ML17228B332

Assessment of Impacts of St Lucie Nuclear Generating Plant on Sea Turtle Species Found in Nearshore Waters of Florida.

ML17228B332
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Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	11/30/1995
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ML17228B331	List: L-95-309, Forwards Assessment of Impacts of St Lucie Nuclear Generating Plant on Sea Turtle Species Found in Nearshore Waters of Florida ML17228B332
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AssessmentOfTheImpactsOfTheSt.LucieNuclearGeneratingPlantOnSeaTurtleSpeciesFoundInTheNearshoreWatersOfFlorida((~s$3<gjy))~r7tIiI'.~"4izc7(GPreparedBy:FloridaPowerckLightCompanyNovember,19959511280326951120IIPDR'DOCK'05000335'--'---;-P,'~~,P~DROAV%50425-Cvr)

BIOLOGICALASSESSMENTSECTIONS1.0SummaryandConclusions2.0Introduction2.12.22.32.42.53.0Site3.1'.23.3PurposeEndangeredSpeciesActJurisdictionofNationalMarineFisheriesServiceJurisdictionofU.S.FishandWildlifeServiceChronologyofEventsLeadingtothisAssessmentDescriptionLocationIndianRiverenvironmentAtlanticOceanenvironment3.3.1Salinity3.3.2Temperature3.3.3Topography3.3.4WaveconditionsandTurbidity3.3.5ReefSystemSt.LuciePlantDescription4.14.24.2.6GeneralDescriptionCirculatingWaterSystem4.2.1IntakeStructuresandVelocityCaps4.2.2IntakePipes4.2.3HeadWallsandCanalSystem4.2.4HighwayBridgesandUnderwaterIntrusionSystem4.2.5IntakeWells,TrashRacksandTravelingScreensDischargeSystemThermalPlume5.0InformationonSeaTurtleSpecies5.1LoggerheadSeaTurtle(Carettacaretta)5.1.1Description5.1.2Distribution5.1.3Behavior5.1.4FoodHabits 5.25.1.55.1.65.1.7Green5.2.15.2.25.2.35.2.45.2.55.2.6NestingNumericalAbundanceMortalityFactorsandDiseasesSeaTurtle(Chelouiamidas)DescriptionDistributionBehaviorFoodHabitsNestingNumericalAbundance5.35.2.7MortalityFactorsandDiseases1>>1l~hl5.3.1Description5.3.2Distribution5.3.35.3.4BehaviorFoodHabits5.45.3.5Nesting5.3.6NumericalAbundance5.3.7MortalityFactorsandDiseasesk1'l1[~hl5.4.1Description5.4.2Distribution5.4.3Behavior5.4.45.4.55.4.65.5Kemp's5.5.15.5.2FoodHabitsNumericalAbundanceMortalityFactorsandDisease'dl1l~dh1~kDescriptionDistribution5.5.3Behavior5.5.4FoodHabits5.5.5NumericalAbundance5.5.66e0SeaTurtleMortalityFactorsandDiseaseConservationActivitiesattheSt.LuciePlant 6.1SeaTurtleCaptureProgram6.1.1EntrapmentandImpingementofTurtles6.1.2BarrierNets6.26.36.46.57.0Asse7.16.1.2.1PastConfiguration6.1.2.2PresentConfiguration6.1.2.3FutureConfiguration6.1.3UnderwaterIntrusionDetectionSystem6.1.4IntakeWellInspectionandRemoval6.1.5NettingProgram6.1.6HandCaptureandDipNetting6.1.7ResidenceTime6.1.8TaggingandHealthAssessmentActivities6.1.9NecropsyandRehabilitationActivitiesSeaTurtleNestingProgram6.2.1JurisdictionofU.S.FishandWildlifeService/DepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection6.2.2DescriptionofProgramSeaturtleStrandingProgramTurtleWalkProgramAssistancetoOtherOrganizations6.5.1DescriptionofAssistance6.5.2ListofOrganizationsAssistedssmentofPresentOperationsDirectandIndirectImpactsofContinuedOperationoftheCirculatingWaterSystemoftheSt.LucieNuclearGeneratingStationonSeaTurtlePopulations7.1.1ImpactsDuetoEntrapmentandEntanglementNetsintheCanalSystem7.1.1.1ImpactstoLoggerheadTurtles7.1.1.2ImpactstoGreenTurtles7.1.1.3ImpactstoLeatherbackTurtles7.1.1.4ImpactstoHawksbillTurtles7.1.1.5ImpactstoKemp'sRidleyTurtles7.1.2ImpactsDuetoImpingementonBarrierNetsandtheIntakeWells7.1.2.1ImpactstoLoggerheadTurtles 7.1.2.2ImpactstoGreenTurtles7.1.2.3ImpactstoLeatherbackTurtles7.1.2.4ImpactstoHawksbills7.1.2.5ImpactstoKemp'sRidleyTurtle7.2OtherPotentialStationImpacts7.2.1ThermalEffects7.2.2Chlorination7.2.3Lights7.2.4TaproggeCleaningSystem7.2.5DredgingoftheIntakeCanal7.3CumulativeImpactofContinuedOperationoftheCirculatingWaterSystemoftheSt.LucieNuclearGeneratingStationonSeaTurtlePopulations7.4OverallAssessment8.0References LISTOFBIOLOGICALASSESSMENTTABLESTable1AListofthreatenorendangeredspeciesentrappedattheSt.LucieNuclearPowerPlant.Table2Totalnumberofseaturtlecapturesandnumberofdeadturtles(numbersinparenthesis)removedfromtheSt.LucieIntakeCanal.Table3SeaturtlescapturedfromtheSt.LuciePlantintakecanalforthefirst6monthsof1995,tablualtedbyspeciesandmonth.Numbersinparenthesisaremortalities.Table4GreenturtlecapturesummaryattheSt.LuciePlant,1/1/95-6/30/95.Numbersinparenthesisaremortalities.Table5TurtlewalksconductedbyFPLduringthetimeperiod19821995.Table6SeaturtlemortalitiesintheSt.Lucieintakecanalsystemtabulatedbyspeciesandprobablecauseofdeath.Dataaregivenfortheperiods1976-1989and1990June30,1995.

LISTOFBIOLOGICALASSESSMENTFIGURESFigure1LocationoftheSt.LuciePlantontheeastcoastofFlorida.TheplantislocatedonSouthHutchinsonIsland,abarrierisland,andisabout7miles(11.3km)southofFt.Pierceandabout7miles(11.3km)northofStuart.Figure2DesignoftheSt.LuciePlantshowingtherelationshipbetweenUnits1and2andtheconfigurationofthecoolingwaterintakeanddischargesystemwithkeyfeatureslabeled.Figure3Diagramoftheintakestructureslocated1200feet(365m)offshoreoftheshorelineattheSt.LuciePlant.Figure4DiagramoftheUnderwaterIntrusionDetectionSystemattheSt.LuciePlant.Figure5DiagramofanintakewellattheSt.LuciePlant.Figure6DiagramoftheTaproggesystem,formaintainingcondensercleanliness.Figure7DiagramoftheturtlebarriernetusedintheintakecanaloftheSt.LuciePlant.ThisnetislocatedattheA1Abridge(seeFigure2).Figure8Sizefrequencydistributionof140turtlescapturedintheintakecanaloftheSt.LuciePlantin1976-1978.Ameshsizeof8inch(20.3cm)squaremeshwouldexclude95%oftheentrappedturtlesfrompassingthroughthissizebarriernet.Figure9Greenturtlecapturedin1977-1995(throughJune30,1995)fortheSt.LuciePlant.

s Figure10Allspeciesofturtlescapturedin1976-1995(throughJune30,1995)fortheSt.LuciePlant.Figure11Conceptualdesignfora5inch(12.7cm)squaremeshbarriernettobeinstalledintheintakecanaloftheSt.LuciePlant.Figure12Sizedistributionofgreenseaturtles(n=414)capturedintheintakecanalduringthefirstsixmonthsof1995.Abarriernetof5inch(12.7cm)squaremeshor7inch(18cm)stretchmeshwouldexclude100%oftheturtlesfrompassingthroughthisnet.Figure13Turtleentrapment,mortality,andcountermeasurestakentoreduceturtlemortalityintheSt.LuciePlantintakecanalduringtheperiod1984-1990.Figure14Designationandlocationofnine1.25kmsegmentsand361-kmsegmentssurveyedforseaturtlenesting,southHutchinsonIsland,1971-1994.Figure15LoggerheadturtlemortalityintheSt.LuciePlantintakecanalsystem,expressedasapercentageofcaptures,1976-1994.Figure16GreenturtlemortalityintheSt.LuciePlantintakecanalsystem,expressedasapercentageofcapture,1977-1994.Nogreenswerecapturedin1976.

ASSESSMENTOFTHEIMPACTSOFTHEST.LUCIENUCLEARG1M"RATINGPLANTONSEATURTLESPECIESFOUNDINTHENEARSHOREHATERSOFFLORIDA.Preparedby:FloridaPower&LightCompanyNovember1995

1.0SUMMARYANDCONCLUSIONSThisdocumentprovidesabiologicalassessmentontheimpactsofcontinuedoperationoftheFloridaPower&LightCompany(FPL)St.LucieNuclearPowerPlantonfivespeciesoffederallylistedseaturtlesasrequiredbySection7oftheEndangeredSpeciesAct(ESA)of1973,asamended.ThefacilityislocatedonsouthHutchinsonIsland,Florida.Theturtlespeciesencounteredindecreasingnumericalabundanceare:loggerhead,green,Kemp'sridley,leatherback,andhawksbill.ThescientificnamesandtheirlevelofendangermentaregiveninTablel.ThesefivespeciesofseaturtlesenterthecanalsystemoftheSt.LuciePlantalongwithwaterthatisdrawnfromthenearshorewatersoftheAtlanticOceanforcondensercooling.The=turtlescannotescapeandmustberemovedfromthecanalsystemthroughacaptureprogram.FPLhasworkedwithfederalandstateagenciestopromoteseaturtleconservationeffortsthroughstewardshipeffortssuchasnotinghealth,tagging,notingrecaptureincidents,obtainingmorphometricdata,rehabilitatinginjuredindividuals,nestingstudies,conductingturtlewalks,assistingwithseaturtlestrandingnetworks,andcollaboratingwithresearchorganizations.TheintakestructuresandvelocitycapsforSt.LucieUnits1and2serveasanartificialreef,sincethestructuresaretheonlysignificantphysicalfeatureinthisnearshoreenvironment.Theturtlesencounterthisstructureintheirnormalrangingactivitiesandfeedonorganismsgrowingonthestructureorseekthestructuresforshelter.Basedonthewatervelocitiesintheintakestructure,onceaturtlepassestheverticalplaneofthevelocitycap,itissweptintotheintakepipelineand,aftera3-5minutepassagethroughthepipeline,itenterstheintakecanal.Tofacilitatethecaptureofentrappedturtlesandtorestrictturtlesfrommovingdownthecanalsystemtowardstheplant,abarriernetwaserectedin1978.Therationaleforthemeshsizeofthisbarriernetwasbasedonthesizefrequencyof140turtles

capturedintheintakecanalbeforeMarch,1978.An8inch(20.3cm)squaremeshwaschosensinceitwouldexclude95%oftheturtles.IntheoriginalevaluationoftheenvironmentalimpactofSt.LucieUnit1,turtleentrapmentandimpingementwerenotanticipated(U.S.AtomicEnergyCommission,1974).AninitialbiologicalassessmentandESASection7consultationwerecompletedin1982aspartofthelicensingofSt.LucieUnit2.Thisassessmentresultedinanojeopardyopinionattheestimatedlevelofentrapment,buthadnoprovisionsformortality.Thisassessmentwasbasedontheentrapmenthistoryoftheplantfrom1976through1981,whichaveragedapproximately150turtlesayear.Aspartofthisevaluation,the8inch(20.3cm)squaremeshbarriernetwasdeterminedtobeappropriatetoexcludeturtlesfromtheplant'sintakewells.Additionally,aresearchprogramtoinvestigatemethodstophysicallyorbehaviorallyexcludeturtlesfromtheintakestructureswasconductedaspartoftheEnvironmentalProtectionPlanofSt.LucieUnit2duringtheinitialyearsofoperation.Thisstudyconcludedthattherewascurrentlynopracticalmethodtoexcludeturtlesfromenteringtheintakestructuresinthenearshoreenvironment(FloridaPower&Light,1985).Since1993,FPLhasdocumentedasignificantincreaseinnumbersofentrappedturtles,whichnowexceed600ayear.Aprincipalcomponentofthisincreaseisthenumberofjuvenilegreenturtles(carapacewidthlessthan12inches(30cm)).Over400juvenilegreenturtleshavebeencapturedinthetimeperiodofJanuary1,1995throughJune30,1995.ThisincreaseisbelievedtobeindicativeofanincreaseinpopulationofgreenturtlespresentinthenearshorewatersoftheAtlanticOcean.Withtheincreaseinthenumberofturtlesentrappedintheintakecanalsince1991andthedecreaseinsizeoftheentrappedturtles,acertainpercentageofgreenturtleshavebeenabletopenetratetheexisting8inch(20.3cm)meshbarriernetandpassdownthecanaltobeimpingedontheintakewellstructureofthe

plant.Inthefirstsixmonthsof1995,23%oftheturtlescapturedwereremovedfromtheintakewellsoftheplant.Toexcludeturtlesfromtheplant'sintakewells,FPLisproposingtoinstallasmallermeshbarriernetintheintakecanal.Thenewnetwillexclude100%ofturtlesinthesizerangeencounteredin1995.Thisnetwillbe5inch(12.7cm)squaremesh,oradiagonalmeasurementof7inches(18cm).Thesizeofthemeshisbasedonthesizefrequencydistributionof414greenturtlesencounteredin1995.Asadditionalconservationmeasuresforseaturtles,FPLisproposingtocontinueasummerturtlewalkprogramwherethepublicistakenonthebeachatnighttoobserveanestingfemale.Thisactivity,whichhandledapproximately1000peoplein1995,willincreasepublicunderstandingandappreciationforseaturtles.FPLisalsoproposingtocontinueassistancetotheFloridaDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtectionintheirindexbeachnestingsurveyforseaturtlesalongthebeachesofsouthHutchinsonIsland.Thislong-termmonitoringprogramwillestablishtrendsinseaturtlenestingpopulationsinFlorida,sincethebeachesofsouthHutchinsonIslandareakeyturtlenestingrookery.FPLisalsoproposingtocontinuetocooperatewiththeFloridaDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtectionintheirseaturtlestrandingnetworkwhendeador1iveturtlesarewasheduponthebeach.Personnelexaminedeadturtlesandrecordpertinentinformationtohelpunderstandthecauseofdeathortransportliveturtlestorehabilitationfacilitiesformedicaltreatment.Withthenewbarriernetinplaceandthecommitmenttotheconservationactivitiesofthenestingsurvey,turtlewalks,andparticipationinthestrandingnetwork,thecontinuedoperationoftheSt.LucieNuclearGeneratingPlantwillnotjeopardizethecontinuedexistenceofseaturtlesinFlorida.

2.0INTRODUCTION

2.1PurposeThisbiologicalassessment,forfivespeciesofseaturtlefoundattheFloridaPower6LightCompany(FPL)St.LucieNuclearPowerPlant,issubmittedtotheNationalMarineFisheriesService(NMFS)bytheU.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission(NRC)tocomplywithSection7oftheEndangeredSpeciesActof1973,asamendedand50CFR402,InteragencyCooperation.Previously,aninformalconsultationwithNMFSwasconductedin1982(Bellmundetal.,1982).ThisreportprovidestheNRC'supdatedbiologicalassessment,whichpredictstheimpactfromthecontinuedoperationofUnits1and2oftheSt.LucieNuclearPowerPlantonfivespeciesofseaturtlesaslistedinTable1.ThisassessmentisbasedonthemonitoringdatacollectedbyFPLanditsconsultantsandareviewofpertinentliterature.2.2EndangeredSpeciesActThepurposeoftheEndangeredSpeciesActis:"...toprovidefortheconservationofendangeredandthreatenedspeciesoffish,wildlife,andplants,andforotherpurposes."OneoftheAct'sprinciplefeaturesiscontainedinSection7oftheAct,whichprovidesforinteragencycooperationinthat,"...eachFederalagencyshall,inconsultationwithandwiththeassistanceoftheSecretary,insurethatanyactionauthorized,funded,orcarriedoutbysuchagency('agencyaction')doesnotjeopardizethecontinuedexistenceofanyendangeredspeciesorthreatenedspeciesorresultindestructionoradversemodificationofhabitatofsuchspecies...."2.3JurisdictionoftheNationalMarineFisheriesServiceTheNMFShasjurisdictionoverallspeciesofseaturtlesinthewatersoftheUnitedStates.

