Large storm-generated swells prevented us from

completing the random stations in the North Control.

The project has shifted to a low level of field work to allow for analysis of all data and preparation of the final report. Field work during the next year will be confined to monitoring permanent stations.

Four permanent subtidal stations were surveyed during the quarter, including a new station located at the entrance of Diablo Cove. Nine random 30m2 stations and 32 - 1/4m2 quadrats were also completed. It appears, from this year's subtidal studies, that there has been a decline in the

abundance of lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus, and kelp greenling, Hexagrammos decagrammus, in the Diablo Canyon area since our studies began in 1974.

A few sea otters continue to raft and forage in

Lion Rock Cove.  (12pp.

Gotshall, Daniel W.

Grant, John J.

Laurent, Laurence L.

English

Aquatic Commons

UDSS hmd i i i ~  k! i . l . g i ? ~  ka50r~torir- 
P. 0. -m 22.7 
Mcm Lancflng, Calif. S503' 
State of California 
The Resources Agency 
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAIE 
DIABLO CANYON POWER P W I T  SITE ECOLOGICAL STUDY 
QUARTERLY REPORT NO, 18 
October 1 - Decelnber 31, 1977 
Daniel W. Gotshall 
Laurence L .  Laurent 
and 
John J. Grant 
PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY 
COOPERATIVE R E S W C H  AGREEl.IENT 5-26-77 
MARINE RE SOURCES 
Administrative Report No.78-8 
March 1978 
DIABLO CANYON POWER PLANT SITE ECOLOGICAL STUDY~' 
QUARTERLY REPORT NO. 1 8  
October 1 - December 31, 1977 
Daniel W. Gotshall  
Laurence L. Laurent 
and 1 John J. ~ r a n t 2  
ABSTRACT 
Large storm-generated s w e l l s  prevented us from 
completing the  random s t a t i o n s  i n  the  North Control. 
The p r o j e c t  has  s h i f t e d  t o  a low l e v e l  of f i e l d  
work t o  allow f o r  a n a l y s i s  of a l l  d a t a  and pre- 
pa ra t ion  of t h e  f i n a l  r epor t .  F ie ld  work during 
the  next  year w i l l  be confined t o  monitoring 
permanent s t a t i o n s .  . 
Four permanent s u b t i d a l  s t a t i o n s  were surveyed 
during the  quar ter ,  inc luding a new s t a t i o n  loca ted  
a t  the  ent rance  of Diablo Cove. Nine random 30m2 
s t a t i o n s  and 32 - 1/4m2 quadrats  w e r e  a l s o  com- 
ple ted .  It appears, from t h i s  year ' s  s u b t i d a l  
s tud ies ,  t h a t  the re  has been a decl ine  i n  the  
abundance of lingcod, Ophiodmr eZongatus, and 
kelp  greenling,  H e x a g r m o s  decagrannus, in t h e  
Diablo Canyon area  s i n c e  our s t u d i e s  began i n  
1974. 
A few sea  o t t e r s  continue t o  r a f t  and forage i n  
Lion Rock Cove. 
1/ Marine Resources Administrative Report No. 78-8, March 1978 
- 
2/ Operations Research Branch, P.O. Box 98, Avila Beach, 
- 
Cal i fo rn ia  93424. 
This is the 18th quarterly report submitted in partial fulfillment 
of Research Contract No. 5-26-77 between the Department of Fish and Game 
and the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Through this contract, 
the Department of Fish and Game is to conduct ecological monitoring 
studies to determine what changes have occurred since 1970 and 1971 in the 
baseline inventory of the marine biota, with special reference to fishes and 
abalones. 
Quarterly reports will be followed by annual reports. Full tables 
and species lists will be included in each annual report. 
Submitted To: 
