ML071710058

Survey of the Drifting Macroinvertebrates of the Savannah River, Burke County, Georgia, from September, 1980 Through August, 1981, Operating License Stage Environmental Report Technical Document

ML071710058
Person / Time
Site:	Vogtle, 05200011
Issue date:	05/31/1983
From:	Nichols M Georgia Power Co
To:	Office of New Reactors
References
+reviewedcja, AR-07-0924
Download: ML071710058 (15)

Text

VOGTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT SURVEY OF THE DRIFTING MACROINVERTEBRATES OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER, BURKE COUNTY, GEORGIA, FROM SEPTEMBER, 1980, THROUGH AUGUST, 1981 OPERATING LICENSE STAGE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT TECHNICAL DOCUMENT M. C. NICHOLS PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR GEORGIA POWER COMPANY ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS CENTER MAY, 1983

LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES INTRODUCTION METHODS RESULTS AND DISCUSSION CONCLUSIONS REFERENCES TABLES FIGURES VEGP - OLSER TABLE OF CONTENTS i

Page it iii 1

1 1

4 5

6 11

VEGP - OLSER LIST OF TABLES 1.

Sampling dates for Macroinvertebrate Drift in the Savannah River in the Vicinity of Vogt1e Ele~tric Generating Plant 2.

Analysis of Variance and Duncan's Multiple Range Test for Differences in LOGl O (Density) of Savannah River Drift 3.

Average Daily Macroinvertebrate Drift Densities in the Savannah River from September, 1980, Through August, 1981 4.

Average Macroinvertebrate Drift Densities for Night Samples in the Savannah River from September, 1980, Through August. 1981 5.

Average Macroinvertebrate Drift Densities for Day Samples in the Savannah River from September, 1980, Through August, 1981 ii 6

7 8

9 10

VEGP - OLSER LIST OF FIGURES

1. Location ofVEGP Drift Survey Stations iii Page 11

VEGP - OLSER INTRODUCTION The Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP) site is approximately 3169 acres located in Burke County on the southwest side of the Savannah River.

The site is at river mile 150.9, approximately 26 miles south-southeast of Augusta, Georgia.

The construction site is directly across the river from the Savannah River Plant, a U.S. Department of Energy facility operated by E. I. DuPont DeNemours and Company.

The site is located in the coastal plain and is characterized by sandy or sandy loam soil with rolling hills and mixed pine-hardwood vegetation.

Con-struction of VEGP began in June, 1974, and was discontinued in Sep-tember, 1974, because of unfavorable economic conditions.

Construction resumed in January, 1977.

Approximately 1391 acres of the site have been cleared for plant construction.

The original plans proposed a generating plant consisting of four units, but construction of two units has been cancelled.

The plant will employ two pressurized water reactors producing 1160 MW each.

Unit 1 is sche-duled to go into service in March, 1987, and Unit 2 in September, 1988.

The exhaust steam will be cooled by a closed-cycle cooling system employing natural draft cooling towers using make-up water from the Savannah River.

Low volume waste and blowdown from both cooling towers will ultimately be discharged back into the river.

The Savannah River below Augusta, Georgia, and above the VEGP site receives wastewater discharges from municipalities and industries that add organic wastes, nutrients, metals, and other trace

~1ytaminants.

Stream classification near VEGP is listed as "Fishing".

The river near the plant site is typical of large southeastern coastal plain rivers except that a dredged channel is maintained by the Corps of Engineers for barge traffic.

The biological community of the river is similar to that of other large southeastern rivers, but has been affected by man's influence on the river.

The impoundment of the river above Augusta, Georgia, has reduced the transport of sediments and allochthonous particulate organic material, and the dredging of the channel has reduced the natural shallow areas and backwaters that would normally support a diverse benthic fauna.

Studies on the Savannah River flora and fauna have been conductz1periodically since 1951 and are detailE(1) iY4)atrick, et al. (5)

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, and Matthews.

Georgia Power Company is required by the Plant Vogtle Final EnVitg~ental Statement, issued by the United States Atomic Energy Commission, to sample drifting macroinvertebrates in the Savannah River in the vicinity of Vogtle Electric Generating Plant.

A study of drifting organisms began September, 1973, and continued through August, 1974.

This study was repeated beginning in September, 1980, and continued through August, 1981.

This report summarizes data 1

VEGP - OLSER on planktonic macroinvertebrate numbers in the Savannah River between river miles 150.6 and 151.2 from September, 1980, through August, 1981.

Additional data are being collected and will be summarized in a sub-sequent report.

METHODS Savannah River drift surveys were conducted monthly from September, 1980, through August, 1981 (table 1).

During each survey, drift samples were collected during the day and at night from two stations located on three transects.

