# Fish Impinged at Basin Electric

**Leland Olds Station, GRE Stanton**

**Station, and Minnkota M.R. Young**

**Missouri Riv er Station, Cooling** 

**Water Intake Structures**

**Final Data Summary** 

**(Ju ne**  **2005 to**  **June 2006**  **)**

Prepared by ENSR Corporation

August 200 6

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 1 

# Fish Impinged at Basin Electric Leland Olds Station, GRE Stanton Station,

**and Minnkota M.R. Young Missouri River Station, Cooling Water Intake**

**Structures**

**Final Data Summary** 

**(June 2005**  **to June**  **2006)**

**Collection Periods**

Samples were collected at two

- week intervals unless interrupted by weather. For example,

t he regular collection events of October 5, 2005 were cancelled because of snow; the

sampling event was rescheduled for

, and completed on

, October 10, 2005. In some cases,

circumstances required that sa mpling be rescheduled at one site only. On April 7, 2006 data

were collected at the Minnkota M.R. Young CW IS because there was a noticeable increase

in the number of fish (36) collected on April 5 at Stanton and Leland olds relative to what had

been collec ted on March 22 (12).

June 13

- 14, 2005 (M.R. Young Missouri

River only)

June 15

- 16, 2005

June 28

- 29, 2005

July 12

- 13, 2005

July 17

- 18, 2005 (M.R. Young Missouri River

only)

July 26

- 27, 2005

August 9

- 10, 2005

August 23

- 24, 2005

September 6

- 7, 2005

Septem ber 20

- 21, 2005

October 9

- 10, 2005

October 18

- 19, 2005

November 1

- 2, 2005

November 15

- 16, 2005

November 29

- 30, 2005

December 13

- 14, 2005

December 16, 2005 (GRE pm sample only)

December 27

- 28, 2005 January 10

- 11, 2006

January 24

- 25, 2006

January 25

- 26, 200 6 (GRE am sample only)

February 7

- 8, 2006

February 21

- 22, 2006

March 7

- 8, 2006

March 21

- 22, 2006

April 4

- 5, 2006

April 7, 2006 (M.R. Young Missouri River pm

sample only)

April 18

- 19, 2006

April 20

- 21, 2006 (GRE only)

May 2

- 3, 2006

May 16

- 17, 2006

May 30

- 31 , 2006

June 13

- 14, 2006

June 27

- 28, 2006

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 2 

# Fish Collected

Because of the complete absence of fish in the collection basket at the Minnkota M.R. Young

Missouri River C WI S during the first three months of the s tudy, collection efforts were

reduced at th is facility

. Data were collected at this facility at the end of the year (Dec. 28,

2005) , and no fish were found. No data were collected at the M.R. Young Missouri River

CW IS during the first quarter of 2006. On April 5, 2006 36 fish were collected from L eland

Olds and Stanton. Wh ile this isn’t an extremely large number of fish and no where near the

number collected in late 2005 , it did represent a substantial increase over the number

collected on March 22, which was 12. Because of the increase in the numb er of fish

collected, a PM event was scheduled at the M.R. Young Missouri River CW IS on April 7 ; n o

fish were collected. Additional collection events in 2006 at the M.R. Young Missouri River

CW IS occurred on April 19 and June 14; no fish were collected on those dates.

After higher quantities of fish in June 2005, there was a drop in the number collected in the

months of July and August at Leland Olds and Stanton . Beginning in September 2005

, the

number of fish increased and, through the rest of 2005

, was s imilar to what was first observed

in June of that year, with one exception (Figure 1) . That exception was on November 30,

when the total n umber of fish collected in the morning at Leland Olds and Stanton exceeded

140 (combined) and the number of fish colle cted in the evening at the two stations exceeded

100. Most of these fish were gizzard shad ( Dorosoma cepedianum ). In January 2006, the

number of fish collected at Leland Olds and Stanton was similar to what was observed in the

last few months of 2005. Th e January 11, 2006 event produced the second highest number

of fish (after November 30, 2005), the majority of which were rainbow smelt ( Os me rus

mordax ).

