20071194 Ver 2_WRC Comments_20080122

®North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
January 22, 2008
Ms. Loretta Beckwith
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
Mr. Ian McMillan
NCDENR, Division of Water Quality, 401 Unit
1628 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1628
SUBJECT: Nationwide Permit Application for Mr. Bill Nellis, Wildcat Cliffs Country Club
Culverts in Cullasaja River and tributaries, Jackson County
DWQ No. 07-1194 v2
Dear Ms. Beckwith and Mr. McMillan:
Mr. Bill Nellis of Wildcat Cliffs Country Club requested a letter of concurrence from the North Carolina
Wildlife Resources Commission (Commission) fora 404 Permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Comments from the Commission are provided under provisions of 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 project involves placing three culverts in tributaries to the Cullasaja River for a roadway that would access
additional home sites in the Wildcat Cliffs Country Club subdivision. There also would be an extension of an
existing culvert in the river. This would allow construction of a road parallel to an existing road across the river
that Wildcat Cliffs and the adjoining subdivision, Cullasaja Club, can no longer agree to share.
The Cullasaja River (WS-III Tr) at the project site likely supports trout, possibly brook trout. The project has
the potential to harm trout, particularly if construction caused sedimentation during the spawning season.
If the project is permitted, then the Commission can concur i£
1. The Nationwide and Final Regional conditions are adhered to. This includes partial burial of the culverts in the
stream beds as stipulated by Final Regional Condition 3.6 and avoiding construction during the trout spawning
season (Final Regional Condition 1.2).
2. Sediment and erosion control measures for sensitive watersheds (15A NCAC 04B .0124) are used and
maintained. Exposed soils along the stream and wetlands are covered with erosion control matting and
seeded as soon as possible following culvert placement.
3. The impacts are considered, and if necessary mitigated for, collective with previous impacts to streams and
wetlands in the subdivision.
Mailing Address: Division of Inland Fisheries 1721 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone]

Nellis, Wildcat Cliffs Page 2 January 22, 2008
Jackson
Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this project. The Commission may inspect the work
site during or after construction. If there are any questions regarding these comments, please contact me at
[phone] extension 24.
Sincerely,
~~~
Dave McHenry
Mountain Region Coordinator
Habitat Conservation Program
cc: Clearwater Environmental Consultants