NEW YORK STATE 

ELECTRIC AND GAS CORPORATION 

SOMERSET COAL-FIRED POWER STATION 

FACILITY ID NO.: NY 0104213 

CASE NO • : 8 0002 

AQUATIC ECOLOGY MONITORING PROGRAM 

NOVEMBER, 19 81 

CONTENTS 

Section Page 

SUMMA.RY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 

I. 

II. 

III. 

IV. 

v. 

INTRODUCTION 

A. Purpose 

B. Summary of Applicable Permit Conditions 

C. Schedule ••••••• 

D. Scope and Organization 

TECHNICAL APPROACH • • 

A. Program Objectives • 

. . . 

. . . . 2 

2 

4 

8 

10 

13 

13 

B. Basic Program Design: Waterbody and Pumphouse Studies • 14 

c. Investigative Methods: Sample Collection and Analysis, 

Statistical Techniques and Quality Assurance • • • • • • 16 

TARGET SPECIES RATIONALES . . . . . . 19 

A. General Rationale . . . . . 19 

B. Species - Specific Rationales . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

WATERBODY MONITORING PROGRAMS . . . . . . . . 28 

A. Overview • . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 

B. Program Descriptions 32 

PUMPHOUSE MONITORING PR(X;RAMS . . . . 90 

A. Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 

B. Program Descriptions Under 402 Permit Sec. B-6 . . . . . 92 

c. Program Descriptions Under 402 Permit Sec. C-5 . . . . . 95 

D. Program Descriptions Under 402 Permit Sec. C-6 . . . . . 96 

E. Inter-relationships of Pumphouse and Waterbody Studies . 119 

VI. REPORriNG AND OTHER PERMIT PROVISIONS . . . . . . . . . . . 120 

VII. QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL PROGRAM 122 

APPENDIX - RESUMES OF MONITORING PR(X;RAM CONTRIBUTORS . . . 126 

i 
LIST OF FIGURES 

Page 

I.c.1. AQUATIC MONITORING OVERVIEW • . . . . . . . . . 9 

IV .A.1 SAMPLING ZONES AND TRANSECTS . . . . . . . 31 

IV.B.1 WATER QUALITY THROUGH TIME: ALKALINITY • 35 

IV. B.2 RELATIVE FISH ABUNDANCE FROM ECHO SOUNDINGS ., ' 

BY TRANSECT BY DEPTH 44 

IV. B.3 LENGTH FREQUENCY: WALLEYE . . . . . . . . . . 53 

IV.B.4 GROWTH BACK-CALCULATION PLOT . . . . 75 

IV. B.5 GROWTH CURVE BY YEAR CLASS 76 

IV.B.6 LENGTH-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP: WALLEYE 78 

IV. B. 7 ICHTHYOPLANKTON DENSITY BY DATE • . . . . . . . 86 

V.A.1 IMPI~EMENT AND ENTRAINMENT SCHEDULE (YEAR 1) . 91 

v.c.1 WEEKLY IMPINGEMENT SAMPLING DESIGN . . . 101 

v.c.z WEEKLY ENTRAINMENT SAMPLING DESIGN 108 

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ii - i 
I.D.l 

III.! 

IV .A.l 

LIST OF TABLES 

CORRELATION MATRIX FOR PROGRAM OBJECTIVES 

AND APPLICABLE 402 PERMIT SECTIONS • 

TARGET SPECIES • • • • • • • • • • 

AQUATIC MONITORING PROGRAM SCHEDULE . . . . IV.B.l PHYSICAL WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS BY TRANSECT 

BY DEPTH • 

IV .B .2 DRY WEIGHT BY DEPTH BY DATE: CLADOPHORA 

IV. B.3 TOTAL CATCH PER EFFORT BY MONTH BY STATION: 

ALEWIFE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV. B.4 TOTAL CATCH PER EFFORT BY STATION BY DEPTH: 

IV. B.5 

IV.B.6 

ALEWIFE • • • • • • • 

LENGTH FREQUENCY BY DATE: ALEWIFE • 

SAMPLE RANKS BY STATION FOR TRAWL DATA: ALEWIFE 

IV.B.7 CONTINGENCY TABLE FOR SEX COMPOSITION BY ZONE 

IV .B .8 POINT AND INTERVAL E5riMATES OF SEX COMPOSITION 

12 

21 

29 

34 

38 

50 

51 

52 

54 

66 

67 

IV.B.9 LENGTH-AGE FREQUENCY FROM GILLNETS: YELLOW PERCH 73 

IV.B.lO AGE-LENGTH KEY: WALLEYE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 74 

V.A.l CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES RELATIVE TO 

IMPINGEMENT QUOTAS FOR SSl • • • • • • • • • • • 93 

V. B.l 

v.c.l 

v.c.2 

v.c.3 

v.c.4 

DAILY IMPINGEMENT BY 2 HOUR INTERVALS: FISH DENSITY • 

WEEKLY IMPINGEMENT BY DAY: FISH DENSITY • • • 

LENGTH COMPOSITION OF IMPINGEMENT COLLECTIONS . . . . WEEKLY ENTRAINMENT BY DAY BY REPLICATE: DENSITY 

P05r-IMPINGEMENT SURVIVAL . . . . . . . . . . . . 

iii 

98 

102 

105 

110 

115 

SUMMARY 

The aquatic ecology monitoring program outlined in this plan of study has 

been prepared by New York State Electric and Gas Corporation (NYSEG) in 

response to requirements set forth in the revised 402 Permit for the 

Somerset Coal-Fired Power Station by the New York State Board on Electric 

Generating Siting and Environment (the Board). The purpose of this 

document is to present to the Board a plan for the conduct of a study to 

meet the monitoring requirements set forth to determine possible impacts 

of the proposed plant on the aquatic environment of Lake Ontario at the 

Somerset site. 

This plan of study presents the details of the studies prescribed by the 

Permit as interpreted and designed by NYSEG and its consultants. The 

studies include five years of impingement and entrainment monitoring at 

the pumphouse facilities after commercial operation begins, and two years 

of preoperational and two years of operational monitoring in Lake Ontario 

including fish trawling and gill netting surveys, temperature surveys, 

Cladophora (algae) surveys, ichthyoplankton and macrozooplankton surveys, 

and acoustic surveys of fish distribution relative to the thermal plume. 

In audition to the surveys, population characteristics studies including 

age and growth, condition, sex and fecundity are planned. 

The basic experimental design of the water body surveys is an optimal 

impact study design where data are collected at control and impact 

locations both prior to and during operation of the power plant. This 

document presents the details of this experimental design, the materials 

and methods proposed by NYSEG for each element of the monitoring program, 

and the technical rationale by which each program element was conceived. 

In addition, schedules, data reduction and analysis formats, and a 

quality assurance program are presented and described. 

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NEW YORK SfATE ELECTRIC AND GAS CORPORATION 

SOMERSET COAL-FIRED PO\-ER STATION 

AQUATIC ECOLOGY MONITORING PROGRAM 

I. INTRODUCTION 

The New York State Electric and Gas Corporation (NYSEG) was issued a 

draft 402 discharge permit by the New York State Board on Electric 

Generating Siting and the Environment (the Board) for its proposed 850 MW 

Somerset Coal Fired Power Station Unit on December 16, 1977. A revised 

Permit (Case No. 80002) issued for a 625 MW plant (Facility ID NO: NY 

0104213) on June 29, 1981, incorporated minor modifications as a result 

of the plant's reduced generating capacity and agreements reached by 

NYSEG and New York State Departments of Environmental Conservation (DEC) 

and Public Service (DPS) in response to issues raised by the agencies. 

The agreements, resolved to mitigate potential impacts of Somerset 

Station (SSl) operation on Lake Ontario aquatic life, are summarized in 

Appendix B of the revised Permit (the Permit). Appendix C of the same 

document identified surface and groundwater monitoring programs required 

to demonstrate compliance with effluent limitations and lack of 

significant ecological impact on the aquatic environment of Lake Ontario. 

A. Purpose 

The purpose of this document is to present to the Board, in compliance 

with Sections B-6, C-4, C-5, C-6, and C-8 of the Permit, a plan for the 

conduct of a study to evaluate potential impacts of plant operation on 

the aquatic ecosystem. The Permit stipulates that NYSEG must submit 

plans for pre-operational waterbody studies and in-plant entrainment and 

impingement studies three years prior to commercial operation of SSl. 

Since the intent of pumphouse studies is to relate losses of organisms 

due to water withdrawal to aquatic communities extant in Lake Ontario, 

NYSEG has chosen to include plans for both types of studies (waterbody 

and pumphouse) in the present submittal. 

2 
The Permit also requires that NYSEG submit to DEC special study results 

three years subsequent to initiation of SSl commercial operation. 

Section C-7 requires a study to evaluate the physical and biological 

effects (both in the waterbody and in-plant) resulting from two pump 

operation planned for periods when ambient intake water temperature is 

0 0 10 C (50 F) or less. The design for the 2 vs 3 pump operation study 

program will be submitted to the Board in a separate document prior to 

initiation of the pre-operational monitoring program. Section C-10 

stipulates submittal of a fish contingency plan based on operating 

experience and designed to implement rapid mitigation during periods of 

high fish impingement. The report is to address both notification 

procedures and mitigative actions to be taken and will be submitted to 

the agencies as a separate document. 

This document addresses each of the major monitoring design 

specifications and criteria identified in the Permit, excluding those 

found in Sections C-7 and C-10. In doing so, it: 

o provides the Board with a vehicle for review, comment, 

modification and approval of the monitoring efforts associated 

with the SSl 402 Permit requirements, 

o provides the Board with the underlying technical basis for the 

design of aquatic monitoring program aimed at meeting the 

requirements of the Permit, 

o provides NYSEG with a structured yet flexible monitoring program 

which incorporates options to change the scope of the program in 

the future if required, and 

o demonstrates that the proposed program is appropriately 

integrated with other private, State and Federal monitoring 

programs. 

3 
B. Summary of Applicable Permit Conditions 

Appendix C of the Permit calls for studies of aquatic communities in Lake 

Ontario insofar as they may be subject to impact from SSl. It also 

requires study of certain organisms which may be entrained into the SS 1 

circulating cooling water system. In response, NYSEG has developed a 

study plan for waterbody studies and in-plant entrainment and impingement 

studies. Results from the two programs will be integrated to determine 

impacts of SSl operation on Lake Ontario biota. Briefly, the waterbody 

studies may be paraphrased as follows: 

Waterbody Surveys - For two years prior to, and 

operation of the power plant, aquatic monitoring 

two years after 

surveys of Lake 

Ontario will be undertaken to assess the near-field impact of the 

facility. The sampling design will include stations in the area of 

the lake where the intake and discharge are located and operational 

impacts of the facility may be expected to occur, and in at least one 

area sufficiently remote from potential effects of the intake and 

discharge to serve as a control area during the operational phase. 

The objectives of the monitoring surveys are to identify and quantify 

the potential effects of the power plant. Key concerns include the 

potential attraction of fish to the thermal discharge plume, 

enhancement of nuisance species, and such potential problems as gas 

bubble disease. The results of the studies will be compared with 

results of other contemporary or prior studies on Lake Ontario. 

Impingement - Entrainment Studies - As the result of NYSEG-DEC-DPS 

agreements, NYSEG will use fine mesh (1.0 mm) traveling screens in 

the pumphouse during the spawning period each year. (If operation is 

not adversely affected, NYSEG intends to leave fine mesh screens in 

place year-round.) However, the hourly, daily and weekly impingement 

quotas defined in the Permit are based on counts of fish which are 

normally impinged on a standard mesh (9.5 mm). To eliminate 

potential ambiguity, in this document the term impingement will be 

4 
used only in reference to fish which are normally impinged on 9.5 mm 

mesh (referred to in the following as:~9. 5 mm), regardless of what 

mesh size is on the SSl traveling screens. Entrainment will refer to 

either of two subclasses: those organisms normally entrained through 

the 9.5 mm mesh but impinged on 1.0 mm (ie, ichthyoplankton, some 

fish eggs and some large macroinvertebrates; referred to in the 

following as: 1.0 mm ~ x < 9.5 mm) and those organisms which are 

entrained through the plant cooling water systems (ie, those 

organisms passing through both 9.5 and 1.0 mm mesh; referred to in 

the following as: < 1.0 mm). With these partitions defined, the 

salient features of NYSEG's proposed in-plant studies may be 

summarized: 

Impingement Survey. ( ~9.5 mm): For the first year of commercial 

operation, the total number of predator and forage species impinged 

will be counted and recorded by species. Screen operation will be 

continuous over the spawning season and every two (2) hours through 

the remainder of the year. During the first and subsequent four (4) 

years of operation the total numbers (by species), the sex, length, 

weight and condition of fish impinged will be recorded over a 

continuous 24 hour period each week. During Year 1, a supplemental 

sampling design stratifying the 24-hour collection over the week will 

be conducted to determine the optimal sampling design for weekly 

impingement estimates in subsequent years. The survival rate of fish 

impinged (96 hour post-impingement observations) will be determined 

seasonally (at least) each year. Coincident with the survival 

studies, the effectiveness of the traveling screen system in 

minimizing damage and mortality will be evaluated. Traveling screen 

components to be examined include period of screen rotation, pressure 

of screen wash and the angle of orientation between the spray wash 

nozzle and the traveling screens. Age distribution of impinged 

target species will be determined from a subsample twice each year. 

Entrainment Survey. (l.Omm ~ x < 9.5 mm): During the initial five 

(5) years of operation, the cooling water intake stream will be 

sampled three (3) days per week from 1 April through 31 August, one 

5 
day per week through September and bi monthly over for the remainder 

of each year (1 October - 31 March). Samples will be enumerated by 

species and vertebrates will be measured for length. Total dry 

weight of macroinvertebrates will be assessed weekly. 

Post-entrainment survival (96 hours) and traveling screen system 

effectiveness in minimizing damage and mortality to vertebrates and 

invertebrates in this size class will be conducted seasonally. 

( < l.Omm): For the first five years of SSl commercial operation, 

weekly samples will be collected. A subsample will be used to 

estimate dry weight of organisms entrained through the cooling water 

system each week. 

These three· types of studies are referred to in various sections of the 

Permit, specifically Sections B-6, C-4, C-5, C-6, and, C-8. As discussed 

in section IA, requirements outlined in Section C-7 and C-10 will be 

responded to in separate reports. Major features within each of the 

former sections are highlighted below. 

402 Permit Section B-6 

1. Provision for fine mesh (l.Omm) traveling screens through the 

spawning sea son. 

2. Provision for an isothermal fish return system (all pipe bends 

greater than 60° with a turning radius of 10 pipe radii) 

designed for year-round operation. Capability for sampling at 

the system's discharge port. 

3. Screen rotation at least every eight hours during Year 1 of 

commercial operation except during the spawning season when 

screens are to be operated continuously. 

4. Estimate of fish normally impinged on standard mesh (9. 5mm) 

screens. If the number of forage or predator species impinged 

exceeds 100 or 10 per hour, respectively, operation of screens 

is to be continuous for a minimum of 8 hours. 

5. Daily impingement estimates appended to quarterly reports. 

6 
402 Permit Section C-4 

1. Identification and quantification of potential impacts such as 

gas bubble disease, attraction of fish to the plume, enhancement 

of nuisance species, etc. 

2. Preoperational and operational phases, each of 2 years duration. 

3. Comparison of intake/discharge (impact), and remote (control) 

areas. 

4. Use of standardized gear as applicable. 

5. Correlation and comparison with other contemporary studies on 

Lake Ontario. Additionally, if and when lakewide study designs 

are formulated, NYSEG will adapt its monitoring programs to the 

standardized study format. 

6. Presentation of data arrangement, format, and unit details. 

402 Permit Section C-5 

1. Assess overall effectiveness of cooling water and fish return 

systems in minimizing damage or mortality to Lake Ontario 

aquatic biota. 

2. Sample intake 3 days per week 1 April through 31 July 

(accounting for diel periodicity), one day per week for the 

remainder of the year. 

3. Continuous 24 hour sample each week, analyzed by species 

(vertebrates) and examined for sex, weight, length and 

condition. Total dry weight of macroinvertebrates from the same 

collection period. 

4. A~ determination of impingement subsample twice each year. 

S. Post-impingement survival studies (96 hours) each season. 

6. Presentation of data arrangement, format and unit details. 

7. Quarterly reports submitted to the Board within six (6) weeks 

after the end of each quarter. 

402 Permit Section C-6 

1. Submittal to DEC AND DPS, results from a program to optimize 

traveling screen system hardware and operation to minimize 

organism damage and mortality. 

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2. Components to be examined: period of screen rotation, pressure 

of screen wash, trough and fish deflector. 

3. Recommendations for feasible and practicable modifications to 

the screens or their operation. 

402 Permit Section C-8 

1. Demonstrate that sampling gear, technique and data methods are 

coordinated with those of other studies. 

2. Demonstrate rationale. 

3. Provide quality assurance program. 

The monitoring programs described herein have been designed to address 

the technical criteria required under each of these Permit Sections. 

Discussion of specific programs within each section includes, in addition 

to technical specifications, a schedule of studies to be performed, a 

demonstration of study rationales and validity of methods chosen, and a 

discussion of basic methods of data reduction, formatting, and 

presentation. 

C. Schedule 

The overall schedule is divided into two major phases (pre-operational 

and operational), and within the operational phase two subphases (first 

full year of operation vs first five years of operation). These are 

shown in Figure I.C.l. 

The first year of pre-operational waterbody studies will be considerably 

more intensive than most contemporary power plant monitoring programs, 

particularly with respect to levels of replication. This is expected to 

enable NYSEG to define statistical limits of detectability associated 

with assessment of impact and, in consultation with the DPS and DEC, 

evaluate possible additions, deletions, or modifications to specific 

study objectives. 

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II. TECHNICAL APPROACH 

A. Program Objectives 

NYSEG's proposed Somerset aquatic monitoring programs, to be conducted in 

Lake Ontario and SSl pumphouse, have been designed to estimate and 

understand impacts of SSl water withdrawal and discharge. Included in 

the program are methods and materials aimed at evaluating: 

0 preoperational-operational 

zones; 

differences among control-impact 

o rates of organism entrainment and impingement at SSl; 

o inter-relationships among physical and biological parameters, 

independent of SSl operation, which affect organism abundance 

and distribution within the waterbody and/or the rate of SSl 

impingement/entrainment mortality; 

o optimal operation of SSl traveling screen system to maximize 

survival following impingement; and 

o optimal design of subsequent plant and site-specific ecological 

studies. 

As such the programs will not only comply with Permit requirements but 

also define site-specific ecological data through time and provide the 

basis for future DPS-DEC-NYSEG interactions regarding possible future 

data requirements at SSl. 

The data requirements and statistical techniques appropriate to address 

these concerns differ substantially. Consequently, the waterbody and 

pumphouse studies have been partitioned into separate sets of specific 

objectives, presented in Sections IV and V, respectively. Objectives 

designed to evaluate impact of Somerset station operation are refined to 

"null hypothesis" statements which clarify the purpose of the objective 

13 
and essentially define both the experimental design and statistical 

treatments appropriate to test the hypothesis. Separate objectives 

designed to quantify specific estimates or characterize variables of 

interest are defined by a statement of purpose. Where supplemental tests 

or hypothesis will be applied to these estimates, the "null hypothesis" 

format is followed. Presentation of each of the 20 objectives (12 

waterbody, 8 pumphouse) includes: 

o statement of objective 

o statement of purpose and description of parameter to be 

estimated and/or statement of the hypothesis to be tested 

o rationale 

o target species (where applicable) 

o sampling gear 

o temporal and spatial aspects of sampling 

o replication 

o type of supplemental data collected 

o sample analysis 

o data reduction and statistical analyses. 

NYSEG selected this approach because of its clarity of presentation and 

lack of ambiguity in terms of the type of data and impact estimators 

which will be available to DPS and DEC in resulting reports (Section 

VI). Additionally, this approach, based on separate but inter-related 

program objectives, will address the five concerns outlined above and 

facilitate maximum flexibility to evaluate and document the effectiveness 

of specific methods used and to define potential changes in program 

elements as outlined in Permit Section C-8. 

B. Basic Program Design: Waterbody and Pumphouse Studies 

The structure underlying NYSEG's proposed waterbody surveys involves 

preoperational-operational comparisons between control and impact zones 

(McKenzie et al, 1977; Eberhardt, 1978; Green, 1979). The design 

implicitly assumes that differences in water quality and/or biological 

parameters between control and impact zones observed during operational 

14 
monitoring are attributable to SSl operation. This assumption is valid 

only after preoperational monitoring has established control transects 

which are uniform in bathymetry, water quality and biological 

communities. Therefore, preoperational data will be used to estimate 

background variability within zones prior to station operation which will 

provide the basis for evaluating significance of any differences observed 

subsequent to plant start-up. Supplemental data will be used to define 

physical and biological factors which, independent of SSl operation, 

affect those populations monitored during both phases of the ecological 

surveys. Independence of control and impact zones during SSl operation 

(ie, no exposure to plant discharge at the controls) will be evaluated by 

referral to plume models, systematic preoperational and operational 

temperature surveys and operational triaxial hydrothermal monitoring 

which will precisely define the areal extent of the plume. 

The basic design of the pumphouse studies is survey sampling in which 

specific parameters are· quantitatively estimated with confidence limits. 

The primary purpose is twofold: to document the total numbers of 

organisms impinged and/or entrained over time, and to estimate survival 

of organisms entrained into the system in order to minimize mortality on 

traveling screens. Year 1 monitoring includes evaluation of overlapped 

sampling schedules and techniques (eg, stratified vs systematic designs, 

pump vs screen collections). These data will be analyzed to recommend 

optimal sampling methods for monitoring programs through Years 2-5. The 

programs have also been designed to facilitate tests of hypotheses aimed 

at determining those portions of the local population selectively 

affected by plant operation and those factors (physical, chemical and 

biological) which affect impingement and entrainment rates. The survival 

optimization portion of the program will compare post-impingement 

survival (9 6 hours) of organisms under a range of screen operating 

conditions. Variable operating modes of components to be evaluated 

(screen rotation period, screen spray pressure and nozzle orientation) 

will be conducted simultaneously in order to eliminate potential 

confounding interaction resulting from differences in species and/or age 

classes represented in collections made at different times. 

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C. Investigative Methods: Sample Collection and Analysis, Statistical 

Techniques and Quality Assurance 

The rationale and justification for each sampling technique proposed are 

presented for each of the 20 objectives described in Sections IV and V. 

NYSEG recognizes that sampling bias is inherent to each of the techniques 

proposed, particularly those designed to sample fish populations. 

However, given that no single method can adequately define local 

populations resident at SSl, NYSEG proposes to utilize as many gears as 

are feasible, with particular emphasis on sampling species most 

vulnerable to impact and, to the extent possible, complementing DEC and 

Fish and Wildlife Service sampling programs. 