The transects are located at: river mile 151.2, approximately 0.3 mile upstream from the proposed site of the intake structure; river mile 150.9, the proposed site of the intake structure; and river mile 150.6, approximately 0.3 mile downstream from the proposed site of the intake structure.

Station 1 of each transect is on the Georgia side of the river, and Station 3 is on the South Carolina side (figure 1).

A single 15-minute sample was obtained at each station on a transect.

Drifting organisms were collected with paired ~-meter diameter 760

~ mesh nylon plankton nets set 6 to 12 inches off the river bottom.

The volume of water filtered was estimated using a flow meter mounted in the mouth of one net.

Sample material caught in the nets was transferred to labeled containers and preserved in ten percent forma-lin.

Macroinvertebrates were identified to the lowest practical level and counted at the Georgia Power Company Environmental Affairs Laboratory in Decatur, Georgia.

The elapsed sampling time, river elevation, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen concentration were recorded for each sample.

Dis-charge of the Savannah River was obtained from U.S.G.S. gaging station number 02197320 near Jackson3 South Carolina (river mile 156.8).

Drift density (number/lOOO m ) was estimated by dividing the number of individuals in a sample by the volume of water filtered.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Flow of the Savannah River is regulated by Hartwell and Clark Hill Reservoirs.

Daily discharge of the Savannjh River as Jackson, South Carolina, ranged from a minimum30f 5190 f3 /s (147 m /s) on July 31, 1981, to a maximum of 17,300 ft /s (490 m /s) on February 13, 1981.

During the sampling period, the average water temperature.was 17.6

~C with a range from 6.0 Pc on January 14, 1980, to 25.0~C on Aug-ust 5, 1981.

Dissolved oxygen concentrations averaged 8.1 mg/l and ranged from 6.0 mg/l on July 1, 1980, to 12.4 mg/l on January 14, 1981.

Drift densities had a negative binominal distribution and were trans-formed for statistical analysis using Logl O (density).

The transformed 2

VEGP - OLSER densities have a normal distribution.

Analysis of variance of the log transformed densities for differences among months, transects, or between surveys during the day and night suggests that significant differences exist among the main effects.

Duncan's Multiple Range Test indicates that surveys conducted during the night show greater densities than, those conducted during the day and that the density estimated for the transect at 151.2 are significantly different from those estimated for the transects at 150.9 and 150.6.

In addition, the average monthly densities are grouped as follows: >February > March, April, May>

December, January, June, November - October, September, August, and July (table 2)'3 The average drift density for eac~ month ranged from 924/1000 m in August, 1981, to 17,297/1000 m in February, 1980 (table 3).

Approximately 86 percent of.t~e drifting organisms consisted of four major taxa: Annelida (41 percent), Diptera (26 per-cent), Mollusca (11 percent), and Trichoptera (a-percent).

The pro-portion of these taxa varied through the year.

Drift densities ranged from 1143 to 1489 individua1s/1000 m3 during September, October, and November, 1981.

Drifting invertebrates were predominantly Trichoptera (17 to 36 percent), Diptera (26 to 53 per-cent), and Ephemeroptera (2 to 22 percent).

Drift densities increased fro~ December, 1980 (2027/1000 m3) through February, 1981 (17,297/1000 m).

Samples taken in December were domi-nated by Diptera (42 percent) and Annelida (37 percent).

Large numbers of Annelida (28 percent), Crustacea (27 percent), Diptera (18 percent),

and Trichoptera (8 percent) were found in February.

The drift density dec1ined3in March (9189/1000 m3), April (7882/1000 m3),

and May, 1981 (5949/1000 m).

In this three-month period, 81 to 91 per~

cent of the drift consisted of Diptera and Annelida.

Drift densi§ies continued to decline in Junj (1590/1000 m3), July (983/1000 m ), and August, 1981 (924/1000 m).

Diptera (32 to 43 per-cent), Trichoptera (14 to 33 percent), and Annelida (7 to 27 percent) comprised the bulk of the drift in these three months, with Diptera and Annelida gradually decreasing in number.

A comparison of average drift densities for surveys completed at night versus surveys completed during the day shows that drift densities are greater at night (tables 4 and 5).

All 12 monthly surveys resulted in greater drift densities at night; with the greatest difference occur-ring in January and

~ebruary.

In January, the average daytime drift rate was 2290/1000 m and consisted primarily of Annelida (46 percent) and Diptera (2~ percent).

The average nighttime drift rate increased to 8057/1000 m and consisted of Annelida (35 percent) and Diptera (46 pe3cent).

The average daytime drift rate in February was 11,740/

1000 m, consisting of Crustacea (33 percent), Annelida (31 percent),

and Diptera (18 percentj' The average nighttime drift rate in Feb-ruary was 22,847/1000 m, consisting of Diptera (18 percent), Epheme-roptera (15 percent), Annelida (27 percent), Crustacea (24 percent),

and Trichoptera (9 percent).

