New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Baseline Studies July – September 2009 Quarterly Report Geo-Marine, Inc. 2201 K Avenue, Suite A2 Plano, Texas 75074 October 5, 2009 New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Baseline Studies July-September 2009 Quarterly Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................................ iv LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS........................................................................................... v INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.0 QUALITY ASSURANCE WORK PLAN........................................................................................... 1 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................................................... 1 3.0 DIGITAL DATA COMPILATION...................................................................................................... 2 4.0 AVIAN PREDICTIVE/PROBABILITY MODEL ................................................................................ 2 5.0 BASELINE SURVEYS ..................................................................................................................... 5 5.1 SHIPBOARD OFFSHORE SURVEYS ........................................................................................... 5 5.1.1 Avian...................................................................................................................... 5 5.1.1.1 Survey Effort........................................................................................ 5 5.1.1.1.1 August 2009 .................................................................... 5 5.1.1.1.2 September 2009.............................................................. 5 5.1.1.2 Survey Results .................................................................................... 5 5.1.1.2.1 Avian species occurrence ............................................... 5 5.1.1.2.2 Avian abundance............................................................. 9 5.1.1.2.3 Avian density................................................................... 9 5.1.2 Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles ...................................................................... 16 5.1.2.1 Survey Effort...................................................................................... 16 5.1.2.1.1 July 2009 ....................................................................... 16 5.1.2.1.2 August 2009 .................................................................. 16 5.1.2.1.3 September 2009............................................................ 16 5.1.2.2 Survey Results .................................................................................. 16 5.2 AERIAL SURVEYS ................................................................................................................. 16 5.2.1 Avian.................................................................................................................... 16 5.2.2 Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles ...................................................................... 16 5.3 SMALL BOAT COASTAL SURVEYS .......................................................................................... 19 5.3.1 Survey Effort........................................................................................................ 19 5.3.1.1 August 2009 ...................................................................................... 19 5.3.1.2 September 2009................................................................................ 19 5.3.2 Survey Results .................................................................................................... 19 5.3.2.1 Avian Species Occurrence................................................................ 19 5.3.2.2 Avian Abundance .............................................................................. 21 5.3.2.3 Avian Density .................................................................................... 21 5.3.3 Discussion ........................................................................................................... 23 5.3.3.1 Avian Abundance .............................................................................. 23 5.3.3.2 Avian Density .................................................................................... 28 5.4 RADAR SURVEYS ................................................................................................................. 28 5.4.1 Data Collection .................................................................................................... 28 5.4.2 Data Analysis ...................................................................................................... 28 5.5 THERMAL SURVEYS.............................................................................................................. 28 5.5.1 Data Collection .................................................................................................... 28 5.5.2 Data Analysis ...................................................................................................... 28 5.6 ACOUSTIC SURVEYS ............................................................................................................ 32 5.6.1 June 2009 - Pop-Up Diagnostics Update............................................................ 32 5.6.2 August 2009 - Pop-Up Deployment Update........................................................ 32 5.6.3 Data Analyses/Processing .................................................................................. 32 5.6.3.1 March 2008 Deployment................................................................... 40 i New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Baseline Studies July-September 2009 Quarterly Report 5.6.3.2 June 2008 Deployment ..................................................................... 40 5.6.3.3 September 2008 Deployment ........................................................... 40 5.6.3.4 December 2008 Deployment ............................................................ 40 5.6.3.5 March 2009 Deployment................................................................... 40 5.6.3.6 August 2009 Deployment.................................................................. 41 5.7 OCEANOGRAPHIC SURVEYS.................................................................................................. 41 5.7.1 Surface Mapping System (SMS)......................................................................... 41 5.7.2 Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) Measurements .................................... 41 5.7.3 Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) Measurements ................................. 45 5.8 SIDE-SCAN SURVEYS ........................................................................................................... 45 5.8.1 August – September 2009 Survey ...................................................................... 45 5.8.2 Area Surveyed and Transect Parameters........................................................... 45 5.8.3 Equipment ........................................................................................................... 46 5.8.4 Discussion ........................................................................................................... 46 5.9 REFERENCES....................................................................................................................... 46 6.0 INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS FROM OFFSHORE WIND POWER FACILITIES ..................................................................................... 46 7.0 REPORTING .................................................................................................................................. 46 APPENDICES APPENDIX A REVIEWED LITERATURE APPENDIX A-1 FISHES APPENDIX A-2 MARINE BIRDS APPENDIX A-3 MARINE MAMMALS APPENDIX A-4 OFFSHORE WIND FARMS APPENDIX A-5 SEA TURTLES APPENDIX B DIGITAL DATA COMPILATION ii New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Baseline Studies July-September 2009 Quarterly Report LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page Figure 4-1 Example of the spatial distribution of total bird density for offshore surveys during August 2009........................................................................................................... 3 Figure 4-2 Example of the spatial distribution of total bird density for coastal surveys during August 2009........................................................................................................... 4 Figure 5.1-1 Avian offshore and coastal survey effort for the New Jersey Study Area in August 2009....................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 5.1-2 Avian offshore and coastal survey effort in the New Jersey Study Area in September 2009................................................................................................................. 7 Figure 5.1-3 Total offshore bird densities (all behaviors) within the New Jersey Study Area in August 2009.......................................................................................................