Effectiveness of each fishing gear proposed below will be assessed during 

pilot studies conducted prior to initiation of preoperational monitoring 

and throughout Year 1 sampling. Similar evaluations of artificial 

substrate deployment and residence time, and plankton tow techniques 

(e.g., pairings of nets) will be conducted over the same period. 

Statistical bias in data resulting from unavoidable differences in timing 

of offshore collections will be minimized by staggered sampling among 

transects within the sampling periods. The intensity of sampling both in 

terms of frequency and replication tends to further reduce the 

statistical biases which are inherent to ecological data. Finally, 

although disparities will inevitably exist between offshore and pumphouse 

collections, comparisons outlined in the proposed objectives recognize 

and account for these differences. 

Although NYSEG intends to discuss with the Board potential modifications 

to the proposed program, as suggested from evaluation of results from 

pilot studies and Year 1 preoperational monitoring, the sampling methods 

proposed in the waterbody and pumphouse objectives described below 

include the following: 

o water quality physico-chemical measurements by calibrated meters; 

o artificial substrate deployment to monitor benthic algae 

populations; 

16 
o fish distribution and abundance estimates by multiple gears 

including echoshounder, trawling and gill netting; 

0 fish age and growth determinations by species specific 

techniques; 

o offshore plankton tows and pumphouse collection by nets and pump; 

o impingement and entrainment sampling by screen, net or pump, as 

appropriate; and 

0 post-impingement survival 

experimental methods. 

studies by standard, recognized 

Sample handling and analysis are presented for each objective in Sections 

IV and V. In addition, Section VII . presents a comprehensive quality 

control and assurance program designed to ensure that sample collection 

and analysis are conducted as described in the proposed program and to 

document methods of data recording and storage. 

The sampling zones and temporal patterns described in the objectives 

defined in Sections IV and V were expressly selected to generate data 

which are compatible with experimental designs underlying analysis of 

variance techniques, including analysis of covariance. The applicability 

of these techniques, the choice of parametric vs. non-parametric methods, 

or the choice of possible data transformations (eg, square root or 

logarithim of X + 1), will be decided following preliminary analysis of 

sample data from each objective by project and consultant statisticians. 

Preliminary analyses will include evaluation of frequency distribution 

functions, mean-variance independence, and variance heterogenity. 

17 
D. Literature Cited 

Eberhardt, L L. 1978. Appraising variability in population studies. 

J. Wildlife Management. 42(2):207-238. 

Green, R H. 1979. Sampling Design and Statistical Methods for 

Environmental Biologists. J. Wiley & Sons, N.Y. 257 p. 

McKenzie, D H, L D Kannberg, K L Gore, EM Arnold, and D G Watson. 

1977. Design and analysis of aquatic monitoring programs at nuclear 

power plants. Prepared for U S Nuclear Regulatory Commission by 

Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory. PNL-2423. Richland, 

Washington. 

18 

III. TARGET SPECIES RATIONALES 

The study plan for the Somerset Station has been designed to provide 

information on important aquatic organisms of Lake Ontario near the 

Somerset site. Organisms generally designated as important in NPDES 

discharge studies are species: (1) abundant at the site, (2) which 

sustain recreational and commercial fisheries, (3) which serve important 

ecological functions, (4) rare and endangered, and/or (5) which may 

encounter the proposed plants' intake or discharge. ,From this group of 

candidates, certain species present at the site and vulnerable to sources 

of impact at the Somerset Station were identified for study. 

A. General Rationale 

The aquatic community of Lake Ontario is a complex diverse assemblage of 

benthic algae, phytoplankton, bacteria, zooplankton, benthic 

invertebrates, and fishes. Each component was considered for study under 

the above criteria. Only the nuisance benthic alga Cladophora, 

zooplankton, and fishes were selected for study. Phytoplankton, 

bacteria, and benthic invertebrates were not considered to be vulnerable 

to impact. 

Of the benthic algae, only Cladophora was selected because it is an 

important habitat former for invertebrates and fish; it is abundant in 

inshore bottom habitats; and it is considered a potential nuisance 

species. 

The zooplankton, important secondary producers within the system, are 

being considered because of their close link with the production of many 

of the fish in the community, and because they are vulnerable to 

entrainment mortality. Only the macrozooplankton, principally 

cladocerans and copepods, were chosen for study because they are the 

principal food source of many of the fish. Although Gammarus is an RIS 

NYSEG does not expect to collect many in e_ither waterbody or pumphouse 

studies. However, all Gammarus collected will be identified and 

19 
enumerated. Examples of the principal species expected in zooplankton 

collections are the cladoceran Bosmina longirostris and the copepods 

Cyclops bicuspidatus and Tropocyclops prasinus. 

The fish community is a diverse assemblage of resident and anadromous 

species characteristic of the present day Great Lakes fauna. Their 

vulnerability to the power plant and importance to the community varies 

considerably. In the studies proposed, records will be kept on all fish 

observed or collected, but studies have been designed for specific target 

species and life stages which are potentially vulnerable or sensitive to 

sources of power plant impact. These include species with planktonic 

(eggs and larvae) or pelagic life stages vulnerable to entrainment at the 

power plant, and those species which may be entrapped in the intake or 

attracted to the thermal discharge. Most of these species have demersal 

eggs so while some eggs will be collected (ichthyoplankton and pumphouse 

samples) no specific sampling program has been designed to target this 

life stage. 

Each of these species was considered relative to its importance and/or 

susceptibility to impact at Somerset, and certain ones were identified as 

target species. Target species are those which will receive detailed 

study of life history and population biology studies while all species 

will be studied in terms of spatial and temporal abundance. The target 

species NYSEG has chosen for detailed study include spottail shiner and 

eight species identified as target species in DEC studies (Table III.!). 

Utilization of DEC target species has an advantage from the standpoint of 

being able to draw upon a large, long-term data base for evaluating 

population characteristics, trends, and differences. Several of these 

species are also considered most susceptible to SSl intake and/or 

discharge. Rationales for selecting each species are discussed briefly 

in the following section. 

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-- . 

TABLE III.! 

FISHES CHOSEN FOR INITIAL STUDY AT THE SOMERSET SITE (TARGET SPECIES) 

Species Life Stage Forage/Predator 

alewife larvae, juvenile, and adult - F 

rainbow smelt larvae, juvenile, adult - F 

spottail shiner larvae, juvenile, adult - F 

smallmouth bass juvenile, adults - p 

white perch larvae, juvenile, adult - p 

yellow perch larvae, juvenile, adult - p 

rainbow trout juvenile, adult - p 

brown trout juvenile, adult - p 

coho salmon juvenile, adult - p 

B. Species - Specific Rationales 

The fish species chosen for study (Table III.!) include the most 

important recreational fish and their principle forage (or prey) 

species. Most are cold water species but several, including the 

smallmouth bass, yellow perch, white perch, and spottail shiner, are of 

intermediate type. The lake trout is representative of the offshore 

deepwater community of the lake. The smallmouth bass, white perch, 

yellow perch, and spottail shiner are representative of the inshore 

community. The alewife, smelt, brown trout and salmon are representative 

of the pelagic community found inshore and offshore. 

1. Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) 

The alewife is a pelagic forage species of the herring family and 

presently makes up a considerable portion of the biomass of the Lake 

Ontario fish community. Established in Lake Ontario during the late 

1800's, its rise in representation has led to important changes in the 

fish community in Lake Ontario and more recently in the Upper Great Lakes 

(Smith, 1970). Alewife are important in the diet of many gamefish 

including trout and salmon. During some years, large scale die-offs have 

created a nuisance along the south shore of Lake Ontario. 

21 
The alewife is planktivorous, feeding primarily on copepods, cladocerans, 

mysids, gammarids and chironomids. It competes with other planktivorous 

species (smelt, lake herring, lake chub, shiners, and yellow perch) 

during all or part of the year. The rapid increase in the abundance of 

alewife has led to declines of native species. 

Alewife spawn from June to August along the lake shore and in 

tributaries. Eggs are demersel and adhere to the bottom substrate. 

Larvae are planktonic and prevalent during the summer. Juveniles inhabit 

the open waters of the lake. Adults prefer deeper bottom waters except 

during the spawning period when they can be found nearshore and in 

tributaries. These distribution characteristics make the alewife 

vulnerable to entrainment and impingement at power plants. 

The alewife was selected for study because of its abundance, importance 

as prey for gamefish, role as a competitor in the community, and high 

potential as a pelagic species for involvement with the proposed plant. 

2. Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) 

The rainbow smelt is a pelagic forage species which presently makes up a 

considerable portion of the biomass of the Lake Ontario fish community. 

It first appeared in Lake Ontario in the 1930's and quickly became 

abundant. Its rise, like that of the alewife, has led to important 

changes in the fish community. The rainbow smelt is an important 

commercial and sport fish in Lake Ontario and a significant component in 

the diet of many gamefish including salmon. The rainbow smelt is 

planktivorous, feeding primarily on copepods, mysids, and amphipods and 

competes with other planktivorous fishes for the zooplankton food 

supply. Rainbow smelt generally occupy shallow and intermediate depths 

(8 to 110m) and are most abundant at depths less than 60m (Elrod et al, 

1980). Smelt spawn along the shoreline and in tributaries during March 

and April with eggs attaching to the bottom substrate. Larvae are 

planktonic and found inshore during May and June (NYSEG, unpublished 

data; NYSEG, 1980). Juveniles are found inshore during September and 

October (NYSEG, 1980). 

22 
! 

The rainbow smelt was selected for study because of its abundance, 

importance as a sport fish, importance in the diet of gamefish, role as a 

competitor in the community, and high potential as a pelagic species to 

be entrained or entrapped at the intake of the proposed power plant. 

3. Spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius) 

The spottail shiner is a primarily bottom-dwelling, inshore minnow 

species. In the Great Lakes, spottail shiners move offshore only in 

winter. The spottail shiner is an important forage fish and is a favored 

bait minnow of sport fishermen. 

Spottail shiners are planktivorous, particularly as juveniles. They also 

feed upon epibenthic invertebrates such as Gammarus. 

Spottail shiners spawn in spring 

areas. The eggs are demersal. 

and early summer in inshore bottom 

Larvae have been collected in the 

plankton in July and August (NYSEG, 1980). Young and adults were 

abundantly represented in inshore and nearshore waters during the summer 

(NYSEG, 1975). 

The spot tail shiner was selected for study because it is an important 

forage fish and because of its potential as a pelagic species to be 

entrained or entrapped at the proposed plant intake. 

4. Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui) 

The smallmouth bass is a native warmwater inshore predator fish of Lake 

Ontario and is an excellent sportfish. It is most abundant in the 

protected bays of the northeastern area of the lake. Favored prey 

include invertebrates and fish. Smallmouth spawn in shallow areas in 

June. The young are protected after hatching by the male parent. 

Juveniles and adults remain inshore from spring through fall then move 

offshore in winter. 

23 
- 1 

The smallmouth bass was chosen because it is an important inshore 

predatory fish, an important sportfish, and is susceptible to entrapment 

at the intake or attraction to the thermal plume. 

5. Yellow perch (Perea flavescens) 

The yellow perch is a bottom feeding inshore predator native to Lake 

Ontario. It is the most abundant sport species and sustains an important 

commercial fishery. It occupies an intermediate trophic level since it 

is preyed upon by larger predators and preys upon forage species. 

Yellow perch spawn in shallow water in early spring. Eggs are laid in 

gelatinous masses which are semi buoyant. Planktonic larvae are present 

inshore from early May through June. Juveniles and adults prefer waters 

less than 20 ft deep during warmer months (May-October). There is some 

evidence that they migrate to eastern bays in the spring to spawn (NYSEG, 

1980). They overwinter in 60 to 90ft of water. 

The yellow perch was selected for study because of its importance as a 

sport and commercial fish and because it is susceptible to entrainment 

and entrapment at the power plant. 

6. White perch (Marone americana) 

The white perch is an inshore warm-water fish which has become abundant 

in the lake since 1950. Its abundance is second only to the alewife but 

is not considered a primary sport fish, although a commercial fishery has 

recently developed. The white perch prefers waters less than 20 ft 

deep. The white perch is preyed upon to a limited extent, as young, by 

predatory fish. It is generally considered a nuisance species which 

preys on or competes with more desireable species. 

The white perch is an omnivorous, bottom-feeding fish. It feeds on 

invertebrates, fish eggs, and young fish. Young feed on plankton. White 

perch spawn from mid-May through June in shallow water. Eggs are 

adhesive and demersal and become attached to vegetation, rocks, and other 

24 
objects on the bottom. Larvae are present in the inshore plankton from 

late May to mid-September. Yotmg are abundant from late summer through 

fall. 

The white perch was selected for study because it is a commercial 

species, abundant in inshore waters, and is susceptible to entrainment 

and entrapment at the proposed power plant. 

7. Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) 

The rainbow trout is not indigenous to Lake Ontario, but has been 

introduced in Ontario waters sLnce the early 1900's. It is now a 

permanent resident of Lake Ontario and an important sport fish. 

Rainbow trout spawn in spring, migrating up clear tributaries and nesting 

over gravel substrates. Adults return to the lake after spawning and 

yo1.mg take up lake residence when 2 or 3 years old. Rainbow trout food 

preferences are a ftmction of life stage and growth rate, sequentially 

changing from plankton, to insects and crustaceans, to fish. 

The rainbow trout was selected for study because it is a sport species, 

seasonally abundant in inshore waters near Somerset, and is susceptible 

to plume attraction during fall and spring. 

8. Brown trout (Salmo trutta) 

The brown trout is a piscivorous game fish now abundant along the south 

shore of Lake Ontario due to an extensive stocking program (Eckert, 1980; 

LeTendre, 1980). Brown trout are found inshore in spring and fall, 

farther offshore (in the thermocline) during summer and in deep water in 

winter. They feed primarily on alewife, smelt, and lake chubs. 

The brown trout was selected for study because it supports an important 

sport fishery, is an important top carnivore in the system, and is 

potentially attracted to the discharge plume of the plant in the fall, 

winter, and spring when higher plume temperatures are within their 

preferred thermal range. 

25 
j 

9. Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) 

The coho salmon is a Pacific salmon which has been stocked in Lake 

Ontario since the late 1960's. Stocking reached a peak in the mid -

1970's, but has since declined in deference toward other species 

(LeTendre, 1980). Stocking is expected to increase substantially in the 

early 1980's (LeTendre, 1980). It is of greatest importance in eastern 

Lake Ontario near, or in spawning rivers; smaller numbers are stocked in 

Eighteen Mile Creek, Oak Orchard Creek, and Sandy Creek which are 

tributaries of the south central shore (Eckert, 1980). 

Coho salmon feed principally on alewife and rainbow smelt. They are 

found inshore during spring and fall, offshore in the thermocline during 

summer, and offshore in deeper waters during winter. The adults school 

at the mouths of rivers in the fall before migrating upstream to spawn. 

The coho salmon was selected for study because it is an important sport 

fish in the lake, a top carnivore in the system, and is potentially 

attracted to the thermal plume during fall, winter, and spring when 

higher plume temperatures are within their preferred thermal range. 

Literature Cited 

Eckert, T H. 1980. Brown trout and coho salmon assessment in Lake Ontario 

in 1979. Proc. Great Lakes Fish. Comm., Lake Ontario Comm. March 

4-5' 1980. 

Elrod, J H, R O'Gorman, R Bergestedt, and C P Schneider. 1980. Status 

of major forage fish stocks in u.s. waters of Lake Ontario. Proc. 

Great Lakes Fish. Comm., Lake Ontario Comm. March 4-5, 1980. 

Hubbs, C L, and K F Lagler. 1958. Fishes of the Great Lakes Region. 

Univ. Mich. Press, Ann Arbor, Mich. 213 pp. 

LeTendre G c. 1980. Salmonid stocking completed in US Waters of Lake 

Ontario in 1979 and projected to 1983. Proc. Great Lakes Fish. Comm. 

Lake Ontario Comm., March 4-5, 1980. 

26 
NYSEG, 1975. 316a Demonstration, NYSE&G, Somerset. New York State Elec. 

and Gas Co., Binghamton, N.Y. 

NYSEG, 1980. 316b Demonstration, NYSE&G 1 and 2, New Haven. New York 

State Elec. and Gas Co., Binghamton, N.Y. 

Smith, S H. 1970. Species interactions of the alewife in the Great 

Lakes. Trans. Amer. Fish Soc. 99: 754-765. 

27 
VJ 

rn 

0 

--i 

c 

:z 

< 
IV. WATERBODY MONITORING PROGRAMS 

A. Overview 

The proposed monitoring program includes studies of (1) water quality 

(temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity); (2) Cladophora (a 

green alga); (3) fish distribution, abundance, disease and parasitism, 

sex and age composition, and growth; and (4) ichthyoplankton and 

macro zooplankton. 

The programs described in this section were selected on the basis of 

impact probability and interpretive applicability relative to pumphouse 

programs required under 402 Permit Sections B-6 and C-5, described later 

(Section V). Wherever possible NYSEG has chosen methods and materials 

comparable to those being used in monitoring studies of other Lake 

Ontario power plants or to those being used in DEC stock assessments of 

forage, salmonid, and warmwater fishes. NYSEG solicited review and 

critique of Sections IV and V of this report from the environmental 

staffs of Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, Rochester Gas and Electric 

Company, and Ontario Hydro· Corporation. In some cases the programs 

proposed herein may require a period of experimentation and refinement of 

materials and methods during Year 1 of the pre-operational phase. NYSEG 

regards such work as a necessary prerequisite to development and 

selection of the final methodology which will be used to determine the 

significance of impact, if any, due to operation of the Somerset 

Station. Prior difficulties experienced in deploying and handling 

experimental fishing gear in Lake Ontario, combined with a lack of 

replication in previous studies indicated that such a period of "pilot" 

study would be necessary at the programs' inception. 

The monthly schedule of studies to be performed in Year 1, Phase 1 of the 

preoperational program is illustrated in Table IV.A.l. The main emphasis 

of the program can be seen to involve weekly ichthyoplankton sampling 

from April through August and monthly sampling of fish species 

distribution and abundance using acoustic monitoring, midwater and 

surface trawls, and small mesh, bottom gill netting. This effort is 

complemented with annual stock assessment studies for forage, salmonid 

28 
_/ 

TABLE IV .A.1 

SOMERSET STATION AQUATIC MONITORING PROGRAM SCHEDULE 

M 0 N T H 

*MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC* 

OBJECTIVE xxxxxxxxxx~xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

#1 Water Quality X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 

4f2 Cladophora X X X X X X 

- #3 Acoustic X X X X X X X X X X 

4f4 Surf/Mid Trawls X X X X X X X X X X 

415 Small Mesh Gills X X X X X X X X X X 

------ ----~--------- --- -------

N 

\0 

416 Yankee Trawls X X X 

n WarlliWate r Gi 11 s X 

fiB Salmonid Gills X 

-

ff9 Sex Comp X X X X X 

#10 Age - Growth X X X X X 

#11 Ichthyoplankton xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

#12 Beach (Carcass) Count X X X X ., 

*Weather Permitting 
and warmwater fishes, scheduled to coincide with DEC studies in order to 

provide standardization of technique and annual abundance indices and 

population statistics without imposing undue mortality on sport fish. 

Each of the programs shown in Table IV.A.l are described in detail under 

Part B of this section. 

Sampling areas chosen for study by NYSEG include impact (test) and remote 

(control) zones as specified in Section C-4 of the 402 Permit. These are 

shown schematically in Figure IV .A. L Exact coordinates and reference 

points are to be determined early in Phase I of the waterbody studies. 

Final selection of sampling coordinates will be based on minimization of 

confounding environmental differences between control and test areas, 

such that impacts, if any, of Somerset can be distinguished from natural 

variation and sampling error. Zone definition will be a function of 

bottom topography and substrate, bottom slope, current patterns and 

tributary inflow, wave action and any other obvious and distinguishing 

features of the habitat. In discussing specific objectives in the 

following section, reference is made either to (1) distances (in km) from 

Somerset, when a series of transects criss-crossing the area + 9 km of 

the plant is involved (e.g. temperature and acoustic monitoring); or (2) 

prominent geographical points where finite sample collection zones are 

required. 

(Zone B); 

In the latter case, NYSEG has used Olcott (Zone A); Somerset 

and Thirty-mile point (Zone C) to place its test (B) and 

control (A, C) zones in rough perspective for the reviewers. 

30 
'j 

J 

w 

...... 

so'------

A 8 

50' --~ 

40' 

30' ---~ 

20'+--

10'+---

-9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 

Km 

Olcott Somerset 

FIGURE 'Ill: .A.l 

CONCEPTUAL ARRANGEMENT OF 

SAMPLING ZONES AND TRANSECTS FOR SSl 

+1 

c 

·~---

+2 +3 +4 +5 +6 

----Depth Contours 

Transects 

+7 +8 +9 

Thirtymile 

Point 

W/1:?"1/a Impact (B) and Control (A,C) Zones 

~ Subzones 
B. Program Descriptions 

L OBJECTIVE Ill • To monitor temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and 

turbidity in impact and control zones for SSl. 

a. NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) #1: Temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH 

and turbidity are not significantly different among zones. 

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: Temperature data will be used to plot the 

thermal structure of the control and impact zones for each 

sampling date. Data collected for each water quality variable 

will be utilized to determine correlation with biological data 

(Objectives #2-12). 

b. SAMPLING METHOD - ELECTROMETRIC 

Rationale - The control vs impact zone design and hypothesis 

testing is based on the assumption that the impact zone and 2 

control zones will not differ significantly in water quality. 

In fact, NYSEG will select control zones which are similar to 

the impact zone in hydrographic and physiographic 

characteristics but sufficiently removed from the discharge to 

prohibit plume/zone interaction; thereby, assuring zone 

homogeneity prior to SSl operation. Significant differences 

among zones observed subsequent to plant operation can then be 

assumed to result from entrainment through and discharge from 

the plant. Data resulting from the surveys of temperature, 

dissolved oxygen and pH (characteristics which maybe modified by 

entrainment through the plant) will be used as one means to 

determine independence of control and impact zones. Turbidity, 

expected to change only slightly, if at all, as result of plant 

entrainment, will be monitored primarily to assess the potential 

for gear selectivity. Data from all water quality variable 

measurements will be used in conjunction with the biological 

data collected (described in Objectives # 2-12) to evaluate the 

relationship between distributions of physical and biological 

variables. 

32 
Gear Temperature determined to nearest 0.1 C with 

electrometric thermister probe; DO accuracy to 0.1 mg/1 with 

polarographic probe; pH electrometrically determined with glass 

electrode with 0.1 unit accuracy; and turbidity determined 

nephelometrically. 

Zones- Olcott (A), Somerset (B), and Thirtymile Point (C); 10', 

30', and 50' contours. One transect at A and C, corresponding 

to outer transects used for acoustic monitoring (Obj #3). Three 

transects within the impact area (B), for finer discrimination 

of plume in near-field. 