2.4JurisdictionoftheU.S.FishandWildlifeServiceTheU.S.FishandWildlifeService(FWS)hasjurisdictionoverallspeciesofseaturtlesintheterrestrialenvironment.Anytimeseaturtlesventurefromthewaterontoland,principallyfornesting,andduringtheincubationandthehatchingofyoung,theFWShasjurisdiction.2.5ChronologyofEventsLeadingtothisAssessmentIn1974,theAtomicEnergyCommissionintheirFinalEnvironmentalAssessmentfortheConstructionPermitforSt.LucieUnit1,describedvariousbiologicalcommunitiesfoundinthenearshoreAtlanticOceanofftheplant(USAEC,1974).AsaconditionofFPL'slicensetooperateUnit1,FPLwasrequiredtoconductamonitoringprogram.ThisactivitybeganinDecember1975andmonitoredbiologicalcommunitiesinthevicinityoftheplant.SeveralspeciesofseaturtleswhereknowntoinhabitthewatersadjacenttotheplantandtonestonthebeachesofHutchinsonIsland.Theresultsofthemonitoringprograms,includingdataonseaturtles,weresummarizedyearlyandpresentedinannualenvironmentalmonitoringreports(AppliedBiology,1976,1977a,1978,1979,1980,1981).In1981,theNRCrequestedaninformalconsultationwiththeNMFSandtheFWSregardingthelicensingofSt.LucieUnit2.FivespeciesofseaturtleswereidentifiedbytheNMFSasinhabitingtheAtlanticOceannearshoreareaoftheSt.LuciePlant.In1982,theNRCcompletedabiologicalassessmentandconcludedthattheoperationoftheplantwouldnothaveanadverseimpactonthecontinuedexistenceoftheseturtlespecies(Bellmundetal.,1982).TherewereseaturtlemonitoringrequirementsplacedintheEnvironmentalProtectionPlanofUnit2,whichrequiredrelocationofturtlenestsfoundwithinthebeachconstructionzoneduring1982,removalofentrappedseaturtlesfromtheintakecanaloftheplant,astudytoevaluatemethodstoreduceentrapment,acontinuousevaluationofmethodstocaptureentrappedturtles,andnestingsurveysofHutchinsonIslandforthetimeperiod1982-1987.

TheseresultswerepresentedinyearlyannualreportstotheNRC(AppliedBiology,1982,1983a,1983b,1984,1985,1986,1987,19881989,1990,1991,1992,1993,Quantum,1994).

3.0SITEDESCRIPTION3.1LocationTheSt.LucieNuclearPowerPlantislocatedona1129acre(460ha)siteonSouthHutchinsonIsland,St.LucieCounty,FL(Figure1).Theplantisapproximately7miles(11.3km)southofFt.Pierce,FLandapproximately7miles(11.3km)northofStuart,FL.3.2IndianRiverLagoonEnvironmentSouthHutchinsonIslandisatypicalbarrierislandofeasternFloridaboundedontheeastbytheAtlanticOceanandonthewestbytheIndianRiverLagoon.Theislandis23.3miles(37.5km)longandreachesitsmaximumwidthof1.1miles(1.7km)attheplantsite.Thisbarrierislandhasaflattopographyandisvegetatedbymangroves,coastalhardwoodhammocks,andsalttolerantbeachspecies.Atthesite'soceanshore,thelandrisesslightlytoaduneorridgeofapproximately19feet(5.8m)abovemeansealevel.TheIndianRiverLagoonisashallowembaymentthatisboundedonthewestbythemainlandpeninsulaofFloridaandontheeastbythenarrowbarrierislandslocatedalongthecoastofFlorida.TheIndianRiverLagoonoriginatesinBrevardCountyintheCapeCanaveralareaandterminatesintheStuartarea.SeveralinletsalongthecoastconnectthelagoonwiththeAtlanticOcean.Manyriversanddrainagecanalsemptyintotheentirestretchofthelagoonandgreatlyinfluencethesalinityandnutrientlevelsofthewaterbody.Inmanyareasofthelagoon,extensiveseagrassbedsexistandsupportawidediversityoffishbiota(Gilmore1977).3.3AtlanticOceanEnvironmentBaselineandpre-operationalstudiesoftheSt.LuciePlantarereportedinaseriesofpublicationsentitled"NearshoreMarineEcologyatHutchinsonIsland,Florida:1971-1974"bytheMarineResearchLaboratoryoftheFloridaDepartmentofNaturalResources

(FDNR,1977,1979).Thesereportscontaintenparts:1)IntroductionandRationale;2)Sediments;3)PhysicalandChemicalEnvironment;4)LanceletsandFishes;5)Arthropods;6)PlanktonDynamics1971-1973;7)Phytoplankton1971-1973;8)Zooplankton1971-1973;9)DielPlankton1973-1974;10)BenthicAlgaeSpeciesList.3.3.1SalinityThesalinityoftheoceaninthevicinityoftheplantisinfluencedbytwomainwatermasses:thewatersofthecontinentalshelf,whichreceivefresh-wateroutflowsfromvariousinlets,andtheFloridacurrent,whichisoceanicinnature.Thesalinityofthewateradjacenttotheplantisapproximately36o/ooandvariesplusorminus2o/oo.Thevariationisdependentontheextensivefresh-wateroutpouringsundercertainweatherconditionsfrominletslocatedatFt.PierceandStuart(AppliedBiology,1981).TheFloridacurrentsweepswithin12miles(19km)oftheshorelineundercertainconditions,but'moretypicallyisfound24miles(39km)offshore.ThesalinityoftheIndianRiverLagoonvarieswidelyfromlessthan20o/ooduringtherainyseasonwhentherearelargefresh-waterdischargesto34o/ooduringfloodtideandlowfresh-waterdischarges(WilcoxandGilmore,1976).3.3.2TemperatureAmbientwatertemperatureoftheAtlanticOceanattheplantsiterangesfromaJanuaryminimumof57F(14C)toaSeptembermaximumof84F(29C)(AppliedBiology,1981).Howeverundercertainwindandupwellingconditionscommonduringthesummermonths,theambientwatertemperatureof78-81F(25-27C)candropprecipitouslyto70-73F(21-23C)forseveraldays(AppliedBiology,1993;Quantum,1994).'03.3.3TopographyTheoceanbottomwithin5miles(8km)oftheplantconsistsentirelyofsandandshellsedimentswithnoreeforrockoutcroppings,outsideofthesurfzone.Thebottomreliefslopes

,verygraduallyuntilabout14miles(22km)offshore,wherethewaterdepthsare120-150feet(36-45m),andthenthecontinentalslopebegins.Waterdepthsof30-60feet(9-18m)arefoundupto6miles(9.6km)offshoreoftheplant.t3.3.4WaveConditionsandTurbidityWaveconditionsinthevicinityoftheplantareextremelyvariable.BecauseofthelocationoftheplantontheAtlanticOcean,theareacanbesubjecttohurricanes,northeasters,anddistantstormsystems,withassociatedwaveandsurfconditionsthatcanexceed16feet(4.9m).Underfairweatherconditions,theoceancanbeflatcalm.Thewaterclarity/turbidityintheplant'svicinityalsovarieswiththewaveconditions,theapproximatedistancetotheFloridacurrent,andfresh-wateroutpouringsfromtheinlet(AppliedBiology,1981).Underheavysurfconditions,waterclarityupto1mile(0.6km)offshoreislessthan1foot(0.3m);undercalmconditions,waterclaritycanbe50feet(15m).3.3.5ReefSystemApproximately0.8miles(1.3km)southoftheplant'sintakestructures,anextensivewormreefcommunityisfoundalongtheshorelineandwithinthesurfzone.Thisreefsystemprovidesextensivehabitatforawidevarietyoffishandinvertebratespecies(AppliedBiology,1977b).Acoquinoidrockformationparallelsmuchofisland'soceanshorelineandprovidessuitablesubstratumforthesewormreefs.Therobustnessofthiswormreefisseasonallydependentandthereismajoraccretionduringthecalmsummermonths.Thewormreefhasasmallerprofileduringthewintermonthsduetothedestructivenessofheavysurfaction.Therearenomajorreefsystemsoutsideofthesurfzonewithin6miles(9.6km)oftheplant.However,thereareseveralshoalscomposedofsandandshellhash2-5miles(3.2-8km)fromtheplant.Theseshoalshaveareliefofabout10-15feet(3-4.5m)andarefound2-3miles(3.2-4.8km)offshoreinabout30-35feet(9.1-10.7m)ofwater.

4.0ST.LUCIENUCLEARPLANTDESCRIPTION4.1GeneralDescriptionTheSt.LuciePlantconsistsoftwoPressurizedWaterReactors(Units1and2),eachratedat839MWe.Unit1begancommercialoperationinFebruary,1977andUnit2begancommercialoperationinAugust,1983.ThelocationoftheunitsinrelationshiptothesitelayoutisshowninFigure2.Thereactorcontainment.domesarethetalleststructuresontheplantsiteandare225.5feet(69m)abovemeanlowwater.TheAtlanticOceanprovidescoolingandreceivingwatersforeachunit'scondenserandauxiliarycoolingsystems.TheunitsshareacommonintakeanddischargecanalandoceanpipingsystemasshowninFigure2.Majorcomponentsofthesecanalsandoceanpipingsystemsare:1)threeoceanintakestructureslocatedapproximately1200feet(365m)fromtheshoreline;2)threeburiedintakepipelinestoconveywaterfromtheintakestructuretotheintakecanal(onepipelineis16feet(4.9m)indiameter;twoare12feet(3.65m)indiameter);3)acommonintakecanaltoconveyseawatertoeachunit'sintakewellstructure;4)individualunitintakewellstructures;5)dischargestructuresforeachunit;6)acommondischargecanal;7)onedischargepipeline(12feet(3.65m)diameter)toconveywatertoa"Y"diffuserapproximately1200feet(365m)offshoreandanotherpipeline(16feet(4.9m)diameter)toconveywatertoamultiportdiffuser(solidpipelinefromshorelinetoapproximately1200feet(365m)offshoreandthenthemultiportdiffusersegmentfromapproximately1200to2400feet(365-730m)offshore)(Figure2).ThedesignunitflowforUnits1and2is1150cubicfootpersecond(32.6cms)perunitwithmaximumandnormaltemperatureriseacrossthecondensersof31Fand25F(17-13C),respectively(Bellmundetal.,1982).10

4.2CirculatingWaterSystem4.2.1IntakeStructuresandVelocityCapsThreeintakestructuresandvelocitycapsarelocatedapproximately1200feet(365m)offshoreandabout2400feet(731m)southofthedischargestructures.Theintakestructureshaveaverticalsectiontominimizesandintake,avelocitycaptominimizefishentrapment,butnoscreensorgratesareusedtodenyorganismsaccesstotheintakepipes.Thetopsoftheintakestructuresareapproximately7feet(2.1m)belowthesurfaceatmeanlowwater.Thevelocitycapforthe16foot(4.9m)diameterpipeis70feet(6.5m)square,is5feet(l.5m)thick,andhasaverticalopeningof6.25feet(1.9m).Thevelocitycapforthetwo12foot(3.65m)diameterpipesis52feet(4.8m)square,is5feet(1.5m)thick,andhasaverticalopeningof6.5feet(2.0m).In1991-1992,allthreevelocitycapswererebuiltduetothefailureofseveralpanelscomprisingthecaps.Thisfailurewasduetothestressesfromtheharshoceanenvironmentandwaveaction.TherelativepositionofthethreeintakestructuresandvelocitycapsisshowninFigure3.Theflowvelocitiesatvariouslocationsofthevelocitycapandintakestructureshavebeencalculatedundervariouslevelsofbiologicalfouling.Theminimumandmaximumhorizontalintakevelocitiesatthefaceoftheoceanintakestructuresforthe12foot(3.65m)diameterpipeiscalculatedat0.37-0.41feetpersecond(11.2-12.6cm/sec)andforthe16foot(4.9m)diameterpipeiscalculatedat0.92-1.0footpersecond(28.3-30.5cm/sec).Asthewaterpassesunderthevelocitycap,flowbecomesverticalandthevelocityincreasestoapproximately1.3feetpersecond(40.2cm/sec)forthe12foot(3.65m)diameterpipeand6.2feetpersecond(206cm/sec)forthe16foot(4.9m)diameterpipe(Bellmundetal.,1982).4.2.2IntakePipesFromtheoceanintakestructures,waterflowsthroughthethreeburiedpipelines,approximately1200feet(365m)inlength,11 andemptiesintotheopenintakecanalbehindtheduneline(Figure2).Theflowthroughthesepipelineswillvaryfrom4.2-6.8feetpersecond(127-206cm/sec)dependingonthepipelineandthedegreeoffouling.Transittimeforanobjecttotravelthisdistanceisapproximately180-300seconds(3to5minutes).Duetothedifferencesinthediameterofthepipelinesandfrictionofthepipelinewalls,.thecalculatedvolumethroughthetwo12foot(3.65m)diameterlinesisapproximately20%eachandapproximately60%forthe16foot(4.9m)diameterpipeline(Bellmundetal.,1982).4.2.3.HeadwallsandCanalSystemApproximately450feet(138m)behindtheprimarydunelinetheintakepipesdischargetheirwaterattwoheadwallstructuresintotheintakecanal(Figure2).Theheadwallstructureforthetwo12foot(3.65m)diameterpipesisacommonverticalconcretewall.Theheadwallforthe16foot(4.9m)diameterpipeisaseparatestructure.The300foot(91m)wideintakecanalhasamaximumdepthofapproximately25feet(7.6m)andcarriesthecoolingwater5000feet(1525m)totheintakewellstructures.Theflowrateinthecanalvariesfrom0.9-1.1feetpersecond(27-32cm/sec),dependingontidalstage.4.2.4HighwayBridgeandUnderwaterIntrusionSystemTheintakecanaliscrossedbytwopermanentstructures(Figure2).OneisabridgeownedbytheFloridaDepartmentofTransportationandispartofU.S.HighwayA1A.Theroadwayissupportedbyaseriesofconcretepilingsdrivenintothebottomoftheintakecanal.Theotherbarrieristheunderwaterintrusiondetectionsystem(UIDS),whichisrequiredforsecurityreasons.Thissystemhasanetwitha9inch(23cm)squaremeshtoprevent,humanintrusionintothesecureareaoftheplant(Figure4).12 4.2.5IntakeWells,TrashRacks,andTravelingScreensEachunithasaseparateintakewellstructureconsistingoffourbays.Eachbay(Figure5)containstrashracks("grizzlies")thatareverticalbarswithapproximately3inch(7.6cm)spacingstocatchlargeobjectssuchasflotsam.Nextaretravelingscreenswitha3/8inch(1cm)meshtoremovesmallerdebris,andfinallyacirculatingwaterpump.Approachvelocitiestoeachbayarecalculatedtobelessthan1footpersecond(30.5cm/sec),butincreasetoapproximately5feetpersecond(150cm/sec)atthetrashracks.Thetrashracksareperiodicallycleanedbyamechanicalrakethatisloweredtothebottomoftherack.Theteethoftherakefitintothe3inch(7.6cm)verticalopeningsofthestructure.Thisrakeispulledverticallyupbyawinchandcableandcollectsanydebristhatmayhaveaccumulatedonthestructures.Thisdebrisisemptiedintoatroughatthetopoftheintakebayforsubsequentdisposal.Thedebristhatiscollectedonthetravelingscreensiswashedfromthescreenbyaseriesofsprayjets.Thisdebrisisalsoemptiedintothetroughatthetopoftheintakebayfordisposal.Afterthewaterhaspassedthroughthetrashracks,thetravelingscreens,andthecirculatingwaterpump,ittravelsthroughthecondenser,whichcontainsthousandsof7/8inch(1cm)diametertubes.Condenserheatistransferredtothiswater,whichisthenexpelledintothedischargecanal.IntheFallof1995,FPLwillinstallonUnit2a"Taprogge"cleaningsystemtomaintaincondensertubecleanliness(Figure6).ThissamesystemwillbeinstalledonUnit1inthespringof1996.TheTaproggesystemutilizessmallspongeballs,someofwhicharecoatedwithabrasive,andareapproximately7/8inch(2.3cm)indiameter.Theballsareinjectedintothecondenserinletandpassthroughthecondensertubeswiththecondensercoolingwater.Thispassagescoursthecondensertubesandkeepsthemfreeofmineralscaleandbiologicalfouling.Uponemergencefromthe13

