recolonization by Stage III infauna, large-scale megafaunal bottom 

 disturbance does not occur. The presence of Stage III infauna, due 

 to their cryptic habit will lead directly to deeper foraging 

 activities by the larger, predatory epifauna. Alternatively, the 

 inherent qualities of the MQR site, which has apparently prevented 

 (or delayed) recolonization by Stage III infauna, may also be 

 influencing these large mobile taxa. 



As indicated in the June FVP survey, the integrity of 

 CLIS-REF as a reference station location appears to be in question, 

 possibly due to the intensive sampling program carried out there 

 since 1982 or other disturbance factors (e.g., regional hypoxia, 

 intense trawling activity). The low RPD depths (Table 4-2) tend 

 to support this conclusion; the loss over time of Stage III infauna 

 are also consistent with a progressive rebound of the apparent RPD 

 at this location. Because the undisturbed integrity of the 

 CLIS-REF station can no longer be assumed coupled with the inherent 

 shortcomings of having only one reference location for a monitoring 

 program (Hurlbert, 1984) , new and multiple reference stations have 

 been established for future monitoring at the CLIS site. 



A new location (CLIS-SE) for future disposal operations 

 was studied in the southeast quadrant of CLIS. The sediments and 

 benthic infaunal community at CLIS-SE were representative of 

 typical conditions for that region of Long Island Sound (Sanders, 

 1956; McCall, 1977) , and no dredged material was detected with 

 bathymetry, REMOTS® or sidescan surveys. The CLIS-SE location is 

 a low-kinetic region characterized by relatively deep RPD levels, 

 relatively high-reflectance sediment below the RPD boundary, but 

 primarily Stage I assemblages throughout the area surveyed (69% of 

 the images) . Only 17% of the images revealed reduced sediment 

 patches near the interface. Recovery of this location to its 

 pre-disposal successional status should be rapid (i.e., less than 

 one month) . Influence from disposal mounds to the west (STNH-S, 

 NH-74) and the north (FVP) should be negligible given the low 

 current regime at the CLIS site. 



4.2 Effects of Hurricane Gloria at CLIS 



Hurricane Gloria passed through the area on 27 Septeinber 

 with wind speeds reaching 160 km/h (100 mph) . This high energy 

 event created the potential for erosion and redistribution of 

 material at the disposal mounds. Analysis of precision bathymetric 

 surveys conducted in August (pre-storm) and October (post-storm) 

 1985 did not detect widespread loss of material from the six 

 disposal mounds surveyed (STNH-N, STNH-S, FVP, CS-1, CS-2, MQR). 

 Volume calculations (Table 3-1) revealed that only CS-1 experienced 

 a detectable loss of material. This could have been due to the 

 recent disposal operations occurring there; it is quite probable 

 that the newly disposed material had insufficient time to 

 consolidate completely. The resultant irregular small-scale 



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