The number of fish collected at Leland Olds and Stanton decreased substantially in February

2006. For the first time since July and August 2005, no fish were collected during some

events. On February 22, no fish were collected at Stanton and on March 8 only one fish was

collected, an emerald shiner ( Notropis atherinoides ) at Leland Olds in the evening

. On April

5 a total of 36 fish were collected, which is a substantial increase f r om the previous events in

March. T wenty

- three of those fish were emerald shiners collected from Stanton and only

seven fish, also emerald shiners, were collected from Leland Olds. This was the largest

number of fish collected in the second quarter of 2006.

Throughout the entire collection period, morning samples tended to yield more fish than the

evening samples, althoug h there were exceptions. M ore fish were collected at S tanton than

at Leland Olds

.

The maximum number of species collected in the second quarter of 2006 was four. During

the last three sampling events in late May and June 2006 only two species were collected on

any one date (Figure 2).

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 3



# Figure 1. Total Number of Fish Collected at Leland Olds and Stanton

**through June 2006**

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

June 13-17 July 12-13 Aug 9-10 Sept 6-7 Oct 9-10 Nov 1-2

Nov 29-30 Dec 27-28 Jan 24-25, 25-26

Feb 21-22 Mar 21-22 Apr 18-19, 20-21

May 16-17 June 13-14



# Sampling Period**N u** **m b** **e r** **o f** **F i** **s h** 



# Leland Old AM Collection

Stanton AM Collection

Leland Olds PM Collection

Stanton PM Collection



# Figure 2. Number of Species Collected at Leland Olds and Stanton

**through June 2006**

0 1 2 3 4 5

June 13-17 July 12-13 Aug 9-10 Sept 6-7 Oct 9-10 Nov 1-2

Nov 29-30 Dec 27-28 Jan 24-25, 25-26

Feb 21-22 Mar 21-22 Apr 18-19, 20-21

May 16-17 June 13-14



# Sampling Period**N u** **m b** **e r** **o f** **S p** **e c** **i e** **s**



# Leland Olds AM Collection

Stanton AM Collection

Leland Olds PM Collection

Stanton PM Collection

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 4 

# Ninet een specie s were identified in the collection baskets at Leland Olds and Stanton over

the entire collection period (Figure 3). One new species was found in the second quarter of

2006. One yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ) was collected during the April 15 morning eve nt

at Stanton.

**Figure 3. Species Collected at Leland Olds and Stanton Stations**

**through June 2006**

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Sm elt Emerald Shiner Black Bullhead Gizzard Shad Goldeye Carpsucker Tadpole Madtom

Walleye Northern Pike White Sucker Fathead Minnow Shortnose Gar Longnose Sucker Freshwater Drum Channel Catfish

Saugeye Common Whitefish

Stonecat Yellow Perch



# Species**T o** **t a** **l N** **u m** **b e** **r o** **f I** **n d** **i v** **i d** **u a** **l F** **i s** **h**



# Leland Olds AM Collection

Stanton AM Collection

Leland Olds PM Collection

Stanton PM Collection



# Over the collection period, substantial species shifts were seen. From June 2005 through

January 200 6

, the rainbow smelt was, with a couple exceptions, the most common species

collected. From June through August 2005 the emerald shine r was the second most

common species collected

. Gizzard shad w ere first collected o n August 24 (at Leland Olds)

and was found during all events through mid

- December (Figure 4 ; note that the number of

shad collected on November 30 [ 220 ] has been truncated i n this figure to better illustrate the

other values )

. Gizzard shad was most common at Leland Olds in the evening events. During

that same period, emerald shiner disappeared from the collection baskets entirely . On

December 14

, gizzard shad made its last a ppearance at Leland Olds in the evening sample.

