
deeply dissected mountainous area of numerous steep mountain ridges, intermontane basins
and trench valleys that interact at all angles give the area its rugged mountain character. The
Blue Ridge contains the highest elevations and the most rugged topography in the Appalachian
Mountain system of eastern North America. The North Carolina portion of the Blue Ridge is
about 200 miles long and ranges from 15 to 55 miles wide. It contains an area of about 6,000
square miles, or about 10 percent of the area of the state (www.ehnr.state.nc.us). The elevation
in the study area ranges from 1,390 feet above sea level to 3,110 feet above sea level within the
cut and fill boundaries of the preliminary plans. The land use in the study area is primarily
forestlands, with some agriculture and residential areas. The project study area encompasses
approximately 850 acres.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Water Resources
Surface waters in the project area are located in subbasin the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin,
USGS Hydrologic Unit 03040101 and the Catawba River Basin, USGS Hydrologic Unit
03050101. Greenfield Branch, Puncheon Camp Creek, and Rocky Cove drain into Preston
Creek located at the southernmost end of the site eventually draining into the Yadkin River
approximately one mile south of the project. Cook Branch, located near the midpoint of the
project is a first order stream that converges with Jackson Camp Creek before flowing into the
Yadkin River. Mulberry Creek and its tributaries are part of the Catawba River Basin. Eight
perennial and four intermittent streams are located within the project area.
The Department of Water Quality (DWQ) has assigned the following Best Usage Classifications
on the streams in the project area:
Cook Branch (C;Tr)
Greenfield Branch and tributaries (C;Tr)
Left Fork Mulberry Creek and tributaries (C;Tr,HQW)
Right Fork Mulberry Creek and tributaries (C;Tr,HQW)
Preston Creek (C;Tr)
Puncheon Camp Creek and tributaries (C;Tr)
Rocky Cove Creek and tributaries (C;Tr)
Neither Water Supplies (WS-I: undeveloped watersheds or WS-II; predominately undeveloped
watersheds), Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW), nor 303(d) listed streams occur within one
mile of the project study area.

Biotic Resources
The predominant terrestrial communities found in the project study area are maintained/
disturbed, Montane Oak-Hickory Forest and Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest. The Maintained/
Disturbed community makes up approximately 11 % of the study area; the Montane Oak-Hickory
Forest constitutes approximately 61 % of the study area; and the Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest
constitutes approximately 28% of the study area.
JURISDICTIONAL TOPICS
Surface Waters and Wetlands
Cook Branch, Greenfield Branch, UT 2 Greenfield Branch, UT 2 Right Fork Mulberry Creek,
Preston Creek, Puncheon Camp Creek, UT 2 Puncheon Camp Creek, and Rocky Cove Creek
are classified as perennial streams. UT 1 Greenfield Branch, UT Left Fork Mulberry Creek, UT
1 Puncheon Camp Creek, and UT Rocky Cove Creek are classified as intermittent streams. All
other streams in the project study area are classified as ephemeral streams. Two jurisdictional
wetlands are located within a powerline easement in the Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest
community. These wetlands total approximately 0.5 acres of which 0.1 acres will be impacted
by the widening of US 321. Since the preliminary plans were used to determine potential
impacts, actual impacts may vary slightly from those reported in this document.
Permits
In accordance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 USC 1344), mitigation is required
from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE) for projects of this type for the
discharges of dredged or fill material into Waters of the United States. A Nationwide Permit 23
(NW23) is likely to be applicable for all impacts to Waters of the United States resulting from the
proposed project. If general conditions for a DWQ WQC 3361, corresponding to NW 23, cannot
be met, a DWQ Section 401 Water Quality General Certification will be required prior to the
issuance of the Section 404 Individual Permit. If conditions are met, notification of the DWQ is
the only requirement. Since the proposed project is located in a designated "Trout" county, the
authorization of a nationwide permit by the USAGE is conditioned upon the concurrence of the
NC Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC).
Mitigation
Wetlands: According to 40 CFR 1508.20, compensatory mitigation for wetland losses may be
1 required if avoidance and minimization of impact is not possible. Compensatory mitigation is
not y required with a NW 23, however, final decisions are le to the US and the
'~^~~ ~ DWQ. Since the project right-of-way has the potential to impact two wetlands with a cumulative
.~,~A impact between 0.1 and 1.0 acre in size, wetland mitigation may be required.
" -- Surface Waters: According to 15 A NCAC 2H .0506(h) and 40 CFR 1508.20, mitigation will be
~~ required for stream impacts to jurisdictional surface waters when these impacts are equal to or
i ~ ~pj greater than 150 linear feet per stream. Three streams meet this criterion, and may require
mitigation. Mitigation requirements will be dependent upon final project plans, but are
pproximated at 1,680 feet of perennial stream.
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Federally Protected Species
Plants and animals with federal classifications of Endangered, Threatened, Proposed
Endangered, and Proposed Threatened are protected under the provisions of Section 7 and
Section 9 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. As of February 5, 2003, the US
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) lists three federally protected species for Caldwell County.
These species are as follows:
(1) Spruce-fir Moss Spider Endangered
Biological Conclusion: Not Likely to Adversely Affect
(2) Heller's Blazing Star Threatened
Biological Conclusion: Not Likely to Adversely Affect
(3) Dwarf-flowered Heartleaf Threatened
Biological Conclusion: Not Likely to Adversely Affect

