Essential Fish Habitat Assessment for the Environmental Impact Statement/ Overseas Environmental Impact Statement Undersea Warfare Training Range Contract Number: N62470-02-D-9997 Contract Task Order 0035.04 Department of the Navy April 2009 DOCUMENT HISTORY Original document prepared by Geo-Marine, Inc. September 2008 First revision by Geo-Marine, Inc. December 2008 Second revision by Dept. of the Navy, NAVFAC Atlantic April 2009 EFH Technical Report Undersea Warfare Training Range TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................................ii LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................... III LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................IV 1.0 ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT......................................................................................................1-1 1.1 MU AND MANAGED SPECIES WITH EFH IN THE ACTION AREAS...........................................1-6 1.1.1 Types of EFH Designated in the Four Action Areas...............................................1-11 1.1.2 Site A—Jacksonville ................................................................................................1-17 1.1.3 Site B—Charleston ..................................................................................................1-25 1.1.4 Site C—Cherry Point...............................................................................................1-32 1.1.5 Site D—VACAPES...................................................................................................1-40 2.0 IMPACTS ON ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT ...........................................................................2-1 2.1 FACTORS USED TO ASSESS EFFECTS ......................................................................................2-1 2.2 INSTALLATION OF RANGE INSTRUMENTATION ......................................................................2-1 2.2.1 Site A—Jacksonville ..................................................................................................2-2 2.2.2 Site B—Charleston ....................................................................................................2-6 2.2.3 Site C—Cherry Point...............................................................................................2-11 2.2.4 Site D—VACAPES...................................................................................................2-17 2.3 RANGE OPERATION—EXERCISE TORPEDOES ......................................................................2-20 2.3.1 Site A—Jacksonville ................................................................................................2-20 2.3.2 Site B—Charleston ..................................................................................................2-24 2.3.3 Site C—Cherry Point...............................................................................................2-29 2.3.4 Site D—VACAPES...................................................................................................2-34 2.4 RANGE OPERATION—SENSING DEVICES, COUNTERMEASURES, AND TARGETS .................2-37 2.4.1 Site A—Jacksonville ................................................................................................2-37 2.4.2 Site B—Charleston ..................................................................................................2-41 2.4.3 Site C—Cherry Point...............................................................................................2-44 2.4.4 Site D—VACAPES...................................................................................................2-48 3.0 LITERATURE CITED.................................................................................................................3-1 APPENDIX A: EFH TABLES...............................................................................................................A-1 APPENDIX B: AREA ESTIMATES ....................................................................................................B-1 i EFH Technical Report for the USWTR EIS/OEIS April 2009 LIST OF FIGURES No. Page Figure 1-1. Location of benthic substrate and known live/hard bottom essential fish habitat (EFH) within the proposed Site A (Jacksonville) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding Jacksonville Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: SEAMAP (2001, 2007). ............1-18 Figure 1-2. Artificial reefs designated as essential fish habitat (EFH) within the proposed Site A (Jacksonville) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding Jacksonville Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: GDNR (2001), Veridian (2001), FFWCC (2004), NCDMF (2005), and SCMRD (2005). .........................................................................................................1-20 Figure 1-3. Location of currents as essential fish habitat (EFH) within the proposed Site A (Jacksonville) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding Jacksonville Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: SAFMC (2008).............................................................................................1-22 Figure 1-4. Location of surface waters and known benthic substrates (including biogenic reef communities) as habitats of particular concern (HAPC) within the proposed Site A (Jacksonville) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding Jacksonville Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: GDAIS (2005); Sedberry (2005)..................................................................1-24 Figure 1-5. Location of benthic substrate and known live/hard bottom essential fish habitat (EFH) within the proposed Site B (Charleston) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding Charleston Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: SEAMAP (2001, 2007)................1-26 Figure 1-6. Location of artificial reefs as essential fish habitat (EFH) within the proposed Site B (Charleston) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding Charleston Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: SCMRD (2005)........................................................................1-29 Figure 1-7. Location of currents as essential fish habitat (EFH) within the proposed Site B (Charleston) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding Charleston Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: SAFMC (2008).............................................................................................1-31 Figure 1-8. Location of surface waters and known benthic substrates (including biogenic reef communities) as habitats of particular concern (HAPC) within the proposed Site B (Charleston) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding Charleston Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: GDAIS (2005); Sedberry (2005)..................................................................1-33 Figure 1-9. Location of benthic substrate and known live/hard bottom essential fish habitat (EFH) within the proposed Site C (Cherry Point) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding Cherry Point Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: SEAMAP (2001, 2007). ...........1-34 Figure 1-10. Location of artificial reefs as essential fish habitat (EFH) within the proposed Site C (Cherry Point) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding Cherry Point Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: NCDMF (2005)...............................................................1-37 ii EFH Technical Report Undersea Warfare Training Range LIST OF FIGURES (cont.) No. Page Figure 1-11. Location of currents as essential fish habitat (EFH) within the proposed Site C (Cherry Point) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding Cherry Point Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: SAFMC (2008).............................................................................................1-39 Figure 1-12. Location of surface waters and known benthic substrates (including biogenic reef communities) as habitats of particular concern (HAPC) within the proposed Site C (Cherry Point) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding Cherry Point Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: GDAIS (2005); Sedberry (2005).....................................1-41 Figure 1-13. Location of benthic substrate and known live/hard bottom (shipwrecks) essential fish habitat (EFH) within the proposed Site D (VACAPES) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding VACAPES Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: Veridian Corporation (2001); NOAA (2004); NAVO (2006). ........................................................1-42 Figure 1-14. Location of artificial reefs as essential fish habitat (EFH) within the proposed Site D (VACAPES) Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR) and corresponding trunk cable corridor, and surrounding VACAPES Operating Area (OPAREA). Source data: VMRC (2002)..........................................................................1-44