Nolan H. Daines, Vice President 
Planning and Research Department 
Pacific Gas and Electric Company 
77 Beale Street 
San Francisco, CA 94106 
Submitted By: 
John Radovich, Chief 
Operations Research Branch 
California Department of Fish and Game 
1416 Ninth Street 
Sacramento, CA 95814 
INTRODUCTION 
W e  a t tempted t o  complete surveys  of random s u b t i d a l  s t a t i o n s  dur ing  
t h e  q u a r t e r ,  however, l a r g e  storm-generated s w e l l s  i n  l a t e  October and 
e a r l y  November prevented u s  from completing a l l  o f  t h e  s t a t i o n s  we had 
planned t o  survey.  
I n  November, we began interim monitor ing of  permanent i n t e r t i d a l  and 
s u b t i d a l  s t a t i o n s .  Counts of s e a  o t t e r s ,  Enhydra Zutris w e r e  continued. 
Laboratory t i m e  w a s  devoted t o  prepar ing  a l l  t h e  remaining d a t a  f o r  computer 
p roces s ing  and completing t h e  s o r t i n g  and process ing  o f  i n t e r t i d a l  and 
s u b t i d a l  a l g a e  samples.  
Th i s  r e p o r t  i s  a summary of work performed dur ing  t h e  q u a r t e r ,  and does 
n o t  c o n s t i t u t e  a Department of F i s h  and Game environmental  impact r e p o r t .  
Our annual  r e p o r t s  con ta in  p re l imina ry  a n a l y s i s  of d a t a ,  and t h e  f i n a l  
r e p o r t  of ou r  p reope ra t iona l  s t u d i e s ,  now i n  p repa ra t ion ,  w i l l  conta jn  
a complete a n a l y s i s  of a l l  t h e  d a t a  c o l l e c t e d  s i n c e  we began our  s t u d i e s  
i n  1973. 
EETIIODS 
Permanent Sub t ida l  S t a t i o n s  
Our survey methods f o r  permanent s u b t i d a l  s t a t i o n s  a r e  t h e  sane  a s  
presented  i n  prev ious  q u a r t e r l y  and annual  r e p o r t s  (Go t sha l l  e t  al. 1977).  
Random S u b t i d a l  S t a t i o n s  
Our methods have been d e t a i l e d  i n  prev ious  r e p o r t s  and w i l l  n o t  be 
repea ted  here .  
Permanent I n t e r t i d a l  S t a t i o n s  
Our methods remain t h e  same as i n  previous  r e p o r t s :  counts  a r e  made 
of a l l  abalone one m t o  e i t h e r  s i d e  of t h e  permanent t r a n s e c t ,  u s u a l l y  30-in 
i n  l eng th .  
Sea Otters 
Counts a r e  made wi th  b inoculars  once a day, weather permit t ing,  i n  
t h e  Lion Rock Cove, Diablo Cove and South Cove areas .  
NORTH c O N T ~ O L  AND PERMANENT CONTROL STATIONS 
Subt idal  A c t i v i t i e s  
One permanent con t ro l  s t a t i o n  (No. 15) was surveyed before  December 
storms prevented f u r t h e r  d iv ing (Figure 1 ) .  
Nine random 30-m2 and 32 - 1/4-m2 s t a t i o n s  were surveyed 
during October and November (Figure 2) .  W e  w e r e  forced t o  discontinue our 
random surveys i n  l a t e  November s i n c e  a l l  of t h e  s t a t i o n s  remaining 
t o  be surveyed were located  i n  shallow water  (depths less than 5-m) and 
storm-generated s w e l l s  made diving i n  these  depths too hazardous. 
Inver tebra tes  
Resul ts  
Counts of t h e  major inver tebra tes  remained cons i s t en t  with previous 
surveys. 
Fish  
Resul ts  
One of t h e  more i n t e r e s t i n g  observations made a t  both random and 
permanent s u b t i d a l  s t a t i o n s  t h i s  year has been the  almost complete absence 
of l ingcod,  Ophiodon eZongatus, and kelp greenl ing,  Hexagramnos decagrarrunus. 