3

VEGP - OLSER The changes noted in drift densities and composition are typical of those found in rivers.

Changes in drift(~en~tty and composition are known to occur with season and discharge' In addition, drift densities typically show a diurnal variatio~9 Ia m~it 12,es, peak drift densities are found just after sunset' Although continuous surveys were not conducted, it is evident that some orders were present in the drift at noticeably higher densities at night than in the day.

CONCLUSIONS A survey of drifting macroinvertebrates in the Savannah River at the VEGP construction site was conducted from September, 1980, through

August, 19~1.

The average d3ift density for this period ranged from 924/1000 m to 17,297/1000 m and 'was dominated by Diptera, Annelida, and Crustacea.

There were detectable differences in drift density among the transects and between day and night surveys.

There was a noticeable diel periodicity to both drift densities and composition, with average drift densities for night samples greater than the densities for day samples.

The following taxa showed noticeable increases in densities at night: Diptera, Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera, Annelida, and Crustacea.

4

VEGP - OLSER REFERENCES 1.

Environmental Protection Division, Water Quality Monitoring Data for Georgia Streams, Department of Natural Resources. Atlanta, Georgia, 1981.

2.

Cairns" J.; Patricks, R.; and Roback, S. S., "An Ecosystematic Study of the Fauna and Flora of the Savannah River," Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Vol. 118, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pp 109-407, 1967.

3.

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Summary of Studies on the Savannah River 1951-1970 for E. I. DuPont DeNemours and Company, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Philadel-phia, Pennsylvania, 1970.

4.

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Summary Reports of Savannah River Cursory Surveys for E. I. DuPont DeNemours and Company 1961-1972, 1974, and 1977, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvannia, 1978.

5.

Matthews, R. A., Biological Surveys on the Savannah River in the Vicinity of the Savannah River Plant (1951-1965), E. I. DuPont DeNemours and Company, Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina, 1982.

6.

United States Atomic Energy Commission, Environmental Statement Related to the Proposed Alvin W. Vogt1e Nuclear Plant, Units 1, 2, 3, and 4, Parts 6 and II, Washington, D.C., 1974.

7.

Horton, P. A., 1961. "The bionomics of brown trout in a Dartmoor stream". Journal of Animal Ecology (30) :311-338.

8.

Logan, S. W., 1963. "Winter observations on bottom organisms and trout in Badget Creek, Montana". Trans. Am. Fish, Soc. (92):140-145.

9.

Anderson, N. H., 1966. "Depressant effect of moonlight on activity of aquatic insects". Nature (209):319-320.

10.

Elliott, J. M., 1965. "Daily fluctuations of drift invertebrates in a Dartmoor stream". Nature (205):1127-1129.

11.

Waters, T. F., 1962a. "Diurnal periodicity in the drift of stream invertebrates". Ecology (43):316-320.

12.

Waters, T. F., 1965. "Interpretation of invertebrate drift in streams". Ecology (46):327-334.

5

VEGP - OLSER TABLE 1 SAMPLING DATES FOR MACROINVERTEBRATE DRIFT

. IN THE SAVANNAH RIVER IN THE VICINITY OF VOGTLE ELECTRIC GENERATING PLANT.

DISCHARGE MEASURED AT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA. USGS GAGING STATION (GAGING STATION 02197320)

Date Time of Sampling 3Discharg3 m Is ft Is 09-10-80 09-11-80 10-09-80 10-10-80 11-06-80 11-07-80 12-09-80 12-10-80 01-13-81 01-14-81 02-12-81 02-13-81 03-18-81 03-19-81 04-14-81 04-15-81 05-12-81 05-12-81 06-09-81 06-09-81 07-01-81 07-01-81 08-05-81 08-05-81 Night Day Night Day Night Day Night Day Night Day Night Day Night Day Night Day Night Day Night Day Night Day Night Day 6

212 194 176 183 198 197 182 201 216 213 442 396 197 204 171 168 156 156 209 209 147 147 153 153 7490 6840 6200 6450 7000 6960 6430 7100 7610 7530 15600 14000 6940 7210 6030 5920 5500 5500 7390 7390 5200 5200 5410 5410

VEGP - OLSER TABLE 2 ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE AND DUNCAN'S MULTIPLE RANGE TEST FOR DIFFERENCES IN LOG10(DENSITY) OF SAVANNAH RIVER DRIFT.