On that same date, the emerald shiner reappeared at both Leland Olds and Stanton in both

the morning and evening sampling events.

In January 2006 emerald shiners were present in samples from both Leland Old s and

Stanton. The total number of fish was low in February and early March, but in late March

emerald shiners eme rged as the dominant species in the collection basket and remained the

most common fish for the rest of the study period . Fathead minnows ten ded to be somewhat

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 5 

# more common in the first quarter of 2006 and were the most common species in the June 14

sample.

All of the species collected at Leland Olds and Stanton are presented in Table 1.

**Figure 4. Total Number of the Six Most A bundant Fish Collected at** 

**Leland Olds and Stanton**

0 20 40 60 80 100 120June16June29July13July27Aug10Aug24Sept7Sept21Oct10Oct19Nov2Nov16Nov30Dec14/16Dec28Jan11Jan25/26Feb8Feb22Mar8Mar22Apr5/7Apr19/21May3May17May31June14June28



# Collection Date**N u** **m b** **e r** **o f** **F i** **s h** 



# Rainbow Smelt

Emerald Shiner

Gizzard Shad

Fathead Minnow

Longnose Sucker

Channel Catfish (Actual value = 220)



# Fish Metrics

In the second quarter of 2006, gizzard shad were not c ollected and smelt were found only at

Stanton on April 5, May 3 and May 17. O f the three most common study species, only the

emerald shiner remained at Leland Olds. The mean total length of emerald shiners was

consistent between 6 and 8 cm (Figure 5). Wh ile the length of smelt showed a n increase at

Leland Olds in late December 2005 and early 2006 , other species remained constant (Figure

5). The total length of fish collected at Stanton also remained fairly constant during the

collection per iod, with most fish measuring between about 6 and 8 cm (Figure 6).

The mean weight of the three most common fish tended to show more variability than length

. As with length, the mean weight of smelt collected at Leland Olds also increased in late

Decemb er 2005 and early 2006 (Figure 7). Mean weight of emerald shiners in 2006 was

similar to what was observed in summer 2005, before this species disappeared from the

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 6 

# collection basket. All mean weights of smelt and emerald shiners collected in 2006 at

Sta nton were equal to or less than 4 g (Figure 8).

**Table 1. Species and n**  **umber c**  **ollected**

**Species Leland Olds**  **Stanton**

Rainbow Smelt 132 2 18

Emerald Shiner 50 89

Black Bullhead 1 4

Gizzard Shad 177 129

Carpsucker 1 8

Goldeye 1 2

Tadpole Madtom 2 0

W alleye 1 0

Northern Pike 0 1

Wh ite Sucker 1 1

Fathead Minnow 5 11

Shortnose Gar 1 0

Longnose Sucker 1 3 7

Freshwater Drum 3 0

Channel Catfish 6 1

Saugeye 0 1

Common Wh itefish 1 0

Stonecat 2 1

Yellow Perch 0 1

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 7



# Figure 5. Mean total lengths of fish collected at Leland Olds Station

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14June16,2006June29,2006July13,2006July27,2006Aug10,2006Aug24,2006Sept7,2006Sept21,2006Oct10,2006Oct19,2006Nov2,2006Nov16,2006Nov30,2006Dec14,2006Dec28,2006Jan11,2006Jan25,2006Feb8,2006Feb22,2006Mar8,2006Mar22,2006Apr5,2006Apr19,2006May3,2006May17,2006May31,2006June14,2006June28,2006



# Collection Date**T o** **t a** **l L** **e n** **g t** **h (** **c m** **)**



# AM - Smelt

PM - Smelt

AM - Emrld Shiner

PM - Emrld Shiner

AM - Gizzard Shad

PM - Gizzard Shad



# Figure 6. Mean total lengths of fish collected at Stanton Station

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14June16,2006June29,2006July13,2006July27,2006Aug10,2006Aug24,2006Sept7,2006Sept21,2006Oct10,2006Oct19,2006Nov2,2006Nov16,2006Nov30,2006Dec14,2006Dec28,2006Jan11,2006Jan25,2006Feb8,2006Feb22,2006Mar8,2006Mar22,2006Apr5,2006Apr21,2006May3,2006May17,2006May31,2006June14,2006June28,2006



