20180457 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20180410

❑ North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission ❑
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
April 10, 2018
Ms. Amanda Fuemmeler
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Winkler Creek Streambank Stabilization
Winkler Creek - Watauga County
Dear Ms. Fuemmeler:
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to stabilize 165 feet of Winkler Creek 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 wild Brown Trout in Winkler Creek, and project activities should be avoided during
the trout moratorium period of October 15 to April 15 to minimize impacts to trout spawning.
In addition, the site is upstream of the South Fork New River, which is part of the South Fork
New River Aquatic Habitat, a natural area rated Exceptional by the NC Natural Heritage
Program due to the extraordinary diversity of rare species it contains. Rare and listed species
within the vicinity of the project include the Eastern Hellbender [Cryptobranchus alleganiensis,
US Federal Species of Concern (FSC), NC Special Concern (SC)], Kanawha Minnow
(Phenacobius teretulus, US FSC, NC SC), Tonguetied Minnow [Exoglossum laurae, NC
Significantly Rare (SR)], and Kanawha Darter (Etheostoma kanawhae, NC SR). Wild trout and
these rare species are especially sensitive to sediment, and special care should be taken to
minimize sediment loss from the project.
The application proposes to stabilize the right bank of Winkler Creek using two rock j -hooks and
planting. Most of the work will be done from the bank. According to Adam Williams, stream
flows will be diverted away from j -hook installation areas with boulders.
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Winkler Cr Stabilization Page 2 April 10, 2018
Winkler Cr, Watauga County
We offer the following recommendations to minimize impacts to the aquatic community:
1. In -channel work should be avoided between October 15 and April 15 to minimize impacts to
Brown Trout spawning.
2. 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.
3. In -stream work should be accomplished during low flows. Flows should be diverted away
from work 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
ec: Adam Williams, Brushy Fork
Sue Homewood, NC Division of Water Resources
TJ Johnson, NCWRC
Byron Hamstead, US Fish and Wildlife Service