ML19257B805

Nonroutine Environ Operating Rept 50-219/80-1:on 800105, Fishkill Occurred in Oyster Creek.Caused by Ambient Water Temp Below Safe Temp for Affected Species.No Further Mortality Expected

ML19257B805
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	01/15/1980
From:	JERSEY CENTRAL POWER & LIGHT CO.
To:
Shared Package
ML19257B804	List: ML19257B803 ML19257B805
References
NUDOCS 8001180379
Download: ML19257B805 (3)

Text

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Mornstown New Jersey 07960 (201)455-8200 OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION Forked River, New Jersey 08731 Nonroutine Envi ronmental Operating Report No. 50-219/80-1 Report Date January 15, 1980 Occurrence Date January 5, 1980 Identification of Occurrence Fishkill in Oyster Creek consisting of an estimated 5000 Atlantic Menhaden (Brevoortia Tyrannus), 700 Bluefish (Pomatomus Saltatrix), 60 Weakfish (Cynoscion Regalis), 20 Spot (Leiostomus Xanthurus) and 10 Scup (Stenotomus Chrysops) and 1 Northern Kingfish (Menticirrhus Saxatilis).

This event is considered to be a nonroutine environmental operating report as defined in the Technical Specifications, Appendix "B", paragraph 5.6.2.

Conditions Prior to Occurrence The plant was shutting down for refueling and maintenance.

The plant was operating at reduced power at 2200 hours0.0255 days <br />0.611 hours <br />0.00364 weeks <br />8.371e-4 months <br /> on January 4,1980 when the shutdown began - operating parameters were the following:

Power: Reactor,1620 MWt Electrical, 553 MWe Dilution Pump Flow: 5.20 x 105 gpm - 2 pumps Circulating Pump Flow: 4.60 x 105 gpm - 4 pumps Water temperatures were measured at 2200 hours0.0255 days <br />0.611 hours <br />0.00364 weeks <br />8.371e-4 months <br /> on January 4,1980 as follows:

Location Temperature *F ( *C)

Intake 35.2 (1.8)

Discharge 54.2 (12.3)

US Route 9 Bridge 44.3 (6.8)

Weather on January 4 and 5,1980 was high northeasterly winds (20-40 mph) low air temperatures (15 to 20"F) and heavy snow (approx. 9" accumulation).

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Nonroutine Environmental Operating Report No. 50-219/80-1 Page 2 January 15, 1980 Description of Occurrence Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station began a controlled reactor shutdown at 2200 hours0.0255 days <br />0.611 hours <br />0.00364 weeks <br />8.371e-4 months <br /> on January 4, 1980, consistent with OCETS condition 2.1.5 At approximately 2300 hours0.0266 days <br />0.639 hours <br />0.0038 weeks <br />8.7515e-4 months <br /> the plant went below 70% power and the two operating dilution pumps were taken out of service. At 0033 hours3.819444e-4 days <br />0.00917 hours <br />5.456349e-5 weeks <br />1.25565e-5 months <br /> on January 5, 1980 one circulating water pump was taken out of service leaving three in operation.

At approximately 0225 hours0.0026 days <br />0.0625 hours <br />3.720238e-4 weeks <br />8.56125e-5 months <br /> on January 5, 1980 OCNGS went off line. Water temperatures at 0300 hours0.00347 days <br />0.0833 hours <br />4.960317e-4 weeks <br />1.1415e-4 months <br /> on January 5, 1980 were as follows:

Location Temperature F ( *C)

Intake 34.9 (1.6)

Di scha rge 41.6 (5.3)

US Route 9 Bridge 45.9 (7.7)

At approximately 0236 hours0.00273 days <br />0.0656 hours <br />3.902116e-4 weeks <br />8.9798e-5 months <br /> on January 5, 1980 stressed Bluefish and Weakfish came to the surface in the area between the circulating and dilution pump discharges. Between 0236 and 0420 hours0.00486 days <br />0.117 hours <br />6.944444e-4 weeks <br />1.5981e-4 months <br />, approximately 556 dead Bluefish and 45 dead Weakfish were collected from Oyster Creek between OCNGS and the U.S.