# Collection Date**T o** **t a** **l L** **e n** **g t** **h (** **c m** **)**



# AM - Smelt

PM - Smelt

AM - Emrld Shiner

PM - Emrld Shiner

AM - Gizzard Shad

PM - Gizzard Shad

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 8



# Figure 7. Mean weight of fish collected at Leland Olds Station

0 2 4 6 8 10 12June16,2006June29,2006July13,2006July27,2006Aug10,2006Aug24,2006Sept7,2006Sept21,2006Oct10,2006Oct19,2006Nov2,2006Nov16,2006Nov30,2006Dec14,2006Dec28,2006Jan11,2006Jan25,2006Feb8,2006Feb22,2006Mar8,2006Mar22,2006Apr5,2006Apr19,2006May3,2006May17,2006May31,2006June14,2006June28,2006



# Collection Date**W e** **i g** **h t** **( g** **)** 

# AM - Smelt

PM - Smelt

AM - Emrld Shiner

PM - Emrld Shiner

AM - Gizzard Shad

PM - Gizzard Shad



# Figure 8. Mean weight of fish collected at Stanton Station

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14June16,2006June29,2006July13,2006July27,2006Aug10,2006Aug24,2006Sept7,2006Sept21,2006Oct10,2006Oct19,2006Nov2,2006Nov16,2006Nov30,2006Dec14,2006Dec28,2006Jan11,2006Jan25,2006Feb8,2006Feb22,2006Mar8,2006Mar22,2006Apr5,2006Apr21,2006May3,2006May17,2006May31,2006June14,2006June28,2006



# Collection Date**W e** **i g** **h t** **( g** **)** 

# AM - Smelt

PM - Smelt

AM - Emrld Shiner

PM - Emrld Shiner

AM - Gizzard Shad

PM - Gizzard Shad

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 9 

# In the second q uarter of 2006 no large fish were collected. The heaviest and longest fish

collected in the second quarter was the single yellow perch found at Stanton in the morning

sample of April 5. It weighed 21 g and was 12.5 cm in length (total). The largest fish

c ollected during the entire study period was a channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus , 761 g and

42 cm in total length), found in the collection basket at Leland Olds in the morning of

February 22.

Minimum and maximum weights of smelt, emerald shiners and gizzard shad were calculated

and reviewed (Tables 2

- 5). The higher lengths and weights of smelt collected at Leland Olds

and, to a lesser degree, Stanton in late 2005 and early 2006 are reflected in the minimum

and maximum weights for that species shown i n Tables 2

- 5 . Maximum weights of smelt, in

particular, were much higher in the morning samples collected from late December 2005

through early February 2006. The largest specimens reached nearly 20 g. Minimum weights

of smelt also tended to be higher dur ing that same period, compared to earlier in 2005. The

few smelt collected at Stanton at the end of March and the second quarter of 2006 were

relatively small and comparable to fish collected during the summer of 2005.

Because gizzard shad were not fou nd in collection baskets after mid

- December 2005, weight

and length data for 2006 are unavailable. The minimum and maximum weights of the

emerald shiners which reappeared in December 2005 and dominated samples in the second

quarter of 2006, d o not suggest any demonstrable shift in the sample population size or age.

