ML17228B458

Unusual or Important Environ Event Re Fish Kill in Plant Intake Canal on 960311.Caused by Extreme Seawater Turbidity Associated W/Storm Conditions,Clogging Gill Surfaces & Suffocating Fish.Well Chlorination Discontinued

ML17228B458
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	04/05/1996
From:	Bohlke W FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
L-96-89, NUDOCS 9604120261
Download: ML17228B458 (4)

Text

CATEGORY 1

'6 J~ REGULAT(. . INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION ..SYSTEM (RIDS)

ACCEk('~', ('9<.-:9604120261 DOC.DATE: 96/04/05 NOTARIZED: NO DOCKET('II FACVI,:50-335 St. Lucie Plant, Unit 1, Florida Power a Light Co. 05000385 50 389 St. Lucie P'ant, Unit 2, Florida Power 6 Light Co. 05000389 AUTH. NAME AUTHOR AFFILIATION BOHLKE,W;H..-, Florida Power a Light Co.

RECIP.NAME RECIPIENT AFFILIATION Document Control Branch (Document Control Desk)

SUBJECT:

Unusual or Important Environ Event re fish kill ip plant

ntake canal on 960311.Caused by extreme seawater'turbidity associated w/storm conditions, clogging gill surfaces a suffocating fish. Well chlorination discontinued.

DISTRIBUTION CODE: IE23D COPIES RECEIVED:LTR ENCL SIZE:

TITLE: Environmental Event Report (per Tech Specs)

NOTES:

RECIPIENT COPIES RECIPIENT COPIES ID CODE/NAME LTTR ENCL ID CODE/NAME LTTR ENCL PD2-1 PD 1 1 NORRISiJ 1 1 R INTERNAL: ACRS 5 5 ~TC1'Elg~R 0. 1 1 OGC/HDS3 1 1 RGN2 1 1 EXTERNAL: NOAC 1 1 NRC PDR 1 1 D

~

0 NOTE TO ALL "RZDS" RECZPZENTS:

PLEASE HELP US TO REDUCE WASTEl CONTACT THE DOCUMENT CONTROL DESK, ROOM OWFN 5D-5(EXT. 415"2083) TO ELZMZNATE YOUR NAME FROM DZSTRZBUTZON LZSTS FOR DOCUMENTS YOU DON'T NEEDl TOTAL NUMBER 0.'OPIES REQUIRED: LTTR 12 ENCL 12

Florida Power 5 Liaht Company, P.O. Box 128, Fort Pierce, FL34954-0128 April 5, 1996 L-96-89 10 CFR 50.36b EPP 4.1 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 RE: St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 Environmental Protection Plan Report Event Date: March 11, 1996 The attached Report is being submitted pursuant to the requirements of Section 4.1 of the St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Environmental Protection Plans to provide a description of a reportable fish kill at the St. Lucie Plant.

Should you have any questions on this information, please contact us ~

Very truly yours, W. H. Bo lke Vice President St. Lucie Plant WHB/GRM cc: Stewart D. Ebneter, Regional Administrator, Region Senior Resident Inspector, USNRC, St. Plant II, USNRC vsoesaoasc vsoe056>

PDR ADQCK 05000335' PDRI an FPL Group company

L-96-89 St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 Docket Nos. 50-335 and 50-389 Environmental Protection Plan Report FISH KILL IN ST LUCIE PLANT INTAKE CANAL Following high winds and heavy seas associated with a storm that passed through the area on March 11, 1996, there was an occurrence of dead fish in the St. Lucie Plant intake canal. By March 13, 1996, approximately 100 dead fish were noted east of the turtle barrier net. Most were Jacks, Porcupine Fish, and Lookdowns; with smaller numbers of Stingrays, Permit, and Tripletails.

Concurrently, about 15 to 20 Barracuda and 40 to 50 Sheepshead were observed dead in the plant s intake wells. A 72 hour8.333333e-4 days <br />0.02 hours <br />1.190476e-4 weeks <br />2.7396e-5 months <br /> notification to the NRC as per the EPP of the plant's Technical Specifications was completed March 15, 1996.

Biologists monitoring the intake canal turtle nets believe that this event was not causally related to plant operation, but due to extreme seawater turbidity associated with the storm. These conditions most likely clogged the gill surfaces of the fish and subsequently resulted in suffocation. In unrestricted waters, fish typically leave areas of increased turbidity before it reaches lethal levels, but fish in the intake canal are unable to do so.

No significant amount of dead fish were observed following the initial event, indicating that the casual conditions were short-term in nature.

Many smaller fish (e.g., Grunts, Spot, and small Jacks) were also observed alive in the intake wells following the event. As a precaution, chlorination of the wells was discontinued temporarily to avoid challenges to the fish that might still be stressed.

No agencies other than the NRC were notified of the event because it appeared to be caused by natural circumstances and affected a relatively small number of fish. No endangered or commercially important species were impacted.

0 0 fg PJ, V r 1