condenseroutlet,theballsarerecoveredwithastrainerandmovedtothecondenserinletforanotherpass.4.2.6DischargeSystemsEachunitdischargesitscondensercoolingwaterintothedischargecanalthatisapproximately300feet(91m)wideand2200.feet(670m)long(Figure2).Thecanalterminatesattwoheadwallstructuresapproximately450feet(137m)behindtheprimaryduneline.Onestructuresupportsa12foot(3.65m)diameterpipelinethatisburiedundertheoceanfloorandrunsapproximately1500feet(460m)offshorewhereitterminatesintoatwo-port"Y"nozzle.Theotherstructuresupportsa16foot(4.9m)diameterpipelinethatisburiedundertheoceanfloorandrunsapproximately3375feet(1030m)offshore.Thelast1400feet(425m)ofthispipelinecontainsamultiportdiffusersegmentwith58dischargeports.Tominimizeplumeinterference,theportsareorientedinanoffshoredirectiononalternatingsidesofthepipeline.Thevelocityofthewaterinsidethispipelineaveragesabout5.7feetpersecond(174cm/sec)andthejetvelocityofthedischargewaterateachportaveragesapproximately13feetper"second(400cm/sec)toensurequickdissipationofthethermalload(Bellmundetal.,1982).4.2.7ThermalPlumeFPLhadthethermalplumemodeledfortwo-unitoperation.Theresultsindicatedthatthemaximumsurfacetemperaturesarestronglydependentonambientoceanconditions.Themaximumsurfacedifferentialtemperatureispredictedtobelessthan4.9F(2.7C)andtheresulting2F(1.1C)surfaceisothermisestimatedat963acres(390ha)(Bellmundetal.,1982).14 5.0INFORMATIONONSEATURTLESPECIES5.1LoggerheadSeaTurtle(Carettacaretta)5.1.1DescriptionCarettacaretta,ortheloggerheadseaturtle,isdistinguishedbyareddish-browncarapaceandadullbrowntoyellowishplastron.Thecarapaceiscomposedoffivepairsofcostalscutes,elevenortwelvepairsofmarginalscutes,andfivevertebralscutes.Theskullisbroadandmassive.Adultloggerh'eadsinthesoutheasternUnitedStateshaveameanstraightcarapacelengthofabout36inches(92cm)andameanbodyweightofabout250pounds(113kg).Dodd(1988)providesacompletemorphologicaldescriptionofthespecies.5.1.2DistributionLoggerheadturtlesarecircumglobalindistributionbutrestrictedtosubtropicalandtropicalwaters.Theyarefoundinestuarinewatersandthecoastalwatersofthecontinentalshelvesandareuncommonfarfrommainlandshores.Individualshavebeenfoundinlatitudesashighas50'nboththenorthernandsouthernhemispheres.LoggerheadsareawidelydispersedspeciesandhatchlingsandsmalljuvenilesfromsoutheasternU.S.beachesmayspend3-5yearscircumnavigatingtheAtlanticincurrentgyres(Carr,1986).AdultsnestingonFloridaeastcoastbeachesarefoundinforagingareasthroughouttheGulfofMexicoandCaribbean(Meylanetal.,1983).Adultfemalesareseasonallymoreabundantinareasadjacenttonestingbeachesduringthesummerseason,butseasonalmigrationpatternsforadultmalesandjuvenileloggerheadsarelargelyunknown.5.1.3BehaviorLoggerheadturtlesaresolitary,althoughtheymayformaggregationsatseaorinthevicinityofnestingbeaches.Nestingisalsosolitaryandoccursatnight.Loggerheadsareactivediurnalforagersandmakesdivesofmoderatedepthandduration.15 Theloggerheadmatingsystemispolyandrous,withoutelaboratecourtship.5.1.4FoodHabitsLoggerheadturtlesareprimarilycarnivorous,feedingonawidevarietyofinvertebrates,mollusksandcrustaceans,althoughcoelenteratesandcephalopodspredominateinthedietsofjuveniles(Dodd,1988).Atallages,loggerheadscommonlyingestnon-fooditemssuchasplasticsandtar.5.1.5NestingLoggerheadturtlesfavorhighenergymainlandbeachesasnestingsites.Steeplyslopingbeacheswithgraduallyslopedoffshoreapproachesarepreferred.Dodd(1988)givesacompletedescriptionofthenestingprocess.Thenestingbehaviorisstereotypedandthereisverylittleindividualvariation.Thenestingprocessmaybeinterruptedatanypointuptotheactualdepositionoftheeggs,resultinginwhatistermeda"falsecrawl".FloridaloggerheadsnestfromApriluntilSeptember,whilefarthernorththenestingseasonisrestrictedtomid-summer.Meanclutchsizevariesfromabout100to126eggs.Loggerheadsareknowntonestfrom1-6timesinanestingseason,withaninternestingintervalofabout14days.Incubationtimevarieswithtemperatureandistypically50-60days.Hatchlingsemergeasagroupatnightandareorientedtothewaterbypositivephototaxisofnaturallightreflectingoffthewatersurface.5.1.6NumericalAbundanceLoggerheadsarethemostabundantspeciesofseaturtleinU.S.coastalwaters.ThemostwidelycitedpopulationestimateforthesoutheasternU.S.populationisgivenbyMurphyandHopkins(1984)at14,150adultfemales.ThispopulationnumberwasendorsedbyEhrhart(1989)andisalsocitedinthe1991NMFS/FWSrecoveryplanfortheloggerheadturtle(NationalMarineFisheryServiceandU.S.FishandWildlifeService,1991).Dataonadult16

malesandsubadultsarenotsufficienttoestimatetotalpopulationsize,andthereisnoreliableestimateoftheworldpopulationofloggerheads.Fromananalysisoftrendsinnestingdata,theNationalResearchCouncil(1990)concludesthatthereisevidenceofapopulationdeclineforloggerheadsinthenorthernportionoftheirrange,whilepopulationsinFloridaappearstableorpossiblyincreasing.5.1.7MortalityFactorsandDiseasesMortalityfactorsarecommonlyseparatedintotwocategories:naturalmortalityandhumaninducedmortality.Causesofnaturalmortalityincludeabioticfactorssuchasdestructionofnestsbybeacherosionoraccretion,tidalinundationoflow-lyingnests,hypothermiaofjuvenilesandadultsduringsudden,severecoldspells,andbioticfactorssuchaspredation,parasitism,anddisease.Loggerheadeggsarepreyeduponbyraccoons,ghostcrabs,hogs,foxes,ants,crows,vulturesandotherbirds.Hatchlingsfallpreytoawidevarietyofbirdsandpredatoryfish.Largerjuvenilesandadultsarepreyeduponbylargecoastalsharks,~particularlythetigershark.Loggerheadmortalitiesmayalsobecausedbyvegetation.Seaoatandthebeachmorninggloryrootsystemscaninvadeturtlenestsandcauseeggmortality,androotsystemscangrowoveranestandblockescape.Additionally,hatchlingsandnestingfemalescanbecomefatallyentangledinvegetation.Littleis'nownaboutdiseasesinloggerheadturtlesortheimpactthesediseaseshaveonpopulationlevels.Strandedloggerheadshavebeenfoundtobeinfestedwithbloodflukes,whichresultinemaciationandanemia.Additionally,avarietyofbacterialandfungalpathogensarebelievedtocausemortalityofloggerheadembryos.Humaninducedmortalityfactorshavebeenextensivelystudiedfrombothresearchandmanagementperspectives.TheNationalResearchCouncil(1990)providesadetaileddescriptionandanalysisofthesevariousmortalityfactors.17 Suitabilityofbeachesfornestingcanbecompromisedbybeacharmoring,whichimpedesaccesstonestingsitesandpromoteserosionofadjacentbeaches.Thewidespreadpracticeofbeachrenourishmentcancreatechangesinbeachcharacteristicsthatmakethemlesssuitablefornesting(NelsonandDickerson,1984).Artificiallightingonthebeachfrontbothdisorientshatchlings.anddetersnestingfemalesfromcomingashore(Hitherington,1990).Highlevelsofhumanactivityonthebeachat'nightanduseofrecreationalequipmentonbeachescandestroynests,contributetoerosion,runoveremergenthatchlings,causehatchlingdisorientationanddeternestingfemales(NationalResearchCouncil,1990).Exoticvegetation,particularlytheAustralianpine,mayreduceorimpedeaccesstonestingsites,affectincubationtemperaturebyshading,andmayoccasionallytrapnestingfemalesinexposedrootsystems(SchmelzandHezich,1988).Themostimportantsourceofhumaninducedmortalitytojuvenileandadultloggerheadsistheshrimpfishery,whichinrecentyearshasaccountedforthedeathofbetween5,000and50,000loggerheadturtlesperyearinU.S.waters(NationalResearchCouncil,1990).Othertypesoffishinggearsuchasgillnets,fish.traps,andlonglinescollectivelyaccountforabout10%ofthemortalityassociatedwiththeshrimpfishery,constitutingthesecondlargestsourceofmortalitytojuvenilesandadults.Harbor,inletandnavigationalchanneldredginghasbeendocumentedtocausesignificantturtlemortality.From1980to1990,maintenancedredgingoftheCapeCanaveralandKingsBayentrancechannelskilled149turtles,90%ofthetotalbeingloggerheads(NationalResearchCouncil,1990).BoatcollisionsarealsoasignificantsourceofmortalityinFlorida,with6-9%ofstrandings,oranaverageof150turtlesperyear,showingevidenceofboatcollisions(NationalResearchCouncil,1990).Directedtakeofeggsandadultsbyhumansisasignificantfactoraffectingturtlepopulationsworldwide,butisdifficulttoquantify.Althoughloggerheadmeatisnothighlyprized,itiscertainlyeaten.DirectedtakeisillegalintheUnitedStatesand18

manyCaribbeancountries,andratesofillegaltakearelargelyunknown.Plasticdebrisandtararecommonlyfoundinthedigestivetractsofstrandedturtlesandingestionofthesesitemscausesintestinalblockageandreleasestoxicchemicals.InaTexasstudy,26%of'allstrandedloggerheadshadplasticdebrisortarinthegutuponnecropsy(Stanleyetal.,1988).Theexactroleofingesteddebrisinthedeathofstrandedturtles,however,isoftenunclear.EntrapmentinpowerplantintakepipeswasmentionedintheNationalResearchCouncil'sreportasarelativelyminorsourceofturtlemortality.Addingthewell-documenteddatafromtheSt.LuciePlanttoestimatesfromotherfacilitiesfromNewYorktoTexas,theCouncilestimatesthat57loggerheadsperyeararekilledbypowerplantentrapment(NationalResearchCouncil,1990).5.2GreenSeaTurtle(Cheloniamidas)5.2.1DescriptionChelonia~mdas,orthegreenseaturtle,isthelargesthard-shelledseaturtle,withFloridaadultsaveraging40inches(101.5cm)incarapacelengthand300pounds(136.2kg)inweight.Theyaredistinguishedfromtheloggerheadbyamuchsmaller,roundedheadandacarapacewithfourpairsofcostalscutes,andasinglepairoffrontalscalesonthehead.Pritchard(1979)givesacompletedescriptionandlifehistoryofthegreen.5.2.2DistributionThegreenturtleiscircumglobalindistribution,butrestrictedtothetropics.U.S.populationsoccurintheVirginIslandsandPuertoRico,theGulfofMexico,andtheeasternseaboard,occasionallyasfarnorthasMassachusetts.Theprimaryhabitatofadultgreenturtlesisshallow,protectedwaters,supportinggrowthofbenthicalgaeandseagrasses.Theirpreferrednestinghabitatsareonhigh-energyislandbeaches,andatleastonepopulationofgreenturtlesregularlymigratesover620miles19 (1000km)betweenfeedingandnestinghabitats.SomegreenturtlenestingoccursinthecontinentalU.S.,mostlyinFloridabetweenVolusiaandBrowardcounties.PopulationsofimmaturegreenturtlesarefoundyearroundintheIndianRiverLagoon,FloridaBayandHomosassaBayareasofFlorida.5.2.3BehaviorLiketheloggerhead,thegreenturtledoesnotformsocialgroupsandisasolitarynocturnalnester.Greenturtlesarediurnal,feedingduringthedayandoftenreturningtoaparticularledgeorcoralheadtosleepeachnight.Thegreenturtleismoredifficulttoapproachthantheloggerheadandtheirmatingbehaviorissimilartotheloggerhead.5.2.4FoodHabitsTheadultgreenturtleistheonlyspeciesofseaturtlewhichisprimarilyherbivorous.Intheposthatchling,pelagicstage,greenturtleshaveanomnivorousorcarnivorousdiet.Uponenteringbenthicfeedinggrounds(atabout8-10inches(20-25cm)length),theyshifttoadietofalgaeandseagrasses.Greenturtlesareselectivegrazers,favoringgrowingshootsofseagrassesandavarietyofalgae,andasaconsequenceofeatingalowprotein,highfiberdiettheirgrowthisslow.Theresultofthislowgrowthisthatgreenseaturtlesreachsexualmaturitylater,andhaveasmallerreproductiveoutputthanotherseaturtles(Bjorndal,1982).5.2.5NestingMajorwesternhemispherenestingbeachesforgreenturtlesareAscensionIsland,AvesIsland,Surinam,andCostaRica.Arangeof60to800nestsarerecordedeachyearontheAtlanticcoastofFloridasouthofCapeCanaveral.Thenestingprocessisverysimilartotheloggerhead,exceptthatthegreenturtleexcavatesamuchdeeperbody-pitandproducesahighernestmound.Asaresult,eggsareburiedconsiderablydeeperthaninloggerheadnests.Meanclutchsizeis110-115eggs,andfemalesdepositfrom20 onetoseven(usuallytwoorthree)clutchespernestingseason(WitheringtonandEhrhart,1989a).5.2.6NumericalAbundanceSufficientdatadonotexisttoaccuratelyassessthecurrentpopulationorpopulationtrendofgreenturtles.Basedonhistoricalaccountsofthe16thand17thcentury,presentdaypopulationsarecertainlyonlyasmallfractionofhistoricallevels.With60to2,000nestsayear,Floridasupportsonlya'mallpercentageoftheCaribbeanandsoutheastAtlanticgreenturtlepopulation,estimatedbyCarr(1978)at69,000adults.TheNationalResearchCouncil(1990)concludedthattherewasnotsufficientinformationtoassesstrendsingreenturtlepopulation,butnotedthatHutchinsonIsland,Floridanestinglevelshaveincreasedovertheperiod1971-1979.Datafrom1979-1994showstrendsofmodestlyincreasingnestingstatewidebythegreenturtleandconcludesthattheFloridanestinga'ggregationofgreenturtlesrepr'esentasignificantcontributiontothewesternAtlanticgreenturtlepopulation(Meylanetal.,1995).5.2.7MortalityFactorsandDiseaseMortalityfactorsforthegreenturtlearesimilartothosediscussedinSection5.1.7fortheloggerhead,withafewmajordifferencesduetothespeciesbiologicalanddistributionaldifferences.Naturalmortalityfactorsimpactingeggsandhatchlingsareasdescribedfortheloggerhead,exceptthatgreenturtlenestsarelesssusceptibletoraccoonandothersmallmammalpredationduetothegreaterdepthoftheeggcavity.Greenturtlesaremorevulnerabletocoldstunning(hypothermia).InaseriesofcoldstunningeventsintheIndianRiverLagoon,Florida,greenturtleswerebyfarthemostcommonspeciesfoundaffected,andmortalityratesamonggreenturtleswerehigherthanloggerheads(WitheringtonandEhrhart,1989b).Greenturtlesaresubjecttoalargelyspeciesspecificdiseasecalledfibropapillomatosis.Theconditionisthoughttobeviralinorigin,althoughaspecificpathogenisyettobe21 0

isolated.Theconditionischaracterizedbytumorous~artsontheskinandinsidethebodycavity.Thesetumorsrestrictmovement,causeblindness,promoteparasiteinfestation,andincreasethelikelihoodofentanglement.Greenturtlesarenotcommonlytakeninshrimptrawls,butarequitevulnerabletoentanglementinothervarietiesoffishinggearsuchasgillnets.Directedtakehashistoricallybeenthegreatestthreattogreenturtlepopulations,butpresentlevelsofdirectedtakearedifficulttoquantify(NationalResearchCouncil,1990).Otherhumaninducedgreenturtlemortalityfactorsareasdescribedaboveinsection5.1.7.3.3h3kklt~h5.3.1Descriptionh3hhkt~ht')'d3'hdhkhabsenceofthekeratinizedscutesinthecarapace,thelackofclawsorscalesinadults,andsignificantskeletaldifferences.Thecarapaceisraisedintosevenlongitudinalridgesandcoveredwiththinblackskinwithnumerouswhitespots.Theleatherbackisthelargestlivingseaturtle,attainingacarapacelengthof59-67.inches(150-170cm)andamaximumweightof1100-1980pounds(500-900kg)(Pritchard,1979).5.3.2DistributionTheleatherbackisfoundworldwide,fromthetropicstohighlatitudes.Althoughfoundincoastalwaters,theleatherbackismainlypelagic,andiscapableoftravelinggreatdistancesbetweennestingandforaginggrounds.Preferredfeedinghabitatsarepelagic,temperatezonewatersthatsupportlargepopulationsofjellyfish,theleatherback'smainpreyitem.Preferrednestinghabitatsaretropicalmainlandshoreswithasteepbeachprofileanddeepwaterclosetoshore.22 Al

