ML18230B040

Transmitting Aquatic & Fisheries Studies, Baseline Preoperational Biological Survey Conducted to Determine Existing Aquatic Terrestrial Populations with Figures of Sampling Points & Areas

ML18230B040
Person / Time
Site:	Harris
Issue date:	09/16/1975
From:	Jackie Jones Carolina Power & Light Co
To:	Rusche B Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML18230B040 (14)

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0 NRC DISTRIBUTION FOR PART 50 DOCKET MATERIAL (TEMPORARY FORM)

CONTROL NO:

FII,E F ROM Carolina Power 6 Light Co Raleigh, N'.,C, J.A. Jones DATE OF DOC 9-16-75 DATE REC'D 9-19o-75 LTR TWX RPT OTHER TO:

Benard C, Rusche ORIG

. 1 Signed, CC OTHER SENTNRC PDR SENT LOCALPDR CLASS UNCLASS P R(5P INFO INPUT NO CYS REC'D DOCKET NO:

50-40 /401/402/403 DESCRIPTION:

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PLANT NAME:

Sheraton Harris ENCLOSURES:

Furnishing Aquatic 6 Fisheries udies.

.Base-line preoperational biol'ogical.surveys.

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ttsNRC SEPIA'1975 Mr. Benard C. Rusche, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.

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Dear Mr. Rusche:

Carolina Power

& Light Company has conducted baseline pre-operational biological surveys at the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant site since April, 1972.

Xt is the intent of these surveys to determine the existing aquatic and terrestrial'populations of the site prior to construction and operation of the plant, thereby establishing a baseline for comparison with biological survey data that will be taken after the'lant, begins operation.

The pze-operational surveys, were initiated on a time schedule consistent with initial operation for the four units in

1977, 1978,

1979, and 1980.

Presently the four units are scheduled for commercial operation in 1984,

1986, 1988, and 1990.

However, pre-'onstruction and pre-operational. baseline studies are still being conducted with the original intensity and schedule.

The present studies, would provide 12 years of pze-operational baseline

data, which is e'xcessive for purposes of establishing such baseline information.

Accordingly, we are modifying the pre-operational monitoring program for an interim period until the constructionpermit is received and construction begins.

The interim study, as presented herein, will provide continuity

.between the earlier baseline studies and the'onstruction monitoring

program, Should significant changes in the biota be realize'd during the interim, the'rogram could. be, rapidly expanded to its original scope.

Should you have any questions concerning this modification to the program, please contact the" Companyts staff, Yours ver

truly, J,

A, Jones Executive Vice President Engineering, Construction

& Operation JAJ/mf 336 Fayettevitle Street

~ P. O. Box 1551

~ Raleigh, ht. C. 27602

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PROPOSED SHNPP AQUATIC FISHERIES AND TERRESTRIAL BIOLOGY PRE-IMPOUNDMENT SAMPLING PROGRAM Baseline biological surveys were initiated at the SHNPP in April, 1972, in anticipation of receiving a Construction Permit in early 1973 and operation of Units 1, 2, 3, and 4 in 1977,

1978, 1979, and 1980, respectively.

Presently, Unit 1 is not scheduled for commercial operation until 1984; although, pre-construction and pre-operational baseline studies based on the original schedule are still being conducted.

This schedule will provide pre-operational baseline data for 12 years which appears to be quite excessive.

The first three years of study were conducted by Aquatic Control, Inc.

In April, 1975, the Environmental Assessment Unit assumed all elements of the study in-house.

In view of the recent re-scheduling of the SHNPP, it is felt that the program should be reduced in scope and intensity until the Construction Permit is received and construction begins.

An interim study, as presented

herein, would provide continuity between the earlier baseline studies and the construction monitoring program.

Also, should significant changes in the biota be realized during the interim, the program could be very rapidly expanded to its original scope.

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A UATIC AND FISHERIES STUDIES Four river transects have been established on.the Cape Fear River and are identified as A, B, C, and D.

Along each transect three sampling stations are identified at points which are approximately 10, 50, and 90 percent of the river's width.

Additionally, three river stations:

R-l, R-2, and R-3, and eight stream stations:

BK-2, BK-3, CC-l, LW-8, S-2, S-3, S-5, and S-6 are used (Figure 1).

WATER UALITY

- WATER CHEMISTRY Twice yearly'May and November) water chemistry samples are collected from mid-river at river transects A, B, C, and D; from the east bank of river stations R-l, R-2, and R-3; and at stream stations BK-2, BK-3, CC-1, LW-8, S-2, S-3, S-5, and S-6.

The following chemical parameters are analyzed:

Total alkalinity Hardness Chloride Sulfate Dissolved silica COD Phenols Total solids Total volatile solids Total suspended solids Total dissolved solids Nitrate Ammonia Total nitrogen Total phosphate Total orthophosphate Total dissolved phosphate Total dissolved orthophosphate Total polyphosphates Turbidity Total chromium Hexavalent chromium Total mercury Total copper Dissolved copper Total iron Total lead Total zinc Dissolved zinc Total sodium Total nickel Dissolved nickel Total manganese Total magnesium Total calcium Total aluminum Dissolved aluminum WATER TEPERATURE DISSOLVED OXYGEN H

CONDUCTIVITY "SECCHI DEPTH, AND FLOW - At river transects A, B, C, and D; at the east banks of river stations R-l, R-2, and R-3; at stream stations BK-2, BK-3, CC-1, LW-8, S-2, S-3, S-5, and S-6 and at three confluences with Parker's

Creek, Daniel's Creek and Buckhorn Creek, water temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, conductivity, secchi depth, and flow are recorded twice yearly (May and November) at 1/2 meter intervals from surface to bottom.

