Agenda - 09-01-2009 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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L0 INTRODUCTION The proposed Orange County waste Transfer Station Site 056 occurs on a 142.7 acre parcel in south western Grange County, within the Haw River subbasin of the Cape Fear River Basin (CFRB). Three unnamed tributaries (Streams 1-3, Figure 1) to Collins Creek occur within the subject property. As part of the environmental impact analysis, the Catena Group Inc. (TCG) was retained to conduct freshwater mussel surveys on the subject property streams. Although no federally protected mussel species are verified to occur in the CFRB, several rare species are known from the basin. These include Atlantic pigtoe (Fusconaia masoni), brook floater (Alasmidonta varicosa), Carolina creekshell (Villosa vaughaniana), creeper (Strophilus undulates), eastern lampmussel (Lampsilis radiata), eastern. creekshell (Villosa dclumbis), green floater (Lasmigona suhviridus), notched rainbow (Villosa constricta), Savannah lilliput (Toxo1asma pullus), triangle floater (Alasmidonta undulata), and yellow lampmussel (Lampsilis cariosa). The Atlantic pigtoe, Carolina creekshell, green floater, Savannah liliput and yellow lampmussel are Federal Species of Concern' and are considered Endangered in North Carolina 2. The triangle floater, creeper, and eastern lampmussel are considered Threatened in North Carolina. The notched rainbow is considered Special Concern, and the eastern creekshell is considered Significantly Rare in North. Carolina. 2,0 MUSSEL SURVEY EFFORTS Based on information provided to TCG by Hal Gwen & Associates, streams 1 and 2 (Figure 1) were determined to be intermittent within the property boundary, and stream. 3 was considered perennial. The project area was visited on April 29, 2009, by Tim Savidge and Chris Sheets of TCG. The three streams identified on the subject property, as well as Collins Creek downstream of the property, were evaluated for potential freshwater mussel habitat. Mussel surveys were conducted in areas where potentially suitable habitat was noted. A hand -held Garmin a -trex vista GPS unit was used to record the starting and ending points of each survey reach. The water body was segmented into survey lanes (from. each bank top to the channel center) to provide adequate coverage of the habitats. The speed at which teams proceeded upstream depended on stream width, survey conditions (depth, clarity, etc.), habitat characteristics and the presence of mussels. Timed searches were employed in each stream segment to provide a catch per unit effort (CPUE). Searches 1 Federal Species of Concern (FSQ are defined as a species that is under consideration for listing for which there is insufficient information to support listing. FSCs are not afforded federal protection under the Endangered Species' Act and are not subject to any of its provisions, including Section 7, until they are formally proposed or listed as Threatened or Endangered. However, the status of these species is subject to change, and so should be included for consideration 2 Forth Carolina Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern species have legal protection status in North Carolina under the State Endangered Species Act administered and enforced by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Species listed as Significantly Rare are not afforded any protection_ Freshwater Mussel Survey 1 Orange County Transfer Station May 2009 TCG Job 9 3250