Document ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0667-2637
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2012-06-11T04:00Z

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)

Prepared by ENSR Corporation

August 2006

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, the 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 sampling be rescheduled at one site only. On April 7, 2006
data were collected at the Minnkota M.R. Young CWIS 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 collected 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

September 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, 2006 (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 Collected

Because of the complete absence of fish in the collection basket at the
Minnkota M.R. Young Missouri River CWIS during the first three months of
the study, collection efforts were reduced at this 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 CWIS during the first quarter of 2006. On April 5, 2006 36 fish
were collected from Leland Olds and Stanton. While 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
number of fish collected, a PM event was scheduled at the M.R. Young
Missouri River CWIS on April 7; no fish were collected.  Additional
collection events in 2006 at the M.R. Young Missouri River CWIS 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 similar to what was first observed in June
of that year, with one exception (Figure 1). That exception was on
November 30, when the total number of fish collected in the morning at
Leland Olds and Stanton exceeded 140 (combined) and the number of fish
collected 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.  The January 11, 2006 event
produced the second highest number of fish (after November 30, 2005),
the majority of which were rainbow smelt (Osmerus 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 from the previous events in March. Twenty-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, although there were exceptions. More
fish were collected at Stanton 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). 



Nineteen species 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 event at Stanton. 

Over the collection period, substantial species shifts were seen.  From
June 2005 through January 2006, the rainbow smelt was, with a couple
exceptions, the most common species collected. From June through August
2005 the emerald shiner was the second most common species collected.
Gizzard shad were first collected on 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 in 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 appearance 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
Olds and Stanton. The total number of fish was low in February and early
March, but in late March emerald shiners emerged as the dominant species
in the collection basket and remained the most common fish for the rest
of the study period.  Fathead minnows tended to be somewhat 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.

Fish Metrics

In the second quarter of 2006, gizzard shad were not collected and smelt
were found only at Stanton on April 5, May 3 and May 17.  Of 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). While the length of smelt showed an 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 period, 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 December 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 collection basket.   All mean weights of smelt and emerald shiners
collected in 2006 at Stanton were equal to or less than 4 g (Figure 8). 

Table 1.  Species and number collected

Species	Leland Olds	Stanton

Rainbow Smelt	132	218

Emerald Shiner	50	89

Black Bullhead	1	4

Gizzard Shad	177	129

Carpsucker	1	8

Goldeye	1	2

Tadpole Madtom	2	0

Walleye	1	0

Northern Pike	0	1

White Sucker	1	1

Fathead Minnow	5	11

Shortnose Gar	1	0

Longnose Sucker	13	7

Freshwater Drum	3	0

Channel Catfish	6	1

Saugeye	0	1

Common Whitefish	1	0

Stonecat	2	1

Yellow Perch	0	1



In the second quarter 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 collected 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 in 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 during 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 found 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, do
not suggest any demonstrable shift in the sample population size or age.
 



Table 2. Changes in minimum and maximum weights of the three most common
species found at the Basin Leland Olds CWIS during the morning
collection events

Collection Date	Rainbow Smelt	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, 05

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

May 3, 06

	2.5	2.5

May 17, 06

May 31, 06

	3.5	3.5

June 14, 06

	2.5	2.5

June 28, 06

Note: Weight is in grams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

May 3, 06

	0.5	0.5

May 17, 06

May 31, 06

	0.5	3.0

June 14, 06

	2.0	2.0

June 28, 06

	3.0	3.0

Note: Weight is in grams



Table 4. Changes in minimum and maximum weights of the three most common
species collected 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 21, 06

	0.5	4.0

May 3, 06	2.0	3.0	1.0	1.5

May 17, 06

	1.0	3.0

May 31, 06

	1.0	1.0

June 14, 06

June 28, 06

	4.0	4.0

Note: Weight is in grams



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, 05

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

May 3, 06	1.5	1.5	0.4	2.0

May 17, 06	1.0	6.0	1.5	7.0

May 31, 06

June 14, 06

June 28, 06

Note: Weight 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 of
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 when impinged and subsequently died on the screens. At other
times fish are decayed, which suggests death prior to impingement.

Summary

A total of 19 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 CWIS,

While 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, the collection basket at
Stanton generally yielded more fish; in late May and June Leland Olds
typically yielded 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 the 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.

Interim Data Summary on Fish Collection, June 2005 –  June 2006       
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