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Home My WebLink About20171341 Ver 1_Add Info Received_20171209Moore, Andrew W From: Greg Jennings <jenningsenv@gmail.com> Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2017 1:27 PM To: Leslie, Andrea J; Maria Wise; Rachel Smith Cc: Hamstead, Byron; David Brown; Etchison, Luke; Williams, Lori A; Moore, Andrew W Subject: [External] Brandy Branch Restoration Project; Henderson Co (18-013) Attachments: bra ndy_branch_11_10_2017.pdf CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or open attachments unless verified. Send all suspicious email as an attachment to report.spam@nc.gov. Hello Andrea and Byron. Thanks for your feedback. I copied Maria Wise with Mills River Partnership and Rachel Smith with Henderson County Soil & Water Conservation District to follow up regarding schedule and project management issues. Regarding construction, we have altered the design plan this week after meeting with the contractor due to budget constraints and contractor limitations bringing rock onto the site. Attached is a revised plan that shows the channel stabilization using biodegradable coir logs and vegetated soil fill. We propose to establish a densely vegetated riparian buffer at least 30 feet wide using native plants (silky dogwood, elderberry, river birch, sycamore, oak, maple, etc.). We propose to complete all grading activities in 3 days or less associated with a demonstration workshop sponsored by Mills River Partnership and Henderson County Soil & Water on December 7. During grading work, the stream flow will be diverted away from the currently unstable outer bend through a temporary channel cut to the inside of the point bar. Final grading of the bank and riffle will be completed from the bank so that no construction will occur with equipment in the flowing stream. The riffle shaping will consist of grading existing substrate to align with the riffle direction downstream. Please contact me or Maria or Rachel with questions. Thanks, Greg Greg Jennings, PhD, PE President, Jennings Environmental Professor Emeritus, NC State University 919-600-4790 On Nov 9, 2017, at 12:25 PM, Leslie, Andrea J <andrea.leslie@ncwildlife.org> wrote: I'm chiming in here, too. The Mills River at its confluence with Brandy Branch also hosts a number of other state listed mussel species, as well as Eastern Hellbender. I will coordinate with NCWRC biologists on whether we would like to move other mussel species. Ordinarily, we would only move individuals that would be directly impacted by construction. I think that what is most important is the use of measures that will minimize soil loss from the project. Greg, can you describe what you can do to effectively minimize sediment loss (e.g., diversion of flows from work area) within the constructed riffle and the boulder toe areas? Can you describe the amount of time needed to construct the riffle and boulder toe areas? Finally, will a wooded buffer be planted along the project reach? If so, how wide? Do you have a plant list? It was not included in my packet. FYI, a trout moratorium will not be required for this project. Thanks much, Andrea Andrea Leslie Mountain Habitat Conservation Coordinator NC Wildlife Resources Commission 645 Fish Hatchery Rd. Marion, NC 28752 828-400-4223 www.ncwildlife.or <image001.png><image002.png><image003. png><image004.j p g><image005. png> Get NC Wildlife Update delivered to your inbox from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Email correspondence to and from this sender is subject to the N.C. Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties. From: Hamstead, Byron [mailto:byron hamstead@fws.gov] Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2017 10:27 AM To: jenninRsenv@mail.com Cc: Brown, David W SAW <David.W.Brown@usace.army.miI>; Leslie, Andrea J <andrea.leslie@ncwildlife.org> Subject: [External] Brandy Branch Restoration Project; Henderson Co (18-013) CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or open attachments unless verified. Send all suspicious email as an attachment to report.spam@nc.gov. Hi Greg, I just left you a voicemail regarding the project referenced above. We have records of the federally endangered Appalachian elktoe mussel just downstream from the project on the Mills River. We are supportive of this project and its intent to improve habitat. To reduce the probability for take of this species, the Mills River just downstream of the proposed project should be surveyed before construction begins. Animals found should be relocated to a location outside of the project's impact area, (probably somewhere upstream). Provided that this happens, we would concur with a USACE determination (cc'd herein) that the proposed project is not likely to adversely affect Appalachian elktoe. I want to muster a crowd to assist with this effort, but you/your client also has the option of hiring someone (provided they have the requisite Section 10 permit to collect App elktoe). If you want our help, let me know when construction would begin so I can get something on my calendar ASAP. I will be out of the office until Nov 20th beginning this afternoon. Email or cell is best (c):828.337.2726. Hope you are well, Byron Byron Hamstead Fish and Wildlife Biologist USFWS Asheville Field Office 160 Zillicoa St., Suite B Asheville, NC, 28801 828-258-3939 ext. 225 This email correspondence an any attachments to and from this sender is subject to the Freedom of Information Act and may be disclosed to third parties.