.5.3.3BehaviorAsaconsequenceoftheirpelagicnature,littleisknownaboutleatherbackbehavior.Likeotherseaturtles,theyarenothighlysocialandaresolitary,nocturnalnesters.Incontrasttootherspecies,whicharebenthicfeedeis,leatherbacksfeedinthewatercolumn.Theyarecapableofdivesinexcessof3,000feet(1,000m)toreachfood.5.3.4FoodHabitsJellyfishandothercoelenteratesarethemajorfooditemforleatherbacksandtheyhaveseveraladaptationsforthishighlyspecializeddiet,suchasahighlyexpandableoralcavity,scissor-likejawsandanesophaguslinedwithstiffspinesthatprojectbackwardtoaidinholdingandswallowingprey.Jellyfisharealowenergysourceandlargequantitiesmustbeconsumedtomaintainthislargeturtle.Theleatherbackwillmoveverticallythroughthewatercolumninsearchofconcentrationsofjellyfish.Pritchard(1979)reportedthatyoungleatherbacksincaptivityconsumedt~icetheirweightinjellyfishdaily.5.3.5NestingLeatherbacknestingisalmostexclusivelytropical.ThelargestnestingcoloniesarefoundinNewGuinea,Indonesia,CentralAmerica,northeasternSouthAmerica,andthesouthernPacificcoastofMexico.Somenestingoccursoutsidethetropics,notablyinSouthAfricaandFlorida.Floridarecords38-188leatherback'nestsannually.Leatherbacksnestevery2or3years,withasmanyastennestingsperseason,andaninternestingintervalofabout10days.Leatherbackeggsarelarge,about2.5inches(6cm)indiameter.Floridaclutchsizeisfrom60-90eggsandincludesavariablenumberofundersizedyolklesseggs,typicalofonlyleatherbacks.Incubationtimeisabout65days,andhatchingsuccessfromundisturbednestsistypicallyhigh(Pritchard,1979).23 5.3.6NumericalAbundanceEstimatesfortotalworldpopulationofnestingfemaleleatherbacksrangefrom70,000(Mrosovsky,1983)to115,000(Pritchard,1982).FreteyandGirondot(1990)reportthatpreviousestimatesofabout15,000nestingfemalesfromtheFrenchGuiananestingcolonymaybeanunderestimate.TheNationalResearchCouncil(1990)concludedthatalthoughdataarescarce,leatherbackpopulationsworldwideappeartobestable.5.3.7MortalityFactorsandDiseasesLikegreenturtlesandincontrasttologgerheadnests,leatherbacknestsareresistanttopredatorsbecauseofthedepthoftheeggcavity,butthesteep,highenergybeachestheyfavorfornestingareverypronetostormerosion.Thepelagicnatureoftheleatherbackinsulatesitfrommanyhumancausedsourcesofmortalityliketrawling,dredging,andboatcollisions,buttheleatherbackisvulnerabletoplasticingestion,particularlypolyethylenebags,whichtheymistakeforjellyfish.Despiteawidespreadbeliefthatleatherbackmeatisinedible,harvestofnestingfemalesiscommoninGuyana,Trinidad,andColumbia.Nospecificdiseasepathogensarereportedforleatherbacks.5.4kb'llkli~bi5.4.1Descriptionhhkb'lli~b'&'*bythick,overlappingcarapacescuteswithboldstreaksofbrownandblackonanamberbackground.Theheadisnarrow,withatapering,curved,"hawk'sbill."Thehawksbillisarelativelysmallseaturtle,withnestingfemalesaveraging32inches(81cm)incarapacelength.Witzell(1983)providesasynopsisofbiologicaldataonthehawksbill.5.4.2DistributionHawksbillsarecircumtropicalindistribution,almostalwaysincloseassociationwithcoralreefhabitats.Hawksbillsaremore24 sedentarythanotherspeciesasadults,andincontrasttologgerheads,hawksbillsdonotdisperseashatchlingsintothenorthAtlanticgyre(Witzell,1983}.Hawksbillsnestontropicalislandsandmainlandshoresofthetropicsworldwide.Typicalnestingbeachesarelow-energynarrowbeachesoftenwithvegetationgrowingalmosttothewater'sedge.NestinginthecontinentalU.S.isextremelyrare.5.4.3BehaviorHawksbillsmaintainaforagingterritorythatshiftswithage,movingtodeeperwaterastheanimalmatures.Thehawksbillisabenthicforagerinshallowwateroutto300feet(100m)(Meylan,1989).5.4.4FoodHabitsAlthoughawidevarietyoffooditemshavebeendocumentedinfeedingstudies(Wiztell,1983),hawksbillsexhibitspecializedfeedingonafewgeneraof'siliceoussponges.Thesharpsilicatespiculesofthisspongearetoleratedbythedigestivesystemofthehawksbill(Meylan,1988).5.4.5NumericalAbundanceDuetotheirremote,dispersednestinghabitats,noreliablepopulationestimatesexistforthehawksbill.NestingsurveysinSurinamover15yearsshowapositivetrendinincreasingpopulationsize,butthesamplesizeisverysmall(NationalResearchCouncil,1990).5.4.6MortalityFactorsandDiseaseThemortalityfactorsdiscussedinsection5.1.7onloggerheadsalsoapplytothehawksbill.Becauseoftheirassociationwithreefhabitatwheretrawlingisimpractical,hawksbillsarenotoftentakeninshrimptrawls.Themajorthreattohawksbillpopulationsisdirectedtakefortortoiseshellproductsandstuffedspecimens.Between1970and1986,anestimated250,000CaribbeanhawksbillshellswereimportedbyJapan25 alone(Donnelly,1989).Localharvestandsalesarehardertoquantifythaninternationaltrade,butthereislittledoubtthetotaltakeisaclearthreattothespeciessurvival.~.~p'dlyi~kghl~k5.5.1Descriptionhp'*'dly(~dhk~k'lg'~hyolivegreencarapace,oftenwiderthanlong,withfivepairsofcostalscutesandfivevertebralscutes.Adultsmeasure25inches(62.70cm)inaveragecarapacelengthandweigh77-100pounds(35-45kg).Pritchard(1979)givesacompletedescriptionandlifehistoryoftheKemp'sridley.5.5.2DistributionKemp'sridleysarelargelyconfinedtotheGulfofMexico,withafewoccurring.alongtheU.S.easternseaboardasfarnorthasLongIslandSound.Within'heGulfofMexico,juvenilesarefarmorecommoninthenorthernGulf,particularlyincoastalwatersfromTexastoFlorida.ForaginghabitatsforjuvenilesandadultsarethecoastalwatersoftheGulfofMexico,wheretheyfeedonawidevarietyofcrustaceaandotherinvertebrates.NestinghabitatisalmostexclusivelyconfinedtoasinglebeachatRanchoNuevo,Mexicoataboutlatitude23'orthinthestateofTamaulipas.5.5.3BehaviorKemp'sridleyturtlesshowahighdegreeofsocialbehavior.Theyaggregateoffshoreofthenestingbeaches,sometimesfordays,andthenallemergesynchronouslyinan"arribada"tonest(i.e.groupnesting),usuallyduringdaylight.'notherbehavioralaspects,theyaresimilartotheloggerhead.5.5.4FoodHabitsKemp'sridleysconsumeavarietyofprey,buttheirdietisdominatedbythebluecrab.Thetypesofitemsfoundinthestomachsofstrandedspecimenssuggesttheymaycommonlyfeedon26 theunwantedfishandcrabsdumpedoverboardbyshrimptrawlers(ShoopandRuckdeschel,1982).5.5.5NumericalAbundanceSincetheKemp'sridleyhasarestricteddistributionand,forthemostpart,nestsonasinglebeach,populationestimatesaremoreaccuratethanforotherspecies.Estimatesofthetotalpopulationofnestingfemalesrangefrom350-620(NationalResearchCouncil,1990).Basedonamotionpicturefrom1947,inwhichanestimated40,000femalesnestedinasingledayatRanchoNuevo,thecurrentpopulationisperhaps1%ofwhatitwaslessthan50yearsago.5.5.6MortalityFactorsandDiseaseMortalityfactorsaffectingnestsandhatchlingsfortheKemp'sridleyaresimilartothosediscussedfortheloggerheadinsection5.1.7.HumaninducedmortalityfactorsforadultandjuvenileKemp'sridley'sarealso'similartothosefortheloggerhead.ShrimptrawlinghasbeenconclusivelyshowntobethemostimportantthreattothesurvivaloftheKemp'sridley(NationalResearchCouncil,1990).ThesmallpopulationandrestricteddistributionoftheKemp'sridleymakeitparticularlyvulnerabletocatastrophicpopulationdeclines,andshrimpingeffortisveryheavythroughoutitsrange.TherearenospecificpathogensreportedfortheKemp'sridley,althoughbacterialandfungalinfectionareamajorcauseofeggmortalityinthecloselyrelatedoliveridley.27 6.0SEATURTLECONSERVATIONACTIVITIES6.1SeaTurtleCaptureProgramTheintakestructuresandvelocitycapsforSt.LucieUnits1and2,locatedinthenearshorewatersoftheAtlanticOcean,serveasanartificialreef,sincethestructuresaretheonlysignificantphysicalfeatureinthislocalenvironment.Fivespeciesofseaturtlesinhabitthisareaforallorpartoftheyear.Theturtlesencounterthesestructuresintheirnormalrangingactivitiesandfeedontheorganismsgrowingonthestructureorseekthestructuresforshelter.Onceaturtlepassestheverticalplaneofthevelocitycap,itissweptintotheintakepipelinebywaterbeingusedforcoolingbytheSt.LuciePlantand,aftera3-5minuteridethroughthepipeline,theturtleemergesintheintakecanalandcannotescapeonitsown.Thisiscalledentrapment.LoggerheadturtleswereencounteredassoonasUnit1becameoperationalin1977.Biologicalconsultantsperformingmonitoringworkattheplantimmediatelybeganacaptureprogramforturtlesintheintakecanal.Fromitsinceptionin1977,theprogramhasusedlarge-meshtanglenetsthatarerectangularinshapetocaptureturtles.Thesetypeoftanglenetshavebeenusedtocaptureturtlessincethe1800's.Thenetisdeployedintothewatercolumnandtheturtles,in.theirfree-rangingactivities,swimintothenetandbecomeentangled.Theturtlesareremovedbypersonnelmonitoringthenets..Tofacilitatethecaptureofentrappedturtlesandtominimizeturtlesfrommovingdownthecanalsystemtowardstheplant,alarge-meshbarriernetwaserectedin1978.Therationaleforthe8inch(20.3cm)meshsizeofthisbarriernetwasbasedonthesizefrequencyof140turtlescapturedintheintakecanalbeforeMarch1978.Thismeshsizewouldexclude95%oftheturtlesencountered.Since1993,FPLhasdocumentedasignificantincreaseinnumbersofentrappedturtles,withcatchesexceeding600ayear.28 ThisincreaseisprincipallyduetothenumberofjuvenilegreenturtlesencounteredandisbelievedtobeindicativeofanincreaseinpopulationofgreenturtlespresentinthenearshorewatersoftheAtlanticOcean.Withthisincreaseinthenumberofturtlesentrappedintheintakecanalsince1991andthedecreaseinsizeoftheturtles,acertainpercentageofgreenturtleshavebeenabletopenetratetheexisting8inch(20.3cm)meshbarriernetandpassdownthecanaltobeimpingedontheintakewellstructuresoftheplant.Inthefirstsixmonthsof1995,approximately25%oftheturtlescapturedwereremovedfromtheintakewellsoftheplant.Toenhancetheexclusionofturtlesfromtheplant,FPLisproposingtoinstallin1995asmallermeshbarriernetintheintakecanal.Thenewnetisexpectedtoexclude100%ofturtlesinthesizerangeencounteredin1995.TherationalefortheseaturtlecaptureprogramattheSt.LuciePlantistoquicklyremoveentrappedturtlesfromtheintakecanalsystemoncetheyhaveenteredthesystem.FPL,inconjunctionwithAppliedBiology,Inc,andQuantumResources,Inc.,former.andcurrentcontractorsforseaturtleconservationandmonitoringactivities,havedevelopedproceduresandmethodsforhandlingmarine,turtlesentrappedorimpinged(AppliedBiology,1993;Quantum,1994).Overtheprogram'shistory,varioussizenets(lengthanddepth),variousfloatationdevices,differingweightingtechniquesofthenetbottom,andvariousmeshsizeshavebeenevaluatedtoachievethemosteffect'ivemeansofcapturing'turtleswiththeleastamountofharm.Since1990,personnelhavealsobeenabletocaptureanumberofturtlesbyhandwhentheyaresnorkelingorSCUBAdiving.Thistechniqueisonlyeffectivewhenthereissufficientwatervisibilitytoseetheturtles,andthisoccurs,onlyoccasionallyduringthewintermonthsandmanytimesduringthesummermonthswhentheseaiscalm.AnintensiveresearchprogramtoinvestigatemethodstophysicallyorbehaviorallyexcludeturtlesfromtheintakestructureswasconductedaspartoftheEnvironmentalProtection29 PlanofUnit2andconcludedthattherewasnopracticalmethodtoaccomplishthisgoal(FloridaPower&Light,1985).6.1.1EntrapmentandImpingementofTurtlesEntrapmentoccurswhenanorganismentersaconfinedareaandcannotescape.Therefore,turtlesbecomeentrappedwhentheyenterthecanal.Impingementoccurswhenanorganismiscarriedbycurrentsandpinnedtoawaterintakewellstructureorbarrier,andinthecaseofapowerplant,thetrashracksand/orthetravelingscreenssystemlocatedintheintakewells.IntheoriginalevaluationoftheenvironmentalimpactofSt.LucieUnit1,turtleentrapmentandimpingementofturtleswerenotanticipated(U.S.AtomicEnergyCommission,1974).Thecurrentthinkingisthattheintakestructuresandvelocitycapsserveasanartificialreef,sincethestructuresaretheonlysignificantphysicalfeatureinthisimmediatenearshoreenvironment.Theturtlesencounterthesefeaturesintheirnormalrangingactivitiesandfeedontheorganismsgrowingonthestructuresorseekthestructuresforshelter.Basedontheintakevelocitiesoftheintakestructures,onceaturtlepassestheverticalplaneofavelocitycap,itisquicklysweptintotheintakepipeline.Aftera3-5minuteridethroughthepipeline,itemergesintheintakecanal(seeSections4.2.1and4.2.2).TheentrapmenthistoryoftheSt.LuciePlantfrom1976-December31,1994isgiveninTable2.AllfivespeciesofturtlespresentinthenearshorewatersofFloridahavebeenentrappedandtotalof3199turtleshavebeenremovedfromtheintakecanaloftheSt.LuciePlant.Loggerheadsarethedominantturtleinnumbers(n=2394),greensarenext(n=751),followedbyKemp'sridley(n=24),leatherback(n=17),andhawksbilllast(n=13).TheentrapmenthistoryoftheSt.LuciePlantfromJanuary1,1995-June30,1995isgiveninTable3.Atotalof609turtlesoffourspecieshavebeenhandled.Greensandloggerheadsarethedominantspeciesencountered.30 6.1.2BarrierNets6.1.2.1PastConfigurationTofacilitatethecaptureofentrappedturtlesandtominimizethenumberofturtlesmovingdowntheintakecanaltowardtheplant,alarqe-meshbarriernet(8inch(20.3cm)squaremesh)waserectedattheAlAbridgein1978(Figure2).Thenetwassuspendedacrossthecanalandwasanchoredatthebottomwithweightsandsupportedatthetopbycablesandfloats(Figure7).Thenetwashungsothatithada3:1slope,withthebottomanchorsbeingpositionedupstreamofthesurfacefloats.Thisconfigurationpreventsbowingofthenetinthecenterandminimizestheriskofaninjuredorlethargicturtlefrombeingpinnedagainstthenetbycurrentsanddrowning.ByconfiningmostturtlestothecanalareaeastoftheA1Abridge,thenetcaptureofturtlesinthispartofthecanalwasenhanced.Anyturtlewithacarapacewidthof11.3inches(28.7cm)orgreaterwasexcludedfrompassingthroughthenetandmovingdownthecanaltowardstheintakestructureswhereitcouldbeimpinged.Therationaleforthebarriernettohavean8inch(20.3cm)squaremesh,oradiagonalmeasureof11.3inches(28.7cm),wasbasedonthesizefrequencydistributionof140turtlescapturedintheintakecanalbeforeMarch1978.The8inch(20.3cm)squaremeshwaschosentoexclude95%oftheturtlescapturedbeforethatdate(Figure8).Thenethasbeenrehungseveraltimes(e.g1985,1988,1990)tomaintainits3:1slopeandtoclosegapsbetweenthecanalbottomandthecanalsides.Becauseof,thedeteriorationofthisnetovertime,anewnetwiththesame8inch(20.3cm)meshwasinstalledin1987.6.1.2.2PresentConfigurationThebarriernetpresentlyinplacewasinstalledin1987accordingtothespecificationsgiveninSection6.1.2.1andhasan8inch(20.3cm)squaremeshconfiguration(Figure7).In1990,thenetheadcableattachedtothetopofthenetwasgivenmore31 supportbyattachingaseriesoffloatationrafts,whichwouldkeepthetopofthenetatorabovethesurfaceofthewaterundervaryingwaterlevels.Thisconfigurationkeepsturtlesfromswimmingoverthetopofthenet.Waterlevelcanchangeasaresultoftidesoroperationsofthegeneratingunits(e.g.ifaunitisnotoperating,thewaterlevelinthecanalrisesabout4feet(1.2m))-Thenetisinspected,approximatelyquarterly,toensureitsintegritythroughoutthewatercolumn,itssides,anditsbottom.Repairsaremadeasnecessaryandifthefootofthenetisburiedby.abuildupofsediment,thematerialisremoved.6.1.2.3FutureConfigurationTheentrapmentrateforgreensandloggerheadshasincreasedin1993and1994(Quantum,1994),andthistrendiscontinuingin1995(seeFigures9and10).Duetounexpectedincreasesinimpingementratesandsubsequentmortalityattheintakewellsoftheplant(seeTable4),FPLisproposingtoinstallasmallermeshbarrierneteastofthepresentbarriernet(seeFigure2).Duetopotentialfoulingsituationsfromjellyfishorseaweed,thetopofthenetwillhavethecapabilityofbeingquicklyreleasedsothatitcandroptothebottomofthecanal.Themeshofthisnetwillbe5inches(12.7cm)square,oradiagonalmeasurementof7inches(18cm).Accordingtoasizefrequencydistributionof414greenturtlesentrappedintheintakecanalduring1995,100%ofallturtlesencounteredshouldbeexcludedfrommovingdownthecanaltowardstheplant(Figure12).Thenetwillbeinspectedonaquarterlybasistoensureitsintegrityandtoprovidenecessarycleaningandmaintenanceasrequired.Maintainingtheintegrityofthenetwillensurethatnoturtlespassthisbarrierand,therefore,thenumbersofseaturtlesimpingedontheintakewellstructuresshouldapproachzero.Planscallforthepresent8inch(20.3cm)meshbarriernettobemaintainedinitsexistingplacetoserveasabackupincasethereisafailureofthe5inch(12.7cm)meshnetorifthe32 5inch(12.7cm)netneedstobetemporarilyremovedbecauseoffoulingfrom)ellyfish,seaweedorflotsam.6.1.3UnderwaterIntrusionDetectionSystemIn1986theunderwaterintrusiondetectionsystem(UIDS)wasinstalledtopreventhumanentrytotheplantviathecanalsystemandtoprovidefurthersecurityfortheplant.ThissystemalsoprovidesanadditionalbarrierforturtlesthathavebroachedthebarriernetattheA1Abridge.Thebarrierislocatedonthenorth-southarmofthecanal(Figure2)andconsistsofarigidnetwitha9inch(22.9cm)mesh(Figure4).Thisnetishungatapproximatelya0.9:1slopewiththebottomofthenetdownstreamofthetop.Thisnetisinspectedonanperiodicbasisbysecuritypersonnelandseveralturtles,bothliveanddead,havebeenremovedfromthisareain1994and1995.6.1.4.IntakeWellInspectionandRemovalInDecember1994andtodatein1995,FPLhasprovidedfortheinspectionoftheintakewellsatleastonceeverythreehoursovera24hourperiod.Thisincreaseinsurveillancewasnecessitatedduetoincreasedturtlepresenceandmortalityinthisarea(Table4)Plantpersonnel,securitypersonnel,andseaturtlebiologistsinspectthewellsforanyturtlesthatmaybeimpingedorswimminginthisarea(Figure5).Anyplantorsecuritypersonnelwhoseeaturtleareinstructedtonotifyaturtlebiologistthroughabeepersystem;thebiologistrespondswithinanhour.Aseaturtlebiologistthencapturestheturtlewithalong-handledipnetandplacesitinapaddedholdingboxfortransport.6.1.5NettingProgramSeaturtlesareremovedfromtheintakecanalbymeansoflarge-meshentanglementnetsfishedbetweentheintakeheadwallandthebarriernetlocatedattheA1Abridge(Figure2).From1976throughthepresent,thisnettingprogramhasbeenconstantlyevaluatedandcontinuouslyimprovedtominimizetraumatoturtles33

