Georgia Ecological Services U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2/9/2021 HUC 10 Watershed Report HUC 10 Watershed: 0315010407 Shoal Creek HUC 8 Watershed: Etowah Counties: Bartow, Cherokee, Pickens Major Waterbodies (in GA): Shoal Creek, McCory Creek, McCanless Creek, Wiley Creek, Lake Arrowhead 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. Cherokee Darter (Etheostoma scotti) US: T; GA: T Occurrence; Survey period: 1 May - 30 Nov (only when water temperatures are above 10°C). Amber Darter (Percina antesella) US: E; GA: E Occurrence; Survey period: 1 May - 30 Nov (only when water temperatures are above 10°C). Finelined Pocketbook (Hamiota altilis) US: T; GA: T Occurrence; Survey period: year round, when water temperatures are above 10° C and excluding when stage is increasing or above normal. Gray Bat (Myotis grisescens) US: E; GA: E Potential Range (county); Survey period: 15 May - 15 Aug. Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) US: T; GA: T Potential Range (habitat model); Survey period: 15 May - 15 Aug. Monkeyface Orchid (Platanthera integrilabia) US: T; GA: T Potential Range (county); Survey period: flowering 15 Jul - 31 Aug. Tennessee Yellow-eyed Grass (Xyris tennesseensis) US: E; GA: E Potential Range (geology); Survey period: 1 Aug - 30 Sep. Updated: 2/9/2021 0315010407 Shoal Creek 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) Alabama Spike (Elliptio arca) US: Pet; GA: E Occurrence; Survey period: year round, when water temperatures are above 10° C and excluding when stage is increasing or above normal. Alabama Rainbow (Villosa nebulosa) US: Pet Occurrence; Survey period: year round, when water temperatures are above 10° C and excluding when stage is increasing or above normal. Coosa Creekshell (Villosa umbrans) US: Pet Occurrence; Survey period: year round, when water temperatures are above 10° C and excluding when stage is increasing or above normal. Georgia Aster (Symphyotrichum georgianum) US: CCA; GA: T Occurrence; Survey period: flowering early Sep - early Nov. Use of a nearby reference site to more accurately determine local flowering period is recommended. State Listed or Other At-risk Species: (likely or known to occur in the watershed) Etowah Crayfish (Cambarus fasciatus) GA: T Occurrence; Survey period: 01 May - 30 Nov. Rock Darter (Etheostoma rupestre) GA: R Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Lined Chub (Hybopsis lineapunctata) GA: R Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Coosa Chub (Macrhybopsis etnieri) GA: E Occurrence; Survey period: 1 May - 30 Nov (only when water temperatures are above 10°C). Pink Ladyslipper (Cypripedium acaule) GA: U Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Fraser's Loosestrife (Lysimachia fraseri) GA: R Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Cumberland Rose Gentian (Sabatia capitata) GA: R Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Eastern Turkeybeard (Xerophyllum asphodeloides) GA: R Occurrence; Please consult with GDNR for survey efforts. Updated: 2/9/2021 0315010407 Shoal Creek 2 Georgia Ecological Services U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2/9/2021 HUC 10 Watershed Report Any of the above species may occur in suitable habitat in this HUC 10 watershed. Survey dates are provided for reference only. HUCPlease 10 coordinate Watershed 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. 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: If your project will directly or indirectly affect hardwood forests, please conduct bat habitat assessments to determine the level of consultation necessary with our agency, in addition to developing appropriate avoidance and minimization measures, if appropriate. We recommend that any tree clearing of forests appropriate for Indiana and/or Northern Long-eared Bats occur outside of the non-volant period (May 15-July 31) to reduce potential impacts when pups are not capable of flight. Cave or cave-like habitats could represent maternity roosts for Gray Bats or hibernacula for Gray or Northern Long-eared Bats. 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. Aquatics: Several federally or state-listed aquatic species occur in the Etowah River HUC 8 watershed. These species are sensitive to sedimentation and changes in water quality. Please use guidance found in the Riparian Buffer, Streambank, and Stream Channel Protection and Water Quality Protection sections below. Please coordinate any avoidance and minimization efforts for the federally listed species with our office. Because of a high level of past survey effort in the watershed, surveys for aquatic species may not be necessary for federally listed species. Please coordinate with our office prior to conducting surveys for any of these species and in accordance with your Section 10(A)(1)(a) permit. 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: There are known occurrences of candidate conservation species Georgia Aster in this watershed. Georgia Aster can be found in open forests or forest edges and right-of-ways. For the protection in areas where this species occur, use prescribed fire or mowing in winter or early spring to create or maintain sunny openings. Avoid use of herbicides. Avoid clear- cutting and soil disturbance. Tennessee Yellow-Eyed Grass: This grass species is native to springs, edges of shallow streams, seeps and similar wetland habitats. Activities near populations of this species that are protective of hydrology (limit filling, draining, and other activities) and minimize impacts to water quality and condition of habitat this species may assist with recovery efforts. Priority Watershed: This watershed has been identified as a moderately significant 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 seq.), or state protected bat species, inspections of all bridges, culverts, and structures will help determine if there is evidence of roosting bats. If an inspection is conducted, please use the "Georgia Bats in Bridges" phone app to submit the data Updated: 2/9/2021 0315010407 Shoal Creek 3 Georgia Ecological Services U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2/9/2021 HUC 10 Watershed Report online to GA and provide a copy of the datasheet with any report to the lead federal agency. The app may be HUC 10 Watershed: downloaded for free for iPhone (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/georgia-bats-in-bridges/id1376788714) or Android phones. If you are unable to utilize the app, a digital version of the datasheet is available at https://ee.kobotoolbox. org/x/#YVhJ. Please follow any previous coordination with the Service and/or Georgia Department of Natural Resources related to activities that may impact roosting bats or nesting migratory birds. Erosion Control Netting: Monofilament or plastic mesh commonly used for slope stabilization can ensnare snakes and other wildlife, including listed species. The use of alternative natural fibers (e.g., coir, jute, or wood fiber) and moveable mesh strands can reduce impacts to wildlife. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act and additional Endangered Species Act Considerations The Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA) requires federal agencies to consider the effects of their water-related actions (that modify or control natural streams or waterbodies) on fish and wildlife resources.