Lingcod were observed a t  only 4.3% of t h e  23 - 30-m2 North Control s t a t i o n s  
t h i s  year. In 1974, l ingcod w e r e  present  a t  21% of the  survey s t a t i o n s .  
Kelp greenling w e r e  observed a t  36% of the  14 North Control s t a t i o n s  
i n  1974; t h i s  year they were present  a t  only 13% of the  23 survey s t a t i o n s .  
I n t e r t i d a l  A c t i v i t i e s  
None of t h e  random o r  permanent con t ro l  s t a t i o n s  w e r e  surveyed during 
Lion Rock Cove 
FIGURE 1. Location o f  Permanent Subtidal  and I n t e r t i d a l  S ta t ions  - Diablo 
Canyon Power Plant  S i t e .  (Permanent Subtidal S ta t ions  13 ,  14 
Abandoned; PI,  P2 and P 3  are  New Permanent I n t e r t i d a l  S t a t i o n s ) .  
. North Control 
. intertidal 
D iablo  Canyon 
crth Diablo Cove 
Diablo Point intertidal 
b i o ~  Rock Cove 
FIGURE 2.  Locations of Random Subtidal and Intertidal Stations - 
Diablo Canyon Power Plant S i t e .  
t he  quarter .  
Sea Otters 
R e s u l t s  
Sightings of sea o t t e r s  w e r e  made on only th ree  of 17 observation 
days during t h i s  quarter .  Two of these  s igh t ings  w e r e  of s i ng l e  animals, 
t he  t h i r d  was of a mother and pup. A l l  animals w e r e  observed i n  the  
Lion Rock area.  
DUBLO COVE 
Subtidal  Ac t iv i t i e s  
Permanent S ta t ions  11 and 12 w e r e  surveyed before  the  December storms. 
In addit ion,  w e  es tabl ished a new permanent s t a t i o n  a t  the  entrance t o  
Diablo Cove, on a reef adjacent t o  permanent s t a t i o n  No. 12. This new 
s t a t i o n  w i l l  allow us t o  monitor t h e  e f f e c t s  of t h e  thermal plume as i t  
leaves Diablo Cove. I n  addit ion,  t he  site was chosen because it still  
contains r e l a t i ve ly  l a rge  numbers of g iant  red sea  urchins, StrongyZocen- 
trotus franciscanus, as w e l l  a s  a subs tan t ia l  number of colonies of the 
hydrocoral, AZZopora caziformica. The a rea  a l so  contains a ra ther  r i c h  
assemblage of o ther  f i l t e r  feeders and the  l a rge r  species  of brown algae. 
This reef o r i g ina l l y  a t t r ac t ed  our a t t en t i on  ea r ly  t h i s  pas t  summer when w e  
observed, f o r  t h e  f i r s t  time s ince  w e  began our s tud ies ,  a small bed of 
b u l l  kelp,  IVereocystis Zuetkeana, t ha t  had developed on top of t he  reef .  
Fish  
Results  
The r e l a t i v e  s ca r c i t y  of lingcod and kelp greenling observed a t  North 
Control s t a t i o n s  was a l so  evident i n  Diablo Cove t h i s  year. Lingcod w e r e  not  
observed a t  any of t h e  24 random s t a t i ons .  When we  began our random sub- 
t i d a l  s t ud i e s  i n  1974, lingcod w e r e  present a t  21% of t he  random s ta t ions .  
In 1974, kelp greenl ing  were presen t  a t  50% of the  14 Diablo Cove 
random s t a t i o n s ;  however, i n  1977 we encountered them a t  only  21% of the  
24 random s t a t i o n s .  
Discussion 
The apparent d e c l i n e  i n  l ingcod abundance has  a l s o  been r e f l e c t e d  i n  t h e  
low partyboat  f i s h e r y .  I n  1973, s p o r t  a n g l e r s  averaged 0.38 l ingcod per  
day, bu t  i n  1976, t h i s  average dropped t o  0.16 l ingcod per  day. (L. Pinkas, 
Senior  Marine Bio log i s t ,  Ca l i fo rn ia  Dept. F i sh  & Game,  Long Beach, pers .  commun.). 
I n t e r t i d a l  A c t i v i t i e s  
