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Aquatic Resources Assessment Study

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The Aquatic Resources Assessment Study includes the headwaters of Claytor Lake ... Alderman Environmental Services (John Alderman) ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Aquatic Resources Assessment Study


1
  • Aquatic Resources Assessment Study
  • Claytor Hydroelectric Project
  • FERC No. 739

2
Aquatic Resources Assessment Study Scope
  • 1. Fisheries
  • Desktop analysis
  • Hydrodynamic model
  • Resource assessment
  • 2. Mussels
  • Desktop analysis
  • Field surveys in reservoir and river
  • Reservoir drawdown observations
  • Resource assessment
  • 3. Fringed Mountain Snail
  • Desktop analysis
  • Field reconnaissance
  • Resource assessment

3
Geographic Scope and Project Location
  • The Aquatic Resources Assessment Study includes
    the headwaters of Claytor Lake near Allisonia, VA
    down to the US 460 bridge at Glen Lyn
  • The Fringed Mountain Snail component also
    includes Project lands above the 1,850 foot NGVD
    contour

4
Aquatic Resources TeamKey Personnel
  • Devine Tarbell Associates
  • Scott Fletcher, Project Manager
  • Kristi Miller, Aquatic Scientist
  • Jon Knight, PhD, Limnologist
  • Sarah Millington, GIS Specialist
  • Alderman Environmental Services
  • John Alderman, Regional Mussel Expert
  • Appalachian Conservation Biology
  • Ken Hotopp, Fringed Mountain Snail Expert
  • Reservoir Environmental Mgt. Inc. (REMI)
  • Jim Ruane and Gary Houser, Water Quality Modeling

5
Related Experience
  • Devine Tarbell Associates
  • Roanoke Logperch Study
  • Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Study
  • Littoral Habitat Study
  • Dam Removal Environmental Monitoring
  • Diadromous Fish Studies / Gillnetting Studies
  • Engineering Support, GIS Support
  • Alderman Environmental Services (John Alderman)
  • Former mussel expert for NCDWR / consultant for
    government agencies
  • Currently holds scientific collection permits in
    Virginia
  • Specialized in microhabitat preferences of L.
    subviridis after conducting numerous surveys for
    this species
  • Appalachian Conservation Biology (Ken Hotopp)
  • Led previous surveys for the fringed mountain
    snail in the New River area
  • Published A Field Guide to Land Snails in New
    York and Land Snails of Pennsylvania
  • Reservoir Environmental Mgt. Inc
  • Jim Ruane has provided a Dynamic Stratification
    Model for over 25 hydro reservoirs
  • Gary Houser founded Loginetics, Inc. has 30
    years of water quality modeling experience

6
Fisheries Objectives
  • Desktop Analysis of Current Fishery
  • Quantify Deep-water Habitat
  • Dynamic Stratification Model
  • Characterize Phytoplankton and Zooplankton
  • Assessment and Report

Morone saxatilis, Striped bass
7
Fisheries Approach
  • Desktop Analysis
  • Literature Review Perform literature review of
    fish occurring or potentially occurring in the
    reservoir and in the New River regulated reach.
    Gather information from federal and state
    agencies, scholastic papers, and other APCO
    relicensing studies
  • Mapping GIS maps of known fish distributions
    will be obtained and new GIS maps will be created
    using gathered information and results of other
    studies

8
Fisheries Approach cont.
  • Dynamic Stratification Model
  • CE-QUAL-W2 Model The W2 model is a two
    dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality model
    that will simulate velocity fields, temperature,
    and water quality
  • The W2 model is especially suited for use on
    hydropower reservoirs
  • The model will be calibrated for temperature
    using 2007 data, then calibrated for nutrients,
    three algal assemblages, organic matter, anoxic
    products, and DO using previously collected data

9
Fisheries Approach Cont.
10
Fisheries Approach Cont.
Example of graphical outputs from CE-QUAL-W2
model runs using the AGPM software for displaying
results from model runs. A wide range of water
quality conditions can be specified for fish
habitat for specific species as well as different
species. This display can be prepared for
selected dates. The zones show where habitat is
available for the specified temperature and DO
conditions.

