ECOLOGICAL STUDIES FOR THE OYSTER CREEK GENERATING STATION Progress Report for the Period September 1975 - August 1976 VOLUME TWO PLANKTON Thomas R. Tatham, Phillip H. Sandine, Richard P. Smith, Howard W. Hoffman, Kenneth A. Tighe, and David L. Thomas Ichthyological Associates, Inc. Baywood Farm, Box 82 Forked River, New Jersey 08731 For JERSEY CENTRAL POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY ICHTHYOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES, INC. Edward C. Raney, Ph.D., Director 301 Forest Drive, Ithaca, New York 14850 October 1977 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1-----------------------------------------------------1 ENTRAINMENT--- ---------------------------------------------------- 3 Introduction 3-------------------------------------------------3 Materials and Methods 3---------------------------------------3 Results and Discussion -------------------------------------- 8 Microzooplankton -.--------------------------------------- 8 Macrozooplankton- - ------------------- 12 Ichthyoplankton ---------------------------------------- 20 PASSAGE OF ENTRAINED PLANKTON DOWN THE DISCHARGE CANAL ------------ 27 Introduction- ------------------------------------------------ 27 Materials and Methods --------------------------------------- 27 Results and Discussion -------------------------------------- 30 Microzooplankton --------------------------------------- 30 Macrozooplankton ---------------------------------------- 31 Ichthyoplankton ----------------------------------------. 35. EFFECTS OF THE THERMAL PLUME ON PLANKTON IN WESTERN BARNEGAT BAY IN THE VICINITY OF OYSTER CREEK ----------------------------- 38 Introduction ------------------------------------------------ 38 Materials and Methods ---------------------------------------- 38 Results and Discussion -------------------------------------- 40 Microzooplankton- --------------------------------------- 40 Macrozooplankton --------------------------------------- 44 Ichthyoplankton ---------------------------------------- 46 REPLICATE COLLECTION STUDIES ------------------------------------- 48 Introduction ------------------------------------------------ 48 Materials and Methods----------------------------------------- 48 Results and Discussion --------------------------------------. 49 Microzooplankton -- ----------------------------------------49 Macrozooplankton- -------------------------------------- 49 Ichthyoplankton ---------------------------------------- 50 POPULATION SURVEYS ----------------------------------------------- 51 Introduction ------------------------------------------------ 51 Materials and Methods --------------------------------------- 51 Results and Discussion -------------------------------------- 53 Microzooplankton ---------------------------------------- 53 Macrozooplankton --------------------------------------- 53 Ichthyoplankton----- ------------------------------------- 54 Page IMPACT ASSESSMENT ......... 56 Microzooplankton -------------------------------------------- 57 Macrozooplankton ---------------------------------------------- 57 Ichthyoplankton ---------------------------------------------- 60 Conclusion --------------------------------------------------- 62 LITERATURE CITED------------------------------------------------------ 63 TABLES ----------------------------------------------------------------- 71 FIGURES ---------------------------------------------------------------- 360 9J ii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Alphabetical listing by common name of all vertebrate species collected by fish and impingement programs from September 1975 through August 1976. --------- -------------- 71 2. Alphabetical listing by scientific name of all vertebrate species collected by fish and impingement programs from September 1975 through August 1976. ----------------------------- 72 3. Alphabetical listing by scientific names of all macroinvertebrate taxa collected by fish and impingement programs from September 1975 thrcugh August .1976.-------------------------------------- 73 4. Ranks of yearly mean densities (X/m 3 ) of microzooplankton collected at the condenser discharge (11) from September- December, 1975, the dilution discharge (13) from January- February, 1976, and the condenser discharge from March- September 2, 1976. ------------------------------- 74 5. Mean densitiesa of microzooplankton collected at the condenser discharge (11) for the entrainment study from September 1975 through 2 September 1 9 7 6 .b -------------------------------------- 76 6. Seasonal distribution of microzooplankton densities entrained for each month from September 1975 through August 1976. --------- 79 7. Mean densities (n/m 3 ) of microzooplankton collected at the discharge of the condensers (11) and dilution pump (13) from September 1975 through August 1 9 7 6 .a ----------------------- 80 8. Estimates of the mean number of microzooplankton entrained per day for each month from September 1975 through August 1976.