AB-44 ECOLOGICAL MONITORING AT TIHIE FLORIDA POWER R LIGHT CO. ST. LUCIE Pk.ANT APPLIED BIOLOCY, INC. 8-- Ecological Consultants 5891 NEW PEACHTREE ROAD ATLANTA,GEORG IA 30340 TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME 1 PAGE A. INTRODUCTION ............................................ A-1 Study Purpose ................... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ t ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ A-1 Site Description ................ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ B. FISH AND SHELLFISH ...................................... B-1 Introduction ................ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .. B-1 The Ichthyofaunal Assemblage ~ ~ ~, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Impingement ................. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ B 4 Materials and Methods .;... ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ' ~ ~ ~ ~ B-4 Results and Discussion .... B-6 Inshore (Canal) Gill Nets ... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ B-10 Materials and Methods . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 1 ~ ~ ~ B-10 Results-and Discussion ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ B 1 1 Offshore Gill Nets ...... B-12 Materials and Methods ...... ~ ~ ~ ~ e ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Results and Discussion ............ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ' Trawl s ~ ~ ~ e ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Materials and Methods ......... B-17 Results and Discussion ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ B 18 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ B-19 Beach Seines ............ I Materials and Methods . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o B 1 9 Results and Dlscusslon ................................ B-19 Ichthyoplankton ......... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ B 20 Materials and Methods . ...... B-20 Results and Discussion ..... ... ........ .. ......-.... B-22 S ummary ................................................. B-28 I I I I I I I PAGE Literature Cited ........................................ 8-32 F 1gures ................................................. 36 Tables ............... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ B 52 C. MACROINVERTEBRATES ...................................... C-1 Introduction ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ C 1 o' Materials and Metho d S ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ C 2 Results and Discuss ion o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o C 5 Sediments'....... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ C 5 Benthic Grabs ... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ C 7 ' Benthic Trawls .. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o ~ ~ o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ C 14 S ummary ..:.....................o ......... ..... r 1a 'C Literature Cited ............ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 20 F 1gures ................................ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ' ~ ~ ~ C 23 Tables ......................... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ C 37 D. PHYTOPLANKTON ........................................... D-1 IntrOduCt1Ono o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o D 1 Materials and Methods ................................... D-4 Phytoplankton Analysis ................................ D-4 Pigment Analysis .................... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o D 8 Results and Discussion ..;............. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ D 10 o' Phytoplankton Composition ........... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o ~ D 10 Entrainment and Temperature Relations hips ............. D-15 Pigment Analysis and Primary Producti Vlty ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o D 17 S ummary ................................................. D-24 Literature C'ited .. ~ ........ ...... ..................... D-27 igur es .....'............................................ D-29 F'bles T ....................................... ... D-45 1 11 I I I I I PAGE E. ZOOPLANKTON ............................................. E-1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ E 1 Introduction ......... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ E Materials and Methods ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 2 Results and Discussion .................................. E-5 S ummary ................................................. E-ll ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ E 1 3 Literature Cited ..... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ F igures .............. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ o ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ E 18 Tables ..'......................................;......... E-28 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ F 1 f. AQUATIC MACROPHYTES ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ F 1 Introduction .......... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Materials and Methods ............................ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ F 2 Results and Discussion ........................... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ F 2 L'terature Cited ........................................ F-5 igures ................................................. F-6 F'bles T .................................................. F-7 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ G 1 G. WATER QUALITY .......... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ G 1 Introduction ........... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ G-1 Physical. Parameters .... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .. ~ G-1 Materials and Methods ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .. Results and Discussion ................................ G-5 Chemical Parameters ..................................... G-9 Materials and Methods ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ G 9 Results and Discussion ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ G 10 Literature Cited ....... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ G 13 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ G F igures ................ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 15 * Tables ................. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ G 20 I I I TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME 2 , PAGES FISH AND SHELLFISH ............................. H-1 through H-251 NCROINVERTEBRATES ........................... H-252 through H-292 PHYTOPLANKTON ................................ H-293 through H-336 ZOOPLANKTON .................................. H-337 through H-362 WATER QUALITY ................................ H-363 through H-384 I I A. INTRODUCTION STUDY PURPOSE In 1975, Applied Biology, Inc., was asked by Florida Power & Light Company to conduct the Operational Ecological Monitoring Program at their St. Lucie Plant. This. program began with preliminary studies on the populations of fishes in the intake and discharge canals in De- cember 1975. The complete sampling program was initiated in March 1976. The study was designed to provide information on the effects of operation of the St. Lucie Plant on the indigenous populations of major biotic communities. Seventeen sampling stations ( Figure A-1) were established. on the plant site and adjacent coastal waters (Table A-1) to study potential plant effects on this marine habitat. TABLE A-1 OCEANIC SAMPLING STATION LOCATIONS ST. AUGIE PLANT 1976 Oceanic verage station de th m Latitude Lon itude 0 8.2 27'19.1' 80'13.2' 1 7.6 27'21.2' 80'14.1' 2' 11. 3 27'21.4' 80'13.3'. 3 7.6 27'21.7' 80'12.4' 4 11. 3 27'20.6' 80'12.8'- W 5 11. 3 27'22.9' 80'14.0' The 1976 sampling program is responsive to portions of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Environmental Technical Specifications for St. A-1 I t I gi I' ATLANTIC OCE AN INDIAN RIVER ll ST LUCIE 9 II COUNTY, FLORIDA A PLANTSiTE"0 8 27 20 INDIAN R IVER HU INSON I L ND 3000 6000 9000 12000 SCALE N fKET 8O lO FLORIDA POWER 8 LIGHT COMPANY ST LUCIE PLANT LOCATION OF ST. LUCIf PLANT AND SAMPLING STATIONS APPLIEO BIOLOGY, INC. MARCH l977 FIGURE A-1 Lucie Nuclear Plant Unit 1, as detailed in the Applied Biology, Inc., research proposal of January 1976. The sampling regime is outlined in Table A-2., SITE DESCRIPTION The St. Lucie Plant is located on a 1132-acre site on Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County, Florida (Figure A-1). The island lies between the towns of Fort Pierce and Stuart on the east coast of Florida and is part of a chain of barrier islands which separate the shallow Indian=River lagoon from. the Atlantic Ocean. Hutchinson Island is a bar and swale is'land approximately 22 miles long and up to one mile wide. Sand dunes about 5 meters (15 feet) high line the eastern shore. The dune vegetation is a palmetto and sea grape community which serves -to stabilize the shoreline. The western part of the island consists of a mangrove swamp and other tidal littoral vegetation. The interior salt marshes and mangrove communities have been extensively altered over past decades by county mosquito control practices. Large stands of black mangroves, in- A eluding some on:the plant site, have been killed by controlled flooding. The Atlantic Ocean along Hutchinson Island has an average tidal range of three feet. Gulf Stream currents flow north a few miles offshore, and a weak counter-current usually f'lows south near shore. The sea floor consists of shifting sand and shell rubble with limited I I I I I I I I rock or reef outcroppings. The unstable substrate limits the establishment of rooted macrophytes and attached benthic communities. The Indian River, west of Hutchinson Island, is a shallow ) lagoon that receives tidal flushing through the Fort Pierce and St. Lucie Inlets and freshwater runoff from the mainland to the