Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for April–June 2025
Hurricane Helene Monitoring and Woody Debris Technical Guidance in the Foothills Region of the Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Program
by Mike Perkins, Foothills Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Biologist
F oothills AWD staff are conducting biological and habitat assessments of many rivers and streams that were impacted by historic floods from Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Approximately half of the 30 county AWD Foothills work region was placed under a Federal Emergency declaration and many rivers have seen a wide range of impacts. Some waterways, such as the Green River in Polk and Henderson counties and Wilson Creek in Caldwell County, have experienced dramatic alter- ations to stream morphology, hydrology, and the surrounding landscape. Despite the major destruction wrought by the flood- ing, some populations of rare animals appear to have persisted, such as Brook Floaters ( Alasmidonta varicosa , NC Endangered)
in Wilson Creek, Johns River, Upper Creek, and Steele Creek, all in the Catawba River Basin. Some rare fish populations, such as the Sea- green Darter ( Etheostoma thalassinum , NC Spe- cial Concern) and Santee Chub ( Cyprinella zanema , NC Threatened) survived the fooding but with apparently diminished numbers. Other species appear to have lost some popula- tions altogether, such as Notched Rainbow
NCWRC
( Venustaconcha constricta , NC Threatened) in McDowell and Burke counties, while other species such as the South Moun- tains Crayfish ( Cambarus franklini , NC Threatened) in Burke and Catawba counties appear relatively unaffected. Debris removal partnerships and technical guidance are ongoing. In some instances, woody debris removal work, while perhaps well-intentioned, has compounded damage to ecosys- tems impacted by Hurricane Helene. For example, during post-Helene surveys conducted in Hughes Creek in June of 2025, FAWD staff collected Broad River Spiny Crayfish adults and young ( Cambarus spicatus , NC Threatened), Santee Chub and Seagreen Darter for the first time in more than 20 years, as well as the first known record of Redfin Pickerel ( Esox ameri- canus ) in the Broad River Basin. Unfortunately, much of the sta- ble and formerly intact braided wetland habitat adjacent to these survey locations has now been destroyed by heavy machinery. Ongoing monitoring will determine the resilience and status of fisheries throughout the flood-affected rivers of the AWD Foot- hills Region.
NCWRC
Top: AWD Field Supervisor TR Russ in Wilson Creek, Caldwell Coun- ty. Center: Brook Floater mussels from Upper Creek in Burke County. Bottom: Sections of Hughes Creek impacted by heavy machinery in Polk County.
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