Depths - Surface to bottom at 5 1 intervals. 

Schedule March through December, at biweekly (14 day) 

intervals, weather permitting. 

Data Reduction and Statistical Analysis -

o Tabular output illustrating all parameters by date, station, 

and depth (Table IV.B.l), coded and stored so as to permit 

correlation with biological data. 

o Graphical output of single variable data illustrating 

temporal patterns and differences among stations 

(Figure IV. B.l). 

o Two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) will be performed to 

detemine significant differences among zones and sampling 

dates for each of the four water quality characteristics 

sampled. A posteriori tests (SNK, Duncan) will be used to 

discriminate significantly different zones and/or sampling 

dates. 

33 
J 

TABLE IV • B • 1 

PHYSICAL WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS BY TRANSECT BY DEPTH 

TRANSECT 

1 2 3 4 5 

CONTOUR DEPTH TEMP DO PH TURB TEMP DO PH TURB TEMP DO PH TURB TEMP DO PH TURB TEMP DO PH TURB 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 1. 28.2 7.3 8.2 45.0 15.0 9.7 7.5 21.0 4.0 12.4 8.4 25.0 26.0 8.4 7.7 46.0 28.2 7.3 8.2 45.0 

5. 26.0 8.4 7.7 46.0 28.2 7.3 8.2 45.0 15.0 9.7 7.5 21.0 4.0 12.4 8.4 25.0 26.0 8.4 7.7 46.0 

10. 4.0 12.4 8.4 25.0 26.0 8.4 7.7 46.0 28.2 7.3 8.2 45.0 15.0 9.7 7.5 21.0 4.0 12.4 8.4 25.0 l..V 

+:- 30 1. 26.0 8.4 7.7 46.0 4.0 12.3 7.7 20.0 15.0 9.9 7.5 21.0 26.7 8.1 7.8 46.0 4.0 11.9 8.1 22.5 

5. 28.2 7.3 8.2 45.0 26.0 8.2 7.8 45.0 4.0 12.3 7.7 20.0 15.0 9.9 7.5 21.0 26.7 8.1 7.8 46.0 

10. 15.0 9.7 7.5 21.0 15.0 9.9 7.5 21.0 26.0 8.2 7.8 45.0 4.0 12.3 7.7 20.0 15.0 9.9 7.6 21.0 

15. 4.0 12.4 8.4 25.0 4.0 12.3 7.7 20.0 15.0 9.9 7.5 21.0 26.0 8.2 7.8 45.0 4.0 11.9 8.1 22.5 

20. 26.0 8.4 7.7 46.0 26.0 8.2 7.8 45.0 4.0 12.3 7.7 20.0 15.0 9.9 7.5 21.0 26.7 8.1 7.8 46.0 

25. 28.2 7.3 8.2 45.0 15.0 9.7 7.5 21.0 26.0 8.2 7.8 45.0 4.0 12.3 7.7 20.0 15.0 9.9 7.6 21.0 

30. 15.0 9.7 7.5 21.0 4.0 12.4 8.4 25.0 15.0 9.9 7.5 21.0 26.0 8.2 7.8 45.0 4.0 11.9 8.1 22.5 

50 1. 15.0 9.9 7.6 21.0 26.0 8.4 7.7 46.0 28.3 7.5 8.3 46.0 15.0 9.9 7.6 21.0 8.6 12.5 7.8 20.0 

5. 26.7 8.1 7.8 46.0 4.0 12.2 7.7 20.0 26.0 8.4 7.7 46.0 34.0 7.3 8.2 52.0 15.0 9.8 7.3 25.0 

10. 4.0 11.9 8.1 22.5 15.0 9.9 7.6 21.0 4.0 12.2 7.7 20.0 28.0 8.4 7.8 46.0 34.0 7.3 8.2 52.0 

15. 15.0 9.9 7.6 21.0 28.3 7.5 8.3 46.0 15.0 9.9 7.6 21.0 8.6 12.5 7.8 20.0 28.0 8.4 7.8 46.0 

20. 26.7 8.1 7.8 45.0 26.0 8.4 7.7 45.0 28.3 7.5 8.3 46.0 15.0 9.8 7.3 25.0 8.6 12.5 7.8 20.0 

25. 4.0 11.9 8.1 22.5 4.0 12.2 7.7 20.0 26.0 8.4 7.7 46.0 34.0 7.3 8.2 52.0 15.0 9.8 7.3 25.0 

30. 15.0 9.9 7.6 21.0 15.0 9.9 7.6 21.0 4.0 12.2 7.7 20.0 28.0 8.4 7.8 46.0 34.0 7.3 8.2 52.0 

35. 26.7 8.1 7.8 46.0 28.3 7.5 8.3 46.0 15.0 9.9 7.6 21.0 8.6 12.5 7.8 20.0 28.0 8.4 7.8 46.0 

40. 4.0 11.9 8.1 22.5 26.0 8.4 7.7 46.0 28.3 7.5 8.3 46.0 15.0 9.8 7.3 25.0 8.6 12.5 7.8 20.0 

45. 15.0 9.9 7.6 21.0 4.0 12.2 7.7 20.0 26.0 8.4 7.7 46.0 34.0 7.3 8.2 52.0 15.0 9.8 7.3 25.0 

50. 28.3 7.5 8.3 46.0 15.0 9.9 7.6 21.0 4.0 12.2 7.7 20.0 28.0 8.4 7.8 46.0 34.0 7.3 8.2 52.0 
J 

w 

I.Jl 

FIGURE IV • 8 • 1 

WATER QUALITY THROUGH TIME: ALKALINITY 

v 

A 

L 

u 

E 

37.5 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

35.0 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

32.5 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

30.0 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

27.5 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

25.0 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

22.5 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

20.0 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

17.5 +--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+ 

JUL 01 78 SEP 01 78 NOV 01 78 JAN 01 79 

DATE 

MAR 01 79 MAY 01 79 JUL 01 79 SEP 01 79 
2. OBJECTIVE 112. To monitor distribution and abundance of the green 

alga Cladophora glomerata in impact and control zones for SSl. 

a. NULL HYPOTHESIS (H ) lt2A: Biomass of Cladophora is not 

0 

significantly different among zones. 

NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) 112B: Any variations in Cladophora biomass 

among zones are consistent, prior to and subsequent to SSl 

operation. 

b. SAMPLING METHOD - ARTIFICIAL SUBSTRATES 

Rationale - £· glomerata is variously labeled either nuisance 

species or habitat-former. Cladophora's nuisance aspects derive 

from the filamentous nature of the algae and its tendency to 

break off and form dense floating mats several times a season. 

These filamentous mats may clog water intake filters and impart 

undesirable odors to the water (Herbst, 1969). The floating 

mats are frequently deposited on the shoreline where they 

decompose, releasing noxious hydrogen sulfide gas. The mats 

themselves may be so extensive that they detract from the visual 

appeal of the beaches and interfere with their recreational use 

(Ontario Ministry of the Environment, 1958). 

Examination of living Cladophora shows that it forms a substrate 

for many algal and protozoan epiphytes (Taft and Kishler, 

1973). Beds of Cladophora are also used by carp (Cyprinus 

carpio) for spawning purposes. During the Cladophora growing 

season a complex community develops within the beds including 

nematodes, flat worms, oligochaete worms, copepods, insect 

larvae, gammarids, and snails. These beds are foraged by fish 

and fed upon by diving ducks. 

In addition to its light and nutrient requirements, Cladophora 

has temperature requirements for growth. It grows at 

temperatures in the 7-15°C range (Waern, 1952), but may be out36 
competed by other types of filamentous algae, especially 

Ulothrix, in this temperature range. 

0 20-25 C (McNaught, 1964). Because 

Cladophora grows best at 

of the influence of 

temperature on growth, it is of special interest to compare 

Cladophora growth within the zone of SSl thermal plume influence 

with growth in control zones. 

Gear - "Seasoned" concrete or natural substrate arrays. 

Zones - Olcott (A), Somerset (B), Thirtymile Point (C), and 

Quaker Road filtration plant (D); 10, 20, and 30 foot contours, 

off bottom. 

Replicates - NYSEG proposes to set 3 short-term panels each 

month at each contour of each zone. Retrieval (as currently 

planned) will follow 3-4 weeks exposure. In addition, a 

long-term panel (each contour of each transect), to be deployed 

at the beginning of May, July and September, will be retrieved 

after roughly 2-3 months. The ultimate frequency of removal 

will be determined during preoperational work based on the rate 

of colonization and sloughing in order to optimize sampling and 

period of deployment to obtain the most precise estimates of 

biomass. 

Schedule - Monthly, May through October: all transects and 

contours. 

Data Reduction and Statistical Analysis - Point (X) and interval 

(s2) estimates of Cladophora biomass (dry weight) will be 

X 

made per each set of replicates (Table IV .B .2). Statistical 

differences among zones within time periods will be analyzed by 

·parametric two-way analysis of variance cross-classified by 

depth and transect. Differences between years will be analyzed 

by factorial analysis of variance and/or paired treatment -

control tests (Ref. Section II). 

37 
TABLE IV.B.2 

. DRY WEIGHT BY DEPTH BY DATE: CLADOPHORA 

DRY WEIGHT 

SA.'JJPIJE STANDAF.D 

DATE CONTOUF. TF. SIZE AVEF.AGF. MAXIMUM MINIM~~ DEVIATION 

------- ------ ------- ------- ------- --------- 80 JUN 15 10 A 4 19.1 20.1 18.1 .83 

B 4 15.8 18.7 14.2 1. 98 

c 4 18.6 18.9 17.9 .49 

D 4 18.7 19.4 18.0 .68 

20 A 4 14.2 14.8 13.0 • 81 

B 4 18.2 20.1 16.2 1. 62 

c 4 16.7 18.1 15.1 1.28 

D 4 15.6 17.3 14.0 1. 36 

30 A 4 12.5 14.3 8.5 2.72 

B 4 17.3 18.8 15.2 1. 72 

c 4 18.4 19.6 17.0 1.10 

D 4 11.2 12.2 10.1 • 91 

80 NQV 12 10 A 4 9.1 9.8 8.3 .62 

B 4 15.8 18.7 14.2 1. 98 

c 4 18.6 18.9 17.9 • 49 

D 4 10.0 10.2 9.8 .17 

20 A 4 14.2 14.8 13.0 • 81 

B 4 6.1 6.7 5.6 .50 

c 4 7.1 7.5 6.8 • 31 

D 4 15.6 17.3 14.0 1. 36 

30 A 4 8.4 9.8 6.5 1. 45 

B 4 17.3 18.8 15.2 1. 72 

c 4 18.4 19.6 17.0 1.10 

D 4 4.6 6.0 1. 1 2.33 

38 -~ 
c. LITERATURE CITED 

Herbst, R P. 1969. Distribution of Cladophora, Amer. Mid!. Natur. 

8 2 ( 1) : 90-9 8. 

McNaught, ME. 1964. Distribution and occurrence of filamentous algae in 

Lake Mendota. MS thesis. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. 34 pp. 

Ontario Ministry of the Environment. 1973. Reports on Cladophora 

investigations in Ontario, 1958 to 1967. 

Taft, C E and W J Kishler. 1973. Cladophora as related to pollution and 

eutrophication in western Lake Erie. Wat. Res. Center, Ohio State 

University, Columbus, OH. 103 PP• 

Waern, M. 1952. Rocky-shore algae in the Oreground Archipelago. Acta. 

Phytogeogr. Sued., 3:1-298. 

39 
3. OBJECTIVE #3. To monitor distribution and relative abundance of fish 

within the 10'-50' contours from Olcott to Thirtym.ile Point, with 

emphasis on plume attraction and susceptibility to intake withdrawal. 

a. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: Distribution of fish as represented by 

returned acoustic signals will be plotted with respect to bottom 

topography and water temperature. 

b. SAMPLING METHOD - ACOUSTIC SURVEY 

Rationale - Application of acoustic techniques to sample aquatic 

environments has expanded rapidly since the early development of 

sonar methods (Cushing, 1978). Acoustic surveys have provided 

data used to determine fish density, length distribution and 

biomass estimates (Cushing, 1967 and 1968; Kaczynski, 1973; 

Robinson and Barraclough, 1978; Thorne, 197la) and, more 

recently, the effect of thermal effluents on fish by monitoring 

variations in spatial and temporal distributions of fish in 

plume and control areas (Spigarelli, et al, 1973; Kelso and 

Minns, 1975; Minns, et al, 1978). 

Acoustic sampling is based on the interpretation of differential 

distortions of sound pulses as they encounter objects within the 

aquatic medium. Aquatic organisms, as well as gas bubbles, 

debris, bottom topography and other obstacles, represent 

discontinuities in the compressibility of water, resulting in 

sound wave absorption, reverberation and deflection. The 

mechanics of the method involve propagation of a sonar pulse and 

subsequent retrieval of echos (deflected waves). Returning 

sound waves resulting from backscatter are collected by an 

acoustic receiver, then are either produced for immediate 

analysis (eg, cathode-ray tubes for visual examination as in 

fishing operations) or stored via magnetic tape and digitized 

for later computer analyses (Lenarz and Green, 1971). 

40 
- 1 

The range of an acoustic signal source is the function of system 

power and the selected frequency of propagated pulse. Given a 

constant power source and aquatic medium, lower-frequency pulses 

(long wave length) minimize sound attenuation and noise 

(resulting from backscatter from small objects), thereby 

maximizing the volume of medium sounded (Clay and Medwin, 

1977). Higher frequencies (short wave lengths) propagated with 

the same power in the same medium result in decreased volume 

sounded, increased confusion or "noise" of returned sound, but 

increase the resolution of the system; ie, the ability to 

discern individual fish within a dense school (Cushing, 1968). 

For a given sonar frequency, the range and sampling volume are 

determined and delimited by the target echo-to-noise ratio and, 

obviously, the sensitivity of the acoustic receiver. 

Depth affects target echo amplitude as the result of sound 

spreading and attenuation through the medium. Backscatter from 

the same target varies with the depth of the target and, 

therefore, the distance which the sonar pulse travels before 

being collected by the acoustic receiver. This phenomenon is 

minimized either by sampling at multiple depths simultaneously 

or by applying a time varied gain (TVG) over received multiple 

target signals before calculating density estimates (Kelso et 

al, 1974). 

The effects of differences in target strength among species is 

increasingly a subject of research (Foote, 1980; Love, 1975; 

Thorne, 1977). Some results indicate that although absolute 

differences in target strength occur (as indicated by laboratory 

measurements of target strength), the accuracy of population 

estimates is not significantly affected by utilizing an average 

or mean target strength in density estimate calculations (Kelso 

et al, 1974). 

41 
Acoustical surveys have been conducted at several generating 

stations along the Great Lakes to assess the effects of thermal 

effluent on the distribution of local fish populations. 

Resulting data define differences in spatial distribution either 

between plume-affected and control areas or within the plume 

through time. The method has been used at Point Beach 

(Spigarelli et al, 1973); Pickering (Kelso and Minns, 1975); 

Nanticoke (Minns et al, 1978; Kelso, 1976); and Douglas Point 

(Minns et al, 1978). Acoustic survey methods are proposed for 

Somerset based on success of prior studies and the amount of 

useful data which can be collected during day and night 

concerning potential plume attraction, avoidance, or coincidence. 

Gear - Multifrequency echo sounder with dual beam receivers and 

automatic echo integrator capable of integrating over 1 meter 

intervals. The transducer will be a towed-body type to reduce 

interference from hull vibration and vessel turbulence. A 

compatible mag-tape recorder will be used to retain a permanent 

record of all acoustic information collected. 

Zones - Olcott to Thirtymile Point; transects from 10'-50' 

contours located along the SSl intake and discharge lines and 

east-west at distances of +100 m, 250 m, 500 m, and 1, 2-1/2, 5, 

and 9 km (total of 16 transects). 

Schedule - Monthly, March through December, weather permitting. 

Day at all transects; night at one transect in Zone B 

(intake/discharge), and one transect each in Zones A and C 

(controls). 

Data Reduction and Statistical Analysis - Density information 

will be directly extracted from the returning signals by the 

automated integrator, and density values will be printed out at 

discrete time intervals. Given a known boat speed, the arc 

42 
sounded by the signal, and the depth, organism densities can be 

calculated automatically with an electronic data processing 

unit. Time intervals over which integration is performed will 

be set to correspond with one meter depth intervals. The intent 

of this objective is to compare distributions of fish along the 

different transects along which temperature data are collected 

( Obj. Ill). A1 though the frequency and replication of other 

survey methods will result in collection of some coincidental 

data by which species representation can be evaluated, the 

purpose of the surveys is to determine fish community responses 

to the plume, in general, not on a species-specific basis. 

The results of the surveys will be displayed in two-dimensional 

summary arrays (Figure IV .B .2) and as reproductions of specific 

traces. Patterns will be correlated with water quality data 

described in Objective III. Non-parametric rank tests may be 

used to determine the significance of differences in fish 

distribution (relative abundance) among transects at different 

contours and through time (considering monthly and diel periods). 

c. LITERATURE CITED 

Clay C S, and H Medwin. 1977. Acoustical Oceanography: Principles and 

Applications. Wiley, New York. pp. 

Cushing, D H. 1967. Marine Bio-Acoustics: The Acoustic Estimation of 

Fish Abundance. Pergamon Press, London, New York and Sydney, Aust. 

PP• 75-91. 

Cushing, D H. 1968. Direct estimation of a fish population 

acoustically. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 25(11):2349-2364. 

Cushing, D H. 1978. The present state of acoustic survey. J. Cons. 

Int. Explor. Mer. 38(1):28-32. 

43 
-!:'-

-!:'-

FIGURE IV.B.2 

RELATIVE FISH ABUNDANCE FROM ECHO SOUNDINGS 

BY TRANSECT BY DEPTH 

TI\ANSECT 

1 2 3 4 5 6 

DEPI'H 

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 33 72 42 46 73 36 61 65 70 40 41 31 57 68 69 66 

20 67 75 55 45 53 58 49 77 48 60 35 44 76 37 2 43 

30 23 24 25 26 27 62 74 63 52 29 56 30 54 64 50 71 

40 7 11 78 8 9 17 32 12 5 51 34 18 38 19 21 22 

50 14 10 20 1 15 47 59 80 79 16 3 6 39 13 4 28 

TOTAL 144 192 220 126 177 220 275 297 254 19() 169 129 2()4 201 1!16 230 
-- ; 

Foote, K G. 1979. On representing the length dependence of acoustic 

target strengths of fish. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 36:1490-1496. 

Holliday, D v. 1972. Resonance structure in echoes from schooled 

pelagic fish. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 4(2):1322-1332. 

Johnson, R K. 1977. Acoustic estimation of scattering-layer composition. 

J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 61(6):1636-1639. 

Kaczynski, V W. 1973. An evaluation of high frequency sonar for fish 

counting and relative biomass estimation in the lower Hudson 

estuary. Report for Consolidated Edison of New York. 30 pp. 

Kelso, J R M, E E Pickett, and R G Dowd. 1974. A digital echo-counting 

system used in determining abundance of freshwater pelagic fish in 

relation to depth. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 31:1101-1104. 

Kelso, J R M, and C K Minns. 1975. Summer distribution of the nearshore 

fish community near a thermal generating station as determined by 

acoustic census. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 32:1409-1418. 

Lenarz, W H and J H Green. 1971. Electronic processing of acoustical 

data for fishery research. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 28:446-447. 

Love, R H. 1974. Predictions of volume scattering strengths from 

biological trawl data. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 57(2):300-305. 

Minns, C K, J R M Kelso, and W Hyatt. 1978. Spatial distribution of 

nearshore fish in the vicinity of two thermal generating stations, 

Nanticoke and Douglas Point, on the Great Lakes. J. Fish. Res. Bd. 

Can. 35:885-892. 

Orr, M H, E E Hays, and F R Hess. 1978. Acoustic detection of demersal 

fish closer than 15 centimeters to the bottom in 80 meters of water. 

J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 35:1155-1156. 

45 
Penrose, J D and G T Kaye. 1978. Acoustic target strengths of marine 

organisms. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 65(2):1397-1403. 

Peterson, M L, C S Clay, and S B Brandt. 1976. Acoustic estimates of 

fish density and scattering function. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 

60(3):618-622. 

Robinson, D G and W E Barraclough. 1978. Population estimates of 

sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in a fertilized oligotrophic 

lake. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 35:851-860. 

Spigarelli, S A, G P Romberg, and R E Thorne. 1973. A technique for 

simultaneous echo location of fish and thermal plume mapping. Trans. 

Amer. Fish. Soc. 102(2):462-466. 

Thorne, R E. 197la. Investigations into the relation between integrated 

echo voltage and fish density. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 28:1269-1273. 

Thorne, R E, J E Reeves, and A E Millikar. 197lb. Estimate of the 

Pacific hake (Merluccius productus) population in Port Susan, 

Washington, using an echo integrator. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 

28:1275-1284. 

Thorne, Richard E. 1977. A new digital hydroacoustic data processor and 

some observations on herring in Alaska. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 

34:2288-2294. 

46 
4. OBJECTIVE #4. To monitor abundance of pelagic fish species most 

susceptible to power plant effects in Lake Ontario, in impact and 

control zones for ssl. 

a. NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) #4A: Fish abundance as estimated by catch 

per unit effort (CPE) is not significantly different among 

sampling zones. 

NULL HYPOTHESES (H0 ) #4B: Inequalities in CPE among zones are 

not significantly different prior and subsequent to SSl operation. 

b. SAMPLING METHOD - TRAWLING 

Rationale - The overall goal of Objectives #4 through #8 is to 

assess the effect of SSl on different segments of the fish 

community. Given the fact that any single method of capturing 

fish is selective (Lagler, 1971)' a variety of sampling gear will 

be used to obtain a representative sample of the fish populations 

at and adjacent to Somerset. NYSEG's choice of gears and 

sampling location and effort per gear type was based on (1) type 

and/or age class of fish which are most likely to be affected by 

operation of SSl; (2) gear selectivity; (3) type of data to be 

collected and characteristics of the sample required for 

statistical tests and estimators; (4) comparability of data with 

that of other Lake Ontario programs; and (5) minimization of 

unnecessary sampling effort and fishing mortality relative to 

information gained. 

The trawl survey described here (Objective #4) is aimed at 

capture of pelagic target species most likely to be affected by 

impingement and entrainment at Somerset. The method proposed is 

subsurface and midwater trawling with nets which will be designed 

to minimize drag, avoidance, and selectivity by proper design of 

mouth opening, doors, net length and net mesh. This method is 

recommended over subsurface and midwater gillnetting because gill 

nets cause higher mortality of captured fish and interfere with 

navigation. However, it should be noted that both Fish and 

Wildlife Service (FWS) and DEC are experimenting with oblique 

47 
trawling techniques. Contingent upon their results, NYSEG may 

select to integrate subsurface and midwater trawling efforts. 