No random sampling has been conducted a t  t h e  i n t e r t i d a l  s t a t i o n s  during 
this period. By mutual agreement between our p r o j e c t  and t h e  Department of 
Engineering Research, P.G. and E., t h e  per iod  covering the  Davidson season of 
1977-78 and t h e  Upwelling season of 1978 w i l l  b e  used t o  complete a n a l y s i s  
of t h e  preopera t ional  d a t a  c o l l e c t e d  from 1974 through 1977. However, per- 
manent s t a t i o n s  w i l l  continue t o  b e  surveyed during t h i s  t i m e .  
Only one permanent s t a t i o n  (3A and 3B i n  South Diablo Cove) was surveyed 
dur ing t h i s  per iod  (Figure 1). 
Inver teb ra tes  
Resul ts  
There w a s  no appreciable  change i n  t h e  b lack  abalone numbers from 
previous surveys i n  t r a n s e c t  3A. But t r a n s e c t  3B showed an approximate 
50% inc rease  i n  b lack  abalone. No red  abalone w e r e  found during t h i s  
survey on e i t h e r  t r a n s e c t .  
Discussion 
The increase  i n  b lack abalone a t  s t a t i o n  3B is  probably a r e s u l t  
of removing t h e  l a r g e r  animals and thereby exposing t h e  smaller, 
more c r y p t i c  abalone t o  our purview. 
-7- 
Sea Otters 
Results  
Although no permanent r a f t  of o t t e r s  e x i s t s  i n  Diablo Cove, they con- 
t inue  t o  forage there.  Charac te r i s t i ca l ly  broken sea  urchin tests and 
abalone s h e l l s  seen during dives ind ica te  tha t  t r ans i en t  o t t e r s  foraged 
in the  study a rea  during t h i s  quar ter .  
A l a rge  r a f t  of up to 100 o t t e r s  was usual ly  located a t  Pecho Rock, 
approximately 4-km south of our study site. This aggregation f luctuated 
in numbers da i ly .  
W - D A Y S  SPENT AT D U L O  CANYON POWER PLA,?T SITE 
October 1 - December 31, 1977 
Intertidal Surveys: 
P a r t i c i p a n t s  : 
Subtidal Surveys: - 
Participants : 
Participants: 
P a r t i c i p a n t s  : 
Par t i c ipan t s :  
Pa r t i c ipan t s :  
Participants: 
P a r t i c i p a n t s  : 
Participants: 
P a r t i c i p a n t s  : 
Participants: 
November 9 
Gotshall ,  burent,  Grant, Kelly 
October 3 
Uendell, Kelly 
October 5 
Gotshall, Wendell, Kelly 
October 6 
Gotshal l ,  Laurent,  Kendell, Keliy 
October 1 0  
Gotshall, Kelly 
October 12 
I a u r e n t  , Kelly 
October 1 3  
Go tshall, Laurent 
November 4,  21  
Got s h a l l ,  Kelly 
November 10 
Gotshall, Laurent , K e l l y  
November 11 
Wendell, Kelly 
December 7 
Gotshal l ,  Laurent 
Tota l  Man-Days During Quarter: 302 
Tota l  Man-Days a t  Site*: 229 
Tota l  S ta t ions  Surveyed: 4 7 
Travel  Time Man-Days**: 2 5 
Boat Time (Hours): 21.8 
* Excludes time of f  f o r  vacation,  s i c k  leave ,  
e t c . ,  but  inc ludes  both labora tory  a s  w e l l  
a s  f i e l d  time. 
** Includes a l l  t r i p s  away from site.  
PROJECT PERSONNEL : 
Daniel W. Gotshall  Senior Marine Biologis t ,  P ro jec t  Leader 
Laurence L L Lauren t Associate Marine Bio log i s t  
John J. Grant Ass i s t an t  Marine Biologis t  
S a l l y  A. Barker Stenographer 
James L. Kelly Seasonal A i d  
S a l l y  J. Krenn Seasonal Aid 


Diablo Canyon power plant site ecological study Quarterly Report no. 18; October 1 - December 31, 1977

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Diablo Canyon power plant site ecological study Quarterly Report no. 18; October 1 - December 31, 1977

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