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 10 

# Table 2. Changes in **m inimum and**  **m aximum**  **w eights**  **of the t**  **hree m**  **ost c**  **ommon**

**s pec**  **ies found**  **at the Basin Leland Olds CWIS during the morning collection events** 

**Collection**

**Date Rainbow Sm**  **elt Emerald Shiner**  **Gizzard Shad**

**Minimum Maximum**  **Minimum Maximum**  **Minimum Maximum** 

**Leland Olds AM Sample Collection** 

June 16 , 05 2.5 7.1 7.0 7.5

June 29 , 05 4.5 5.0 4.5 4.5

July 13 , 05

July 27 , 05 4.0 4.0

Aug 10 , 05 1.5 1.5

Aug 24 , 0 5

Sept 7 , 05 1.5 3.5

Sept 21 , 05 1.5 1.5 2.5 3.5

Oct 10 , 05 0.5 5.0 4.0 6.0

Oct 19 , 05 1.0 1.0

Nov 2 , 05 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

Nov 16 , 05 3.0 4.5 4.5 9.0

Nov 30 , 05 2.0 5.0 2.0 14.0

Dec 14 , 05 1.0 2.5 1.5 2.5

Dec 28 , 05 7.0 17. 0

Jan 11 , 06 2.0 16.0 3.0 3.0

Jan 25 , 06 3.0 19.0

Feb 8 , 06 5.0 11.0

Feb 22 , 06 2.0 2.0

Mar 8 , 06

Mar 22 , 06 2.5 4.5

Apr 5 , 06 2.5 6.0

Apr 19 , 06 3.0 3.0

Ma y 3 , 06 2.5 2.5

Ma y 17 , 06

Ma y 31, 06 3.5 3.5

June 14, 06 2.5 2.5

June 28, 06



# Note: We ight is in grams

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 11 

# Table 3. Changes in minimum and maximum weights of the three most common

**species found at the Basin Leland Olds CWIS during the evening collection events**

**Collection**

**Date Rainbow**  **Smelt Emerald Shiner**  **Gizzard Shad**

**Minimum Maximum**  **Minimum Maximum**  **Minimum Maximum** 

**Leland Olds PM Sample Collection** 

June 16, 05 3.0 3.0 4.0 5.0

June 29, 05 1.5 3.0 1.0 6.5

July 13, 05 3.0 3.0

July 27, 05

Aug 10, 05

Aug 24, 05 1.5 1.5 2.0 3.0

Sept 7, 05 3.0 6.0 1.5 2.5

Sept 21, 05 9.0 9.0 1.0 8.5

Oct 10, 05 2.5 8.5 3.5 5.0

Oct 19, 05 2.5 2.5 3.0 3.0

Nov 2, 05 0.5 3.0 2.5 6.0

Nov 16, 05 1.0 10.0 4.0 5.0

Nov 30, 05 1.5 1.5 3.0 12.0

Dec 14, 05 2.5 2.5 3.0 8. 0

Dec 28, 05 3.0 5.0 2.0 2.0

Jan 11, 06 3.0 16.0

Jan 25, 06 1.0 12.0 2.0 2.0

Feb 8, 06

Feb 22, 06 9.0 9.0

Mar 8, 06 3.0 3.0

Mar 22, 06 5.5 5.5

Apr 5, 06

Apr 19, 06 1.0 2.5

Ma y 3, 06 0.5 0.5

Ma y 17, 06

Ma y 31, 06 0.5 3.0

June 14, 06 2.0 2.0

June 28, 06 3.0 3.0



# Note: We ight is in grams

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 12 

# Table **4 . Changes in**  **m inimum and**  **m aximum**  **w eight**  **s of the t**  **hree m**  **ost c**  **ommon**