The main purpose of this objective is to provide standardized 

preoperational and operational data to be used for estimating 

indices of abundance, as CPE, over time and space. However, 

possibility of bias toward given segments of the population has 

not been overlooked. If necessary, subsurface and midwater 

variable-mesh gill netting will be conducted at selected 

stations to provide additional quantification of relative trawl 

and gill net selectivity by development of gear and mesh 

selectivity curves (Lagler, 1971). 

Gear - Surface and midwater trawls; exact specifications to be 

developed. 

Zones - 9 subzones at two depths, forming basis for stratified 

random sampling design and/or paired treatment - control design. 

Zone A- near Olcott- centered on 10' (S), 30' & 50' (S+M) 

contours 

Zone B - Somerset - centered on 10' (S), 30' & 50' (S+M) 

contours 

Zone C - Thirtymile Pt -centered on 10' (S), 30' & 50' (S+M) 

contours 

Effort - 5-10 minutes, depending on results of pilot study. 

Parallel to shore with wind. 

Replicates - 4 per each subzone and depth. 

Schedule - Monthly, March through December, weather permitting. 

Catch Treatment - All species will be identified and counted. 

For target species identified in Table III.!, counts will be 

made by length classes with cut-off points based on speciesspecific age group size classes. Frequency of gas bubble 

disease (external symptoms) will be estimated by species, and 

48 
representative subsamples will be retained 

(laboratory) analysis if external symptoms occur 

for internal 

on more than 

one (1) percent of the target species. External evidence will 

be recorded for any other species. 

Data Reduction and Statistical Analyses - The catch data for 

each species will be compiled, reduced and presented, as a 

minimum, in the following ways: 

o Basic tabulation of total catch per species by zone, depth, 

and time (Tables IV.B.3 and IV.B.4). 

o Length-frequency tables and/or figures (Table IV.B.5; 

Figure IV. B.3) • 

o Presentation of point (X) and interval (s2) estimates 

X 

for CPE, computed as total numbers caught/total time fished. 

o Factorial analysis of variance tests of the hypothesis that 

no differences in CPE and size distributions occur after 

operation of SSl. The interaction term of the ANOVA or the 

difference between stations in the paired stations design 

will be used in primary test statistics. 

o One or two way ranking tables for application of 

non-parametric tests of differences among zones and/or time 

periods (Table IV .B .6). Non-parametric tests such as the 

median, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests require fewer 

assumptions about the frequency distributions of sample 

data and were shown by Gooch (1977) and Moyle and Lound 

(1959) to be satisfactory for analyzing gill net catch data 

with skewed distributions of catch per net. Skewed 

frequency distributions, particularly the negative 

binomial, are characteristic of trawl data (Moyle and 

Lound, 1959, Roessler, 1965; Clarke, 1974; Taylor, 1953; 

Motte and Iitaka, 1975). Linear transformations for these 

49 
TABLE IV .B.3 

TOtAL CATCH PER EFFORT BY MONTH BY STATION: 

ALEWIFE 

SA.'1PLE MAX MIN STANDARD 

MONTH STATION SIZE MEAN NU!v'JBER NlJ!-1BEF. DEVIATION 

------- ------ ------ ------ --------- -- 79 NOV OLCOrT 4 5.0 12.0 1. 0 6.08 

SOMERSET 4 3.8 15.0 1. 0 4.66 

THIF.TYMILE 4 5.1 15.0 1. 0 5.28 

80 rEB OLCOTT 4 16.2 39.0 2.0 16.78 

SOMERSET 4 11.2 68.0 1.0 20.77 

THIRTYMILE 4 15.7 68.0 1. 0 21.72 

80 MAn OLCOTT 4 19.0 75.0 2.0 31.45 

SOME I\ SET 4 6.6 28.0 1. 0 11.97 

THIRTYMILE 4 15.5 75.0 1. 0 25.70 

80 MAY OLCGrT 4 15.4 92.0 1.0 24.25 

SOMERSET 4 15.3 92.0 1.0 24.25 

- j THIRTYMILE 4 12.1 65.0 1.0 17.79 

- . 

50 
V1 

,_ 

STATION 

OLCOfT 

SOMERSET 

DEPTH 

50S 

THIRTYM Il:.E 11. 0 

TOTAL 11.0 

TABLE IV.B.4 

TOTAL CATCH PER EFFORT BY STATION BY DEPTH: 

ALEWIFE 

50!~ 

34.0 

34.0 

30S 

65.0 

8.0 

73.0 

30M 

8.0 

65.0 

73.0 

205 

128.0 

105.0 

233.0 

20M 

2.0 

2.0 

10S 

105.0 

96.0 

201.0 

TOTAL 

308.0 

96.0 

223.0 

627.0 
TABLE IV • B • 5 

LENGTH FREQUENCIES (MM) BY DATE FOR ALEWIFE 

LENGTH 

50.0 55.0 90.0 95.0 110.0 115.0 120.0 125.0 130.0 135.0 

DATE 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

80 FEB 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

80 FEB 17 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

80 FEB 26 0 0 0 0 0 5 15 3 0 0 

80 MAR 06 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 V1 

N 80 MAR 12 64 4 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 

80 MAR 20 0 3 0 0 0 1 .0 0 0 0 

80 MAR 21 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 

80 MAY 15 0 0 91 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 

80 MAY 29 0 0 67 1 1 23 3 0 2 1 

80 MAY 30 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 

TOTAL 72 8 158 3 8 32 19 4 2 2 
VI 

w 

FIGURE IV.B.3 

LENGTH FREQUENCY: WALLEYE 

LENGTH 

300 

320 

340 

360 

380 

400 

420 

440 

460 

480 

500 

520 

540 

560 

580 

600 

620 

640 

NUMBER 

2 3 4 5 

+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ 

= !=================================== 

•----------------------------------------------------------- ·----------------------------------------------------------- !=================================== I=========== 

·----------------------------------- ·-----------------------------------

·----------------------------------- ·----------------------------------- !=========================================================== 

·-----------------------------------

•-----------------------------------

'======================= 

----------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------

----------------------- -----------------------

----------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------

·=========== 

·----------- ·-----------

= 

6 
,• \ TABLE IV .B.6 

SAMPLE RANKS BY STATION FOR TRAWL DATA: ALEWIFE 

STATION 

OLCOTT SCJ.1ERSET THIRTIMILE 

NUMBER RANK NUMBER RANK NUMBER RANK 

--------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.0 1.00 . . !1.0 2.00 

5.0 3.50 . . 5.0 3.50 

11.0 5.00 . . 1!1.0 6.00 

15.0 8.00 . . 15.0 8.00 . . . . 15.0 8.00 

18.0 10.50 . \ < 

. . 18.0 10.50 

21.0 12.50 

21.0 12.50 

. . 25.0 14.00 

29.0 15.50 . . 29.0 15.50 

38.0 17.00 

51.0 18.00 . . 72.0 19.50 

! . . 72.0 19.50 

77.0 21.50 . . . . 77.0 21.50 

79.0 23.00 . . 80.0 2!1.50 . . . . 80.0 24.50 

86.0 26.00 . • . • 137.0 27.00 

141.0 28.00 . . . . 143.0 29.00 

/ 284.0 30.00 

TOTAL 

561.0 120.00 !109.0 140.00 694.0 205.00 

54 
: T 

distributions have been described for normalizing such data 

and making the mean independent of the variance for 

purposes of parametric analysis of variance and NYSEG will 

perform such analyses to determine which tests are to be 

preferred for analyzing Somerset data; ie, parametric or 

non-parametric. 

d. LITERATURE CITED 

Clark, S H. 1974. A study of variation in trawl data collected in 

Everglades National Park, Florida. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 103(4): 

777-785. 

Gooch, B. 1977. The statistical analysis of gill net catches. 

Montana Dept. of Administration, Helena, MT. Unpub. MS, Sept. 1977, 

65 P• 

Lagler, K F. 1971. Capture, sampling and examination of fishes. IN: 

W E Ricker, ed. Methods for Assessment of Fish Production in Fresh 

Waters. IBP Handbook No. 3. Blackwell Scientific Pub., Oxford. p 

7-44. 

Motte, G A and Y Iitaka. 1975. Evaluation of trawl performance by 

statistical inference of the catch. Fish. Mar. Tech., Univ. of R.I., 

Mar. Tech. Rept. No. 36. 21 p. 

Moyle, J B and R Lound. 1959. Confidence limits associated with means 

and medians of series of net catches. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 89(1): 

53-58. 

Roessler, M. 1965. An analysis of the variability of fish populations 

taken by otter trawl in Biscayne Bay, Florida. Trans. Amer. Fish. 

Soc. 94(4): 311-318. 

Taylor, C c. 1953. Nature of variability in trawl catches. u.s. Fish 

and Wildl. Serv., Fish. Bull. 83, Vol. 54: 145-166. 

55 
-"\ 

5 • 0 BJECTIVE 115 • To monitor bottom abundance of species most 

susceptible to power plant effects in Lake Ontario, in impact and 

control zones for SSl. 

a. 

b. 

NULL HYPOTHESIS (H ) (/SA: 0 

CPE is not significantly different 

among zones. 

NULL HYPOTHESIS (H ) 1/SB: Inequalities in CPE among zones are 0 

not significntly different prior and subsequent to SSl operation. 

SAMPLING METHOD - Bar TOM, SMALL-MESH GILL NETS 

Rationale The program goals here are similar to those 

described for the trawl survey (Objective 114). For bottom fish, 

small mesh gill nets are a more reliable means of collection 

than otter trawls because of the difficulty of bottom trawling 

in Lake Ontario. The experimental gill net to be used in SSl 

monitoring is aimed at overcoming the well-known effects of 

mesh-size selectivity (Hamley, 1975; Yeh, 1977; Handford et al, 

1977) by incorporating a graded series of meshes. 

Gear - Bottom gill nets 150' in length; 25' panels of 3/4", 1", 

1-1/4", 1-1/2", 2", and 2 1/2" stretch mesh; 8' deep. 

Zones - 9 subzones forming basis for stratified random design 

and/or paired treatment - control design. 

Zone A -near Olcott- centered on 10', 30', and 50' contours. 

Zone B - Somerset - centered on 10', 30' and 50' contours. 

Zone C - Thirtymile Pt- centered on 10', 30' and 50' contours. 

Effort - Overnight, sunset to sunrise 

Replicates - 4 per each subzone. 

Schedule - Monthly - March through December, weather permitting. 

Catch Treatment - Similar to Objective 114. 

56 
Data Reduction and Statistical Analyses - Similar to 

Objective 114. 

d. LITERATURE CITED 

Hanley, J M. 1975. Review of gillnet selectivity. J. Fish. Res~ Bd. 

Can. 32(11): 1943-1969. 

Handford, P, G Bell, and T Reimchen. 1977. A gillnet fishery considered 

as an experiment in artificial selection. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 

34(7): 954-961. 

Yeh, C F. 1977. Relative selectivity of fishing gear used in a large 

reservoir in Texas. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 106(4): 309-313. 

57 
' ' 

6. OBJECTIVE 116. To monitor forage fish populations in impact and 

control zones for SSl. 

a. NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) 116A: CPE ~s not significantly different 

among zones. 

NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) 116B: Inequalities in CPE among zones are 

not significantly different prior and subsequent to SSl 

operation. 

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: Evaluation of usefulness of DEC 

monitoring data in determining long-term trends in forage fish 

populations at SSl. 

b. TARGET SPECIES - Alewife, rainbow smelt, and spottail shiner 

c. SAMPLING METHOD - TRAWLING 

Rationale - The overall goal of this objective is to provide 

annual indices of population size and characteristics of forage 

spp. by the DEC method, and provide a basis for subsequent 

reliance on DEC indices and stock assessments. A secondary 

objective is to collect representative samples of target species 

for sex, age and growth analyses, (Obj. 119 & 10). 

Gear - 26 1 or 39 1 Yankee Bottom Trawl, contingent upon pilot 

study results (designed according to DEC specifications). 

Zones -Somerset (B), Thirtymile Point (C); 30-50 1 , dependent on 

suitability of bottom type. 

Effort - 30 minute effort, parallel to shore, with wind. 

Replicates - 4 per subzone. 

Schedule - April, June, October; daytime; certain tows scheduled 

concurrently with DEC work. 

58 
', 

_-, 

I 

Catch Treatment - Similar to Objective 114, plus subsampling of 

target species for scales, exact lengths and weights of 

individuals, and determination of sex. 

Data Reduction and Statistical Analyses - Similar to Objective 

114. Additional analyses geared toward comparison of stock 

indices with DEC sample indices, and assessment of relative 

selectivity compared to small-mesh gill nets (Obj. 115). 

Non-parametric tests of differences in distribution of sex and 

occurrence of disease will also be utilized to evaluate 

differences within zones among years. 

59 
Replicates- 4 (2 each direction re. mesh). 

Schedule -August. 

Catch Treaenent - Similar to Objective #6. 

Data Reduction and Statistical Analyses - Similar to Objective 

4fo6. 

61 
8. OBJECTIVE #8. To monitor Salmonid populations in impact and control 

zones for SSl. 

a· NUU. HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) 1fo8A: CPE is not significantly different 

among zones. 

NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) 1fo8B: Inequalities in CPE among zones are not 

significantly different prior and subsequent to SSl operation. 

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: Evaluation of usefulness of DEC 

monitoring data in determining long-term trends in salmonid 

populations at SSl. 

b. TARGET SPECIES - Rainbow trout, brown trout, coho salmon 

c. SAMPLING METHOD - DEC GILL NET 

Rationale - The overall goal of this objective is to provide annual 

indices of population size and characteristics of salmonid 

populations by the DEC method, and provide a bas is for subsequent 

reliance on DEC indices and stock assessments. Methods, materials, 

and schedule will coincide with those of DEC so as to maximize 

utility of the data. Subsamples of salmonid target species 

captured by this method will be used in combination with target 

species caught by methods described in Objectives #6 & 7 to 

determine sex composition, age and growth (Obj. #9 & 10). 

Gear - DEC and FWS gill net: SO' panels of 2, 2-1/2, 3, 3-1/2, 

4, 4-1/2, 5, 5-1/2, and 6 inch stretch mesh (total= 450'). 

Zones - Somerset (B), and Thirtymile Pt (C); as near to shore as 

possible, and perpendicular to shore. 

Effort - Over-night, sunset to sunrise 

Replicates - 4 (2 each direction re. mesh) 

Schedule - May. 

62 
Catch Treatment - Similar to Objective #6. 

Data Reduction and Statistical Analyses - Similar to Objective 

#6. 

63 
9. OBJECTIVE #9. To monitor sex ratio and fecundity (# eggs/female) in 

populations of target species collected from impact and control zones 

for SSl. 

a. NULL HYPOTHESIS (H ) #9a: The proportion (P) of males and 

0 

females captured per gear type is not significantly different 

among zones. 

NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) 119b: Fecundity of target species is not 

significantly different among zones. 

NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) (f9C: Inequalities in relative proportion 

of sex or fecundity in target species collected among zones are 

not significantly different prior and subsequent to SSl operation 

b. SAMPLING METHODS - DEC TRAWLS AND GILL NETS (Obj. #6-8) 

Rationale - Sex ratio and fecundity are common elements of fish 

population study. Changes in these parameters are a function of 

intra-specific age, growth and mortality which may be related to 

environmental change and/or fishing pressure. The sex of fish 

collected in gill net and trawl surveys will be determined 

readily for adults during the spawning season based on external 

characteristics. At other times, sex of adults (and possibly 

some juvenile fish) will be determined from dissection and 

direct observation of the gonads. The number of eggs per female 

will also be estimated from a subsample of mature females. 

Frequency - Forage species - April, June, October. Salmonids 

and "warmwater" species -May and August, respectively. 

Methodology - A subsample of the nine target species caught by 

DEC gill nets and trawls (Obj. #6-8) will be retained for 

laboratory examination. The number of fish per species to be 

retained for laboratory analyses will be determined in 

consultation with DEC/PSC. 

64 
Gonads will be examined directly by dissecting the individuals 

sampled. Fecundity expressed as the number of eggs per female per 

gram non-egg weight will be estimated annually by taking random 

samples (10 to 20 percent of volume or weight) from stratified 

sections (forward, mid, end) of each ovary collected in field 

surveys. 

recorded. 

Condition and stage of gonad development will also be 

Data Reduction and Statistical Analyses - The percentages of 

males and females will be estimated for 

impact and control areas. Statistical 

target species from 

confidence levels 

(interval estimates) for proportions will be computed using the 

binomial method. Differences between impact and control areas 

will be determined using "t" test and Chi-square contingency 

table test. Point and interval estimates of total eggs/unit 

non-egg weight will be made, and differences noted in the "null 

hypothesis" will be tested by appropriate tools for statistical 

inference. Tables IV.B. 7 and IV.B.8 illustrate basic formats 

for presenting the data on sex composition of target species. 

65 
(J'\ 

(J'\ 

ZONE 

OLCOTT 

SOME:RSET 

THIRTYMILE 

TOTAL 

TABLE IV.B.7 

CONTINGENCY TABLE FOR SEX COMPOSITION BY ZONE 

SEX 

FEMALE 

30 

60 

40 

130 

MALE 

50 

75 

40 

165 

TOTAL 

80 

135 

80 

295 
TABLE IV .B.B 

POINT AND INTERVAL ESTIMATES OF SEX COMPOSITION 

STATION 

OLCOIT SCMERSET THIRTYMILE POINT 

DATE PERCENT 95CL* PERCENT 95CL* PERCENT 95CL* 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

APR 01 82 40. .39 16. .29 13. .27 

APR 08 82 51. .40 48. .40 63. .39 

APR 17 82 38. .39 56. .40 42. .39 

APR 26 82 42. .39 52. .40 50. .40 

MAY 02 82 51. .40 33. .38 80. .32 

MAY 08 82 58. .39 18. • 31 41. .39 

MAY 16 82 43. .40 26. .35 36. .38 

MAY 25 82 46. .40 52. .40 32. .37 

• JUN 03 82 21. .33 38. .39 84. .29 

JUN 09 82 11. • 25 21. -33 31 • .37 

JUN 18 82 24. .34 24. .34 54. .40 

JUN 27 82 36. .38 63. .39 22. .33 

* BINOMIAL CONFIDENCE INTERVAL (PLUS/MINUS). 

67 
10. OBJECTIVE #10. To monitor age and growth of target fish species from 

impact and control zones for SSl. 

a. NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) 1F!Oa: Proportions of different age 

groups captured per gear type are not significantly different 

among zones. 

NULL HYPOTHESIS (H ) 1f10b: Growth rates of target species, as 

0 

determined by linear regression, are not significantly different 

among zones. 

NULL HYPOTHESIS (H ) 0 1F10c: I ne qua 1i ties in age class 

representation or growth rates among zones are not significantly 

different prior and subsequent to SSl operation. 

b. SAMPLING METHODS - DEC TRAWLS AND GILL NETS (Obj. #6-8). 

Rationale - Age and growth studies are essential for the study 

of fish population dynamics and evaluation of fishing mortality 

or removals by impingement and entrainment, and effects of 

long-term changes in habitat, water quality, or interspecific 

associations among fish and their prey. Study of age and growth 

is facilitated by the fact that annual growth increments are 

recorded on hard parts of the fishes body such as scales, bones, 

or spines (Carlander, 1977). 

Rile 0970) reviewed the history of us~ng scales to establish a 

body length to scale radius relationship for the purpose of 

back-calculating fish growth rates. As Rile ( 1970) and 

Carlander (1949, 1977) point out, however, the method is not 

without potential pitfalls. These include failure to select 

scales from the same part of the body (key scales) for each 

species; lack of appreciation for differences between sexes of 

the same species; and use of incorrect or non-representative 

body-scale relationships as the result of sampling bias or 

incorrect assumptions. The field programs presented ~n 

Objectives 6 through 8, above, were designed to provide 

representative samples of target fish of all ages and sizes from 

which scale samples for growth rate calculations can be obtained. 

68 
Scales have been commonly used to study age and growth of target 

species identified in Objectives #6-8. 

(1) Alewife - Descriptions of alewife scales were presented by 

Cockerell (1913), Rothschild (1963), Norden (1967) and 

Kornegay (1978). Marcy (1969), Brown (1972), and Kornegay 

(1978) published the most recent accounts of alewife age 

and growth based on scale readings. Norden (1967) and 

Kornegay (1978) found close agreement in estimates of age 

composition based on scales and otoliths, but scales are 

much easier to use. The body-scale relationship has been 

described by Marcy (1969), Brown (1972), and Kornegay 

(1978) by a linear equation with a correction value 

(intercept or "a" value on the ordinate for total length). 

(2) Smelt The smelt scale structure and annuli 

characteristics were described by Bailey (1964), McKenzie 

(1958), and Rupp and Redmond (1966). Bailey (1964) studied 

age and growth of Lake Superior smelt using the scale 

method. The body-scale relationship was found to be 

linear, with an "a" value of about zero in this study. 

(3) Spottail shiner - McCann (1959) studied age and growth of 

spottail shiners in Iowa using the scale method. A 

straight body-scale relationship with an "a" value of 14 mm 

was found in this study. Age and growth studies of 

spottail shiners have been uncommon historically. 

(4) Smallmouth bass - The validity of annuli on smallmouth bass 

scales has been verified by Forney (1961), Latta (195 7), 

Reynolds (1965), and Brown (1960). The body-scale 

relationship has usually been done on a direct proportion 

basis, often employing the correction factor "a" 

(Carlander, 1977). Everhart (1950) found a curvilinear 

69 
relationship however, and Paragamian and Coble (1975) 

fitted the relationship using two straight line equations -

one for early growth (up to 145 mm) and one for growth 

thereafter. Growth rates of smallmouth bass have been 

related to pH and conductivity (Sullivan, 1956), which will 

be measured in this study according to Objective # 1. 

(5) White perch - Sheri and Power (1969a, 1969b) described 

scales of white perch taken from Lake Ontario, 

validated the method with tagging results. Marcy 

Richards (1974) also used the scale method to 

and 

and 

back 

calculate growth of white perch in the Connecticut River, 

finding a straight line body-scale relationship with 

r = 0.91 and a = 20. 

(6) Yellow perch - Scott and Crossman (1973) indicate that in 

North America, ages have historically been determined from 

scale study. The method has been validated on yellow perch 

data by Jobes (1952) and Joeris (1957). 

(7) Rainbow trout - The scale method has been used to age 

rainbow trout in a variety of habitats. Scott and Crossman 

(1973) indicate that growth varies considerably depending 

on area, habitat, life history type, and quantity and type 

of food. Most authors used the direct proportion method of 

determining growth rate (Smith, 1955; Carlander, 1969). 

Some authors have used the Fraser modification of the 

direct linear model incorporating an intercept value, _!, 

ranging from 23-43 mm TL (Carlander, 1969). A curvilinear 

relationship was used by Sigler (1953). Descriptions and 

pictures of rainbow trout scales are presented by Benson, 

et al (1959); Sigler (1953); and Hartman (1959). 