UNDERLINED VALUES IN DUNCAN'S MULTIPLE RANGE TEST DO NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FOR a = 0.05 Analysis of Variance Source df

~

ms f

P > f Month 11 52.05 4.73 37.91 0.0001 Transect 2

0.61 0.31 0.61 0.0897 Day-Night 1

1. 70

1. 70 13.6 0~0003 Month*Transect 22 1.96 0.09 1.96 0.8224 Day-Night* Month 11

1. 70 0.16 1.24 0.2616 Day-Night* Transect

• Month 2

0.44 0.22 2.41 0.624 Error 213 26.59 0.124 Total 284 86.5 Duncan's Multiple Range Test Months:

Transects:

151.2 Day-Night:

Mar.

150.9 Jan.

June Nov.

150.6 7

Oct *

~

Aug.

July

i VEGP - OLSER TABLE 3 AVERAGE DAILY MACROINVERTEBRATE DRIFT DENSITIES IN THE SAVANNAH RIVER FROM SEPTEMBER. 1980. THROUGH AUGUST.,1981.

DRIFT DENSITIES ARE THE ESTIMATED NUMBER PER 1000 CUBIC METERS

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294 414 254 30 19 a

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36 27 12 46 1143 10 574 288 128 31 14 a

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100 27 16 56 1234 11 786 254 37 20 13 5

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238 32 22 76 1489 12 851 195 58 13 32 18 6

a 477 21 224 132 2027 1

2173 122 63 12 36 55 72 a

1937 68 120 518 5176 2

3142 1443 1766 107 116 82 35 14 4892 81 4616 1003 17297 3

2205 367 95 22 20 56 18 6

5300 36 504 560 9189 4

1202 187 74 24 9 117 4

11 5955 21 50 228 7882 5

1560 318 76 36 12 125 11 6

3287 75 180 263 5949 6

618 228 116 66 8

'18 10 4

426 25 24 47 1590 7

424 182 110 26 16 a

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110 33 30 40 983 8

298 301 104 30 25 a

17 15 66 16 14 38 924 a_ No species collected.

8

VEGP - OLSER TABLE 4 AVERAGE MACROINVERTEBRATE DRIFT DENSITIES FOR NIGHT S~~LES IN THE SAVANNAH RIVER FROM SEPTEMBER, 1980, TIlROUGH AUGUST, 1981, DRIFT DENSITIES ARE THE ESTIMAIED NUMBER PER 1000 CUBIC METERS

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438 670 442 35 23

• a 12 la 46 37 15 54 1772 10 565 331 161 33 13 a

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77 18 11 47 1256 11 894 339 78 18 15 10 12 a

316 36 27 69 1814 12 756 241 69 13 12 18 11 a

493 21

~67 98 2099 1

3706 188 96 11 59 81 143 a

2814 95 142 722 8057 2

4172 1945 3442 139 173 101 34 a

6181 93 5372 1195 22847 3

2230 499 125 24 27 74 21 13 5054 43 574 588 9272 4

1434 292 91 30 9 182 8

11 6448 23 49 189 8766 5

1903 466 97 49 11 194 10

,a 3778 130 227 396 7261 6

634 299 151 108 7

15 14 7

493 21 33 62 1844 7

579 229 133 26 12 a

9 (a) 98 54 31 27 1198 8

350 398 154 39 32

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17 19 74 23 17 50 1173 a-~o species collected 9

VEGP -'OLSER TABLE 5 AVERAGE MACROINVERTEBRATE DRIFT DENSITIES FOR DAY SM1PLES IN THE SAVANNAH RIVER FROH SEPTEMBER, 1980, THROUGH AUGUsT, 1981.

DRIFT DENSITIES ARE THE ESTIMATED

~1IiMBER PER 1000 CUBIC METERS

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125 36 20 66 1214 11 677 168 56 21 11 a

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161 r27 17 82 1220 12 946 148 47 13 51 17 a

a 461 21 81 165 1950 1

640 55 30 12 14 28 a

a 1060 40 97 314 2290 2

2111 941 89 75 58 62 35 27 2602 69 3860 811 11740 3

2180 174 65 19 14 37 16 a

5546 29 435 531 9046 4

969 82 57 19 9

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10 5462 19 51 266 6756 5

1216 169 55 22 13 56 11 11 2796 20 134 130 4633 6

601 156 81 25 10 20 6

a 358 29 16 32 1334 7

268 135 86 25 19 a

a 14 122 11 30 53 763 8

246 204 53 21 18 a

17 11 58 10 11 25 674 a -No species collected 10

TRANSMISSION LUlLS r----~----'til

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VOGTLE I

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STA. 150.6-1 STA. 150.6-3 1--- SAVANNAH RIVER 433*9 Georgia Power.\\

VOGTLE I

ELECTRIC GENERATING PA.ANT UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2 11 LOCATION OF VEGP DRIFT SURVEY STATIONS FIGURE 1