From discharge structures, the heated (25°F AT) cooling water flows 

 through an abandoned granite quarry and into LIS through a channel 

 equipped with a fish barrier. 



The potential Impact of MNPS on LIS has been the focus of study 

 since 1968. The early biological investigations included exposure panel 

 monitoring of woodboring and fouling communities, and surveys of the 

 intertidal sand, rocky shore and shore-zone fish communities. The 

 program scope Increased considerably between 1970 and 1973 with the 

 addition of heavy metal analyses of seawater and mollusc tissue, studies 

 of pelagic (gill net) and demersal fishes (trawls) , lobster and winter 

 flounder (Niantic River) population studies, subtidal benthos and 

 offshore ichthyoplankton (Battlle - W. F. Clapp Laboratories 1975; NUSCo 

 1975). 



Studies of entrained plankton began in 1970 when Unit 1 became 

 operational (Carpenter 1975); studies at Unit 2 began in 1975. To 

 date, the routine monitoring and special investigations have covered 

 nearly all aspects of plankton, including ichthyoplankton, 

 phytoplankton, and zooplankton. Effects of chlorination and temperature 

 on entrained phytoplankton were addressed as well as latent mortality of 

 zooplankton after condenser passage (Carpenter et al. 1972; Carpenter et 

 al. 1974). Emphasis was placed on entrained ichthyoplankton and the 

 relative impact on fish populations in surrounding waters (NUSCo 1976, 1983) 



Impingement monitoring began at Unit 1 in 1971 and at Unit 2 in 

 1975. The program scope has varied from counting all impinged organisms 

 (1972-1976) to the 1982-83 program of three, 24-hour counts per week. 

 Special studies have evaluated the effectiveness of several fish 

 deterrent systems at the intakes. Including acoustic stimuli, underwater 

 lighting and a surface and bottom barrier (NUSCo 1976, 1979, 1980). 



The potential effect of three-unit operation on selected species 

 was also considered. Mathematical population dynamics models were 

 developed for the Niantic River winter flounder population (Hess et al. 

 1975) and for the regional menhaden population (NUSCo 1976). These 

 models Incorporated the predicted cntrainment and impingement losses 

 over the life of the power station. 



A number of hydrographic studies were conducted starting as early 

 as 1966 (NUSCo 1976). Predictive models for 1, 2 and 3 unit thermal 