PLANKTON PERIPHYTON - In May and November periphyton samplers are placed at river transects A, B, C, and D in stations which are 10, 50, and 90 percent of the river's width.

Additionally, samples are taken at

'four stream stations:

BK-2, BK-3, CC-1 and LW-8.

(Since streams are subject to extreme water level fluctuation [i.e. drought], the method of stream sampling must change accordingly.)

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Subsamples from each sampler are placed in Sedgwick-Rafter Counting Chambers, and non-diatoms are counted and identified.

Diatoms are observed to determine the proportion of living to dead diatom frustules.

Whenever 90% ox more are found to be living in the subsample, 2 or 3 slides from the periphyton samplers are cleaned, diatoms from the sample are permanently mounted in Hyrax mounting

medium, and short counts consisting of the enumeration of 250-300 diatoms axe made.

Data analyses include (1) species lists with relative abun-dances; (2) statistical analysis for diversity and variance; and (3) identification of pollution indicator species.

P1HTOPLANKTON AND ZOOPLANKTON-Whole water and net samples for phytoplankton and zooplankton are taken at Transect D in areas which are 10, 50, and 90 percent of the river's width.

Samples are fixed in the field and returned to the laboratory for analyses to determine (1) species lists and (2) numbers.

All plankton axe identified to the lowest taxon practicable, and aliquots of samples are retained for reference.

BENTHOS Twice yearly, in May and November, benthic macroinvertebrates are sampled at river transects A, B, C,

and D and at stream stations BK-2, BK-3, CC-l, and LW-8. Artificial substrates are placed at three stations (10%,

50%,

and 90% of river's width) along each river transect.

Two substrate samples are used at each station.

Material collected from each artificial sampler is preserved in plastic containers with 10% formalin.

Organisms are separated from substrate and detritus, enumerated, and identified to lowest taxon practicable.

Determination of absolute abundance is made by converting numbers of organisms per sample to number per square meter.

Monthly biomass determinations of selected'enthic species are made as follows:

samples desiccated at 60'C for 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> to constant weight; samples ashed at 600'C for one hour and weighed; and ash free dry weight determined and presented as grams per square meter.

Data analyses include (1) species lists; (2) biomass; (3) relative abundance of dominant species; (4) species diversity; (5) statistical analyses of variances within and among stations.

Representative organisms of sampled macroinvertebrates are retained for reference.

FISHERIES Twice yearly, in May and November, fish are sampled in the areas of river transects A, B-C, and D (Transects B and C are combined into a single sampling area because of their close proximity.), and in the areas of stream stations BK-2, BK-3, CC-l, and LW-8.

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Each river transect is sampled by utilizing a boat-mounted electrofisher for a one-hour period and by setting two hoopnets and two wire traps for approximately 48-hour periods (2 nights).

A 100-meter section of each stream station is sampled using a

backpack electrofisher.

Seines are used to block off the sampling areas.

Additionally, stream stations are sampled with cresol (c'resylic acid) on an annual basis.

At each st'ation, a 100-meter section of stream is blocked,off at both the upstream and downstream boundaries.

Pith, the backpack electrofisher, a small sample of fish is taken from the blocked-off area, fin clipped and returned.

Cresol is then added, and the area is covered with the electrofisher to remove as many remaining fish as possible.

The percentage of marked fish recovered will allow estimation of the percentage of the total population recovered.

Fish collected at stream stations axe preserved in formalin for processing in the laboratory.

Larger specimens of fish collected at river transects are processed in the field, tagged, and released, except for representative samples of the indicator species, (snail bullhead, largemouth bass, and bluegill), which are maintained for age-growth and fecundity studies:

Scales (pectoral spines from bullheads) are taken from all specimens for later age-growth analysis.

All fish collected will be identified to species, measured and weighed.

Data collected from stream stations will allow estimations of renumbers and biomass in the streams.

Data from river sampling will allow comparisons of catch/effort among transects,, although no estimates of population or. biomass can be made.

TERRESTRIAL STUDIES Two wildlife survey routes and foui vegetation and small mammal txansects (SA-l, SA-2, SA-3, and SA-4) have been established and

'are identified in Figure 2.

Once quarterly a two-day wildlife survey is conducted using the wildlife survey routes and the vegetation and small mammal transects indicated in Figure 2.

Mammals observed are identified and species lists compiled.

Additionally, during December a two-day squirrel leaf nest count will be conducted.

AVIFAUNA Once quarterly four avifauna surveys are conducted.

Routes used alternate between the wildlife survey routes indicated in Figure 2.

Documentation of observations of avifauna is made, and species lists are compiled.

Additionally, during the period April to August, quail and dove call counts are conducted along the survey routes.

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VEGETATION Tvice yearly observations of vegetation are made along four transects, SA-l, SA-2, SA-3, and SA-4, identi'fied in Figure 2 and throughout the project area.

Specimens are collected; identified, and deposited in a herbarium reference collection.

Miscellaneous observations are made and successional changes 'monitored.

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