70 
(8) Brown trout - Most studies of brown trout have been based 

on scale readings ( Ca rlander, 1969). The direct proportion 

method dates back to 1910 (Kipling, 1962)' but correction 

factors (!_ value) or curvilinear fits may be better in 

cases where juvenile growth rates exceed adult growth 

rates. Scale descriptions and pictures have been published 

by Ball and Jones (1960) and Reimers et al (1955). 

(9) Coho - Age and growth of coho will not be undertaken unless 

fish are unusually large. Most coho in Lake Ontario are of 

known age and their population in dependent on stocking. 

The goal of this program objective will be to describe the age 

composition of target species in impact zone, control zone, and 

impingement samples (Section V), and compare growth rates of 

target species among years and year classes. 

Frequency - Forage species: April, June, October. Salmonids and 

warmwater species: May and August, respectively. 

Methodology Objectives #6-8 will provide scales, length, 

weight, and sex data for representative samples of target 

species captured by a variety of gears. To the extent that 

these gears undersample smaller size classes of fish, 

collections will be complemented with representative subsamples 

of fish from small-mesh gill netting (Obj. #5) and subsurface 

and midwater trawling (Obj. #4). Scales, size and 

identification will be contained in, or on, scale (coin) 

envelopes. 

Scales will be separated and cleaned for reading with a 

microprojector. Depending on the species, either acetate scale 

impressions (Smith, 1954) or glass slide mounts will be 

prepared. Magnification will be between 23 X and 84 X, also 

depending on species (hence size of scales). 

71 
Age of each fish will be determined by counting annuli and 

adding 1 year for edge growth of fish caught after January 1. 

Finally, scale radii at each annulus and total scale radius will 

be measured in millimeters and recorded on data forms 

incorporating size and sex data. 

Data Reduction and Statistical Analyses - The age and growth 

data for each species will be reduced, analyzed, and presented 

in the following ways: 

o Age - frequency charts (Table IV.B.9) - Differences in age 

composition among zones and years to be determined by x2 

analysis of contingency tables (Snedecor and Cochran, 1967). 

o Age - length keys (Table IV. B.lO) - used to estimate age 

composition of the total catch, based on ageing of 

subsamples from that population and time period (Westrheim 

and Ricker, 1978). 

o Body length-scale relationship (Figure IV. B.4) - based on 

computerized curve fitting by least squares. 

o Back - calculated growth rates (Figure IV.B.S) - size at 

annuli presented in table form with means and standard 

deviations per age and year class, and in chart form for 

illustrative purposes. Growth curves for males and females 

presented separately. Between years differences in growth 

rates of target species to be determined by analysis of 

covariance ( Snedecor and Cochran, 1967). Size and age data 

may also be analyzed by one-way analysis of variance to 

establish differences in growth rates among year classes 

(Piehler, 1967). 

72 
TABLE IV. B. 9 

LENGTH-AGE FREQUENCY FROM GILLNETS: YELLOW PERCH 

AGE GROUP 

II III IV v VI 

YEAR CLASS 

1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 TOTAL 

TOTAL 

LENGTH AVERAGE 

INTERVAL LENGTH 

( M.'-1) (MM) 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

300-349 321 5 2 7 

350-399 385 3 15 10 1 29 

400-449 412 1 20 35 28 10 94 

450 .. 499 468 10 15 49 20 94 

500-549 522 1 5 10 35 51 

550-599 573 • 5 15 20 

TOTAL 9 48 65 93 80 295 

73 
..• J 

TABLE IV .B.lO 

AGE-LENGTH KEY: WALLEYE 

AGE 

I II III IV v VI 

LENGTH 

----------------·---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

300.0 23.81 

330.0 57.14 16.67 4.76 

360.0 9.52 . 4.76 

390.0 4.76 . 19.05 

-...) 420.0 4.76 . 33.33 12.50 . 12.50 ~ 

450.0 . . 19.05 

480.0 . 50.00 19.05 25.00 

510.0 • 22.22 • 37.50 

540.0 • 11. 11 • . . 12.50 

570.0 . . . 25.00 75.00 62.50 

600.0 . . . . 12.50 

~ 

630.0 . . • • 12.50 12.50 

TOTAL 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 
'-J 

V1 T 

0 

T 

A 

L 

L 

E 

N 

G 

T 

H 

M 

M 

120 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

100 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

80 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

60 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

110 + 

20 

I 

I 

FIGURE IV.B.4 

GROWTH BACK-<:ALCUIATION PLOT 

L =A + B(SR) 

0 +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ 

0 2 3 II 5 6 7 8 9 10 

SCALF. RAnTII~ (MM\ 
180 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

160 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

1!10 + 

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I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

120 + 

I 

I 

100 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

80 + 

FIGURE IV.B.5 

GROWTH CURVE BY YEAR-CLASS 

1978 

1979 ------ 1980 -·-·-·-·-·-· 1981 ------

... ,.-· -· 

-. ~-~·- .,.,.,., ,. . -. .,.,.,.,,.., . ,. . ,..,.,.,.,., , . ,. ,..,.,., , .. , •,. ;' r . ,. ,. . ,. ,. ,. , . ,. ,. ,. . ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. . ,. . ,. ., .;' , , ." ., , , . ., , ,. 

, ., , 

;; , . I , , , 

,·I / 

,·/ I 

,./ I 

·'I / 

.'J I 

.'J I 

.'l, 

·'ll 

·'II 

71 I 'II 

60 I '11 

r I 

I 

I 

I 

40 +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ 

1 2 3 5 6 

AGE 

76 

7 
c. LENGTH - WEIGHT RELATIONSHIPS 

Rationale - Length and weights of subsamples of target fish 

provided by Objectives /16-8 will be used to compute 

length-weight relationships by least squares regression of the 

log transformed variables. The length-weight relationship is a 

key component of fisheries population study and provides 

comparative data for assessing spatial and temporal differences 

in condition of fish about Somerset. Consequently, similar data 

from impingement collections (Obj. 1115) will be compared. 

Frequency - Forage species: April, June, October. Salmonid and 

warmwater species: May and August, respectively. 

Data Reduction and Statistical Analysis Length-weight 

relationships (Figure IV .B.6) will be determined by regression 

of log10 W on log10 TL. The same fish subsampled for age 

and growth determination will be used in these analyses. Sex, 

spatial and annual differences will be analyzed by analysis of 

covariance. 

Condition factor (K), based on the weight-length relationship 

W = aLb, will be computed within species, sex, zone, and 

season. Deviations from isometric growth (b = 3) will be 

determined by statistical tests (t - test) of the observed slope 

with the assumed value of 3.0. 

d. LITERATURE CITED 

Bailey, M M 1964. Age, growth, maturity, and sex composition of the 

American Smelt, Osmerus mordax (Mitchill), of western Lake Superior. 

Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 93(4):382-395. 

*Ball, J N, and J W Jones. 1960. On the growth of the brown trout of 

Llyn Tegid. Proc. Zool. Soc. Land. 134(1):1-41. 

*Original reference not obtained for this review. 

77 
.. J 

'-1 

00 

T 

0 

T 

A 

u 

!J 

E 

N 

G 

T 

H 

M 

M 

120 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

100 + 

I 

I 

I 

I 

80+ 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

60 + 

I 

I 

40 + 

20 I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

TOTAL LENGTH MM LINE 

FIGURE IV.B.6 

LENGTH-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIP: WALLEYE 

L : A + B(SR) 

N = 61 

SB = X 

5 

0 +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ 

0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

SCALE ~ADIUS (MM) 
*Benson, N G, 0 B Cope, and R V Bulkley. 1959. Fishery management 

studies on Madison River system in Yellowstone National Park. Spec. 

Sci. Rept. USFWS, 307:1-29. 

*Brown, E M Jr. 1960. Little Miami River headwater - stream 

investigations. Ohio Dept. Nat. Res. Div. Wildl. 1-143. 

Brown, E M Jr. 1972. Population biology of alewives, Alosa 

pseudoharengus, in Lake Michigan, 1949-1970. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 

29:477-500. 

Bulkley, R v. 1960. Use of branchiostegal rays to determine age of 

lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush (Walbaum). Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 

89(4):344-350. 

Carlander, K D. 1949. Some considerations in the use of fish growth 

data based upon scale studies. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 79:187-194. 

Carlander, K D. 1969. Handbook of Freshwater Fishery Biology - Volume 

One. Iowa State Univ. Press., Ames., Iowa. 752 P• 

Carlander, K D. 1977. Handbook of Freshwater Fishery Biology- Volume 

Two. Iowa State Univ• Press., Ames., Iowa. 431 P• 

Cockerell, T D A. 1913. Observations on fish scales. Bull. u.s. Bur. 

Fish. 1912, 32:123-174. 

*Everhart, W H. 1950. A critical study of the relation between body 

length and several scale measurements in the smallmouth bass. 

Micropterus dolomieui Lacepede. J. Wildl. Mgt. 14(3):266-276. 

*Forney, J L. 1961. Growth movements and survival of smallmouth bass 

(Micropterus dolomieui) in Onieda Lake, New York. N.Y. Fish. Game. 

8(2) :88-105. 

*Original reference not obtained for this review. 

79 
*Hartman, W L. 1959. Biology and vital statistics of rainbow trout in 

the Finger Lakes region, New York. N Y Fish and Game J. 6(2): 

204-23 7. 

Rile, R. 1970. Body-scale relation and calculation of growth in fishes. 

Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 99(3):468-474. 

Jobes, F W. 1952. Age, growth, and production of yellow perch in Lake 

Erie. u.s. Fish. Wild!. Serv., Fish. Bull. 70, Vol. 52:205-266. 

Joeris, L S. 1957. Structure and growth of scales of yellow perch of 

Green Bay. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 86:169-194. 

*Kipling, C. 1962. The use of the scales of the brown trout (Salmo 

trutta L.) for the back-calculation of growth. J. Cons. Int. Explor. 

Mer. 27(3):304-315. 

Kornegay, J w. 1978. Comparison of ageing methods for alewife and 

blueback herring. N. Car. Dept. Nat. Res. and Comm. Devel., Div. 

Mar. Fish. Spec. Sci. Rept. No. 30, 51 P• 

*Latta, W C. 1957. The ecology of the smallmouth bass, Micropterus ~ 

dolomieui Lacepede, at Waugoshance Point, Lake Michigan. PhD thesis, 

Univ. Mich. 114 p. 

Marcy, B C Jr. 1969. Age determinations from scales of Alosa 

pseudoharengus (Wilson) and Alosa aestivalis (Mitchill) in 

Connecticut waters. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 98(4): 622-630. 

Marcy, B C Jr, and F P Richards. 1974. Age and growth of the white 

perch Morone americana in the lower Connecticut River. Trans. Amer. 

Fish. Soc. 103(1):117-120. 

*Original reference not obtained for this review. 

80 
McCann, J A. 1959. Life history studies of the spottail shiner of 

Clear Lake, Iowa, with particular reference to some sampling 

problems. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 88(4) :336-343. 

*McKenzie, R A. 1958. Age and growth of smelt, Osmerus mordax 

(Mitchill), of the Miramichi River, New Brunswick. J. Fish. Res. Bd. 

Can. 15(6):1313-1327. 

Norden, CR. 1967. Age, growth, and fecundity of the alewife, Alosa 

pseudoharengus (Wilson), in Lake Michigan. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 

96(387-393). 

*Paragamian, V C, and D W Coble. 1975. Vital statistics of smallmouth 

bass in two Wisconsin rivers, and other waters. J. Wild!. Mgt. 

39(1): 201-210. 

Piehler, G R. 1967. Age and growth of the common whitefish, Coregonus 

clupeaformis (Mitchill), of northern Lake Michigan and Bay DeNoc 

areas. Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, Mich., Unpub. MS Thesis. 

94 p. 

*Reimers, N, J A Maciolek, and E P Pister. 1955. Limnological study of 

the lakes in Convict Creek Basin, Moro County, California. u.s. 

Fish. Bull. 56(103):437-503. 

*Reynolds, J B. 1965. Life history of smallmouth bass, Micropterus 

dolomieui Lacepede, in the Des Moines River, Boone County, Iowa. 

Iowa State J. Sci. 39(4): 417-436. 

Rothschild, B J. 1963. A critique of the scale method for determining 

the age of the alewife, Alosa pseudoharengus. Trans. Amer. Fish. 

Soc. 92:409-413. 

*Original reference not obtained for this review. 

81 
*Rupp, R S, and M A Redmond. 1966. Transfer studies of ecologic and 

genetic variation in the American smelt. Ecol. 47(2):252-259. 

Scott, W B, and E J Crossman. 1973. Freshwater Fishes of Canada. Fish. 

Res. Bd. Can., Bull. 184, 966 P• 

*Sheri, AN, and G Power. 1969a. Annulus formation on scales of the 

white perch, Morone americana (Gmelin), in the Bay of Quinte, Lake 

Ontario. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 98(2) :322-326. 

*Sheri, AN, and G Power. 1969b. Validation of the scale method and back 

calculations for estimating age and growth of white perch (Morone 

americana). Pakistan J. Zool. 1(2):97-111. 

*Sigler, S B. 

Fish Lake. 

1953. The rainbow trout in relation to the other fish in 

Utah State Agric. Exp. Sta. Bull., 358: 1-26. 

*Smith, S B. 1955. The relation between scale diameter and body length 

of Kamloops trout, Salmo gairdnerii Kamloops. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 

12(5): 742-753. 

Smith, S M. 1954. Method of producing plastic impressions of fish 

scales without using heat. Prog. Fish. Cult. 16(2):75-78. 

Snedecor, G W, and W G Cochran. 1967. Statistical Methods. Iowa State 

Univ. Press., Ames, Iowa. 593 p. 

*Sullivan, C R. 1956. Population manipulation studies on West Virginia 

smallmouth bass streams. w. Va. Cons. Comm., Final. Rept. Proj. 

F-1-R-(1-5). 53 P• 

*Van Oosten, J, and PM Eschmeyer. 1956. Biology of young lake trout 

(Salvelinus namaycush) in Lake Michigan. Res. Rept. u.s. Fish. Serv. 

42:88 P• 

*Original reference not obtained for this review. 

82 
Westrheim, S J, and WE Ricker. 1978. Bias in using an age-length 

key to estimate age-frequency distributions. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 

35(2): 184-189. 

83 
11. OBJECTIVE 1111. To monitor abundance and community composition of 

ichthyoplankton and macrozooplankton in impact and control zones for 

SSl. 

a. NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) 1111: Plankton densities and relative 

species abundance are not significantly different among zones. 

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: Estimation of offshore densities of 

ichthyoplankton and zooplankton through space and time. 

Characterization of species relative abundance. Evaluation of 

interactions of plankton densities with , physico-chemical 

variables and, possibly, with year class success. 

b. SAMPLING METHOD - TOWED NET 

Rationale - The purpose of this program is to document changes 

in ichthyoplankton abundance which may be related to ambient 

physical parameters, macrozooplankton size composition, parental 

stock size, and SSl entrainment, which could conceivably be 

mainfested in young-of-the-year (YOY) and/or adult abundance in 

years Y + 1 to adult. 

The gear proposed for the plankton survey is a standard one 

meter net rigged with 202 u mesh for macrozooplankton and 505 u 

mesh for ichthyoplankton. This net and the respective meshes 

were chosen because they are commonly used for this type of 

application (Bowles and Merriner, 1978) and are very similar to 

the plankton gear used at other sites on Lake Ontario. The 202 

u mesh net will collect all but the earliest stages of most of 

the more common and abundant macrozooplankton species. The 505 

u mesh net will collect all the ichthyoplankton (eggs and 

larvae) except the youngest larval alewifes. The extent of 

larval loss will be determined by comparing larval density of 

alewife in selected subsets of the 202 and 505 u net samples. 

84 
A flowmeter will be mounted ~n the open~ng of each net. An 

electronic flowmeter will be mounted on the frame and a readout 

will be located on deck to ensure that the nets are towed at the 

specified speed. The electronic flowmeter will also serve as a 

check against the mechanical flowmeters in each net. 

Gear - 1/2 meter nets; 202 u and 505 u mesh. 

Zones - Olcott (A), Somerset (B), and Thirtymile Pt (C); Blocks 

centered on 25-30' contour; depth: 1 m off bottom to surface. 

Effort - Five minute oblique tow and a minimum volume of 100m3 

Replicates - duplicate per zone per mesh s~ze, night and day. 

Schedule - April through mid-August; weekly (night); biweekly 

(day) 

Data Reduction and Statistical Analyses 

0 Point (X) and interval (s2) estimates of density X 

UF/m3 ) of ichthyoplankton and dominant macro zooplankton 

species per sample set tabulated and plotted (eg. Figure 

IV.B.7). 

o Cumulative frequency distribution function over time, by 

station. 

o Dry weight of all macrozooplankton determined from subsample 

one 202 u mesh net sample. 

0 Length frequency distributions of ichthyoplankton 

subsamples by zone and week. 

o Correlation of ichthyoplankton distribution and abundance 

with temperature and dominant species composition of the 

macrozooplankton community. 

85 
FIGURE IV.B.7 

ICHTHYOPLANKTON DENSITY BY DATE 

BAR CHART CF Sl.MS 

DENSITY SUM 

LLLLL 

LLLLL 

l.LLLL 

30 + LLI.LL LLil.L 

LLLLL LLLLL 

LLLLL LLLLL 

LLLI.L l.LLU. 

'Z7+ LLLLL LLLLL ~ LLLLL l.LLLL 

LLLLL l.LLLL 

LLW. LLLLL 

211 + LLLLL LU.l.L l.LLLL LLI.LL ~ LLW. LLLI.L l.LLLL LLLLL 

LLLLL l.LLLL Ll.LLL LU.l.L 

LI..Ll.L I..LLLL LULL LLLLL 

21 + LLLLL LLLI.L I..LLLL LLLLL ~ LLLLL LLLLL LLLLL LLLLL 

l.LW. I..LI..LL I..LLLL LLI.LL 

LLI.LL EEEEE LLI..LL l.LLLL 

18 + LLLLL EEEEE EEEEE I..LLLL ~ LLLLL EEEEE EEEEE LLLI..L 

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------------------------------------------------------------------------- A01 ADS A15 A22 A29 M06 

DATE 

SYMBCL STAGE SYMBCL STAGE 

E EGG L LARVAE 

86 
r ' 

o Factorial analyses of variance tests of the null hypothesis: 

(interaction term of cross-classified ANOVA, or paired 

control-treatment differences). 

d. LITERATURE CITED 

Bowles, R R and J V Merriner. 1978. Evaluation of ichthyoplankton gear 

used in power plant entrainment studies. In: Jensen, L. (Ed.), 

Fourth National Workshop on Entrainment and Impingement. E A 

Communications. Melville, NY p 33-43. 

87 
I 

- j 

12. OBJECTIVE 1F12. To monitor annual die-off of alewife within 9 km of 

SSl in order to (1) compare occurrence and extent at Somerset with 

that at control areas, and (2) determine the importance of 

impingement mortality relative to one form of natural mortality. 

a. NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) 1f12A: Carcass counts along the beach are 

not significantly different among sampling zones. 

NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) #12B: Inequalities in carcass counts 

among zones are not significantly different prior and subsequent 

to SSl operation. 

b. TARGET SPECIES - Alewife (and smelt or any other fish which 

experience mortality following winter). 

c. SAMPLING METHOD - BEACH (CARCASS) COUNTS 

Rationale - The program is designed to (1) provide statistical 

estimates of differences in extent of alewife die-off per zone 

and year; (2) provide a fairly long-term data base on alewife 

mortality which can be used for possible correlation with water 

quality, hydrological and/or meteorological data; and (3) enable 

NYSEG to compare one form of age-specific natural mortality with 

age-specific impingement mortality associated with SSl. 

The actual feasibility of conducting this program in the manner 

described below, however, will be determined in the initial 

(mobilization) phase of preoperational studies based on riparian 

ownership and/or beach access. 

Zones - Somerset and east-west at distances of + 1, 2-1/2, S, and 

9 km (total 9 stations) 

Effort One 120 m shoreline transect; 1 m2 quadrat /30 m 

length; random starting point/transect. 

Schedule -March, April, May, June 

88 
~ 1 ' 

Field Data - Target spp/quadrat; size - frequency by 10 mm 

classes; meteorological and sea - state observations, etc. 

Data Reduction and Statistical Analyses 

presented and analyzed as follows: 

The data will be 

- 2 

o Point (X) and interval (s ) estimates of numbers of dead 

X 

fish per sampling zone; 

o Two-way analysis of variance of numbers of target species/ 

quadrat by zone and sample week, where individual quadrat 

counts represent independent observations within cells of 

the statistical design. 

o Once operation of SSl commences, the point and interval 

estimates of spring die-off may be compared against 

corresponding estimators of impingement rate at SSl and/or 

documented occurrences of large-scale current patterns and 

longshore transport processes. 

89 
c 

2 

< 
- j 

- j 

. -' 

V. PUMP HOUSE MONITORING PROGRAMS 

A. Overview 

The pumphouse monitoring programs have been designed to evaluate 

impingement and entrainment resulting from operation of the Somerset 

Station (SSl). Year 1 studies have four distinct objectives: (1) 

compliance with sampling requirements defined in 402 Permit Sections B-6 

and C-5, (2) determination of optimum sampling design for impingement and 

entrainment collections during Years 2-5 of operation, (3) examination of 

abiotic factors (including environmental conditions and plant operation 

mode) affecting impingement and entrainment rates, and (4) optimization 

of the traveling screen system to minimize organism damage and mortality 

(Section C-6). 

The requirements stipulated in Sections B-6, C-5 and C-6 provided the 

baseline (minimal) program design for impingement and entrainment 

collections, and comparative survival studies. NYSEG has expanded the 

programs in order to provide data bases which could support the subset 

comparisons necessary to define an optimal sampling design for Years 2-5 

of SSl operation. Because results from analysis of Year 1 sampling 

programs will be most comprehensive and will be used to determine the 

sampling programs of subsequent years, Figure V.A.l presents the schedule 

applicable only for Year 1 collections. 

As discussed in Section IB, the terms impingement and entrainment as used 

in this document have been defined in terms of the Permit requirements. 

Impingement is used in reference to those organisms normally impinged on 

9.5 mm mesh. Entrainment refers to those organisms passing through 9.5 

mm mesh and is further partitioned into two size classes: those 

organisms passing through 9.5 mm mesh but impinged on 1.0 mm mesh and 

those passing through both mesh sizes. 

90 
*wEEK 

I 2 3 4 511 2 3 411 2 3 4 11 2 3 4 511 2 3 4112 3 411 2 3 411 2 3 4 5112 ~ 411 2 3 4 5 11 2 3 411 2 3 4 ,.. 

