BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AN ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO CAROLINA HEELSPLITTER (Lasmigona decorata) and DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITAT, SCHWEINITZ’S SUNFLOWER (Helianthus schweinitzii), MICHAUX’S SUMAC (Rhus michauxii), and SMOOTH CONEFLOWER (Echinacea laevigata) MONROE CONNECTOR/BYPASS MECKLENBURG and UNION COUNTIES, NORTH CAROLINA FEDERAL AID PROJECT NUMBER STP-NHF-74(90) WBS ELEMENT 34533.1.TA1 STIP PROJECT NUMBER R-3329/R-2559 PREPARED FOR: Federal Highway Administration Raleigh, North Carolina AND North Carolina Turnpike Authority A Division of North Carolina Department of Transportation Raleigh, North Carolina October 2013 i Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Statutory Authority of Action ........................................................................................... 1 1.2 Summary of Consultation History .................................................................................... 2 1.3 Habitat Conservation Plans In Action Area .................................................................. 10 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................ 10 2.1 Avoidance and Minimization ........................................................................................ 10 3.0 DESCRIPTION OF ACTION AREA ............................................................................... 11 3.1 Areas of Direct Effects ................................................................................................... 11 3.2 Areas of Indirect Effects ................................................................................................. 11 3.3 Conservation Measures .................................................................................................. 12 4.0 Environmental baseline – carolina heelsplitter .................................................................. 12 4.1 Species Description: Carolina Heelsplitter ........................................................................ 12 4.1.1 Designation (Legal Status) ........................................................................................... 12 4.1.1 Characteristics ......................................................................................................... 12 4.1.2 Distribution and Habitat Requirements .................................................................. 14 4.1.3 Threats to Species (Particularly Goose/Duck Creek and Sixmile Creek Populations) 15 4.1.4 Habitat Alterations .................................................................................................. 19 4.2 Designated Critical Habitat ........................................................................................... 24 4.3 Potential Effects of Roadway Projects on Freshwater Mussels and Habitat ................ 27 4.3.1 Potential Direct Effects ........................................................................................... 27 4.3.2 Potential Indirect Effects......................................................................................... 28 4.3.2 Potential Cumulative Effects .................................................................................. 29 4.4 Presence within Action Area .......................................................................................... 29 4.4.1 Project Alignment ................................................................................................... 29 4.4.2 Mussel Fauna in Project Footprint .......................................................................... 30 4.5 Watershed Conditions .................................................................................................... 32 4.5.1 Goose Creek Subbasin (03-07-12) .......................................................................... 32 4.5.2 Water Quality .......................................................................................................... 33 4.5.3 Goose Creek TMDL ............................................................................................... 42 4.5.4 Summary of regulatory effects................................................................................ 42 4.5.5 Sixmile Creek Subbasin (03-08-38)........................................................................ 43 4.5.6 Water Quality .......................................................................................................... 44 5.0 ENVIRONMenTAL BASELINE – SCHWEINITZ’S SUNFLOWER ............................. 46 5.1 Species Description ........................................................................................................ 46 5.1.1 Designation (Legal Status) ...................................................................................... 46 5.1.2 Characteristics ......................................................................................................... 46 5.1.3 Distribution and Habitat Requirements .................................................................. 47 ii 5.1.4 General Threats to Species ...................................................................................... 48 5.1.5 Roadway-Related Threats to Species ...................................................................... 48 5.2 Presence in Action Area ................................................................................................. 50 5.2.1 FLUSA .................................................................................................................... 53 5.2.2 Conservation Areas ................................................................................................. 54 6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE – MICHAUX’S SUMAC ........................................... 54 6.1 Species Description ........................................................................................................ 54 6.1.1 Designation (Legal Status) ...................................................................................... 54 6.1.2 Characteristics ......................................................................................................... 55 6.1.3 Distribution and Habitat Requirements .................................................................. 55 6.1.4 General Threats to Species ...................................................................................... 56 6.1.5 Roadway-Related Threats to Species ...................................................................... 57 6.2 Presence in Action Area ................................................................................................. 57 7.0 ENVIRONMNETAL BASELINE – SMOOTH CONEFLOWER ................................... 58 7.1 Species Description ........................................................................................................ 58 7.1.1 Designation (Legal Status) ...................................................................................... 58 7.1.2 Characteristics ......................................................................................................... 58 7.1.3 Distribution and Habitat Requirements .................................................................. 59 7.1.4 General Threats to Species ...................................................................................... 60 7.1.5 Roadway-Related Threats to Species ...................................................................... 60 7.2 Presence in Action Area ................................................................................................. 60 8.0 EFFECTS OF PROPOSED ACTION– CAROLINA HEELSPLITTER AND CRITICAL HABITAT ..................................................................................................................................... 60 8.1 Direct Effects .................................................................................................................. 61 8.2 Indirect Effects ............................................................................................................... 61 8.3 Cumulative Effects.......................................................................................................... 61 8.4 Conclusions of Effects – Carolina heelsplitter ............................................................... 62 8.5 Conclusions of Effects-Critical Habitat ......................................................................... 63 8.6 Conservation Measures –Carolina Heelsplitter & Critical Habitat .............................. 63 9.0 EFFECTS OF PROPOSED ACTION – SCHWEINITZ’S SUNFLOWER ...................... 64 9.1 Direct Effects .................................................................................................................. 64 9.2 Indirect Effects ............................................................................................................... 64 9.3 Cumulative Effects.......................................................................................................... 64 9.4 Conclusion of Effects ...................................................................................................... 65 9.4.1 Direct Effects .......................................................................................................... 65 9.4.2 Indirect Effects ........................................................................................................ 66 9.4.3 Cumulative Effects.................................................................................................