20190857 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20190712

n North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 0
Gordon Myers, Executive Director
July 12, 2019
Ms. Amanda Fuemmeler
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regulatory Branch
151 Patton Avenue, Room 208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801-5006
SUBJECT: Swannanoa Creek Stream Enhancement
Swannanoa Creek, McDowell County
Dear Ms. Fuemmeler:
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) reviewed an
application to stabilize 1200 ft of Swannanoa Creek, directly impacting 480 ft of channel in
McDowell 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 Rainbow Trout in the project vicinity, and in -stream activities should be avoided
between January 1 and April 15 to minimize impacts to trout reproduction. Trout are sensitive to
excess sediment, and effective erosion and sediment control on the project is particularly
important to conserve this important game species.
The application proposes to stabilize eroding reaches of Swannanoa Creek by placing 4 cross
vanes, 4 j -hooks, and 1 log vane with toe revetment. Work will be done at low flows, and stream
flows will be diverted away from work areas as possible. Native vegetation will be planted
along the reach. The project is projected to take one week if weather is dry.
We support this project, as it is intended to address an eroding section of the channel and should
improve aquatic habitat. We offer the following recommendations to minimize impacts to the
aquatic community:
1. Instream work should be avoided during the trout moratorium of January 1 to April 15 to
minimize impacts to trout reproduction.
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
Mailing Address: Habitat Conservation • 1721 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]

Swannanoa Creek Stream Enhancement Page 2 July 11, 2019
Swannanoa Cr, McDowell County
areas should be seeded, mulched and/or matted as soon as possible, preferably at the end of
each work day.
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. Please contact Andrea Leslie (andrea.lesliekncwildlife.org) two weeks before project
construction so that NCWRC staff can visit the site while in construction.
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: Brady Dodd, USFS
Amy Annino, NC Division of Water Resources
David Goodfred, NCWRC