Route 9 Bridge.

After 0420 hours0.00486 days <br />0.117 hours <br />6.944444e-4 weeks <br />1.5981e-4 months <br /> Atlantic Menhaden began showing stress (slow swimming). By 0700 hours0.0081 days <br />0.194 hours <br />0.00116 weeks <br />2.6635e-4 months <br /> Atlantic Menhaden were dying in Oyster Creek and accumulating along the banks. Between 0700 hours0.0081 days <br />0.194 hours <br />0.00116 weeks <br />2.6635e-4 months <br /> and 1200 hours0.0139 days <br />0.333 hours <br />0.00198 weeks <br />4.566e-4 months <br /> about 3500 Atlantic Menhaden were collected in the vicinity of the U.S. Route 9 bridge. A few Bluefish, Weakfish, Spot and Scup were also collected during this time period.

Beach surveys conducted between 1230 and 1500 hours0.0174 days <br />0.417 hours <br />0.00248 weeks <br />5.7075e-4 months <br /> on January 5, 1980 revealed the majority of the dead fish were in the vicinity of U.S. Route 9 and little additional mortality was observed.

Trawls and gill net sets were made on January 7, 1980 in Oyster Creek at the mouth and at U.S. Route 9 and residential lagoon on the south side of Oyster Creek. These surveys indicated that about 200 Atlantic Menhaden were present .

in the lagoons, 400 were along the Oyster Creek bottom, and a few were in Barnegat Bay, south of Oyster Creek.

The following is a tally up to January 7, 1980 of the estimated dead fish with average fork length and weight where available:

Average Fork Average Species Number Length (mm) Weight (Kg)

Menhaden 5000 240 .29 Bluefish 700 295 39 Weakfish 60 501 1.40 Spot 20 120 -

Scup 10 240 -

i770 343

Nonroutine Environmental Operating Report No. 50-2: 9/80-1 Page 3 January 15, 1980 A shore survey by two 'JSNRC scientists on January 8,1980 indicated: 358 Atlantic Menhaden, 50 Spot, 1 Bluefish, 1 Butterfish and 15 Scep were on the bottom in the four residential lagoons; 47 Atlantic Menhaden were in the vicinity of U.S. Route 9; 1 Atlantic Menhaden, 1 Weakfish and 1 Spot were along the north bank east of the three former marinas. 5 Atlantic Menhaden, 1 Bluefish and 1 Scup were on Barnegat Bay's shore between Bay Parkway and the eastern mosquito ditch in Oyster Creek.

Three trawls conducted on January 8, 1980 in the easternmost residential lagoon and two trawls in Oyster Creek adjacent to the four lagoons picked up 20 Atlantic Menhaden which were dead as well as the following living species: Atlantic Menhaden (young of the year), Spot, Mullet, Eel, Sealhorse, Winter Flounder, Pipefish, Smallmouth Flounder, and Butterfish.

Apparent Cause of Occurrence Ambient water temperature was below the lower lethal temperature for the affected species.

Analysis of Occurrence A review of the literature on the af fected species reveals that Atlantic Menhaden will die when water temperatures are lower than 2 to 5*C (35.6 to 41*F), Bluefish when temperatures are lower than 3.3 to 8.5*C (37.9 to 47.3*F), and Weakfish when temperatures are lower than 6 to 15*C (42.8 to 59 F).

Lower lethal temperatures are not readily available for the other affected species.

Intake temperatures were approximately 35*F (1.7 C) during the shutdown leading to the death of the fish.

Corrective Action Since no further mortality is expected on the affected species and no other species should be stressed or die, no corrective action will be taken.

Failure Data N/A 1770 344