---- 100 9. Estimated number of important and abundant microplanktonic forms entrained at Oyster Creek Generating Stationa from September 1975 through August 1976. ----------------------------- 103 10. Frequency of occurrence and mean densities (n/1000m3 ) of macrozooplankton collected during the day and night at the condenser intake (7) and discharge- (11) and at the dilution pump intake (12) and discharge (13) from September 1975 through August 1976.a -------------------------- 104 11. Monthly mean densities (n/100Om3) of macrozooplankton from day and night collections at the condenser intake (7) and discharge (1 1 )a during 24-hour periods from September 1975 through August 1976.---- 131 iii Table Page 12. Mean day and night densities (n/1000m3 ) of abundanta, important, and total macrozooplankton collected at the condenser intake and discharge and dilution intake and discharge from September through August 1976. --------------------------------------------- 162 13. Monthly mean densities (n/1000m3 ) of abundant and important microzooplankton from day and night collections at either the. condenser intake (I) or discharge (D) from September 1975 through August 1 9 7 6 .a -------- -------------- 164 14. Monthly mean densities (n/lO00m 3 ) of macrozooplankton by life stage collected during the day and night at the condenser intake and dischargea from September 1975 through August 1976. ---------- 165 15. Estimated number of important and abundant macroplanktonic forms entrained at Oyster Creek Generating Stationa from September 1975 through August 1976. ------------------------- 166 16. Mean densities (n/1000m3 ) of sand shrimp, mud crabs, and grass shrimp zoeae from night 24-hour entrainment collections at the condenser intake and discharge. Data are presented in sequence of collection.a --------- -------------- 167 17. Estimates of the mean number of macrozooplankton entrained per day and per night for each month from September 1975 through August 1976. ------------- ------- - ------------- 168 18. Percentages of live, dead and damaged macrozooplankton collected at the condenser intake and discharge of OCGS from April through August 1976. -------------------------------------- 170 19. Mean monthly water temperature in the OCGS condenser intake and the condenser discharge and the difference between these temperatures (Ot) from September 1975 through August 1976.------ 174 20. Mean densities (n/m3 ) and biomass (mg/m 3 ) of ichthyoplankton by year collected at the Oyster Creek Generating Station.------------ 175 21. Monthly mean densities (n/m3 ) and biomass (mg/m3) of ichthyoplankton collected at OCGS from September 1975 through August 1976. --------------- -------------- 176 22. Estimates of the mean number of ichthyoplankton entrained per day and per night for each month from September 1975 through August 1976. ------------------ -------------- 188 23. Monthly totals of live, dead, and damaged ichthyoplankton collected at the intake (7) and discharge (11) at OCGS from April through August 1976. -190 iv Tab le Page 24. Monthly totals of live, dead, and damaged ichthyoplankton collected at the intake (7) and discharge (11) at OCGS for September and October 1975, and March 1976. ---------------------- 193 25. Mean densitiesa of ricrozooplankton collected at the condenser discharge (11), the discharge canal (14, 15, 16, 17), and the thermal plume (1 9 )b, for the thermal plume passage study from March through August 1 9 7 6 c --------- ------------ 194 26. Mean densitiesa of microzooplankton collected at the condenser discharge (11), the discharge canal (14, 15, 16, 17), and the thermal plume (1 9 )b, for the thermal plume passage study from September 1975 through 2 September 1 9 7 6 c ------------------------- 216 27. Monthly mean densities (n/m 3 ) of the most abundant micromero- plankton at the condenser discharge (11), canal stations, (14, 15, 16, 17) and off the mouth of Oyster Creek ( 1 9 ).a ------------- 224 28. Frequency of occurrence and mean densities (n/lOOOm3) of macrozooplankton collected at the condenser intake (7) and discharge (11), in Oyster Creek (14, 15, 16, 17) and in Barnegat Bay off the mouth of Oyster Creek (19) for the plume passage study from March through 2 September 1976. ---------------------- 225 29. Percentage of live, dead, and damaged macrozooplankton.collected at OCGS, canal stations and Bay off Oyster Creek. Collection dates were 22 April, 27 May, 17 June, 15 July and 12 August 1976.- -257 30. Mean densities (n/m 3) and biomass (mg/m 3 ) of ichthyoplankton by year collected at four stations in Oyster Creek east of Route 9 highway bridge, one station