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Title: Characterization of the current biological communities within the Nanticoke River in the vicinity of the Vienna SES

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5246734

Pursuant to a utility's intent to file for permission to build a generating station along the Nanticoke River, Maryland, a field program was conducted to update characterizations of major aquatic biota of the river in proximity to the existing power plant and a potential intake/discharge location. This characterization sampled five stations on the Nanticoke River, spanning 14 miles from Chapter Point to Riverton, between July 1988 and October 1989. During the study period, the juvenile and adult fish community was dominated by white perch, Atlantic menhaden, bay anchovy, hogchoker, and spot. Spring ichthyoplankton was composed of white perch, striped bass, yellow perch, and alosids, while summer ichthyoplankton was dominated by naked gobies and bay anchovy. Acartia tonsa, Eurytemora affinis and Bosmina longirostris dominated zooplankton samples. The phytoplankton community was composed primarily of diatoms, green algae, and monads. Polychaetes and crustaceans were the dominant macrobenthic taxa, with molluscs contributing to total abundance primarily during spring recruitment. The final report presents the results of fish, ichthyoplankton, zooplankton, and benthic surveys conducted between July 1988 and October 1989 in the middle portion of the Nanticoke River, Maryland. During the dry conditions of 1988, aquatic communities were dominated by estuarine species, while the lower saline environment of 1989 resulted in the presence of more freshwater species.

Research Organization:
Versar, Inc., Columbia, MD (United States)
OSTI ID:
5246734
Report Number(s):
PB-91-226860/XAB; CNN: PR86-043-01(90)
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Sponsored by Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources, Annapolis. Power Plant and Environmental Review
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English