andtomaximizecaptureefficiency.Netspresentlyusedarefrom100-120feet(30-37m)long,9-12feet(2.7-3.7m)deep,andcomposedof16inch(41cm)stretch-meshmultifilamentnylon.Largefloatsareattachedtothetopofthenettoprovidebuoyancyandthebottomofthenetisunweighted.PriortoApril1990,turtlenetsweredeployedonMondaymorningsandretrievedonFridayafternoons.Duringperiodsofdeployment,thenetswereinspectedforcapturesatleasttwiceeachday(e.g.morningsandafternoons).Additionally,plantpersonnelandsecuritypersonnelcheckedthenetperiodicallyandbiologistswerenotifiedifacapturehadoccurred.Seaturtlebiologistswerealsooncall24hoursperdaytoretrieveturtles.BeginninginApril1990,afterconsultationwithNMFS,netdeploymentwasscaledbacktodaylighthoursonly.Concurrently,surveillanceoftheintakecanalandthenetswasincreased,withnetsbeingcontinuouslymonitoredbyseaturtlebiologists.Thismea'suredecreasedresponsetimeforremovalofentangledturtlesfromthenetsanddecreasedmortalitiesfromaccidentaldrowning(Figure13).Thepresenceofabiologistalsoprovidedadailyassessmentofturtlenumbersinthecanalandanindicationastowhentheturtlewasfirstsighted.Biologistswerethenabletoestimatetheresidencetime,whichisthenumberofdaysfromthefirstobservationtocaptureandrelease.6.1.6HandCaptureandDipNettingInadditiontotheuseoftanglenetstocaptureturtles,dipnetsandhandcapturesbysnorkelandSCUBAdiversareused(Table4).Long-handledipnetsusedfromsmallboatsandfromthecanalbanksandheadwallsaremoderatelyeffectiveincapturingturtleswi'thcarapacelengthof12inches(30.5cm)orless.Handnetshavealsobeenusedtodipdeadandfloatingsmallgreenturtlesfromvariousareasinthecanalsystemandthisfactaccountsforthelargemortalityassociatedwiththisrecoverysystem(Table4).Undergoodwatervisibilityconditions,divershaveproventobeveryeffectiveincapturingturtlesofallsizes,particularlyinactiveturtlespartiallyburiedinthesedimentinthevicinity34 ofthebarriernetorsleepingindividualsthroughoutthecanal.Thesehandcaptureshavehadasignificantimpactinreducingresidencetimesforturtlesinthecanal(seeSection6.1.7).6.1.7ResidenceTimeNettingmethodologieshavebeenundercontinualreviewandrefinementasnetmaterials,configurationandplacementhavebeenvariedinanefforttominimizeseaturtleentrapmenttimes.Fortheperiodforwhichresidencetimedataareavailable(July1-December31,1994),about76%oftheturtlesenteringthecanalwerecaughtwithin24hoursoffirstsighting(Quantum,1994).Becauseofdifferencesinsize,loggerheadstypicallyresideinthecanalforshorterperiodsthanthesmallergreenturtles.IntheJuly-December,1994period,100%ofallloggerheadswerecapturedwithinoneweekoffirstsighting,withameanresidencetimeof1.5days.Overthatsameperiod,greenturtles,whichweresmallerandlesseasilyentangledinthelargemeshnets,hadameanresidencetimeof2.0days.Forthegreenturtles,96.9%werecapturedwithinoneweekoffirstsighting.Betterutilizationofcurrentsandeddies,adjustmentstotetheringlines,multi-netdeploymentandincreasedeffortstohandcaptureturtleshavecontributedtoreducedresidencetimeduringrecentyears(Quantum,1994).ResidencetimesmaybeextendedforturtlesslippingpasttheA1Abarriernet(AppliedBiology,1987).BecausecaptureeffortswestoftheA1Abarriernetwerelesseffectivethaneastofthebarrier,mostturtlesthatbreachthebarriernetwerenotcaughtuntiltheyenteredtheintakewellsofUnit1or2.Becauseoftheirrelativelysmallsize,virtuallyalloftheturtlesreachingtheintakewellsaregreenturtles.During1994,49ofthe194greencaptures(25.2%)occurredattheintakewells(Quantum,1994)andduringthefirstsixmonthof1995,23%(95outof414)ofthecapturesoccurredattheintakewells(Table4).Dur'ing1994,84.2%ofallturtlesentrappedinthecanalwerecapturedeastoftheAlAbarriernet,253bytanglenetand51byhandordipnetcapture.Theeffectiveconfinementofmostturtles35 eastofthebarriernethasbeenamajorcontributortothehighcaptureefficiencyachievedduring1994(Quantum,1994).6.1.8TaggingandHealthAssessmentActivitiesRegardlessofcapturemethod,allturtlesremovedfromtheSt.LuciePlantintakecanalsystemareidentifiedtospecies,measured,weighed,tagged,andexaminedforoverallhealthandcondition(wounds,abnormalities,parasites,missingappendages).Healthyturtlesarereleasedintotheoceannorthorsouthoftheintakestructureonthedayofcapture.SeeSection6.1.9foradiscussiononrehabilitationofsickorinjuredturtles.BeginningJuly1,1994,allturtlescapturedarephotographeddorsallyandventrallypriortorelease,andthephotographsretainedforfuturereference.TagssuppliedbytheNMFSareappliedtotheproximaledgeoftheforeflipper;amonelorstainless-steelcattleeartagisappliedtooneflipperandarototagisappliedtotheotherflipper.Thetagnumbers,thespecies,andmorphometricsofeachturtlearereportedonamonthlybasistotheFloridaDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection(DEP).IfaturtlehasbeenpreviouslytaggedeitherattheSt.Luciefacilityorelsewhere,thisisnotedinthemonthlydatasheetandreported.ThesedataareforwardedbyDEPtotheNMFSforinclusionintheirdatabase.OvertheperiodofturtleentrapmentattheSt.LuciePlant(1976-1994),177recaptures(150loggerheadand27greenturtles)haveoccurredandanumberofturtleshavebeenrecapturedmorethanonce(Quantum,1994).Oneloggerhead,inparticular,hasbeenrecaptured11times.Severalotherturtleswithtagscarshavealsobeenrecovered,indicatingthattheactualnumberofrecapturesmaybehigher.Occasionally,turtlesarecapturedthathavebeentaggedbyotherresearchers;onesuchcaptureoccurredin1994,afemaleleatherbackwithtagsfromFrenchGuiana.6.1.9NecropsyandRehabilitationActivitiesIfaturtlehadrecentlydiedandconditionswarrant,resuscitationtechniqueswereused.Beginningin1982,necropsies36 wereconductedondeadturtlesfoundinfreshconditions;threenecropsieswereperformedin1994byDEPpersonnel.Lethargicorslightlyinjuredturtlesaretreatedandoccasionallyheldforobservationpriortorelease;iffurthertreatmentiswarranted,theDEPisnotifiedandadecisionismadeastowhichfacilitywouldprovideadditionalveterinariantreatment.6.2SeaTurtleNestingPrograms6.2.1JurisdictionofFishandWildlifeService/DepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection.TheFWShasjurisdictionoverallspeciesofnestingseaturtlesandtheirhatchlingsandFPLhasbeenconductingnestingstudiesaspartoftheSt.LucieUnit1andUnit2reportingrequirements.Inaddition,FWSandDEPhavestartedalong-termnestingindexsurvey,andthedatageneratedbyFPLsince1971areanintegralpartofthisprogram.6.2.2DescriptionofProgramFPLhasbeenconductingseaturtlenestingprogramsonsouthHutchinsonIslandsince1971andreportshavebeensummarizedonayearlybasis(AppliedBiology,1976-1993;Quantum,1994).Methodologiesusedduringthe1994nestingsurveysonHutchinsonIslandaredescribedintheAnnualOperatingReportforSt.LucieUnit2(Quantum,1994).Upthrough1986,theturtlenestingprogramwasarequirementoftheEnvironmentalProtectionPlanofSt.LucieUnit2,butafterthatdate,FPLelectedtovoluntarilycontinuethenestingmonitoringprogramthroughthepresent.Forthe1994nestingseason,nestsurveyswereconductedonadailybasisfromApril15-September15.Biologistsusedsmalloffroadmotorcyclestosurveytheislandearlyinthemorning,generallycompletingthesurveybefore10AM.Newnests,non-nestingemergences(falsecrawls),andnestsdestroyedbypredatorsarerecordedforeachofthe0.62mile(1km)surveyareas(Figure15).The0.78mile(1.25km)longsurveysestablishedinearlierk37

studieswerealsomonitoredsocomparisonscouldbemadewithpreviousstudies.Theonlysignificantchangeinnestingsurveymethodsfrompreviousyearswasthat,beginningJuly1,1994onlyareasA-SweresurveyedbyQuantumResourcesbiologists(Figure14).AreasT-JJweresurveyedbybiologistfromEcologicalAssociatesandthesedataarecombinedtoprovide1994wholeislandnestingtotals.6.3SeaTurtleStrandingProgramIncooperationwithDEP,QuantumResourcepersonnelarealsooncall24hoursadaytohandleliveordeadturtlestrandings(e.g.turtlesthathavewasheduponthebeach)onsouthHutchinsonIslandorelsewhere,uponrequest.Standarddatasheetsareused,whichrecordthedate,location,species,size,conditionoftheturtle,injuries,andcauseofdeath,ifpossible.ThesedataareroutinelyprovidedtotheDEPandNMFSthroughtheSeaTurtleStrandingandSalvageNetwork.Iftheturtleisseverelydecomposed,itisburiedonthebeach.Ifitisasmallgreen,thecarcassmightbesalva'gedforfurtherexamination.Iftheturtleisalive,itistakentothenearestrehabilitationcenterformedicaltreatment.6.4TurtleWalkProgramAsapublicservice,FPLhasbeenconductingturtlewalkprogramsforthepublictoviewnestingloggerheadseaturtlesonthebeachesoftheSt.LuciePlantsince1982.ThewalksareconductedbypermittedFPLandQuantumResourcespersonnelduringthesummermonthsofJuneandJulywhenloggerheadnestingisatapeak.Anorientationprogramisprovidedbeforethewalkbeginsandthiseducatestheparticipant(upto50peopleperwalk)aboutseaturtlebiologyandconservationissues.Ascoutonasmalloffroadmotorcyclerunsthebeachlookingforanestingturtleandradiostheguidethatitisappropriatetobringtheparticipantsonthebeachandtoobservetheturtlenesting.1nthesummerof1995,threewalksperweekwereconductedoverthe9weeksofpeak38 nesting.ThesewalkshavegrowninpopularityandattendanceasshowninTable5.6.5AssistancetoOtherOrganizations6.5.1DescriptionofAssistanceFPL,throughitscontractorsAppliedBiology,Inc.andQuantumResources,Inc.,providedassistancetoavarietyoffederal,state,local,privateandacademicinstitutionsonseaturtleissues.Thisassistancehasconsistedofsuchactivitiesas:providingturtlesaffectedwithfibropapillomastoresearchcentersforstudyandtreatment;taggingturtlesforcaptureandreleaseprograms;providinginformationontagreturns;providingadultandhatchlingturtlesforresearchpurposes;providingtissuesamplesandbloodforanalysis;providingdataonturtleabundanceandnestingactivities.6.5.2ListofOrganizationsAssistedSincetheprogrambeganin1976,data,specimens,and/orassistancehavebeengiventotheFloridaDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection,NationalMarineFisheriesService,U.S.FishandWildlifeService,U.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers,SmithsonianInstitution,SouthCarolinaWildlifeandMarineResourcesDivision,theArchieCarrCenterforSeaTurtleResearchattheUniversityofFlorida,FloridaAtlanticUniversity,UniversityofCentralFlorida,TexasA&MUniversity,UniversityofRhodeIsland,UniversityofSouthCarolina,UniversityofIllinois,UniversityofGeorgia,VirginiaInstituteofMarineScience,WesternAtlanticTurtleSymposium,SouthAtlanticFisheriesManagementCouncil,FloridaMarineFisheriesCommission,HarborBranchOceanographicInstitutionandtheNationalResearchCouncil.39