IMPINGEMENT: 1 .. ••••••~•••••+••••••••••••••••••+••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••!••••••• ••••.t 

IMPINGEMENT: 2 1~00 00,0@@@,@@@@,@@ @0@,@@00~ GO •1!00 8~8809jf!000,8G0 00,~00010000 

~ 

1-o 

.... , ..... , .... , ..... 

ENTRAINMENT: 3 I• e • • •I• • • •I• • • •I• • • e •I• • • •I• • e •I• • e • • e • e e e e e e e e e e •1• e e ele e e e •••••••••••••••••• 

ENTRAINMENT :4 lo o o o o I o o o o I o o o o lo o o o o I o o o o lo o o o lo o o o I o o o o o I o o o o I o o o o o I o o o o I o o o o 

OCT. NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MAlt APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEPT. 

1 COUNT OF ORGANISMS NORMALLY IMPINGED ON 9.5mm SCREEN; CONTINUOUS SAMPLING THROUGH YEAR 1:2 HOUR SCREEN ROTATION 

PERIODS UNLESS OTHERWISE REQUIRED: OBJECTIVE 13 

2 WEEKLY ESTIMATE OF ORGANISMS NORMALLY IMPINGED ON 9.5mm SCREENS: OBJECTIVE 14 * AGE ESTIMATE OF ORGANISMS NORMALLY IMPINGED ON 9.5mm SCREENS: OBJECTIVE 16 

3 ESTIMATE OF ENTRAINMENT RATE (1.0 mm~ x<9.5mm) :OBJECTIVE 17 

4 ESTIMATE OF BIOMASS ENTRAINED (<1.0 mm): OBJECTIVE 18 

FIGURE 'll'Al- SCHEDULE: SSl IMPINGEMENT AND ENTRAINMENT (YEAR 1) 
The following describes the requirements detailed in Sections B-6, C-5 

and C-6, then describes NYSEG' s proposed program to comply with Permit 

stipulations. 

B. Programs Under 402 Permit Section B-6 

Section B-6 of the Permit describes requirements for the fish return and 

traveling screen systems. The fish return system, to be designed for 

year-round operation, is to release fish away from the influence of SSl 

intake and discharge, at a point closely isothermal to the intake flow. 

All pipe bends greater than 60° are to have a turning radius of 10 pipe 

radii. The design should also provide for sampling at the system's 

discharge ports. Currently, NYSEG has no program to evaluate survival of 

fish returned to the lake subsequent to entrainment into SSl but is 

keeping abreast of sampling techniques being evaluated at Niagara 

Mohawk's Oswego #6 Plant. When appropriate methods are developed, NYSEG 

will submit to the Board a sampling program to evaluate the SSl fish 

return system's effectiveness. That submittal will include description 

of sampling methodology, schedule, sample treatment and data analysis 

techniques. 

Although the Permit requires fine mesh (1 mm) screens only for the 

spawning season, NYSEG proposes to utilize fine mesh screens throughout 

the year, contingent upon operational limitations. The Permit further 

stipulates continuous operation of traveling screens for the spawning 

season (approximately 1 April - 31 August) and rotation each 8 hours for 

the remainder of the year unless the number of forage or predator fish 

impinged over the hour exceeds 100 or 10 fish, respectively. At such a 

time, continuous operation for the next 8 hours is required. (Table 

V.A.l indicates classification of species relative to the SSl impingement 

quotas.) 

The sampling program proposed by NYSEG in response to Permit B-6 

requirements differs only in the frequency of screen rotation during the 

non-spawning season. For this period screens will be rotated every 2 

hours and the number of fish which normally are impinged on the standard 

9.5mm mesh will be estimated. The resulting data will provide a more 

92 
TABLE V.A.l 

CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES RELATIVE TO IMPINGEMENT QUOTAS FOR SSl 

Family Species F/P* Classification 

herring alewife F 

gizzard shad F 

salmon At !antic salmon p 

brown trout p 

rainbow trout p 

chinook salmon p 

coho salmon p 

lake trout p 

whitefish lake herring F 

lake chubs F 

lake whitefish p 

smelt rainbow smelt F 

suckers white sucker F 

golden redhorse F 

minnows carp F 

goldfish F 

longnose dace F 

emerald shiner F 

spottail shiner F 

spotfin shiner F 

catfish brown bullhead p 

channel catfish p 

* F = forage; P = predator 

93 
TABLE V.A.l (Cont'd) 

Family Species F/P* Classification 

cod American burbot p 

troutperch troutperch F 

bass white bass p 

white perch p 

perch yellow perch p 

walleye p 

johnny darter F 

blue gill p 

sunfish smallmouth bass p 

pumpkinseed p 

rock bass p 

largemouth bass p 

drum freshwater drum p 

sculpin mottled sculpin F 

slimy sculpin F 

stickleback threespine stickleback F 

* F forage; P = predator 

94 
accurate estimate of the true hourly impingement than that resulting from 

8 hour intervals required in the Permit. These data will also be 

analyzed to determine the optimal sampling method to estimate weekly 

impingement rates (Years 2-5). 

C. Programs Under 402 Permit Section C-5 

Sampling programs defined under 402 Permit Section C-5 relate to both 

impingement and entrainment. Impingement program requirements include 

(1) weekly monitoring of fish density, (2) post-impingement survival 

studies to be conducted seasonally and (3) age-frequency analysis of a 

subsample of impinged fish which is to be conducted twice a year. The 

weekly monitoring design must be adequate to describe diel periodicity in 

impingement rates. The outlined entrainment program requires two 

different efforts partitioned by season: from 1 April through 31 July 

collections are to be made three days each week; for the remainder of the 

year, collections are required one day per week. For the period of more 

intensive sampling effort, the design should adequately describe diel 

periodicity in entrainment rates. Entrained vertebrates are to be 

identified and measured at each collection period. Survival studies (of 

entrained vertebrates) are to be conducted seasonally. Total dry weight 

of invertebrates is to be estimated weekly. 

The weekly impingement program defined in 402 Permit Section C-5 requires 

impingement collections over a single, continuous 24 hour period each 

week. However, because impingement is subject to daily and seasonal 

change, as well as random variation, it is hypothesized that weekly 

collections determined by a stratified random sampling design will 

facilitate more accurate estimation of weekly impingement rates than 

collection over a single, continuous 24 hour period in the week. To test 

this hypothesis, a comparison of weekly estimators derived from the 

single 24 hour collection and a collection scheme based on a stratified 

random design will be made on Year 1 impingement data. Results may then 

be compared to the total numbers of fish impinged per week as determined 

from the B-6 phase of impingement collections. If the hypothesis is 

supported by these comparisons, a stratified random sampling design will 

be proposed for weekly impingement collection during Years 2-5. 

95 
D. Programs Under 402 Permit Section.C-6 

Program requirements under 402 Permit Section C-6 are designed to 

evaluate variable traveling screen hardware and operating conditions of 

SSl to maximize survival of aquatic biota taken into the plant 

pumphouse. Variables which can be modified and will be evaluated in 

these studies include: time interval between screen rotations, pressure 

of the screen spray wash and spray nozzle angle of orientation to the 

screens (9). Each of these components may significantly modify survival 

of organisms following impingement. The studies outlined below 

(Objective 1120) will be used to optimize SSl hardware and operating 

conditions to maximize plant efficiency and impingement survival. 

The principal method of evaluation will involve a series of paired 

comparisons in which paired traveling screens will be operated under 

different conditions. The homogeneity of the rate of impingement on 

traveling screens which are paired will be determined by comparing 

impingement rates with identical operating conditions prior to each test 

series. Comparisons between screens will utilize standard t-tests. 

Subsequent experimental differences tested will include: 1 vs 2 hours 

between screen rotations; low vs high pressure of screen wash sprays; and 

a range of angles between the spray wash nozzles and traveling screen 

(approximately 0° ~ 9 ~ 90°,). All comparisons will be made 

seasonally. Evaluation of each variable will be conducted independently; 

that is, paired screens will differ in terms of a single variable. 

Criteria for optimal hardware and operating conditions will be 

minimization of both instantaneous and delayed mortalities resulting from 

each operating condition. The special case of screen wash pressure 

effectiveness will also involve comparison of relative removal (ratio of 

fish washed into sluiceway of fish return system: fish washed into 

debris basin). After determining the optimal condition for operation of 

each individual factor, further refinement (on a seasonal basis) can be 

achieved with minor modifications. Data obtained from similar studies 

will also be used to demonstrate optimized design and lowest impact 

operation. 

The following objectives describe NYSEG'S proposed programs to respond to 

Permit Sections B-6, C-5 and C-6. 

96 
1. OBJECTIVE 1113. To monitor impingement rates of forage and predator 

fish normally impinged on a 9.5 mm mesh screen at SSl during Year 1 

of commercial operation. 

a. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: To quantify total impingement occurring 

during Year 1 of SSl operation. 

b. SAMPLING DESIGN AND SAMPLE TREATMENT - Impingement samples will 

be collected every two hours through Year 1 of SSl operation. 

Impinged fish will be enumerated by species for each two hour 

period. If the hourly rate of impinged forage or predator fish 

exceeds the quotas outlined in the Permit, screen operation will 

be continuous. Supplemental observations to be recorded with 

each sample include: weather conditions, water temperature, 

turbidity and the number of circulating water pumps operating. 

c. DATA REDUCTION AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS - Table V.B.l is the 

proposed format for presentation of daily impingement data. The 

average from 2 hour impingement collections will be computed to 

determine compliance with SSl forage and/or predator quotas 

(100/hr and 10/hr, respectively). 

97 
TABLE V.B.l 

DAILY IMPINGEMENT BY 2 HOUR INTERVALS: FISH DENSITY 

DATE: MARCH 15 1983 

WE.ATHER: RAIN 

NUMBER Of CIRCULATING PUMPS OPERATING: 3 

TURBIDITY: 30 

PERIOD OF ROTATION: 60 MINUTES 

TIM F. 

00-02 02-04 04-06 06-08 03-10 10-12 12-14 14-16 16-18 18-20 20-22 22-00 TOTAL 

SPECIES 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ ALEWIFE 13.0 82.0 69.0 . 50.0 57.0 17.0 43.0 88.0 . 32.0 193.0 644.0 

RAINBCM SMF.L T . . 27.0 11.0 . 6.0 . 2.0 32.0 . . 2.0 80.0 

SPOTTAIL SHINER 8.0 5.0 • • • 4.0 . 4.0 14.0 . . 5.0 40.0 

*TOTAL FORAGE 21.0 87.0 96.0 11.0 50.0 67.0 17.0 49.0 134.0 .o 32.0 200.0 764.0 

BROWN TROUT 2.0 . 14.0 . 1.0 10.0 . . 2.0 2.0 . 3.0 34.0 

COHO SALMON .o 1.0 17.0 . 3.0 10.0 9.0 . 2.0 . . 14.0 56.0 

LAKE TROUT 6.0 4.0 20.0 5.0 . 13.0 . • 6.0 9.0 11.0 4.0 78.0 

SMALLMOUTH BASS 5.0 9.0 . 12.0 •. 5.0 . . 23.0 • • 12.0 66.0 

WHITE PERCH 3.0 . 8.0 8.0 . 7.0 . 3.0 2.0 . 4.0 3.0 38.0 

YELLOW PERCH 1. 0 . . 19.0 • 16.0 16.0 9.0 32.0 . . 15.0 108.0 

*TOTAL PREDATOR 17.0 14.0 59.0 44.0 4.0 61.0 25.0 12.0 67.0 11.0 15.0 51.0 380.0 

TOTAL 38.0 101.0 155.0 55.0 54.0 128.0 42.0 61.0 201.0 11.0 47.0 251.0 1144.0 
2. OBJECTIVE #14. To estimate weekly rate of fish impinged on a 9.5 mm 

mesh screen and to determine an optimal sampling design for Years 2-5. 

a. NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 #)14: Impingement rates are not 

significantly different among 2-hour sampling periods. 

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: To estimate weekly impingement rate 

through the first 5 years of SSl operation, to determine optimal 

sampling methods for Years 2-5 weekly estimates and to evaluate 

physico-chemical parameters affecting rates of impingement. 

b. RATIONALE Impingement is a complex phenomenon which is 

influenced by numerous biotic and abiotic factors. Species (and 

age classes within species) exhibit marked differences in 

susceptibility to impingement (Tathum et al, 197 8). Seasonal 

fluctuations in impingement rates have been documented by 

several investigators (Eisele and Malaric, 1978; Lifton and 

Storr, 1978) and reported in utility environmental reports. 

These fluctuations have been attributed to a number of factors 

including: variable physiological response to water 

characteristics, particularly ambient temperature; and the 

spatial distribution of species within the water body and water 

column which varies as the result of environmental and 

physiological conditions through time. Vertical migration and 

diel on-shore/off-shore movements alter susceptibility to the 

plant intake over shorter time intervals. Transitory weather 

conditions also correlate with impingement rates as evidenced by 

Lifton and Storr, (1978) who observed species-specific responses 

in impingement studies conducted in Lake Ontario. Smelt 

impingement was significantly influenced by sky cover and 

precipitation; alewifes exhibited increased susceptibility to 

impingement as wind speed and wave height increased. In order 

to address these environmental factors over the year, a range of 

biological data and physical parameters will be measured in 

conjunction with weekly impingement collections: total numbers 

of fish impinged by species, water temperature, turbidity and 

weather conditions. 

99 
c. SAMPLE DESIGN - Weekly estimators of the number of fish impinged 

will be determined from two separate subsampling designs: 

12-two hour samples collected consecutively, and 12-two hour 

samples distributed through the week in a stratified design 

(Figure V .C .1) • Data recorded will include: number of 

individuals per species, water temperature, turbidity, weather 

conditions and number of circulating water pumps operating. 

Data format of Fesults are shown in Table V.C.l. 

For the weekly estimates, only organisms normally impinged on 

the 9.5 mm mesh will be sampled and enumerated. 

d. DATA REDUCTION AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS -

o To test null hypothesis 1114A, nested analysis of variance 

will be performed with levels representing numbers of 

impinged fish over hours, days, and weeks. Separate 

analyses will be performed on impingement data for 

individual species which dominate the samples. 

o To determine the sampling design which best estimates 

weekly impingement, weekly estimators (and variances) from 

the two subsampling programs will be compared to the 

parameter (and variance) of impinged fish determined in 

Objective 1113. 

o The optimal allocation formula will be determined on the 

basis of results from the above comparisons and costs 

associated with t.he two weekly subsampling programs. It is 

hypothesized that weekly impingement estimates derived from 

stratified systematic sampling will be more accurate than 

estimates calculated from samples over a single 24 hour 

period per week because stratified sampling tends to 

account for variations in weather, water temperature 

fluctuations, and modifications in power plant capacity 

(Murarka, et al 1978; Kumar and Griffith, 1978). 

100 
...... 

0 

...... 

HOURS MONDAY TUESDAY 

2400-0200 

0200-0400 0 0 

0400-0600 

0600-0800 

0800-1000 

1000-1200 0 0 

1200-1400 

1400-1600 

1600-1800 

1800-2000 0 0 

2000-2200 

2200-2400 

FIGURE V.C.l 

WEEKLY IMPINGEMENT SAMPLING DESIGN 

I 

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY 

• 

eo 0 

• 

• 

• 

• 0 0 

• 

• I 

• I 

• 0 0 

• 

• 

SAMPLING DESIGN: CONSECUTIVE SAMPLING • 

STRATIFIED SAMPLING @ 
""' 

TABLE V • C • 1 

WEEKLY IMPINGEMENT: FISH DENSITY 

SPECIES: FORAGE 

WEEK OF: JUNE 3 1985 

WEATHER: CLEAR TURBIDITY: 30 

PERIOD OF ROTATION: 60 MINUTES 

METHOD 

1 2 

DAY 

M T w TH F SA su M T w TH F SA su 

TIME 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

00-02 .o .o . 38.0 .o .o .o .o .o . • .o .o .o 

02-04 . . ? . 101.0 . . • 

..... 

0 04-06 . . 47.0 11.0 24.0 47.0 26.0 • . . • . . N 

06-08 . . 55.0 

08-10 . . 54.0 

10-12 . • 20.0 . • . . 47 .o . 20.0 21.0 . 20.0 

12-14 . . 42.0 

14-16 . . 61.0 

16-18 . . 66.0 . . . . 21.0 . 31.0 17.0 . 66.0 

18-20 . . 11.0 

20-22 . . 47.0 

22-00 . . 30.0 . . . . 9.0 . 54.0 101.0 . 57 .o 

TOTAL .o .o 386.0 186.0 .o .o .o 88.0 .o 129.0 186.0 .o 169.0 .o 
o Correlation analysis will test the relationship between the 

number of fish impinged (per 2 hour collection period) and 

weather conditions, water temperature and number of pumps 

operating for the sample. 

e. LITERATURE CITED 

Eisele, P J and J F Malaric. 1978. Conceptual model of causal factors 

regarding gizzard shad runs at steam electric power plants. In: 

L D Jensen (Ed), Fourth National Workshop on Entrainment and Impingement. EA Communications. Melville, New York. pp 241-298. 

Kumar, K D and J S Griffith. 1978. Temporally stratified sampling 

programs for estimation of fish impingement. In: L D Jensen (Ed), 

Fourth Na tiona! Workshop on Entrainment and Impingement. EA 

Communications. Melville, New York. pp. 281-289. 

Lifton, W S and J F Storr. 1978. The effect of environmental variables 

on fish impingement. In: L D Jensen (Ed), Fourth National Workshop 

on Entrainment and Impingement. EA Communications. Melville, New 

York. pp 299-313. 

Murarka, I P, S A Spigarelli and D J Bodeau. 

comparison and choices of sampling 

impingement at cooling water intakes. 

National Workshop on Entrainment 

1978. Statistical 

design for estimating fish 

In: L D Jensen (Ed), Fourth 

and Impingement. EA 

Communications. Melville, New York. pp. 267-280. 

Tathum, T R, D L Thomas and G J Miller. 1978. Survival of fishes and 

macroinvertebrates impinged at Oyster Creek generating station. 1978. 

In: L D Jensen (Ed), Fourth National Workshop on Entrainment and 

Impingement. EA Communications. Melville, New York. pp 235-244. 

103 
3. OBJECTIVE #15 •. To monitor weight and length frequencies, sex composition 

and condition of fish normally impinged on a 9.5 mm mesh screen during 

Years 1-5 of SSl operation. 

a. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: To describe plant impingement in terms of 

weight, length, sex and condition of fish impinged. Comparison of 

these variables determined from impingement and offshore collections 

' will be conducted on a species-specific basis. 

b. TARGET SPECIES - Alewife, smelt, spot tail shiner, rainbow and brown 

trout, coho salmon, yellow and white perch, and smallmouth bass. 

c. SAMPLING DESIGN Individuals 

impingement collections will 

from a subsample 

be examined for 

attributes: length, weight, sex, and condition. 

of the weekly 

the following 

Schedule - Weekly through Year 1; thereafter, keyed to Objectives #9 

and 10 (Section IV.B). 

d. DATA REDUCTION AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS - Contingency tables (X2) 

will be used to compare pumphouse and waterbody length and agefrequencies of target species. Length-weight relationships 

(Obj. #10) and condition factors of impingement subsamples will also 

be compared by analysis of covariance and/or t-t ests of differences 

inK (condition factor based on isometric growth where "b", the slope 

of the length-weight equation equals 3.0). Sex ratios of 'impinged 

species will be estimated and compared to offshore collection ratios 

(contingency tables). Proposed format for presentation of results 

are found in Tables IV.B.5, IV.B.7, and v.c.z. 

104 
,..J 

TABLE v.c.2 

LENGTH COMPOSITION OF IMPINGEMENT COLLECTIONS 

DATE: JULY 22 1986 

WEATHER: CLEAR 

WATER TEMPERATURE: 20 

TURBIDITY: 12 

NO. CF PUMPS OPERATING: 3 

SCREEN ROTATION PERIOD: 20 MINUTES 

LENGTH 

50.0 

SPECIES 

100.0 150.0 200.0 250.0 300.0 350.0 400.0 450.0 500.0 550.0 600.0 TOTAL 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ALEWIFE 241 67 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 308 ...... 

0 

V1 BLUEGILL 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 

BROtlN BULLHEAD 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 

CARP 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 5 0 0 11 

GIZZARD SHAD 0 0 0 14 22 22 15 17 0 0 0 0 90 

LAKE TROUT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 130 0 0 130 

NORTHERN PIKE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 

PUMPKINSEED 0 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 30 

WALLEYE 0 0 0 0 0 7 10 12 9 12 13 5 68 

WHITE CRAPPIE 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 

WHITE SUCKER 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 

YELLOfl PERCH 0 0 68 110 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 178 
4. OBJECTIVE #16: To monitor age distribution of fish normally impinged on a 

9.5 mm mesh screen during Years 1-5 of SSl commercial operation. 

a. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: To describe plant impingement in terms of age 

of fish collected. Age distributions from the impingement 

collections will be compared to age distributions determined from 

offshore collections on a species-specific basis. 

b. TARGET SPECIES - Alewife, smelt, spot tail shiner, rainbow and brown 

trout, coho salmon, yellow and white perch and smallmouth bass. 

c. SAMPLING DESIGN - A subsample of the weekly impingement collections 

will be aged by counting annuli on scales taken from target species 

(Objective 1110). 

Schedule - April, May, June, August and October. 

d. DATA REDUCTION AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. Contingency tables (X2) 

will be used to compare age frequencies of target species collected 

in impingement and waterbody studies. 

106 
5. OBJECTIVE 1117. To estimate entrainment rates of ichthyoplankton and 

macroinvertebrates (1.0 mm ( x < 9.5 mm) through SSl in Year 1 and to 

determine optimum sampling design for Years 2-5. 

a. NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 )/117: Densities of organisms entrained (1.0 mm ~ 

x<9.5 mm) are not significantly different among sampling periods. 

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: To estimate rate of entrainment of 

ichthyoplankton and macroinvertebrates passing through 9.5 mm mesh 

and retained on 1.0 mm mesh, to determine optimal sampling in Years 

2-5 and to evaluate physico-chemical variables affecting these rates. 

b. RATIONALE Entrainment, like impingement, is a highly complex 

phenomenon which is influenced by a number of biotic and abiotic 

factors. Seasonal variability (as observed by Evans et al, 1978) is 

clearly the result of seasonal occurrences of zooplankton life stages 

and fish larvae, whereas diel variability in all probability reflects 

differential susceptibility to passive entrainment due to spatial 

distribution in the water column (King, 1978). The overriding goals 

of this objective are three fold: 1) to document entrainment rates, 

2) to determine which physical factors significantly affect the rate 

of entrainment and 3) to establish the optimal sampling design for 

Years 2-5 collections. 

c. SAMPLING DESIGN AND SAMPLE ANALYSIS - Entrainment collections will be 

made directly off the traveling screens. Collections will be washed 

through graded meshes to separate large organisms, normally impinged 

on the 9.5 mm mesh screens. The collection schedule is based on two 

sampling designs: die! collections with replication, and consecutive 

samples over a single 24 hour period. During the period of maximum 

ichthyoplankton and macroinvertebrate abundance (1 April-31 August) 

die! samples will be taken three days a week, in triplicate. The 

continuous collection over a single 24 hour period will coincide with 

the die! collection one day a week for this period. During 

September, weekly collections (1 per week) will be made and for the 

remainder of the year (1 August through 31 March) die! samples 

(triplicate) will be collected bimonthly. A schematic of the weekly 

entrainment collections is presented in Figure V.C.2. 

