Culvert project to improve fish habitat
Bottomless arch culverts like this one on Buck Creek improve passage for fish and other aquatic organisms while reducing road maintenance. USFS photo
A portion of Connelly’s Creek Road in the Nantahala National Forest will close starting Sept. 6 to upgrade an existing culvert to a bottomless arch culvert that improves fish habitat.
The road, also known as Forest Service Road 86, is expected to reopen Nov. 18. It will be closed from the intersection of FSR 70 for about 0.6 miles to the existing wildlife field Alarka Laurel. No access to the area will be allowed during the closure due to construction activity.
The project will improve about 1 mile of stream habitat for native brook trout spawning and rearing, and the new stream crossing will reduce long-term road maintenance, increase the stream crossing’s flood capacity and reduce sediment.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and Trout Unlimited are partnering on the project.