11
Mussels Objectives
  • Literature Review
  • Reservoir Survey
  • Riverine Reconnaissance and Survey
  • Reservoir Drawdown
  • Assessment

Lasmigona subviridis, Green floater
12
Mussels Approach
  • Lake Survey
  • 10 sampling zones chosen, each zone contains two
    rectangles, each rectangle contains 200 1/4 m²
    quadrats
  • One rectangle between 0-5 vertical feet deep to
    represent shallow littoral zone habitat, other
    rectangle from 5-10 vertical feet deep to
    represent deeper littoral zone habitat
  • 20 rectangular sections x 200 quadrats each
    4,000 sampled quadrats throughout the lake
  • Wading, snorkeling, or SCUBA will be used
  • All mussels will be identified and condition,
    shell length, and habitat depth will be recorded
  • GIS maps will accompany the final report to
    document the locations of all mussels found
    during this survey

13
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14
  • Preliminary mapping of available sampling
    shoreline using topography maps and recent
    aerials
  • Approximately 60 out of 100 miles were found to
    have gentle enough slope for sampling (available
    littoral zone)

15
Mussels Approach Cont.
  • Riverine Survey
  • A literature review will be performed to compile
    data including known mussel locations,
    specifically locations of the Green floater
  • A field reconnaissance will occur throughout the
    57-mile stretch using canoes and kayaks to locate
    Green floater habitat. The area of Project
    influence on Walker and Wolf Creeks will be
    determined and mapped
  • A sampling protocol will be submitted to show
    proposed sample sites, present the habitat data
    collected form the reconnaissance, and show the
    area of Project influence on Walker and Wolf
    Creeks
  • Field Sampling If available, six of the best
    Green floater habitat sites will be sampled using
    methods similar to the reservoir survey. CPUE
    will be recorded during the reservoir and
    riverine surveys
  • Muskrat Middens will be searched for mussel
    shells during the riverine reconnaissance and
    sampling

16
Mussels Approach Cont.
  • Drawdown Observations
  • Literature Review A review of abundances,
    distribution, and mortality from past drawdowns
    will be performed
  • Observations During 2007 drawdown, observations
    of the exposed shoreline will be made at six
    locations (one site per 10 miles of exposed
    shoreline). At each site at least 12,000 square
    feet will be observed
  • Mapping Locations and conditions of all mussels
    on the shoreline will be recorded and mapped.
    Pistolgrip and pocketbook mussels will be
    targeted and their locations will be mapped
    separately

17
Fringed Mountain Snail Objectives
  • Literature Review
  • Mapping
  • Field Reconnaissance
  • Mini-Report
  • Assessment

Polygyriscus virginianus, Fringed mountain snail
Drawing from Solem A. 1975 Nautilus 89(3)80-86
18
Fringed Mountain Snail Approach
  • Literature Review Published literature and
    county soil surveys, topographic maps and aerial
    maps will be reviewed
  • Preliminary Mapping Maps will be created
    showing known locations and possible suitable
    habitat areas
  • Reconnaissance The area within the Project
    boundary, including Project lands above the
    1,850-foot NGVD contour, will be searched for
    suitable habitat and evidence of P. virginianus
    populations. No physical excavating of habitat
    areas will occur
  • Mini-report A small report providing maps and
    identifying suitable habitat will be written and
    given to the stakeholder team. A full survey
    would only occur if the stakeholder team and APCO
    decided that it is needed

19
Fisheries Reporting
  • Account of all known fish species, abundances,
    and locations occurring in the lake and regulated
    river reach including raw data, graphs, maps, and
    tables
  • Assessment of Project effects on the current
    fishery in and downstream of the Project
  • A quantification of deep-water habitat as it
    relates to Striped bass summer habitat
  • An assessment of the plankton community and
    Project effects on plankton movement in the
    reservoir

20
Mussels Reporting
  • A list of all mussels historically found in the
    Project area, along with distributions, current
    status, habitat preference, and drawdown data
  • Maps showing reservoir and riverine sample sites,
    locations of all sampling zones/sites, abundances
    at each zone/site, separate maps for each species
    found in the lake and river, locations of
    pocketbook and pistolgrip individuals, locations
    of green floater individuals, any new
    populations, and significant areas of mussel
    mortality
  • Report will include CPUE at each site, species
    abundances, shell lengths, mussel conditions,
    relative abundance of the green floater in the
    river and pistolgrip and pocketbook mussels in
    the lake, and sample site/zone characteristics
  • An analysis of mussel trends within the Project
    area and an assessment of Project effects on
    mussels

21
Fringed Mountain Snail Reporting
  • A comprehensive background section including life
    history and past habitat and species locations
  • Maps showing historical habitat location data
    compared to current habitat locations discovered
    during this study
  • An assessment of available habitat, relative
    suitability of the banks and bluffs in the
    Project area, and an assessment of the Projects
    possible influence on this species

22
Schedule
23
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