**s peci**  **es c**  **ollected at the GRE Stanton CWIS during the morning collection events** 

**Collection**

**Date Rainbow Smelt**  **Emerald Shiner Gizzard Shad** 

**Minimum Maximum**  **Minimum Maximum**  **Minimum Maximum** 

**Stanton AM Sample Collection** 

June 16, 05 2.0 5.5 2.5 5.0

June 29, 05 3.0 4.5

July 13, 05

July 27, 05 3.0 3.0

Aug 10, 05 4. 0 4.0

Aug 24, 05 2.0 2.0

Sept 7, 05 0.5 5.0 4.0 4.0

Sept 21, 05 0.5 10.5

Oct 10, 05 0.5 7.5 4.5 4.5

Oct 19, 05 0.5 6.5 4.5 4.5

Nov 2, 05 1.0 3.5

Nov 16, 05 1.5 4.5 4.0 8.0

Nov 30, 05 2.0 10.0 3.0 13.0

Dec 14, 05 2.0 10.0 0. 5 2.5

Dec 28, 05 1.0 6.0

Jan 11, 06 1.0 16.0 1.5 3.0

Jan 25, 06 1.0 2.0 0.5 3.0

Feb 8, 06 3.0 3.0

Feb 22, 06

Mar 8, 06

Mar 22, 06 0.5 0.5

Apr 5, 06 1.0 1.5 1.0 4.5

Apr 2 1, 06 0.5 4.0

Ma y 3, 06 2.0 3.0 1.0 1.5

Ma y 17, 06 1.0 3.0

Ma y 31, 06 1.0 1.0

June 14, 06

June 28, 06 4.0 4.0



# Note: We ight is in grams

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 13 

# Table 5 **. Changes in minimum and maximum weights of the three most common** 

**species collected at the GRE Stanton CWIS during the evening collection events** 

**Collection**

**Date Rainbow Smelt**  **Emerald Shiner Gizzard Shad** 

**Minimum Maximum**  **Minimum Maximum**  **Minimum Maximum** 

**Stanton PM Sample Collection** 

June 16, 05 1.0 1.0 1.0 3.0

June 29, 05 1.5 7.5 0.5 2.5

July 13, 05 4.5 4.5

July 27, 0 5

Aug 10, 05 2.5 6.0

Aug 24, 05

Sept 7, 05 0.5 8.5 2.5 2.5

Sept 21, 05 1.0 9.0 2.0 3.0

Oct 10, 05 1.5 8.0

Oct 19, 05 1.0 1.5 5.0 8.5

Nov 2, 05 0.5 2.5

Nov 16, 05 1.0 2.0 4.0 4.5

Nov 30, 05 3.0 9.0 3.0 15.0

Dec 14 , 05 9.0 19.5 2.0 2.5

Dec 28, 05 0.5 2.0

Jan 11, 06 1.5 7.0

Jan 25, 06 1.0 3.0 1.0 2.0

Feb 8, 06

Feb 22, 06

Mar 8, 06

Mar 22, 06 4.0 4.0

Apr 5, 06 2.0 3.5

Apr 21 , 06 1.5 3.5

Ma y 3, 06 1.5 1.5 0.4 2.0

M ay 17, 06 1.0 6.0 1.5 7.0

Ma y 31, 06

June 14, 06

June 28, 06



# Note: We ight is in grams

Most fish recovered from the collection baskets were classified as dead, meaning that at the

time of collection, there was no visible movement o f the body, including gill covers, fins or

tail. This does not necessarily mean that a fish was dead when impinged. In many cases the

fish appear to be in good shape when collected which means they may have been alive

# Fish Impingement Investigation

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005

– June 2006 Page 14 

# when impinged and subsequently died o n the screens. At o ther times fish are decayed,

which suggests death prior to impingement.

**Summary**

 A total of 1 9 fish species were identified since the beginning of the study in the

combined Leland Olds and Stanton samples,

 No fish have been collected at the Minnkota M.R. Young CW IS

,

 Wh ile very low numbers of fish were collected in the first quarter of 2006

, the number

of collected fish increased in the second quarter

 In the second quarter of 2006, through mid

- May, t he collection basket at Stanton

general ly yielded more fish; in late May and June Leland Olds typically yi elded more

fish, although numbers from both facilities were low,

 Gizzard shad were not collected in 2006,

 Rainbow smelt were collected in low numbers only at Stanton,

 Emerald shiners were t he most common species in the second quarter of 2006 , and

 Fathead minnows, though still present in low numbers, were more common in the

second quarter of 2006.