107 
...... 

0 

00 

HOURS MONDAY TUESDAY 

2400-0200 

0200-0400 

0400-0600 

0600-0800 

0800-1000 ••• • •• -

1000-1200 

1200-1400 

1400-1600 

1600-1800 

1800-2000 ••• ••• 

2000-2200 

2200-2400 

FIGURE V.C.2 

WEEKLY ENTRAINMENT SAMPLING DESIGN 

i 

J 

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY 

• I 

• I 

I 

• 

• I 

•••• @@@ 

• I 

• I 

I 

• 

• - J 

• ••• @@@ I 

• 

• 

SAMPLING DESIGN : CONTINUOUS: 1 APRIL - 31 JULY 

OIEL : 1 APRIL -31 JULY • • 

DIEL: 1 AUGUST - 31 MARCH @ 
Supplemental observations at the time of sample collection will 

include: water temperature, turbidity, weather conditions and number 

of circulating water pumps operating. Subsample analysis will 

involve identification and enumeration of all ichthyoplankton and 

macroinvertebrate species collected. The format for data 

presentation is shown in Table V.C.3. 

d. DATA REDUCTION AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS -

o Preliminary data reduction will convert subs ample counts (per 

species) into density estimates per m3 of water entrained and 

total numbers screened per time interval. 

o To test null hypothesis #17, nested analysis of var~ance will be 

performed on the density estimates. Levels for the analysis 

will include period of day, days, and weeks. 

o Correlation analysis will examine the relationship of density of 

organisms entrained with water temperature, turbidity, weather 

conditions, and number of circulating water pumps operating. 

o To determine the optimal sampling design, estimated entrainment 

rates from the two sampling designs (over the same 24 hour 

period) will be compared. Results will determine the sampling 

design utilized Years 2-5. 

e. LITERATURE CITED 

Evans, M s, BE Hawkins and T E Wurster. 1978. Effects of the 

Donald C Cook nuclear power plant on zooplankton of southeastern 

lake Michigan. In: L D Jensen (Ed), Fourth National Workshop 

on Entrainment and Impingement. 

New York. pp 125-140. 

EA Communications. Mel ville, 

King, R G. 1978. Entrainment of Missouri River fish larvae through 

Fort Calhoun Station. In: L D Jensen (Ed), Fourth National 

Workshop on Entrainment and Impingement. 

Melville, New York. pp 45-56. 

109 

EA Communications. 
J 

I-' 

I-' 

0 

SPECIES 

DAY 

1 

TABLE V.C.3 

WEEKLY ENTRAINMENT BY DAY BY RE~LICATE: DENSITY 

DIEL Sl\UPLING DESICN (~J:PLICATE) 

(NUMBER/M3) 

WEEK: JUNE 5 1986 

WATER TEMPERATURE: 22 C 

WEATHER:SUNNY 

TURBIDITY: 30 

NUMBER OF PUMPS OPERATING: 3 

2 3 

REPLICATE 

1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 TOTAL 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ALEWIFE 5 3 2 9 11 1 6 0 0 37 

GIZZARD SHAD 0 0 9 6 0 9 13 1 1 39 

LAKE TROllf 0 2 0 6 3 . 3 3 0 17 

SPOTTAIL SHINER 1 1 1 1 7 7 4 . 0 22 

YELL<lol PERCH 9 1 1 7 0 6 4 5 1 34 

*TOTAL 15 7 13 29 21 23 30 9 2 149 

GAMMARUS 4 9 6 3 1 2 1 3 1 30 

OTHER MACROINV. 1 4 3 10 0 9 13 15 2 57 

*TOTAL 5 13 9 13 1 11 14 18 3 87 

TOTAL 20 20 22 42 22 34 44 27 5 236 
6. OBJECTIVE #18. To estimate weekly entrainment rates of organisms 

C<l.O mm) through SSl, Years 1-5. 

a. NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) #18A: Densities of organisms C<l.O mm) 

entrained through SSl are not significantly different among sampling 

periods (weeks). 

NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 ) #18B: Densities of organisms C< 1.0 mm) 

entrained through SSl are independent of water temperature (intake), 

turbidity and number of pumps operating. 

b. RATIONALE - See Objective #17. 

c. SAMPLING DESIGN AND SAMPLE ANALYSIS - Weekly collections will be 

netted or pumped from the forebay in front of the traveling screens. 

A high volume pump will be used to run the 24-hour collection through 

a series of 9.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 303 u and 202 u meshes placed over 

collection and overflow vessels, or nets of appropriate mesh size 

will partition the size classes. Total dry weight from the finest 

mesh (202 u) will analyzed weekly. A subsample from the 202 u mesh 

will be retained for potential species identification. Collections 

from size classes <1.0 mm will also be retained. 

Supplemental observations at the time of sample collection will 

include: water temperature, turbidity, weather conditions and number 

of circulating water pumps operating. 

d. DATA REDUCTION AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS 

o Preliminary data reduction will convert sample data into total 

dry weight per m3. 

o To test null hypothesis #18A ANOVA will be used on converted 

data. 

111 
o To test null hypothesis #18B, correlation anaylsis will examine 

the dry weights entrained vs the water temperature, turbidity, 

weather conditions and number of circulating water pumps 

operating during the collection period. 

112 
7. OBJECTIVE 1119: To monitor survival of organisms (size classes 1.0 mm ~ x 

< 9.5 mm and ~ 9.5 mm) entrained into SSl intake. (See related studies 

defined in Objective 1120). 

a. NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0 )1119: Survival of organisms entrained through 

SSl is not significantly different among species, among size-classes 

(length and weight), among seasons and between sexes. 

b. RATIONALE - Survival subsequent to impingement is affected by many of 

the biological and environmental factors which determine initial 

susceptibility to intake entrainment and impingement (Tathum et al, 

1978; Eisele and Malaric, 1978; Loar et al, 1978). Additionally, 

several variables in plant hardware and operation may significantly 

modify survival of fish subsequent to impingement (Objective 1120),. 

This objective is designed to evaluate seasonal variations in 

survival of both the 1.0 mm ~x < 9.5 mm and ~9.5 mm size classes, 

as well as differential survival among species, age classes and 

sexes. (Mortality of organisms entrained through the cooling water 

system, the< 1.0 mm size class, is assumed to be 100%.) 

While this objective is designed to comply with Permit requirements 

defined in Section C-5, it is intimately coupled with Objective 1/20 

which responds to Permit Section C-6. Monitoring of impingement and 

entrainment survival will necessarily coincide with empirical 

modifications to the traveling screen system operation which will be 

used to determine operating conditions which maximize survival. 

The frequency of survival studies will be the function of impingement 

and entrainment rates at SSl, and can be determined only after 

operation has started. Consequently, while NYSEG is reluctant .to 

stipulate a fixed nmnber (of organisms impinged) which will trigger 

post-impingement/entrainment survival studies, collections will be 

made frequently enough to provide a realistic picture of variations 

in post-impingement/entrainment survival by species, age-length, sex 

of organism and season. While data will be partitioned by season, it 

should be pointed out that periods of high impingement or entrainment 

(and representative species collected during these periods) will 

inevitably be "better represented" or weighted in the year's 

cumulative data. 

113 
/ 

c. SCHEDULE The Permit requires seasonal monitoring or organism 

survival. NYSEG intends to conduct survival studies throughout the 

year (ie, more frequently than seasonal), in conjunction with 

traveling screen system optimization studies described in Objective 

#20 (See RATIONALE, this Objective). 

d. TARGET SPECIES - Alewife, smelt, spot tail shiner, rainbow and brown 

trout, coho salmon, yellow and white perch and smallmouth bass. 

e. SAMPLE TREATMENT - Organisms impinged onto the fine mesh traveling 

will be separated into two size classes: organisms normally impinged 

on the 9.5 mm mesh and those passing through 9.5 mm mesh but impinged 

on 1.0 mm mesh. (Data from the size class passing through the fine 

mesh will be utilized in Objective #17.) Throughout the year fish 

impinged will be separated by species, by size class(es) and retained 

in holding tanks in the pumphouse laboratory facility. Appropriate 

numbers of fish per tank (by volume), flow rate through the tanks and 

aeration rates will be determined on the basis of bioassay techniques 

developed by Sprague (1969). 

Where impingement collections provide 

organisms, replicate tests will be run. 

of individual fish will be recorded. 

adequate numbers of assay 

Length, weight and condition 

Cumulative mortality will be 

assessed at t = 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 96 hours subsequent to 

impingement. 

e. DATA REDUCTION AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS - Mortality rates will be 

compared among assay times (by species, by size class) to 

differentiate instantaneous and delayed mortalities (Tables V .c. 4) • 

Seasonal variations in survival will be evaluated by analysis of 

variance. 

114 
-' 

TABLE v.c.4 

POST-IMPINGEMENT SURVIVAL 

SPECIES: WALLEYE 

SIZF CLASS: 10-50MM 

WEA TilER: CLEAR 

WATER TEMPERATURE: 22 

TURBIDITY: 30 

NO. Of PUMPS OPERATING: 3 

SCREEN ROTATION PERIOD: 60 MINUTES 

REPI .. ICATE 

ONE TWO 

PERCENT CUMULATIVE PERCENT CUJ-1ULATIVE 

HOURS MORTALITY PERCENT MORTALITY PERCENT 

---------------------------------------------------

00 6.2 6.2 

01 18.9 18.9 

02 29.0 47.9 

04 10.3 58.1 

08 10.1 68.2 

12 23.9 92.1 41.2 47.5 

24 7.9 100.0 7.7 55.2 

48 11. 8 67.0 

96 33.0 100.0 

115 
f. LITERATURE CITED 

King, L R, J B Hutchinson, Jr and T G Huggins. 1978. Impingement 

survival studies in white perch, striped bass and Atlantic 

tomcod at three Hudson River power plants. In: L R Jensen 

(Ed). Fourth National Workshop on Entrainment and Impingement. 

E A Communications. Melville, New York. pp 217-234. 

Loar, J M, J S Griffith and K D Kumar. 1978. An analysis of factors 

influencing the impingement of threadfin shad at power plants in 

the southeastern United States. In: L R Jensen (Ed). Fourth 

Na tiona! Workshop on Entrainment and Impingement. E A 

Communications. Melville, New York. pp 245-256. 

Sprague, J B. 1969. Measurement of pollutant toxicity to fish - I. 

Bioassay methods for acute toxicity. Water Research 3: 798-821. 

116 
. J 

. j 

{_~ 

l 

8. OBJECTIVE 1120: TQ optimize survival of organisms impinged and/or 

entrained through SSl, Years 1-5. 

a. NULL HYPOTHESIS H0 1120: Survival of organisms entrained through 

SSl (partitioned by species, by season) is not significantly 

different among screen rotation periods; among spray pressures; anti 

angles of nozzle orientation to the traveling screens (9) • 

b. RATIONALE - This objective is designed to optimize SSl traveling 

screen operation to maximize survival of organisms impinged at SSl. 

The variables to be evaluated include: period between screen 

rotations, spray pressure and angle of nozzle orientation to 

traveling screen. The Permit stipulates continuous screen operation 

during the spawning season and 8 hour rotation periods for the 

c. 

d. 

e. 

remainder of the year. NYSEG will rotate screens every 2 hours 

during Year 1 operation except when comparing differential mortality 

associated with varying screen rotation periods. Handling of samples 

subsequent to impingement (ie, pressure of spray wash and angle of 

nozzle as oriented to the screen) may modify the survival of impinged 

organisms. This objective is designed to optimize each of these 

variables on a seasonal basis in order to maximize survival of 

organisms entrained into SSl intake and will provide an estimate of 

expected mortality rates resulting from normal plant operation. 

TARGET SPECIES- Same as Obj. 1119. 

SAMPLING DESIGN- See Section V, Objectives 17 and 19. 

SAMPLE TREATMENT - Impingement collections will be separated (by 

screening in the holding area) into 2 size classes: organisms 

normally retained on the standard 9.5 mm screens, and those retained 

on the 1 mm mesh. Survival rates of the second size class will be 

utilized in analyses described in Section V, Obj. #19. Mortality of 

organisms passing through the fine screens - microinvertebrates which 

are ultimately entrained through the plant - will be assumed to be 

100%. 

117 
Organisms impinged will be retained in holding tanks in the 

laboratory facility. Cumulative mortality will be determined at t = 

0, 2,4, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 96 hours subsequent to impingement. 

Survival rates will be partitioned by species and/or group (fish 

larvae and macroinvertebrates) and in case of those organisms 

retained on the 1 mm mesh, where identification is practicable, by 

species. The paired test conditions will be noted for each survival 

study (ie, period of screen rotation, mesh size, screen wash pressure 

or 9). 

f. DATA REDUCTION AND STATISTICAL ANALYSES- See Section V, Obj. #19. 

118 
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' 

E. Inter-Relationships of Pumphouse and Waterbody Studies 

Programs described in Sections IV and V of this package are inter-related in 

several important respects. Sampling activities were designed and scheduled 

so as to permit statistical study of such inter-relationships. These include, 

but are not limited to, the following tasks: 

o Correlation of temperature, DO, pH, and turbidity with impingement 

and entrainment rates. 

o Species-specific and age class-specific correlation analysis of 

annual mortality resulting from spring die-off with impingement 

mortality. 

o Comparisons of target species length, age, and sex in samples 

collected from Lake Ontario (the source population) and those 

impinged on SSl screens (the selected, or directly impacted portion 

of the population). 

o Correlation of seasonal and annual indices of abundance of target 

species in Lake Ontario with impingement and entrainment rates at SSl. 

o Determination of indirect impacts, if any, of recruitment overfishing 

of immature portions of target populations on the resultant age and 

sex composition of the population; growth rates; condition factors; 

and fecundity. 

119 
C'-l 

rn 

C'":l 

--i 

c 

2 

< 
VI. REPORTING AND OTHER PERMIT PROVISIONS 

Under 402 Permit Sections B-6, C-5, C-6, C-7, C-9, and C-10 NYSEG has certain 

reporting responsibilities. These include: 

o Quarterly Reports - within six weeks of the end of a quarter, and to 

include waterbody monitoring data and daily impingement records. 

o Annual Reports - within 90 days of the end of a year, and to include 

interpretive analyses, an estimate of annual impingement, and 

recommendations for additions, deletions, or modifications to the 

program. 

o Immediate notification (to the DEC Regional Supervisor) of daily 

impingement rates in excess of 5000 fish which would not normally 

pass through a 9.5 mm screen with a follow-up report on the incident, 

and circumstances surrounding it, within 30 days. 

o Results of a study to determine screen component effectiveness, 

within three years of commercial operation. 

o Results of a study to determine effects of two vs three pump 

operation when temperatures are less than 10 C, within three years of 

commercial operation. 

o A fish kill contingency plan based on operating experience, within 

three years of commericial operation. 

NYSEG wishes to assure the Board of its committment to these provisions and to 

the quality and detail of the required reports. 

In conclusion, NYSEG considers the monitoring program described in Sections IV 

and V to represent one of the most exhaustive packages presented to the PSC 

and DEC in terms of scope, effort and ability to monitor impact. However, it 

has been designed to permit maximum flexibility with respect to addition, 

deletion or modification of individual program objectives (components) in the 

120 
spirit of 402 Permit Sec. C-9 (point 2 above). This will be both in NYSEG's 

and the public's best interest as regards cost-effectiveness and protection of 

the environment based on objective interaction of the PSC, DEC, and NYSEG 

and/or its consultants. 

121 
< 
VII. QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL PROGRAM 

A. Purpose 

The goal of the Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) Programs are: 

o To establish an effective QC system operating at the sampling, 

analysis and data management levels. 

o To establish a QA system which will: 

ensure and maintain the proper functioning of the QC system, and 

provide independent review of technical procedures as actually 

performed 

o To comply with regulatory requirements and to ensure that data 

collected are of acceptable and defensible quality. 

B. Approach 

A quality control system (QCS) will be founded on project-specific procedures 

manuals incorporating: EPA and DEC approved collection and analytical 

methods; contract specifications; and generally accepted good field, 

laboratory and data management methods. Each major operation will have a 

control measure associated with it so that accuracy and precision are 

maintained at a minimum level of 90 percent. These control measures consist 

of duplicate analyses, recounting and remeasuring portions of samples, use of 

analytical control charts, etc. 

The quality assurance system (QAS) will be based on the procedures manuals and 

will be carried out by means of QA audits performed by an environmental QA 

officer. The QA officer will be technically and administratively independent 

of the normal project operation. The QA officer appointed will also be 

technically experienced so that he can observe and assess field, laboratory 

and data management operations. By assessment of procedures during field and 

laboratory site visits, and review of documentation, the QA officer examines 

122 
the QC system operation. As a result of this auditing process, an exit 

interview is given and an audit report is prepared which cites deficiencies or 

deviations and lists corrective actions to be taken. At a later date the QA 

officer checks on compliance with the corrective actions requested. 

C. Establishment of Quality Control System 

Quality contro·l manuals for field, laboratory, and data analysis procedures 

will be prepared and will include step-by-step standard operating procedures 

based on such guides as APHA et al (197 5), Environmental Protection Agency 

(1979), and Weber (1973). When a non-standard procedure is required, a 

standard procedure will be defined to meet specifications in accordance with 

good field and laboratory practices. In addition to standard operating 

procedures, control measures will be specified in the QC manual. Examples of 

field and laboratory data sheets will also be provided, prepared in a format 

directly compatible with the computer data entry format specified. A manual 

assigning a unique computer code to each organism, life stage, sampling gear 

and parameter measured will be prepared. 

Draft QC procedures manuals will be reviewed by the QA officer who will sign 

the final, approved version. Provision will be made for updating and revision 

of procedures. Manuals and revisions will be approved by NYSEG. 

D. Maintenance of Quality Control System 

The proper functioning of the quality control system will be assured during 

inspections of field, laboratory, and data management operations by reviewing: 

o adherence to standard operating procedures detailed in the procedures 

manuals 

o project organization chart identifying responsible personnel 

o sign-offs by technical personnel on data sheets 

o document filing, storage and retrieval systems 

o revision procedures for methods and documents 

o evidence of report review before finalization 

o quality control reports 

123 
o records of deficiencies, analytical events out of control, corrective 

actions required and taken 

o technical staff training programs 

E. Field Program Quality Assurance 

The integrity of the field program will be assured by routine field 

inspections. Each operation is observed for compliance with specifications as 

follows: 

o station locations and depths 

o sample numbers and replicates 

o sampling equipment condition and maintenance 

o equipment deployment 

o sample retrieval and processing 

o field measurements and calibrations 

o execution of checking or control measures 

o use of field data sheets 

F. Biological Laboratory Program Quality Assurance 

The quality of the laboratory program will be assured by routine inspections 

of all laboratory operations for conformance to project specifications and 

good laboratory practices as follows: 

o subsampling and enumeration procedures 

o organism identification and taxonomic keys 

o voucher specimen collection 

o measurement operations (lengths, wet and dry weights) 

o equipment maintenance and calibration schedules 

o use of bench data sheets 

o execution of checking or control measures 

o review of qualifications of laboratory staff. 

124 
G. Data Management Program Quality Assurance 

The integrity of the aquatic monitoring program data will be assured by 

routine examinations of the data management center, subsample validation of 

data, and verification of data programs. The following checks will also be 

performed: 

o document possession and filing system 

o record of data accountability 

o verification of checks of raw data entry 

o computer entry format 

o coding system use 

o validation of key punched or terminal entered data 

o hand calculated checks of statistical programs 

o review of tabular and graphic output. 

NYSEG plans to format all data to complement DPS and DEC computer systems. 

Consequently, data sheet formatting and file structure will require 

substantial interaction with Agency personnel subsequent to NYSEG's selection 

of a data management consultant. 

H. Literature Cited 

APHA, AWWA, WPCF. 1975. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water 

and Wastewater, 14th Ed. Amer Pub Health Assoc, Wash, D C. 

1193 p. 

Environmental Protection Agency. 1979. Methods for Chemical Analysis 

of Water and Wastes. Envir. Prot. Agency, Office Res. & Devel. Cinn., 

OH. EPA-600/4-79-020. 

Weber, C I. 1973. Biological Field and Laboratory Methods for Measuring 

the Quality of Surface Waters and Effluents. National Envir. Res. Ctr., 

Cinn., OH EPA-670/4-73-001. 

125 
)> 

u 

u 

rn 

z 

Cl 

X 
APPENDIX 

,_.) 

RESUMES OF 

MONITORING PROGRAM CONTRIBUTORS 

126 
APPENDIX 

RESUMES OF MONITORING PROGRAM CONTRIBUTORS 

Envirosphere Company, a Division of EBASCO Services, Inc, New York, N Y, had 

overall responsibility for planning and managing the development of NYSEG' s 

Somerset aquatic ecological monitoring program. Envirosphere Company has had 

prior experience in design of monitoring programs for the proposed Lake Erie 

Generating Station, and experience of individual team members spans a large 

number of Great Lakes monitoring programs, including certain Lake Ontario 

programs. 

Appended hereto are resumes of persons chiefly responsible for development of 

the program. G Piehler and A Auld, Supervising Ecologists in Envirosphere 's 

New York offices, had overall responsibility for program design and liason 

with R Tuttle and J Marean of NYSEG. A Turner, J Gilmore, Jr, S Patterson and 

T Stevenson were major contributors. In addition, the following managerial 

and consulting scientists with Envirosphere provided technical review and 

comment: Drs A Chu, J Ferris, P Astor, G Lawley, and Messrs T Cannon and N 

Wilding. 

127 
10/81 

Page 1 of 2 

GLENN R PIEHLER 

Supervising Scientist - Aquatic Ecology 

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE (Since 1968) 

Total Experience - Thirteen years experience in superv1s1on and organization 

of aquatic analyses and impact assessment for over 35 clients nationwide. 

Professional Affiliations - American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists 

American Fisheries Society 

Water Pollution Control Federation 

Fisheries Scientist - American Fisheries 

Society - 1968 

Education - PhD, University of Massachusetts, 1972 - Fishery Science 

MS, Michigan State University, 1967 - Fishery Biology 

BS, Bloomfield College, 1965 - Biology 

REPRESENTATIVE ENVIROSPHERE PROJECT EXPERIENCE (Since 1974) 

Supervising Scientist, Aquatic Ecology 

Responsibilities include: Design, regulatory approval, subcontractor 

selection supervision, quality assurance and expert testimony an aquatic 

programs. 

