0306010204 Hartwell Lake-Upper Tugaloo River HUC 8 Watershed: Tugaloo
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Georgia Ecological Services U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2/9/2021 HUC 10 Watershed Report HUC 10 Watershed: 0306010204 Hartwell Lake-Upper Tugaloo River HUC 8 Watershed: Tugaloo Counties: Habersham, Rabun, Stephens Major Waterbodies (in GA): Toccoa Creek, Panther Creek, Wards Creek, Little Panther Creek, Walton Creek, Lake Louise, Yonah Lake, Toccoa Reservoir Federal Listed Species: (historic, known occurrence, or likely to occur in the watershed) E - Endangered, T - Threatened, C - Candidate, CCA - Candidate Conservation species, PE - Proposed Endangered, PT - Proposed Threatened, Pet - Petitioned, R - Rare, U - Uncommon, SC - Species of Concern. Bog Turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) US: T; GA: E Potential Range (county); Coordinate any surveys with GDNR: 1 Mar - 15 Jul. Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) US: T; GA: T Potential Range (habitat model); Survey period: 15 May - 15 Aug. Smooth Coneflower (Echinacea laevigata) US: E; GA: E Occurrence; Survey period: 1 May - 31 Oct. Use of a nearby reference site to more accurately determine local flowering period is recommended. Swamp Pink (Helonias bullata) US: T; GA: T Potential Range (elevation, location); Survey period: early Apr - early Jun. Small Whorled Pogonia (Isotria medeoloides) US: T; GA: T Potential Range (soil type); Survey period: 1 May - 31 Aug. Use of a nearby reference site to more accurately determine local flowering period is recommended. Monkeyface Orchid (Platanthera integrilabia) US: T; GA: T Occurrence; Survey period: flowering 15 Jul - 31 Aug. Persistent Trillium (Trillium persistens) US: E; GA: E Occurrence; Survey period: flowering 15 Mar - 15 Apr. Use of a nearby reference site to more accurately determine local flowering period is recommended. Updated: 2/9/2021 0306010204 Hartwell Lake-Upper Tugaloo River 1 Georgia Ecological Services U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2/9/2021 HUC 10 Watershed Report HUCFederal 10 Candidate,Watershed :Candidate Conservation, or Petitioned Species: (likely or known to occur in the watershed) Cave or close proximity to a cave (Caves) Named cave; At least one cave or an area with 0.25 mi of a cave occurs in this watershed. Green Salamander (Aneides aeneus) US: Pet; GA: R Occurrence; Survey period: 1 Apr - 30 Jun, 01 Oct - 30 Nov. Georgia Aster (Symphyotrichum georgianum) US: CCA; GA: T Potential Range (county); Survey period: 1 Apr - 30 Jun, 01 Oct - 30 Nov. State Listed or Other At-risk Species: (likely or known to occur in the watershed) Radford's Sedge (Carex radfordii) GA: T Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Pink Ladyslipper (Cypripedium acaule) GA: U Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Mountain Witch-alder (Fothergilla major) GA: T Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) GA: E Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Fraser's Loosestrife (Lysimachia fraseri) GA: R Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Bay Star-vine (Schisandra glabra) GA: T Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Ozark Bunchflower (Veratrum woodii) GA: R Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Barren Strawberry (Waldsteinia lobata) GA: R Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Any of the above species may occur in suitable habitat in this HUC 10 watershed. Survey dates are provided for reference only. Please coordinate with your lead federal agency, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, or USFWS to determine if surveys will help assess project impacts to species of concern. Updated: 2/9/2021 0306010204 Hartwell Lake-Upper Tugaloo River 2 Georgia Ecological Services U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2/9/2021 HUC 10 Watershed Report HUCWatershed 10 Watershed Specific: Concerns: There are federally listed aquatic/wetland and terrestrial species that occur or could occur in this watershed. If the project contains suitable habitat for listed species, please contact your lead federal agency to determine the appropriate next step for those species to inform their NEPA and ESA decisions. Coordination with Georgia Department of Natural Resources may also be helpful in those decisions. Bats/Caves: Please determine if your project will impact caves or cave-like habitats. Microclimates in cave or cave-like habitats can be impacted when drilling or other activities impact karst areas. Please coordinate with our office if your project will impact these habitats or is within 0.5 of these habitats. A 4(d) rule exempts take of Northern Long-eared Bats from the Endangered Species Act's prohibitions, except in areas surrounding known winter hibernacula or summer maternity roosts. Clearing