STREAM NAME
DETERMINATION
TYPE PLAN SHEETI
MAP NUMBER
COMMENTS
Preston Creek Jurisdictional Perennial 4,5,6/ 1,2
ES 1 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 4
Wetland 1 Jurisdictional 4/1
ES 2 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 5
ES 3 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 5
ES 4 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 5
Orchard Branch Jurisdictional 6/ 1,2
ES 5 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 6
Puncheon Camp
Creek
Jurisdictional
Perennial
6,7/ 2,3
Rock Cove Creek Jurisdictional Perennial 7,8,9/ 2,3

UT Rocky Cove
Creek
Jurisdictional Ephemeral/
Intermittent
7,8/ 2,3
ES 6 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 8
ES 7 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 8
ES 8 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 9
Greenfield Branch Jurisdictional Perennial 9,10,11/ 2,3,4

UT1 Greenfield
Branch
Jurisdictional
Intermittent
10/ 4
ES 9 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 10
ES 10 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 10
UT2 Greenfield
Branch
Jurisdictional
Perennial
10,11/ 4
UT3 Greenfield
Branch
Jurisdictional
11
ES 11 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 11
ES 12 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 11
ES 13 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 12
ES 14 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 12
ES 15 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 12
UT1 Puncheon Camp
Creek
Jurisdictional
13/ 5
UT2 Puncheon
Cam Creek
Jurisdictional
Perennial
13/ 5

ES 16 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 13
ES 17 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 13
ES 18 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 13
ES 19 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 14
Wetland 2A Jurisdictional 14/ 6
Wetland 2B Jurisdictional 14/ 6

ES 20 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 17
Cook Branch Jurisdictional Perennial 17,18,19/ 6,7,8
Wetland 3 Jurisdictional 26/ 11
UT2 Right Fork
Mulberry Creek
Jurisdictional
Perennial
26/ 11

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STREAM NAME
DETERMINATION
TYPE PLAN SHEET/
MAP NUMBER
COMMENTS
ES 21 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 28
ES 22 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 28
UT Left Fork
Mulberrry Creek
Jurisdictional
Intermittent
29/ 12
ES 23 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 29
ES 24 Not Jurisdictional Ephemeral 29

WETLAND PERMIT IMPACT SUMMARY
WETLAND IMPACTS SURFACE WATER IMPACTS

Site
No.
Station
(From/To)
Structure
Size /Type
Fill In
Wetlands
ac)
Temp. Fill
In Wetlands
(ac)
Excavation
In Wetlands
(ac) Mechanized
Clearing
(Method III)
(ac)
Fill In SW
(Natural)
ac)
Fill In SW
(Pond)
(ac
Temp. Fill
In SW
(ac) Existing
Channel
Impacted
(ft) Natural
Stream
Design
ft)
1 -L- 66+40 / 66+83 1 ~ 42" RCP 0.0148 128.7

2 -L- 77+05 / 78+18 1 ~ 8' x 6' RCBC 0.0123 118.5
-L- 78+80 / 80+15 1 ~ 8' x 6' RCBC 0.0161 147.1

3 -L- 82+15 / 82+70 1 ~ 8' x 5' RCBC 0.0101 102.2
-L- 83+08 / 83+63 1 ~ 8' x 5' RCBC 0.006 65.1

4 -L- 91+12 / 91+40 1 ~ 72" RCP 0.0027 39.9
-L- 91+85 / 93+10 1 ~ 72" RCP 0.0105 178.1

5 -L- 121+92 / 122+64 1 ~ 36" RCP 0.0049 108.6

6A -L- 136+16 / 136+70 1 ~ 36" CSP 0.048 0.026 0.0043

6B -L- 137+96 / 139+46 1 ~ 24" CSP 0.0538 0.0216 0.0059

7 -L- 293+83 / 294+90 1 ~ 24" CSP 0.0088 191.4

8 -L- 324+96 / 325+82 1 ~ 60" CSP 0.0412 600.4

TOTALS: 0.1018 0 0.0476 0.0102 0.1274 0 0 1680 0
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N.C. DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION
DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS
CALDWELL COUNTY
PROJECT 8.T731303 (R-22378)
U.S. 321
FROM SR 1370 (KIRBY MOUNTAIN RD.) TO SR 1600 (BLACKBERRY RD.)
Form Revised 1/21/03
SHEET OF
6/6/2003