Major areas of expertise are in sample surveys, fisheries statistics, habitat 

evaluation and cost/benefit analysis. Energy resource development experience comprised of fossil and nuclear thermal power plants; coal conversion and 

gasification; and hydroelectric stations including surface and underground 

pumped storage. Specific proficiency in circulating water system design, operation and population impact resulting from entrainment and impingement. 

Experience in the field of waste management includes site selection, disposal 

and management of coal by-products, water quality modelling and design of 

water quality standards and variable effluent limitations based on 

anti-degradation policies, designated uses and impact on present or expected 

future waterbody uses. 

Dr Piehler's experience in administrative hearing processes includes testimony 

before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, New York State Public Service 

Commission, Illinois Environmental Portection Agency, and Illinois Pollution 

Control Board. 
'" j 

Page 2 of 2 

GLENN R PIEHLER (Continued) 

PRIOR EXPERIENCE (6 years) 

Normandeau Associates, Incorporated Projects Manager/Data Management Supervisor ( 3 years) 

Responsibilities included: Technical and managerial assignments on projects 

throughout New England, as well as coordination of field and office activities 

and management of the ED P Department. Experience comprised: CWA Sec 208 

studies of the Merrimack River watershed; oil spill assessments; water supply 

diversion studies and modelling; development of computer programs for data 

reduction and analysis; and participation in all aspects of field monitoring 

ranging from water quality sampling to tag-recapture studies of lobster, crab, 

and striped bass populations. 

University of Massachusetts 

Research Assistant (3 years) 

Responsibilities included: assistance on studies of American shad in the 

Connecticut River; pond reclamation and development of two ·story fishery; and 

independent research on the marine sport fisheries of Massachusetts. Dr 

Piehler's experience also included instruction of the laboratory portion of a 

marine fisheries dynamics course (1971), and participation in seminar, faculty selection, and curriculum revision committees. 

Publications and Presentations 

Piehler, G R 1967. Age and growth of the common whitefish, Coregonus 

clupeaformis (Mitchell), or Northern Lake Michigan and Bay de Noc areas. MS 

Thesis, Michigan State University. 

Piehler, G R 1972. An investigation of the Massachusetts marine sport fisheries, including a critique of a probability proportional to size sampling 

method of estimating numbers and attributes of salt water anglers. Ph D 

Disseration, University of Massachusetts (presented in part at the annual 

meeting of the Northeast Division, American Fisheries Society,'May 1971). 

Piehler, G R and D Mirchandani 1976. Power plant siting: An aquatic 

ecologists' approach in a compressed time frame. Proc NE Division American 

Fish Soc, Conservation Engineers Section. 

Piehler, G, M El-Baroudi, J Brellenthin, and L Barry Goss. 1981. 

Environmental evaluation of coal combustion by-product utilizations. 

Symposium on Resource Recovery and Environmental Issues of Industrial Solid 

Waste, October 1981 (publication pending). 
ANDREW AULD 

Supervising Aquatic Ecologist 

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE (Since 1968) 

4/80 

Page 1 of 5 

Total Experience - Twelve years experience in the analysis and evaluation 

of data on diverse industrial interactions with 

aquatic ecosystems. 

Professional Affiliations - American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 

American Fisheries Society 

American Society of Ichthyologists and 

Herpetologists 

Society of Systematic Zoology 

New York Academy of Sciences 

Education - MS, University of West Florida, 1974 - Biology 

BS, University of West Florida, 1969 - Marine Sciences 

REPRESENTATIVE ENv'IRO!:PHERE PROJECT EXPERIENCE (Since 1977) 

Supervising Aquatic Ecologist 

Supervise work efforts of a group of professional consulting aquatic 

ecologists. Responsible for technical reports and presentation of 

environmental impact analyses for various clients and regulatory agencies. 

Aquatic Ecologist 

Responsibilities included the collection, analysis and interpretation of 

aquatic ecological data and subsequent report preparation. Duties 

involved ecological study program design and implementation and 

consultation on diverse industrial interactions with aquatic ecosystems. 

Project include: 

British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority. Implementation and 

supervision of the aquatic ecological impact assessment of a proposed 

2000 MW coal-fired and associated surface coal mine in central British 

COlumbia. Assessment of potential impacts of cooling water intake on 

Fraser River salmon stocks. 
4/80 

Page 2 of 5 

ANDREW AULD (Continued) 

Mississippi Power & Light company. Implementation and supervision of the 

aquatic ecological program for a new 1600 MW coal-fired electric 

generation facility on the Mississippi River and subsequent preparation 

of aquatic ecology segments for third-party EIS prepared for the US Army Corps of Engineers. 

PRIOR EXPERIENCE (9 Years) 

Beak Consultants Incorporated 

Senior Biologist/Project Manager (l Year) 

Project involvement included power plant impact studies on fish 

population of Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay, Michigan; Consumers Power 

Company. Assessment of biological impact of minor shoreline structures, 

Great Lakes and Atlantic coastal United States; us Fish and Wildlife 

Service. 

Consolidated Edison of New York 

Project Biologist (2 Years) 

Responsibilities included scope of work and budget preparation and budget 

and technical oversite for studies of the population dynamics of Hudson 

River fisheries; impact of proposed Hudson River landfill and dredging 

operations; and impact studies of the cumulative effects of multiple 

power plants along the Hudson River. 

Baseline, Incorporated 

Fishery Biologist (1 Year) 

Project responsibility included impact studies of canal, marina, and 

channel dredging and spoil disposal projects; power plant intake studies 

in Florida and the Southeastern United States. Responsible for all 

fisheries-related study efforts and associated report preparation. 

Johns Hopkins University 

Chesapeake Bay Institute and Department 

of Geography and Environmental Engineering 

Research Staff Associate (2 Years) 

Conducted investigations on the effects of suspended sediments and 

thermal stock on the development of anadromous fishes. Studied egg and 

larval production and distribution of Chespeake Bay fishes. 
. ) 

• 1 

ANDREW AULD (Continued) 

University of West Florida 

Research Assistant (3 Years) 

4/80 

Page 3 of 5 

Studied effects of siltation and pesticides on estuarine ecosystems; 

physiological adaptations of estuarine fishes. Project involvement 

included monitoring of the physical, chemical, and biological effects of 

several maintenance dredging and channelization projects along the Gulf 

Coast. Assisted in the description of distribution levels of the PCB 

Arochlor 1254 in the waters, sediments and biota of Escambia Bay, Florida 

beginning in 1969. 

Publications: 

Auld, A H. The effect of calcium on the osmotic tolerance of juvenile 

striped mullet (Mugil cephalus L.). Proc 26th Annual Oonference of SF 

Game and Fish Commission, pp 591-597. 

Schubel, J R and A H Auld. Thermal effects of a model power plant on the 

hatching success of American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) eggs. Proc 26th 

Annual Conference of S E Game and Fish Commission, pp 644-648. 

Schubel, J R and A H Auld. Effects of exposure to time-excess 

temperature histories typically experienced at power plants on the 

hatching success of blueback herring and striped bass eggs. In: Thermal 

Ecology, J W Gibbons and the R R Sharitz, (Eds.), pp 164-170. 

Schubel, J R, A H Auld, and G M Schmidt. Effects of suspended sediments 

.on the development and hatching success of yellow perch and striped bass 

eggs. Proc 27th Annual Oonference of S E Game and Fish Commission, pp 

689-694. 

Auld, A H and J R Schubel. Preliminary observations on the efficacy of a 

commercially available fungal inhibitor and its toxicity to fish eggs. 

Chesapeake Science, 15(2): 115-116. 

Auld, A H and J R Schubel 1974. Effects of suspended sediment on the 

survival of yolk sac larvae of three estuarine fishes. Presented at the 

21st Annual Meeting of the Association of S E Sial, September, Savannah, 

Georgia. ASS Bull, 21(2): 36 (Abstr). 
4/80 

Page 4 of 5 

ANDREW AULD (Continued) 

Auld, A H, K T Barrineau, M E Berrigan, and N Schweiger 1974. 

Occurrence and implications of the wood-boring isopod, Sphaeroma 

destructor, in a tidal mangrove swamp. Presented at the 21st Annual 

Meet1ng of the Association of S E Biol, September, Savannah, Georgia. ASB Bull, 21(2): 36 (Abstr). 

Cifford, C A and A H Auld 1974. The Asiatic clam, Corbicula sinensis, 

in Lake Ocklawaha, Florida. Presented at the Annual Meet1ng of the 

Association of S E Biol. Savannah, Georgia, September. ASB Bull 21(2): 

56 (Abstr). 

Auld, A H, J R Schubel, and W B Groinin 1975. Some observations on the 

settling velocities of eggs of selected Chesapeake Bay fishes. Presentee 

at American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Annual Meeting, 

Williamsburg, Virginia, June. 

Schubel, J R and A H Auld 1975. Suspended sediment and its effect on 

the hatching success of fish eggs. Presented at the 38th Annual Meeting, 

American Society Limnology, and Oceanography, Halifax, Nova Scotia, June. 

Auld, A Hand J R Schubel 1978. Effects of suspended sediment of fish 

eggs and larvae: A laboratory assessment. J Estuarine and Coastal 

Marine Science} (6): 153-164. 

Technical and Special Scientific Reports 

Schubel, J R and A H Auld. Thermal effects of a model plant on the 

hatching success of alewife (Alosa pseudopharengus) ~ggs. ·Chesapeake Bay 

Institute, Spec Rept No. 28, Ref 72-14. 

Schubel, J R and A H Auld. Effects of exposure to time-excess 

temperature histories typically experienced at power plants on the 

hatching success of blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) eggs. Chesapeake 

B:iy Institute. Spec Rept No. 31, Ref 74-2. 

Schubel, J R, A G Auld, and G M Schmidt. Effects of suspended sediment 

on the development and hatching success of yellow perch and striped bass 

eggs. Chesapeake Bay Institute. Spec Rept No. 35, Ref 74-2. 
4/80 

Page 5 of 5 

ANDREW AULD (Continued) 

Schubel, J R, W 8 Cronin, and A H Auld. Preliminary observations on the 

sizes and settling velocities of the eggs of some Chesapeake Bay fishes. 

Chesapeake Bay Institute. Spec Rept No. 36, 74-4. 

Auld, A H and J R Schubel. Effects on suspended sediment on fish eggs 

and larvae. Chesapeake Bay Institute. Spec Rept No. 40, Ref. 74-12. 
1978-Present 

Projects: 

ALTA TURNER 

Marine Ecologist 

PRESENT EXPERIENCE 

Aquatic Ecologist: 

11/81 

Page 1 of 4 

Envirosphere Co. of EBASCO 

Services, Inc. 

2 World Trade Center 

New York, New York 10048 

Washington Public Power Service System - Satsop, Washington. 

Assistant Biologist 

Periphyton sections of preoperational monitoring environmental report. 

Sample analyses included: Species identification; data reduction to 

measures of cell density and community diversity; statistical analysis to 

determine spatial-temporal variations in periphytic populations prior to 

operation of nuclear generating station; report preparation. 

Florida Power & Light - Hutchinson Island, Florida. 

Lead Biologist 

Aquatic ecology sections of Operational Licensing Environmental Report - St. Lucie, Unit 2. Analyses involved: Synthesis and comparison of 

preoperational and operational monitoring data for St. Lucie Unit 1 to 

predict construction and operation impacts of second unit on resident 

phytoplankton, zooplankton, macrophytic and macroinvertebrate benthos, 

ichthyoplankton and fish populations. QA/QC evaluation of data 

collection and reduction as performed by subcontracted environmental 

consultants. 

Edison Electric Institute - Washington, D. C. 

Associate Biologist/Project Leader 

Evaluation of USEPA-proposed model to predict chlorine toxicity to 

aquatic systems. Alternative model was proposed, based on statistical 

analysis of data collected through literature survey. Site-specific factors including water quality characteristics, outfall design and 

resident species were examined as they modify the adverse impacts of 

discharging chlorinated effluents at specific utility sites. 
ALTA TURNER 

PRESENT EXPERIENCE (Cont'd) 

Utility Water Act Group - Washington, D.C. 

Project Leader 

Page 2 of 4 

Report synthesizing results from chlorine models was prepared for 

submission to USEPA as alternative chlorine effluent limitations (utility industry) concurrent with EPA-generated chlorine development document to 

form basis for revised effluent limitations. 

Tennessee Valley Authority - Muscle Shoals, Alabama. 

Ecologist 

Utilization of coal combustion by-products (coal gasification, atmospheric fluidized bed) as fertilizers, liming agents and construction 

materials were evaluated within the context of the Toxic Substances 

Control Act. An environmental assessmesnt methodology developed a series 

of decisions (resulting from literature review, preliminary leachate 

toxicity testing) prerequisite to by-product utilization to assure 

protection of effected ecosystems. 

Jacksonville Electric Authority - Jacksonville, Florida. 

Marine Ecologist 

Ongoing design and statistical analysis of biological monitoring program 

to predict impacts of construction and operation of fossil-fueled 

electric generating station on St. John's River. Design of chlorine 

minimization program. 

Public Power Corporation of Greece - Athens, Greece. 

Lead Biologist 

Sampling design and analytical scheme for site selection study and 

preoperational baseline monitoring program for nuclear generating 

station. Ongoing study includes selection of qualified subcontractors, 

on-site sampling, data reduction and analyses and report preparation. 

National Power Corporation of the Philippines - Manila, Philippines Marine Ecologist 

Analysis of bioassay data evaluationg chlorine and thermal sensitivity, and swim speeds of resident marine species to develop technical 

specifications for operation of a nuclear generating station to minimize 

adverse effects to organisms resident in receiving waters. 
Page 3 of 4 

ALTA TURNER 

PRESENT EXPERIENCE (Cont'd) 

New York State Electric and Gas Corporation- Binghamton, N.Y. 

Aquatic Ecologist 

Design of sampling program for pilot studies, preoperational and 

operational monitoring for 625-MW generating station on Lake Ontario; 

including outline of statistical methods to appropriate to determination 

of impact resulting from plant operation. 

PRIOR EXPERIENCE 

1977-78 Research Assistant Lamont-Doherty Geological 

Observatory 

Columbia University Palisades, New York 

Participated in NOAA - funded study of New York Bight. Responsibilities included: Sample collections, nutrient chemistries, statistical analysis. 

1976-1978 Research Assistant 

(Electron microscopist) City College of New York 

New, New York 

Responsibilities included: sample preparation, thin sectioning, transmission electron microscopy and micrograph preparation of 

cryogenized algal cell, salamander spermatophore and mice pituatary 

specimens. 

Education 

1979 - continuing: Graduate Program in Statistics 

Rutgers University-Piscataway, New Jersey 

1978: MS, Marine Ecology 

City University of New York 

New York, New York 

1976-1977: General Studies Program - Biology Columbia University New York, New York 

1971: BFA, Art History and Painting University of Illinois 

Champaign-Urbana, Illinois 
Page 4 of 4 

ALTA TURNER 

PRIOR EXPERIENCE (Cont'd) 

Publications - Presentations 

Turner, A. and T A Thayer, 1980. Chlorine Toxicity in Aquatic 

Ecosystems. 1rr Water Chlorination: Environmental Impacts and 

Health Effects, Vol. 3. Conference held in Colorado Springs, 

Colorado. 29 October - 9 November, 1979. 

Turner, A. and A Chu, 1981. Chlorine Toxicity as a Function of 

Environmental Variables and Species Tolerance. In Water Chlorination 

Environmental Impacts and Health Effects, Vol. 4-rin press). Conference held in Asilomar Park, Monterey, California. 18-23 October 

1981. 

Turner, A, and T Thayer, 1979. Chlorine Toxicity in Freshwater 

Ecosystems. Envirosphere Co. New York, New York. 58 pp. 

Thayer, T A, A Turner, P H Astor and A Y Chang, 1978. Chlorine Toxicity 

in Marine Ecosystems. Envirosphere Company. New York, New York. 

50 pp. 

Professional Affiliations 

American Association of Advancement of Science 

Society of Limnology and Oceanography Certified NASOS Scuba Diver 
JAt-ES J GILMJRE, .:R 

Aquatic Biologist 

SUMMO.RY OF EXPERIEN::E (Since 1975) 

6/81 

Page 1 of 2 

Total Experience - Five years experience in aQ.Jatic ecological data 

aralysis and impact assessrrent. 

Professioral Affiliations - Natioral Association of Underwater 

Instructors (NAUI) 

Education - MS, candidate, State Uni't€rsity of I'Ew York at Stony Brook - t.a ri re Scie nee Fe sea rch Center 

BA, State Uni't€rsity of I'Ew York at Plattsb.ug, 1976-

Biology 

AAS, State Uni't€rsity of I'Ew York at Farmingdale, 1974 - Biology 

REPRESENTATIVE ENVIROSPI-ERE PROJECT EXPERIOCE (Since 1975) 

Fesponsibilities include Lead Biologist for aquatic assessrrent of a two 

unit coal fired plant. Responsible for all aQ.Jatic ecological data 

aralysis. Trese aralyses l"ave included RDnitoring studies on rurrerous 

power plants, topological investigation, 316b studies, wetland transition 

zone studies and siting studies. Field sampling on rumerous project 

including aQ.Jatic biological monitori11J studies and ultrasonic tracking 

studies of salRDroid s. 

Projects included: 

Edison Electrical Instutite - Development of data aralysis procedures for 

tte evaluation of chlorine toxicity in freshwater and marine ecosystems. 

Statistical aralysis metrods were used in this prediction. 

Washi'1jton Fllblic R::Jwer SJpply System - r:eveloprrent of a data management 

system for tte aralyses of tte aQ.Jatic RDnitoring program. Field 

sampling and ultrasonic tracking. 

Louisiana Fbwer and Light - r:evelopment of a data management system for a 

unit coal fired plant and an additional unit to a ruclear generating 

facility. Analysis of data for 316b presentation. 

Washington Water Fbwer - Field surveys for coal fired power plant siting. 
Page2of2 

JA~S J GILMORE (Continued) 

Niagara t.btawk R:::lwer Company - I:evelopment of tre aQ.Jatic ecological 

section of the Environnental Impact Statement for tre Lake Erie cereratin;;~ Station. 

1-buston Lighting and R:::lwer Company - Impingement analysis determination. 

Army Corps of En;;~ireers - D:!velopment of aata analysis procedures for a 

wetland transition zore study. 

En;;~iree ring Aide 

Participated in field work for limited aQJatic sampling and current 

analyses, Lake Erie cenerating Station, Niagara MJtawk Fbwer Com1=5ny. 

/ 
TI-OMAS J SfE\IENSON 

Senior Biologist 

SLM~RY OF EXPERIEI'CE (Since 1969) 

3/81 

Page 1 of 3 

TOTAL EXPERIEI'CE - Eleven years experience in designing field and 

laboratory studies to assess ecological and physiological effects of 

chemical pollutants, industrial discharges and steam electric plant 

intakes; fisheries assessment; river water quality surveys; siting 

studies; quality assurance/quality control; and hazardous waste studies. 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION - American Fisheries Society - 1972 

EDUCATION- PhD, University of Rhode Island, 1977 - Oceanography 

MS, Fordham University, 1969- Biology 

BS, Georgetown University, 1967 - Biology 

REPRES::NTATIVE ENVIROPHERE PROJECT EXPERIEI'CE (Since 1978) 

MONITORING PROGRAMS: design of coastal, lake and river monitoring 

programs for nuclear power plants in the South China Sea (Philippine 

National Power Corp) and the Mississippi River (Louisiana Power and Light 

Co.); statistical analysis and interpretation of monitoring program data; 

Environmental Report and Technical Support Document preparation. 

SITING SfUDIES: performed field environmental siting studies for the 

Public Power Corporation of Greece for a nuclear power plant, for a 

commercial shopping center in upstate New York, and a coal gasification 

plant in Pennsylvania; developed exclusion criteria and a rating system for site evaluation; conducted fatal flaw reviews for siting industrial 

facilities. 

QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL: conducted QA audits of field and 

laboratory work performed by subcontractors including: reviews of 

chemical and biological laboratory procedures and assurance of Quality 

Control; conformance of field work to standard methods and contract 

specifications; data and document management systems. Design of QA/QC 

systems for utility industry clients. Design and direction of 

environmental staff training program for the Philippine National Power 

Corporation. 

SOLID WASTE STUDIES: evaluation of proposed hazardous waste criteria 

under RCRA for the Edison Electric Institute (EEI); report on mineral 

extraction from conventional coal combustion wastes for EEI; report on 

potential processes for mineral recovery from fluidized bed combustion 

and coal gasification wastes for the TVA. 
TI-OMAS J STEVENSON (Continued) 

PRIOR EXPERIENCE (9 years) 

Wilkes College, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 

Assistant Professor of Environmental Science 

Director, Wilkes College Water Quality Laboratory (2 years) 

Page 2 of 3 

Responsible for operation of analytical labortory with research 

emphasis on anthracite coal mining effects, river water quality and 

monitoring of industrial and municipal effluents. Taught courses in 

Pollution Control Technology; Alternative Energy; Environmental 

Quality Measurements and Oceanography. 

National Marine Fisheries Service, Narragansett, RI. 

Fishery Biologist (1 year) 

Measured size and condition indices in larval herring for correlation 

with plankton patchiness. 

Massachusetts Audubon Society, Lincoln, MA. 

Consultant (1 year) 

Designed and carried out sampling and analysis of baitfish and 

benthos for Dieldrin and PCB concentration for relation to predator 

(tern) population changes. 

University of Rhode Island 

Graduate School of Oceanography 

Research and Graduate Assistant (5 years) 

Research in: optimization of water chemistry to maximize growth in 

closed system aquaculture; determination of dissociation constants of 

ammonia; effects of low pH water on fish physiology and development 

of biological filtration systems. 

Division of Fisheries and Department of Education, Fiji 

Peace Corps Volunteer (2 years) 

Designed and carried out stock assessment for commercial prawn 

fishery; comparative study of trawling gear. 

Publications 

Stevenson, T J. The Effects of pH, salinity and ammonia on the white 

perch, Marone americana. PhD Thesis, University of Rhoae Island, 

Kingston,_ Rhode Island. 

Stevenson, T J 1975. Report to the Massachusetts Audubon Society, 

Concentration of PCB and dieldrin in baitfish at Cape Cod. 
Page 3 of 3 

TI-OMAS J STEv£NSON (Continued) 

PRIOR EXPERIENCE (9 years) 

Stevenson, T J 1975. The effects of acid water on the rainbow trout, 

Salmo gairdneri. Presented at the Regional Meeting of the American 

Fisheries Society, April: 

Stevenson, T J. Serological Studies of the Crown Gall Bacterium. 

Undergraduate Thesis, Georgetown University, washington D.C.