Aquatic Resources Assessment Study

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
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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

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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

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Fisheries Approach Cont.
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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.

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Mussels Objectives

• Literature Review
• Reservoir Survey
• Riverine Reconnaissance and Survey
• Reservoir Drawdown
• Assessment

Lasmigona subviridis, Green floater
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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

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• 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)

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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

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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

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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
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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

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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

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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

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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

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Schedule
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Questions and Comments