Little Contentnea Creek Watershed Improvement Project

LITTLE CONTENTNEA CREEK WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT PROJECT Аы ЯЪ'И- Introduction For some time, fishery workers have realized that the alteration of habi¬ tat caused by dredging of existing stream beds to obtain better drainage and reduce flooding of surrounding cropland may be detrimental to the existing fish population. Heretofore, the extent of the damage to the fishery has not been fully evaluated, but the increasing number of the projects and their en¬ croachments upon the larger and better fishing streams dictate that a careful estimate of the fishery loss be made and mitigation for this loss be sought on behalf of the fishermen of the State. This report is concerned with an evaluation of the probable effect that proposed dredging associated with the Little Contentnea Creek Watershed Im¬ provement Project will have on the resident fish population. Description The Little Contentnea Creek Watershed contains 115,155 acres around the town of Farmville. Most of the watershed is in Pitt and Greene counties but a sizable portion is in Wilson County and a small amount in Edgecombe County. Nearly one half of the total watershed acreage is woodland and it is estimated that approximately 20,000 acres of this are seasonally flooded swamps or bottom lands. Channelization is planned for Little Contentnea Creek for its entire length except approximately the lower six miles before entering into Contentnea Creek below Scuffleton, N. C. This portion will be snagged and cleared only. The main tributaries entering Little Contentnea Creek in the watershed are Sandy Run, Middle Swamp Creek, Ward Run, Jacob Branch, Black Swamp, Oldwoman Branch, Pinelog Branch, and Beaver Dam Canal and they will be re channelled. The middle section of Little Contentnea Creek and some of the tributaries have been re channelled from three to approximately 20 years ago. The main