7.0ASSESSMENTOFPRESENTOPERATIONS7.1DirectandIndirectImpactsoftheContinuedOperationoftheCirculatingWaterSystemoftheSt.LucieNuclearGeneratingStationonSeaTurtlePopulations7.1.1ImpactsDuetoEntrapmentandEntanglementNetsintheCanalSystemPotentialdirecteffectsofentrapmentandentanglementnetcaptureinthecanalsysteminclude:drowningintheintakepipes,injuriessustainedinthepipesandthecanal,injuriessustainduringcanaldredging(hydraulicandclamshell),lossofconditionduetolongentrapment,exposuretopredatorsintheintakecanal,injuriesandstresssustainedduringcapture,anddrowninginfishgillnetsandturtlecapturenets.Potentialindirecteffectsinclude:interruptionofmigration,lossofnestingopportunitiesforadultfemales,andlossofmatingopportunitiesforadultmalesandfemales.Table6presentsthenumbersofmortalitiesandprobablecauseofdeathofseaturtles,byspecies,throughthe1976-June30,1995operatinghistoryoftheSt.LuciePlant.Itisdividedintotheperiods1976-1990whenthecapturenetsweredeployedbutnottendedcontinuouslyand1990-June30,1995,whenthenetsweredeployedandcontinuouslytended.Duringconditionsoflowflowratesintheintakepipes,drowningintheintakepipeswasidentifiedasaprobablemortalityfactor(AppliedBiology,1987).LowflowconditionswerevirtuallyeliminatedwhenSt.LucieUnit2wasbroughtonlineinAugust,1983,andtransittimesthroughtheintakepipes(3-5minutes)aresuchthatdrowningintheintakepipesisunlikely.SinceUnit2startedoperation,nodeadindividualshavebeenrecoveredfromtheintakecanalthatareindicativeofthistypeofmortality.Asmallnumberofturtlescapturedshowrecentsuperficialscrapes,usuallytotheanteriorcarapaceorplastron,whichmaybeduetocontactwithencrustingorganismsinthepipeline.Inthelastyearofoperation(July1,1994-June30,1995),14of361turtlescapturedhadsignificantinjuries,mostofwhichwereold40

andwellhealed(Quantum,1994).Oneloggerheadwascapturedin1994withafreshpenetratingcrackinthecarapace.Itisnotknownwhetherthisinjurywassustainedintheintakepipesorbeforeentrapment,possiblybyboatcollision.Duetolongresidencetimesinthecanalsometurtleslackappropriatefoodandloosebodyweight.ThislossofconditionwasidentifiedbyBellmundetal.(1982)asaconcern,buttheyconcludedthatresidencetimesaveraging44dayshadlittledetrimentaleffectsonturtles.In1994,residencetimes,calculatedfromvisualobservations,wereestimatedat1.5daysforloggerheadsand2.0daysforgreenturtlesand100%ofallloggerheadsand97%ofallgreenturtleswerecapturedwithinoneweekoffirstsighting(Quantum,1994).Bellmundetal.(1982)concludedthatpredationintheintakecanalwasnotasignificantmortalityfactor.Informalvisualcensusoffishpopulationsinthecanalinrecentyears(1993-1995)revealfivetotenlarge(220+pounds(100+kg))jewfish,notconsideredbeforeinpreviousanalysis,whichmaypresentasignificanthazardtosmallerturtles,especiallygreens.Otherpossiblepredatorsincludenumbersofgreatbarracudaandoccasionallyblacktipandspinnersharks.Thereisnowaytoquantifytheextentofthispredationbyfishspecies,butitdoesoccuratalowlevel.Injuriessustainedduringcapturehaveallbeensuperficial.Typicallytheyinvolvesmallcutsfromnetstrandsandminorabrasionssustainedduringhandling.Nonehaveeverrequiredveterinaryattentionorrehabilitation.Stressisdifficulttoquantify,buteffortsaremadetominimizehandlingtime(generallyunderonehalfhourtoobtainbiologicalinformationandtotagtheanimal)andtokeepturtlesshadedandcoolpriortorelease.DrowningincapturenetshasoccurredoccasionallythroughoutthehistoryoftheSt.LuciePlant'scaptureprogramduringtheperiod1976-June30,1995.Sincetheprogrambegan7loggerheads(7mortalitiesoutof2583capturesor0.3%),13greenturtles(13mortalitiesoutof1165capturesor1.1%),and1Kemp'sridley(1mortalityoutof29capturesor3.5%)drownedincapturenets (Tables',3and6).Leatherbackandhawksbillhadnoincidentsofdrowning.Turtlescandrownwhentheybecome,tightlyentangled,whenthenetbecomesfouledonthebottom,orwhenasmallturtlebecomestangledwithalargeturtleandisheldunderwater.SinceApril1990,whenthenetshavebeenconstantlytendedduringdaylighthours,therehavebeenzerologgerheadsand3greensdrownedincapturenets(Table6).Oftheindirecteffects,interruptionofmigrationisthemostdifficulttoevaluate,sincethemigratoryhabitsatthelifestagesofthevariousspeciesarepoorlyunderstood.Aslongasentrapmenttimesinthecanalareheldtoaminimum,nosignificantimpactisexpected.Lossofnestingopportunitiesforadultfemalesmaybeexpectedwhenentrapmenttimeduringnestingseasonexceedstheinternestinginterval.Therehavebeenseveralinstancesofturtlesemergingfromthecanalandnestingonthecanalbank.Inatleastonecase,thenestwasnotdiscoveredandhatchlingsenteredthecanal,wheremostwerekilledbecausetheywerecarriedbycurrentstotheplant(B.Peery,pers.comm.,1995).However,byminimizingresidencetimeforadultturtlesinthecanal,thisfactorcanbecontrolled.Lossofmatingopportunitiescanoccurwhenanadultistrappedinthecanalwithoutaccesstotheoppositesexinthematingseason.Thedurationofthematingseasonsforthevariousspeciesispriortotheonsetofnesting.Thus,byminimizingresidencetimeinthecanal,thisfactorcanalsobecontrolled.Basedoncapturedata,approximately95%ofturtlesareingoodrelativeconditionbasedonweight,activity,parasiteinfestation,barnaclecoverage,wounds,injuriesandotherabnormality.(e.g.lossofanappendage)whichmightaffectoverallvitality.Howevertheother5%oftheturtlepopulationfromthecanalareinpoorconditionandprobablyenteredthecanalinthatcondition(Quantum,1994).Someofthemortalitiesreportedasunknownfloating(Table6)areputintothiscategorybecauseacauseofdeathcouldnotbedetermined.However,theturtles42 0'I conditionisverypoorbasedonvisualobservation(e.gtheanimalisunderweight,isbarnaclecoverage,andlacksmuscletone).,7.1.1.1ImpactstoLoggerheadTurtlesTables2and3showthetotalcapturesandtotalmortalitiesforloggerheadsthroughoutthehistoryofthecanalcaptureoperation.Figure15showsthedecreasingmortalityforloggerheadsexpressedasapercentageofcaptures,reflectingimprovementsinmaterialsandmethodsemployedinthecanalcaptureprogram.Sincetheevaluationoflow-flowconditionsin1984,andsincethedeploymentofaneffectivebarriernetin1987,drowninginbarriexnetandunknowncausesaretheonlysignificantidentifiablesourcesofentrapmentrelatedmortalitiesforloggerheads(Table6).Injuriessustainedbyloggerheadsintransitthroughtheintakepipesandinthecanalareminoranddonotsignificantlyimpactloggerheads.Intheperiod1976-1990,therewere7mortalitiesassociatedwithhydraulicandclamshelldredginginthecanaland2mortalitiesassociatedwithfishgillnettingrequiredforaseparatebiologicalmonitoringprogram(Table6).Thefishgillnettingprogramhasbeendiscontinuedsothiswillnolongerbeasourceofmortality.Withtherecenthydraulicdredgingoftheintakecanalin1994andtheuseofatemporary4inch(10.2cm)barriernettoisolatethedredgingarea,therewasnomortalityassociatedwiththisprogram.Thusanyfuturedredgingprograminthewesternpartofthecanalshouldnotbeaproblemwiththeinstallationofthe5inch(12.7cm)netbeingplannedbyFPL.Becauseoftheirsize(subadultoradult),predationriskisalsoconsideredinsignificant.Injuryandstressduringcaptureisalsolikelyinsignificantbecauseoftheefforttominimizehandlingtime.Effectson'theinterruptionofmigrationareunknown,butareminimizedbytheshortresidencetimestypicalforloggerheads.Since1983,anaverageof25adultfemaleloggerheadsperyearhavebeencapturedinthecanal.Theirtypicallyshort43 residencetimes(meanresidencetimeof1.5days;Section6.1.7)renderslossofnestingandmatingopportunitiesinsignificant.Currentpermitconditionscallforincreasedcaptureefforttobeemployedwheneveranadultturtleremainsinthecanallongerthan7days.Undertheseconditions,netsaredeployed7daysaweekupto12hoursadaytominimizeresidencetimefortheseadultanimals.NosignificantimpacttologgerheadturtlepopulationsisexpectedfromthecontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlant.7.1.1.2ImpacttoGreenTurtlesTables2,3and4showsthetotalcapturesandtotalmortalitiesforgreenturtlesthroughoutthehistoryofthecanalcaptureoperation.Figure16showsthetrendingreenturtlemortalityexpressedasapercentageofcaptures.Incontrasttothesituationwiththeloggerhead,thedeploymentofbarriernetshasnotbeeneffectiveinconfiningallgreenturtletotheportionofthecanaleastofA1A.Greenturtlessmallerthanabout11.3inches(28cm)inwidthcanpassthroughthebarriernet,whichcangreatlyincreaseresidencetimes.ResidencetimesforgreenturtlespassingtheA1Abarrierareunknownandmaybesignificant.CalculatedresidencetimesarebasedonlyonturtlessightedeastofAlA,whereobservationsaresufficientlyrigorous.TurtlesrecoveredwestofA1Aaremoreoftenunderweight,whichmayreflectlongresidencetimes.Forthefirstsixmonthsin1995,95or23%ofthegreenscapturedintheintakecanalpassedthroughtheexisting8inch(20.3cm)barriernetandweretakenattheintakewells(Table6).Basedonthisfinding,FPLproposedusingasmallermeshnet(5inchor12.7cm)topreventthesesmallersizeturtlesfrommovingdowntheintakecanaltowardstheplant.Basedonthesizefrequencydistributionof414greenturtlescapturedin1995(Figure12),100%ofallgreenturtlesshouldtheoreticallybepreventedfromreachingtheintakewells.Exposuretopredatorsmaybesignificantlyaffectinggreenturtles.Thelargejewfishobservedinthecanalhavebeen44

documentedtofeedonsmallseaturtles(Randall,1967).Thereisnowaytoquantifythispredationbyjewfishorotherlargepredatoryfishinthecanal,-butitdoesoccuratalowlevel.Drowningincapturenetshasoccurredthroughoutthehistoryoftheprogram(Section7.1.1,13greenturtlemortalitiesintheperiod1976-June30,1995;seeTable6),evenafterthepresentsystemofconstantlytendednetswasinstitutedin1990.Mortalitycanbeexpectedtocontinueatlowlevels.Lossofnestingandmatingopportunitiesforgreenturtlesisnotassignificantasforloggerheads,sincefewadultgreensareentrained(10adultsin18years).Drowningintheintakepipes,injuriessustainedduringpassageintheintakepipesorfromthecaptureprogram,andinterruptionofmigrationdonotpresentsignificantimpactstogreenturtlesunderpresentoperatingconditions.NosignificantimpacttogreenturtlepopulationsisexpectedfromthecontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlant.7.1.1.3ImpactstoLeatherbackTurtlesLeatherbackcapturesareinfrequentattheSt.LuciePlant,withonly18capturedsincemonitoringbeganin1976(Tables2and3).NoleatherbackmortalitieshavebeenrecordedattheSt.LuciePlant(Tables2,3and6).Residencetimesforleatherbacksareextremelyshort,nevermorethanafewhoursfromfirstsightingtocapture.Theonlyimpactstoindividualleatherbacksareinjuries'sustainedintheintakepipesandinthecanal,andinjuriesand'stresssustainedduringcapture.Duetotheirlackofahardshellandtheirdelicateskin,leatherbacksinvariablysustaincutsfromthecapturenetsandfromcontactwithhardsurfacesinthecanal.Allinjuriesweresuperficial,andnonehaverequiredveterinaryattention.NosignificantimpacttoleatherbackturtlepopulationsisexpectedfromthecontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlant.45 7.1.1.4ImpactstoHawksbillTurtlesOnly13hawksbillturtleshavebeencapturedattheSt.LuciePlantintheperiod1976-June30,1995,andnomortalitieshavebeenrecorded(Tables2,3and6).NosignificantimpacttohawksbillturtlepopulationsisexpectedfromthecontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlant.7.1.1.5ImpactstoKemp'sRidleyTurtlesAtotalof29Kemp'sridleyturtleshavebeencapturedattheSt.LuciePlantsince1976(Tables2and3),allbutoneofwhichwerejuvenilesorsub-adults.TherehavebeenfourKemp'sridleymortalities(Tables2,3and6).PotentialentrapmentimpactstoKemp'sridleysinclude:lossofbodyconditionduetolongresidencetimes,exposuretopredatorsanddrowningincapturenets.Interruptionofmigrationforthisspeciesisunclear,butlikelynotsignificant.Lossofmatingornestingopportunitiesisnotconsideredsignificant,sinceadultsareextremelyuncommon.Duetotheirsmallaveragesize,Kemp'sridleyshaveoftenbeenabletopenetratethebarriernets,contributingto.longerresidencetimes.Theirsmallsizealsosubjectsthemtoahigher,butunknown,riskofpredation.OneKemp'sridleywasfoundtohavedrownedin'capturenetin1986.Modificationstocaptureproceduressincethen(e.g.thenetsdonothaveleadlinesandtheyaremonitoredwhenevertheyarefished)havelessenedthelikelihoodofthisimpact.TheKemp'sridleyhasthehighestoverallmortalityrateofanyspeciesinthecanalsystemat13.8%(4mortalitiesfrom29captures).Withthe5inch(12.7cm)meshbarriernetbeingproposedbyFPL,allKemp'sridleysshouldbepreventedfrommovingdownthecanalsystemtowardstheplant.NosignificantimpacttotheKemp'sridleyturtlepopulationsisexpectedfromthecontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlant.