of hardwood trees identified as potential habitat during the winter or when young bats are able to fly (August 1 through May 14) may reduce the risk of take for a project proponent. Our records indicate that there are named caves or areas in the immediate vicinity of a cave in this watershed. These caves could represent hibernacula for Northern Long-eared Bats. Swamp Pink: Swamp Pink occurs in mountain seepage swamps and/or sphagnum bogs with saturated soils. It can be found in areas that also have populations of purple pitcherplant and can also include red maple, mountain laurel, rosebay rhododendron, and tag alder. The species is best identified during flowering and fruiting (early April and late May–early June). Minimizing activities that avoid destruction of habitat, maintain wetland hydrology, and avoid pollutants in the vicinity of known populations will assist in the recovery of this species. Smooth Coneflower: Smooth Coneflowers occur in grassy openings and rocky areas over mafic bedrock, including periodically disturbed areas similar to roadsides and right-of-ways. The best times to survey for Smooth Coneflower is during flowering (mid May - July) or fruiting (July - October). Populations in roadsides and right-of-ways can be protected through properly timed mowing and herbicide use avoiding growing, flowering, and fruiting seasons. Small Whorled Pogonia:This species is commonly found in areas with acidic soils of mixed-hardwood pine forests. Because plants wither after blooming, the best time to surveys is during flowering during May. Fruits can also be seen from June through August. Monkeyface Orchid: This orchid occurs in seeps, springheads, seepy streambanks, or other swampy habitats. Many of the orchid species are highly sought after for ornamental or gardening purposes. Protecting locations of populations of Monkeyface Orchid is important to the recovery of this species. Avoidance of ditching, draining, or filling can help protect the hydrology of orchid habitats. Georgia Aster: This watershed is within the range of candidate conservation species Georgia Aster. Georgia Aster can be found in open forests or forest edges and right-of-ways. Use of prescribed fire or mowing in winter or early spring to create or maintain sunny openings, avoiding the use of herbicides, and avoiding clear-cutting and soil disturbance can help protect areas where this species occurs. Persistent Trillium: This species occurs along waterways and ravines of pine-hemlock-hardwood forests. They can commonly be found in association with Carolina rhododendron and low-bush blueberry. The best time to survey the species is in the spring (mid-March to mid-April) when the species is in bloom. Trout Stream: This watershed contains streams designated as Primary or Secondary Trout Streams by the State of Georgia. These streams support native and introduced trout populations. Maintenance of cold water temperatures, preservation of vegetated stream buffers, and strict sediment and erosion control are critical for these streams. Bog Turtle: Bog Turtles in Georgia are protected under the ESA because of their similarity to their northern counterparts. They are also listed as state endangered. This species occurs in wetland bog habitats that include seeps, springs, and wet meadows that are slow moving in the northern region of the state. These turtles also require the presence of soft, deep organic soil and open wet areas with shallow water. Visual surveys for bog turtles should occur in appropriate habitats during spring emergence and breeding from mid-April to mid-June. All surveys should be coordinated with the GDNR or the Service. All activities in the vicinity of known populations should minimize destruction of habitat and maintain wetland hydrology favored Updated: 2/9/2021 0306010204 Hartwell Lake-Upper Tugaloo River 3 Georgia Ecological Services U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2/9/2021 HUC 10 Watershed Report HUCby bog 10 turtles. Watershed: Priority Watershed: This watershed has been identified as a high significance high priority watershed for aquatic species. This indicates that the watershed contains important populations of high priority aquatic species or is an important watershed for aquatic organisms. For more information, please see the following fact sheet: https://www.fws.gov/athens/transportation/pdfs/SWAP_Priority_Watershed_fact_sheet_2017.pdf Species and Habitat Concerns Bridges / Culverts / Structures: Bridges, culverts, and structures (barns, buildings, etc.) can be used by migratory bird species for nesting and roosting and by federally listed and sensitive bat species for roosting. To comply with the national programmatic agreement between FHWA, FRA, and FWS and to assess risk and potential impacts to species protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. § 1531 et