7.1.2ImpactsDuetoImpingementonBarrierNetsandtheIntakeWellsImpactsduetoimpingement/entanglementonbarriernetsandintheplant'sintakewellscannotbeeasilycharacterized.Deadturtlesinthecanalthatdriftwiththecurrentwillberecoveredatthesesitesbut,exceptforcasesofobviousentanglementinbarriernetsormechanicalinjuriesintheintakewells,thecauseofdeathgenerallycannotbedeterminedandisclassifiedasunknown(Table6).BarriernetdesignshaveimprovedmarkedlyoverthehistoryoftheSt.LuciePlant'soperation,andhavecontributedtotheoverallreductioninmortalitysince1990(Table6).Increasedeffortstohandcaptureturtlesarealsoeffectiveincapturingsick,injuredorotherwiseinactiveturtlesthatareathigherriskofimpingement.Mechanicalinjuriesintheintakewellscanoccurwhentherakesusedtoremovelargedebrisfromtheintakewellsstrikeorcrushaturtle.Carefulobservationbyequipmentoperatorspriortoloweringtherakeminimizesthissourceofmortality.Withthe5inch(12.7cm)meshbarriernetbeingproposedbyFPL,allturtlesshouldbepreventedfrommovingdownthecanalsystemtowardstheplantandbeingexposedtothistypeofmechanicalinjuryintheintakewells.7.1.2.1ImpactstoLoggerheadTurtlesSincebarriernetimprovementswerecompletedin1990,oneloggerheadhasbeenfoundentangledinthebarriernets,andsixloggerheadshavebeenrecoveredfloatingat,butnotentangledin,thebarriernet(Table6).Nologgerheadhasbeencapturedattheintakewellssincethebarriernetimprovementshavebeencompleted.NosignificantimpacttologgerheadturtlepopulationsisexpectedfromthecontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlant.47 7.1.2.2ImpactstoGreenTurtlesSmallgreenturtlesofcarapacewidthsmallerthan11.3inches(28.7cm)havebeenabletopenetratethecurrentbarriernetandabletoreachtheplant'sintakewells.DailychecksoftheintakewellsinstitutedinJanuary,1995areusefulinremovingturtlesfromtheseareasbeforetheybecomeexhaustedswimmingagainstthecurrentsandimpingedagainstthetrashracks.Thisprocedurehasreducedbutnoteliminatedmortalitiesaltogether(Table4).TurtlesthatbreachtheA1AbarriernetandarenotstrongenoughtoswimawayfromtheUIDSbarrierareimpinged.ThedesignoftheUIDSbarrier(seeSections4.2.5and6.1.3)issuchthatitismorelikelytoresultindrowningofanimpingedturtlethantheA1Abarriernet.Barriernetimprovementsscheduledin1995shouldeliminateimpingementattheintakewellsandattheUIDSbarrier.NoimpacttogreenturtlepopulationsisexpectedfromthecontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlant.7.1.2.3ImpactstoLeatherbackTurtlesNoimpingementeffectstoleatherbackturtleshavebeenexperiencedorareexpected,andthereforethereisnosignificantimpacttoleatherbackturtlepopulationsfromthecontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlant.7.1.2.4ImpactstoHawksbillTurtlesNosignificantimpingementeffectstohawksbillturtleshavebeenexperiencedorareexpected,andthereforethereisnosignificantimpacttohawksbillturtlepopulationsfromthecontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlant.7.1.2.5ImpactstoKemp'sRidleyTurtlesImpingementimpactstoKemp'sridleyturtlesareessentiallythesameasthosediscussedaboveinsection7.1.2.2forgreenturtlesbecauseofsimilarsizes.Barriernetimprovementsscheduledfor1995willalsobeeffectiveinreducingthepotentialforKemp'sridleyimpingementmortality.48 I

i.,NosignificantimpacttoKemp'sridleyturtlepopulationsisexpectedfromthecontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlant.7.2OtherPotentialStationImpacts7.2.1ThermalEffectsSea'turtlenestingstudiesconductedsince1971attheSt.LuciePlanthavefoundnosignificanteffectsofthethermaldischargeorotheraspectsofplantoperationonseaturtlenestingonHutchinsonIsland(Quantum,1994).AstudytoassesstheimpactofthermaldischargesonemerginghatchlingsswimmingnearthedischargeconcludedthattheSt.LuciePlantoperationdoesnotaffectswimmingperformance(O'ara,1980).NosignificantthermalimpactstoseaturtlesareanticipatedfromcontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlant.7;2.2ChlorinationChlorinationisusedtocontrolbiofoulinginthecondensertubes,heatexchangers,andotherauxiliaryequipment.Inaccordancewithwater-dischargepermitrequirements,totalresiduallevelsinthedischargecanaldonotexceed0.1mg/1.Giventhatchemicalbreakdownofsodiumhypochloriteinseawaterisrapid,andmixingwithambientseawateristhoroughattheoffshoredischarge,chlorinationisnotanticipatedtoimpactseaturtles.WiththeoperationoftheTraproggecleaningsysteminbothUnits(Section7.2.4),theuseofchlorineforcondensercleanlinesswillbegreatlyreducedoreliminated.NosignificantimpactstoseaturtlesasaresultofchlorinationareanticipatedfromcontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlant.7.2.3LightsAvegetativelightscreenandshieldingofsecuritylightingisemployedtoeliminatedirectlightingofthebeach.Thelackofdocumentedhatchlingdisorientationincidentsoncompanypropertyindicatethatthesemeasuresareeffective.Highratesofnesting attheplantsiteindicatesthatadultfemalesarenotdeterredfromusingtheplantsitebeaches.NosignificantimpactstoseaturtlesonthebeachorinthewaterasaresultofplantlightingareanticipatedfromthecontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlant.7.2.4TaproggeCleaningSystemTheTaproggecleaningsystemwillbeinstalledonUnit2inthefallof1995andonUnit1inthespringof1996.Thissystemutilizessmallspongeballs(approximately7/8inch(2.3cm)indiameter).Someoftheballsareabrasivelycoated.Theseballsareinjectedintothecondenserinletandpassthroughthecondensertubestokeepthemfreeofmineralscaleandbiologicalfouling(Figure6).ThesystembeinginstalledattheSt.LuciePlantisanupgradedversionandthedesignincludesaninlet.20inch(5mm)debrisfilteranda.20inch(5mm)ballcollectionscreenonthedischargesideofthecondenser.Thescreeningsystematthecondenseroutletrecoverstheballssothattheycanbereused.Becausethisupgradedsystemincludesaninletdebrisscreen,itisexpectedthattheoutletscreenwillnothavetobecleanedasfrequentlyasasystemwithonlyanoutletballcollectionscreen.Theprimaryreasonforballlossiswhentheo'utletballcollectionscreenisopenedtoflushdebristhatcollectsonthecollectionscreen.Earlierversionsofthesystemdidnotincludetheinletdebrisscreens.Themanufacturer,TaproggeAmericaCorp.(pers.comm.,1995)indicatedtotheapplicant,thatdesignballlossfromthesystemiszero,butballlosshasbeendocumentedfromothersystemsinFlorida.Manycoastalpowerplantsemploysimilartypeofcleaningsystem.Inthattheballsareneutrallybuoyant,anyballsthatescapethecollectionsysteminthecondenseroutletmayescapetotheocean.Thesespongeballshavebeenfoundinfishstomachsanditispossiblethatseaturtlescouldalsomistaketheseobjectsasafoodsource.Itappears,however,thatnosignificantimpact50 fromingestionfromthesespongeballshavebeennotedforseaturtlesfromtheeastcoastofFloridawherethereisextensiveseaturtleactivity(DEP,pers.comm.,1995).NosignificantimpactstoseaturtlesareanticipatedfromcontinuedoperationoftheSt.LuciePlantusingthiscleaningsystem.7.2.5DredgingoftheintakecanalWiththeinstallationofthe5inch(12.7cm)barriernetintheintakecanalattheSt.LuciePlant,anyimpacttoturtleswestofthisbarriernetduetodredgingoperationswillbeminimalbecausethenetshouldexcludeallturtles.AnyfuturedredgingactivityintheareawestofAlAwillincorporatetheseaturtlemonitoringstaffattheplant.Thesepersonnelwillbeperformingdailyvisualsurveysofthecanalbetweenthe5inch(12.7cm)barriernetandtheintakewellstructures.Additionally,theoperatingpersonnelofthedredgewillalsobetrainedtowatchforseaturtles,andtheywillshutdownanydredgingifaseaturtleisseeninthevicinityofthework.Theinstallationofthe5inch(12.7cm)barrierneteastoftheA1Abridgeinthefallof1995willrequiretherelocationofapproximately1,500to2,000cubicyards(1,150-1,530cubicm)ofsand.Thisworkisnecessarytorestorethebottomcontourtoitsoriginalconfigurationsothatthenetcanbeanchoredcorrectlyandhavenogapsalongthebottom.FPLobtainedanU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineersGeneralPermitSAJ-17I199506056(GP-TM)toallowthisdredging.OnOctober25,1995,FPLsentalettertoNMFSrequestinganinformalconsultationonthispermitregardingseaturtlesandoutlinedmeasurestominimizeimpactstoseaturtles(Bouska,pers.comm.,1995).OnOctober26,1995,theNMFSrespondedandconcludedthatthesafeguardsdescribedintheBouskaletterwereadequateandtheactionswereunlikelytoadverselyaffectthreatenedorendangeredseaturtlesundertheNMFSpurview(Kemmerer,pers.comm.,1995).51 Anyfuturedredgingeastofthe5inch(27.3cm)barriernetoratthisbarriernetwillrequireaseparateendangeredspeciesconsultationwiththeNMFS.7.3CumulativeImpactoftheContinuedOperationoftheCirculatingWaterSystemoftheSt.LucieNuclearGeneratingStationonSeaTurtlePopulationsTheescalatingcatchratesforgreenseaturtlesattheSt.LuciePlantexperiencedin1994and1995makefuturecatchprojectionstenuous.BasedoncapturedatafromJanuarythroughJune30,1995,andfactoringinhistoricaldataonseasonalpatternsincatchratesofthedifferentspecies,FPLestimatesthe1995totalyearcatchat400loggerheads,850greenturtles,2leatherback,10Kemp'sridleys,and1hawksbill.Thesecatchratesareusedinthecalculationsofanticipatedlethaltakepresentedbelow.Minimumexpectedlethaltakeiscalculatedbymultiplyingthe1990-June30,1995mortalityrate(Tables2and3)foreachspeciesbytheprojectedcatchforthatspecies.Thistimeperiodwaswhendeployednetswereconstantlytendedand,thus,thechancesforturtledrowningwasminimized.Forloggerheads,atamortalityrateof0.83%(7mortalitiesoutof842captures),thisyieldsaminimumexpectedlethaltakeofthreeannually.Forgreenturtlesatamortalityrateof2.6%(23mortalitiesoutof879captures),theminimumexpectedlethaltakeis22annually.Minimumexpectedlethaltakeforleatherbacks,Kemp'sridleys,andhawksbillsiszero.Maximumexpectedlethaltakeiscalculatedbymultiplyingthe1976-June30,1995mortalityrate(Tables2and3)foreachspecies'bytheprojectedcatchforthatspecies.Thistimeperiodwaswhendeployednetswerenotconstantlytended(i.e.especiallyduringthe1976-1990timeperiod)and,thus,thechancesforturtledrowningwasmaximized.Themaximumrateforloggerheads(5.1%;131mortalitiesoutof2583captures)yieldsamaximumexpectedlethaltakeof20annually.Themaximumrateforgreenturtles(3.4%;40mortalitiesoutof1165captures)yieldsa52 maximumexpectedlethaltakeof29annually.ThemaximumrateforKemp'sridley(13.8%;4mortalitiesoutof29captures)yieldsamaximumexpectedlethaltakeofoneannually.Maximumexpectedlethaltakesforleatherbacksandhawksbillsarezero,butrealisticallyshouldbesetatone.Intheabsenceofreliabledataonthepopulationsandpopulationtrendsofseaturtlespecies,ananalysisoftheeffectsoftheabovelevelsoftakeonseaturtlepopulationsisproblematical,buttakeassociatedwithoperationoftheSt.LuciePlantisunlikelytosignificantlyaffectseaturtlepopulations.Thevarioussub-lethalimpactsdiscussedinsection7abovearealsobelievedtoposenosignificantimpacttoseaturtlepopulations.7.4OverallAssessmentTherefinementstotheseaturtlecaptureprogramoveritshistoryattheSt.LuciePlanthavesignificantlyreducedmortalityratesforentrappedseaturtles.Withtheinstallationofthe5inch(12.7cm)barriernetintheintakecanal(Figure2),'theoverallimpacttoseaturtlesfromentrapmentandimpingementwillbediminishedevenfurther.StewardshipprogramsbeingconductedbyFPL,suchasturtlewalks,assistancewithDEPindexbeachnestingsurveys,andassistancewiththeDEPseaturtlestandingnetwork,areconservationmeasuresthatwillhelptorecovertheseaturtlepopulationsofsoutheasternUnitedStates.ItisconcludedthatthecontinuedoperationoftheSt.LucieNuclearGeneratingPlantwillhavenosignificantimpactonseaturtlespeciesfoundinthenearshorewatersofFlorida..53 8.0ReferencesAppliedBiologyInc.,1977a.EcologicalmonitoringattheFloridaPower&LightCompanySt.LuciePlant.AnnualReport,AB-101.PreparedbyAppliedBiologyInc.forFloridaPower&LightCompany,Miami,Vol.1-2.AppliedBiology,Inc.,1977b.WormreefmonitoringattheFloridaPower&LightCompanySt.LuciePlant,April1976-April1977.AB-60,25pp.Applied'iologyInc.,1978.FloridaPower&LightCompany,'St.LuciePlantannualenvironmentaloperatingreport.AB-177.PreparedbyAppliedBiologyInc.forFloridaPower&LightCompany,Miami,Vol.1-2.AppliedBiologyInc.,1979.FloridaPower&LightCompany,St.LuciePlantannualenvironmentaloperatingreport.AB-261.PreparedbyAppliedBiologyInc.forFloridaPower&LightCompany,Miami,Vol.1-2.AppliedBiologyInc.,1980.FloridaPower&LightCompany,St.LuciePlantannualenvironmentaloperatingreport1970AB-324.PreparedbyAppliedBiologyInc.forFloridaPower&LightCompany,Miami,Vol1-2.AppliedBiologyInc.,1981.FloridaPower&LightCompany,St.Lucieannualnon-radiologicalenvironmentalmonitoringreport.AB-379.PreparedbyAppliedBiologyInc.forFloridaPower&LightCompany,Miami,Vol~.1-3.AppliedBiologyInc.,1982.FloridaPower&LightCompany,St.LuciePlantannualnon-radiologicalenvironmentaloperatingreport.AB-442.PreparedbyAppliedBiologyInc.forFloridaPower&LightCompany,JunoBeach,Vol.1-2.AppliedBiologyInc.,1983a.FloridaPower&LightCompany,St.LuciePlantannualnon-radiologicalenvironmentalmonitoringreport.AB-530.PreparedbyAppliedBiologyInc.forFloridaPower&LightCompany,JunoBeach,Vol.1.AppliedBiologyInc.,1983b.FloridaPower&LightCompany,St.LucieUnit2environmentaloperatingreport.AB-533.PreparedbyAppliedBiologyInc.forFloridaPower&LightCompany,JunoBeach,Vol.1.AppliedBiologyInc.,1984.FloridaPower&LightCompany,St.LuciePlantannualnon-radiologicalenvironmentalmonitoringreport.AB-553.PreparedbyAppliedBiologyInc.forFloridaPower&LightCompany,JunoBeach,Vol.1.54 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Bjorndal,K.A.1982.TheconsequencesofherbivoryforthelifehistorypatternoftheCaribbeangreenturtleCheloniamdas,pages111-116.Zn:BiologyandConservationo~seaTurtes.SmithsonianInstitutionPress,WashingtonD.C.Carr,A.1978.SurveyandcensusofseaturtlesinthewesternAtlantic.InterimreporttotheNationalMarineFisheriesService.21pp.Carr,A.F.,Jr.1986.Newperspectivesonthepelagicstageofseaturtledevelopment.NOAA-TM-SEFC-190.36pp.Dodd,D.K.,Jr.1988.SynopsisofthebiologicaldataontheloggerheadseaturtleCarettacaretta(Linnaeus1758).USFWSBiologicalReport88(1~%TVpp.Donnelly,M.1989.InternationaltradeinhawksbillseaturtleshellinthewiderCaribbean,pages45-47.In:Proceedingsoftheninthannualworkshoponseaturtlebiologyandconservation.NOAA-TM-NMFS-SEFC232.Ehrhart,L.M.1989.Astatusreviewoftheloggerheadturtle,Carettacaretta,inthewesternAtlantic,pages122-139.In:Proceedi~ngsothesecondWesternAtlanticTurtleSymposium.NOAA-TM-NMFS-SEFC226.FloridaDepartmentofNaturalResources.1977.NearshoremarineecologyatHutchinsonIsland,.Florida:1971-1974.FloridaMarineResearchPublication,No23,85pp.FloridaDepartmentofNaturalResources.1977.NearshoremarineecologyatHutchinsonIsland,Florida:1971-1974.FloridaMarineResearchPublication,No24,23pp.FloridaDepartmentofNaturalResources.1977.NearshoremarineecologyatHutchinsonIsland,Florida:1971-1974.FloridaMarineResearchPublication,No25,63pp.FloridaDepartmentofNaturalResources.1979.NearshoremarineecologyatHutchinsonIsland,Florida:1971-1974.FloridaMarineResearchPublication,No34,122pp.FloridaPower&LightCompany1985.Seaturtleintakeentrapmentstudies.SpecialDocument4/9/85.20pp.with7appendices.Fretey,J.andMGirondot,1990.NumberingandtaggingofleatherbacksforfouryearsonFrenchGuianabeaches,pages201-203.In:Proceedingsofthetenthannualworkshoponseaturtlebiologyandconservation.NOAA-TM-NMFS-SEFC-278.Miami,Florida.56 Gilmore,R.G.,Jr.1977.FishesoftheIndianRiverLagoonandadjacentwaters,Florida.Bull.FloridaStateMus.,Bio.Sci.22(3):101-148.Meylan,M.1989.Spongivoryinhawksbillturtles:Adietofglass.Science239:393-395.Meylan,A.B.,D.A.Bjorndal,andB.J.Turner.1983.SeaturtlesnestingatMelbourneBeach,Florida.II.PostnestingmovementsofCarettacaretta.Biol.Conserv.26:79-90.Meylan,A.B.,B.Schroeder,andA.Mosier.1995.SeaturtlenestingactivityintheStateofFlorida1979-1992.FloridaMarineResearchPublication,No.52,51pp.Mrosovsky,N.1983.Conservingseaturtles.BritishHerpetologicalSociety,London.176pp.Murphy,T.M.andS.R.Hopkins.1984.Aerialandgroundsurveysofmarineturtlenestingbeachesinthesoutheastregion,U.S.ReporttoNationalMarineFisheriesService,contractINA83-GA-00021.73pp.NationalMarineFisheriesServiceandU.S.FishandWildlifeService,1991.RecoveryplanforU.S.populationsoftheloggerheadturtle.NationalMarineFisheriesService,Washington,D.C.,64pp.NationalResearchCouncil,1990.Declineoftheseaturtles:causesandprevention.NationalAcademyPress.Washington.259pp.Nelson,V.A.andD.D.Dickerson.1989.Effectsofbeachrenourishmentonseaturtles,pages125-127.In:Proceedingsoftheninthannualworkshoponseaturtlebiologyandconservation.NOAA-TM-NMFS-SEFC-232.Miami,FL.O'ara,J.1980.Thermalinfluencesontheswimmingspeedofloggerheadturtlehatchlings.Copeia1980.(4):773-780.Pritchard,P.C.H.1982.NestingoftheleatherbackturtleDermochelescoriaceainpacificMexico,withanewestimateotewor~popuationstatus.Copeia1982(4)741-747.QuantumResources,Inc.1994.FloridaPoweraLightCompany,St.LucieUnit2annualenvironmentaloperatingreport.PreparedbyQuantumResources,Inc.forFloridaPower&LightCompanyJunoBeach,Vol.1,49pp.Randall,J.E.1967.FoodhabitsofreeffishesofthewestIndies.Stud.Trop.Oceanography.5:665-847.57

Schmelz,G.W.andR.R.Mezich.1988.Apreliminaryinvestigationofthepotentialimpactofaustralianpinesonthenestingactivitiesoftheloggerheadturtle,pages63-66.In:Proceedingsoftheeighthannualworkshoponseaturtlebiologyandconservation.NOAA-TM-NMFS-SEFC-214.Miami,FL.Shoop,C.R.andC.Ruckdeschel,1982.IncreasingturtlestrandingsinthesoutheastUnitedStates:acomplicatingfactor.Biol.Conser.23:213-215.U.S.AtomicEnergyCommission.1974.FinalenvironmentalstatementrelatedtoconstructionofSt.LuciePlant,Unit2,DocketNo.50-389.USAEC,DirectorateofLicensing,Washington,DC.Wilcox,J.R.andR.G.Gilmore,Jr.1976.SomehydrologicaldatafromtheIndianRiverbetweenSebastianandSt.LucieInlets,FloridaTech.Rept.17,HarborBranchFoundation,Inc.,Ft.Pierce,FL,104pp.Witherington,B.E;1990.Photopollutiononseaturtlenestingbeaches:problemsandnextbestsolutions,pages43-45.In:Proceedingsofthetenthannualworkshoponseaturtlebiologyandconservation.NOAA-TN-NMFS-SEFC-278,Miami,FL.Witherington,B.E.andL.M.Ehrhart,1989a.Statusandreproductivecharacteristicsofgreenturtles(Cheloniamdas)nestingin1'd,3g351-351.:~gdAtlanticturtlesymposium.NOAATech.Memo.NMFS-SEFC-226,PanamaCity,Florida.NTIS¹PB90-127648.Witherington,B.E.andL.M.Ehrhart,1989b.HypothermicstunningandmortalityofmarineturtlesintheIndianRiverLagoonsystem,Florida,U.S.A.Copeia1989(3):696-703.Witzell,W.N.1983.SynopsisofthebiologicaldataonthehawksbillturtleEretmochelsimbricata(Linneaus1766).FAOFish.Synop.137:58 REPTILESLatinName~hmreiiaCommonNameloggerheadturtlegreenturtleleatherbackturtlehawksbillturtleKemp'sridleyturtleStatusT=threatenedE=endangeredE'endangered,FloridapopulationonlyTable1.AlistofthreatenedorendangeredspeciesentrappedattheSt.LucieNuclearPowerPlant.

YEARLoerheadGreenSeclesLeatherbackHawksbillKem'sridleTotal197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199433(4)80(5)138(19)172(13)116(5)62(5)101(16)119(4)148(3)157(4)195(27)175(11)134(6)111(4)112(1)107(1)123(2)1471645(2)6(1)3(1)10(3)32(2)823(4)69(2)1422(1)3542(2)17(1)20(2)1261(2)179(1)193(4)6(2)5(2)233(4)86(7)148(20)175(14)126(8)97(7)110(16)142(8)220(5)172(4)220(28)218(13)181(10)133(5)132(3)121(1)187(4)337(1)361(4)TotalAnnualMean2394(130)131.2(7.2)751(28)41.7(1.6)170.9130.724(4)1.3(0.2)3199(162)175.9(9.0)'xcludes1976(partialyearofplantoperation).Table2.Totalnumberofseaturtlecapturesandnumberofdeadturtles(numbersinparenthesis)removedfromtheSt.LucieIntakeCanal,1976-1994 MonthLoggerheadGreenKemp'sridleyHawksbillLeatherbackTotalJanuary2859(2)89February1964(3)83March2583(4)108April4464(2)110May39(1)92(1)133June345286Total189L1)~41412}0609Table3.SeaturtlescapturedfromtheSt.LuciePlantintakecanalforthefirst6monthsof1995,tabulatedbyspeciesandmonth.Numbersinparenthesisaremortalities' MethodofCaptureNumberofTurtlesCaptureNets*HandCaptures"DipNet263(1)36('t)20(4)IntakeWells95(6)Total414(12)Thesecapturemethodsareoccasionallyemployedtorecoverdeadturtlesanddidnotcausetheassociatedmortalities.Table4.GreenturtlecapturesummaryattheSt.LuciePlant,1/1/95-6/30/95.Numbersinparenthesisaremortalities.

Year19821983NumberofWalksPeopleAttending245225198434619851468419861570219871382419881480119896001990147801991157892088319932197519942711841995271030Total21110,068Table5.TurtlewalksconductedbyFPLduringthetimeperiod1982-1995.

YEARSPECIESLoggerheadDROWNINGDROWNINGCAPTURENETSBARRIERNETSDROWNINGGILLNETSDREDGEINTAKEWELLUNKNOWNINJURYINJURYFLOATING80UNKNOWNINTAKEWELLS15UNKNOWNOTHER101976Green10throughKemp'sridley1989LeatherbackHawksblllLoggerhead1990GreenthroughKemp'srldleyJune301995LeatherbackHawksblllTable6.SeaturtlemortalitiesintheSt.Lucieintakecanalsystemtabulatedbyspeciesandprobablecauseofdeath.Dataaregivenfortheperiods1976-1989and1990-June30,1995.

FLORIDAIGULFOFMEXICOOIl5d.STLUCIEPLANTAOF+4,>a+-<<'ri'g.'Plv,V"';;i.',"I+~)%<<PD)+gp'w%$p,.*54~/+gQpg~OKEECHOBEEQ~(tKtNSOQSFtRO)Figure1.LocationoftheSt.LuciePlantontheeastcoastofFlorida.TheplantislocatedonSouthHutchinsonXsland,abarrierisland,andisabout7miles(11.3km)southofFt.Pierceandabout7miles(11.3km)northofStuart.

h+4HUTCHINSON>glSLAND.".INDIANRIVER4,INDIANRIVER,~<P"'l~'BIGMUD"'REEKINTAKEWELLSUIDSBARRIERDISCHARGECANAI.INTAKECANALFNEWBARRIERNETA1ABARRIERNET(IKlN5D42$FP-RO)'.INTAKESTRUCTURES.;WITHVELOCITYi>CAPSINTAKEHEADWALL".',.r~PrDRAWINGNOTTOSCALEFigure2.DesignoftheSt.LuciePlantshowingtherelationshipbetweenUnits.1and2andtheconfigurationofthecoolingwaterintakeanddischargesystemwithkeyfeatureslabeled.

ST.LUCIEPLANTINTAKEVELOCITYCAPSSUPPORTCOLUMNSUNDERSLAB70x~lJTNPIIl~/lII19'ISUPPORT15PIPECOLUMNSUNDERSLAB12'IPEFLOWLOWTIDEOCEANLEVELPLANFLOWSUPPORTCOLUMNSPYPICAL)5I9.5'~CEANBOTTOMDRAWINGNOTTOSCALEELEVATION(QtU95042SF3RO)Figure3.Diagramoftheintakestructureslocated1200feet(365m)offshoreoftheshorelineattheSt.LuciePlant.

ST.LUCIEPLANTUNDERWATERINTRUSIONDETECTIONSYSTEM(TYPICALSECTION)BARRIERNETSECTlON.C'r"'r"'r'."r>'r.'r.':.STRUCTURECr',',Q'.C,;'..,CU;;.'CQ'.85'.85':;:::0::::Cg::;jc,qc~r,'c'.C.Q."..:,:.'::0,.;r'..'c'~gg:.'r':",;r,;Q','c,CONCRETEANCHORFigure4.DiagramoftheUnderwaterIntrusionDetectionSystemattheSt.LuciePlant.

ST.LUCIEPLANTINTAKEWELLSTRUCTURE(SIDEVIEW)TRASHTROUGHCIRCULATINGWATERPUMPSTOPLOGGUIOE~r'r'o~TRASHRACK(GRIZZLY)INTAKECOOLINGWATERPUMPFLOWMIN.WATERLEVELEL.-10.50'RAVELINGSCREEN'0r5:r,;~WATERFLOW;~':ghtQ9$042$.FSROjFigure5.DiagramofanintakewellattheSt.LuciePlant.

CONDENSERST.LUCIEPLANTTAPROGGECONDENSERON-LINECLEANINGSYSTEMSIMPLIFIEDFLOWDIAGRAMCLEANINGBALLTRAVELINGTHROUGHCONDENSERTOKEEPTUBESFREEOFFOULINGANDSCALINGCLEANINGBALLINJECTIONMECHANISMCLEANINGBALLRECYCLECLEANINGBALLRECOVERYSTRAINERCIRCULATINGWATERFLOWTOTHECONDENSERTODISCHARGECANALFigure6.DiagramoftheTaproggesystemformaintainingcondensercleanliness.

260'C$.~9.'540'$'OLYPROPYLENEROPENETS'QUAREGRIDFLOATSSTAINLESSCABLESCBLK1"~ANCHORBLOCKSFigure7.DiagramoftheturtlebarriernetusedintheintakecanaloftheSt.LuciePlant.ThisnetislocatedattheAlAbridge(seeFigure2) n=140x=52.3cmwidth20.0SIZERANGEOFGREENTURTLECAPTURESSIZERANGEOFLOGGERHEADTURTLESCAPTUREDSIZERANGEOFLEATHERBACKTURTLECAPTURES15.0IllQXKIllNCo10.0ICI-CLO~O5.0DzIUz0DI-6)CoxIII+OIt)QQO4IIIIC)0QICIIllO0QQ0QIt)NOIllIAQOIllIllIt)OIllIAIA0It)ICIIll04QQO0QQOIllCtj+Oh,(rjCII~h'CII~h;~CtI~N~CIICtjh~CIIItjh'tjCIICIIh'tjCIICj&CIICIICtj&CjÃgsj&ttjCIIOh(jCII~Iv-ttjOl~CtlItjCtlICjC9CtlÃItjCOCl4CIIZttjC0)0C9IllCtj0OIDC9ehIOOh.<h,hN~CCIWCt)Co0)~0)Itj0)CtjCtlCVCtlC9C9C9W'ct'lOIOCCICOCCIWWWCOCOCO0)CtlCDIll/%~F8.ROCARAPACENIDTHS(CM)Figure8.Sizefreequencydistributionof140turtlescapturedintheintakecanaloftheSt.LuciePlantin1976-1978.Ameshsizeof8inch(20.3cm)squaremeshwouldexclude95%oftheentrappedturtlesformpassingthroughthissizebarriernet.

450.400350---300O250I-CPy2000cE~150R10050~y~I~cc-.I-I-YearCBTFigure9.Greenturtlescapturedfrom1976-1995(throughJune30,1995)fortheSt.LuciePlant.

700600500ClCL400o300E200LOL-I-COWcOCDC)hhcOCDCbCDCDCDYearcDo~olcocIllCOCDCDCDOlOlCDOlCDCDCDCDCDCDFigure10.Allspeciesofturtlescapturedfrom1976-1995(throughJune30,1995)fortheSt.LuciePlant.

lJ POLEBASEANDWINCHSYSTEMFORDROPPINGNETS.S.STRANDEDAIRCRAFTCABLECATENARYANDSUPPORTS(TYP)EO<CANALSLOPEsees'(oQogoQsoogeJesoeoo~4~JQsgo$sgoQ~~ooosooosos5'ET~@~gCANALSLOPE<Po0<CONCRETEANCHORSPYP)~seeseegoeooooo~eoooooososoo~ege/ogeooogoooepooooe,oQQsQs'(ego%o~OooeooegapQe%gKQ9$04%F1f~)Figure11.Conceptualdesignfora5inch(12.7cm)sguaremeshbarriernettobeinstalledintheintakecanaloftheSt.LuciePlant.

908070e60,.50Ez~40302520..10.0I-I~15-18-21-24-27-30-17.920.923.926.929.932.9-I-33-36-39-35.938.941.942-45-48->5144.947.950.9StraighthllaxlmumCarapaceWidth(cm)Figure12.Sizedistributionofgreenseaturtles(n=414)capturedintheSt.LuciePlantintakecanalduringthefirstsixmonthsof1995.Abarriernetof5inches(12.7cm)squaremeshor7inches(18cm)stretchmeshwouldexclude100%oftheturtlesfrompassingthroughthisnet.

TURTLEENTRAPMENTS-PSLINTAKECANAL60198419851986198719881989199050403020100JAJ0JAJ0JAJ0JAJ0JAJ0JAJ0JAJ0TURTLEENTRAPMENTMORTALITIES-PSLINTAKECANAL1984198519861987198819891990ACTIONUMIT~6scACTIONUMIT=41989TARGET~1IJAJ0JAJ0JAJ0JAJ0JAJ0JAJ0JAJ0TURTLENESTINGSEASON:MAY-AUGUST~COUNTERMEASURETOREDUCEMORTALITYCg>INSTALLNEWBARRIERNET(5/87)~ADJUSTBARRIERNET(11/88)Cg>VISUALMONITORINGOFTANGLENET(4/90)LUUPGRADESBARRIERNET(11/90)<5>ADJUSTBARRIERNET(8/85)Cg>CUTHOLESINBARRIERNET(10/86)cINSTALLINTRUSIONBARRIER(1/87-PERNRCREQUIREMENT}CQ>REMOVEBARRIERNET(3/87)IO4.CNS042$F13-R0)Figure13.Turtleentrapment,mortality,andcountermeasurestakentoreduceturtlemortalityintheSt.LuciePlantintakecanalduringtheperiod1984-1990.

SO4FT.PIERCEINLETN-A1O~EISTATEHWYA1AKOPaQFPLST.LUCIEPLANTLIMITOFCURRENTSURVEYwgX6p,'C~Cg~ST.LUNTIERIVER88CCDDEQEFFGGpllgST.LUCIEINLETORAWINGNOTTOSCAI.E~RKUiÃ042$F15RO)Figure14.Designationandlocationofnine1.25-kmsegmentsand361-kmsegmentssurveyedforseaturtlenesting,southHutchinsonIsland1971-1994.

18-16141210.OCO80COOlVICOC7lIClQlICOOl-I""I""==I-'CTIQ)I""---I-"---I-"-"-'ICACOCOCOCOCOCOOlQlOlOlFigure15.LoggerheadmortalityintheSt.LuciePlantintakecanalsystem,expressedasapercentageofcaptures,1976-1994.

45403530.>25O20~O40---=-----~10t~t197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994YEARFigure16.GreenturtlemortalityintheSt.LuciePowerPlantintakecanalsystem,expressedasapercentageofcaptures,1977-1994.Nogreenturtleswerecapturedin1976.

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