Abstract
The Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant has several effects on the Bay resulting from its cooling-water discharge. Bay water is heated 6.7°C as it passes through the condensers, but mixing is rapid and the area enclosed by the +2°C isotherm is only 0.34 km2. Fish were attracted to the discharge area by warm water and food, and shellfish grew faster in the discharge area than elsewhere. The discharge area was also a haven for ducks in winter. The high velocity of the discharge (2.7 msec−1) scoured an area of bottom removing sediments and exposing hard clay; soft-sediment biota (infauna) were replaced by epifauna. Copper and nickel, released by corrosion of the copper-nickel alloy condenser tubes, are no longer of concern since those condensers were replaced by ones of stainless steel and titanium. Releases of radionuclides were small and uptake by routinely sampled commercial and noncommercial species was also small. Radionuclides of environmental significance were silver associated with oysters and cobalt associated with sediments. Releases posed no threat to the ecology of the area or to human health.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Literature Cited
Abbe GR (1982) Growth, mortality, and copper-nickel accumulation by oysters (Crassostrea virginica) at the Morgantown Steam Electric Station on the Potomac River, Maryland. J Shellfish Res 2(1):3–13.
Abbe GR, D’Apolito L and Loi T (1980) Studies of the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria, in Chesapeake Bay in the vicinity of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant during 1979. Prepared for Baltimore Gas and Electric Company. PA: Acad Nat Sci Phila: 20 pp.
Abbe GR, and Sanders JG (1986) Condenser replacement in a coastal power plant: Copper uptake and incorporation in the American oyster, Crassostrea virginica. Mar Environ Res 19:93–113.
Academy of Natural Sciences, Marine Sciences Research Center, and Edinger JE Associates Inc. (1980) Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant thermal plume dye studies, April and August 1979, and analysis of plume sites. Rept No. 80-10: PA: Acad Nat Sci Phila: 122 pp.
Allen GH, Boydstun LB and Garcia FG (1970) Reaction of marine fishes around warm water discharge from an atomic steam generating plant. Prog Fish-Cult 32:9–16.
Ash GR, Chymko NR and Gallup DN (1974) Fish kill due to “cold shock” in Lake Wabamum, Alberta. J Fish Res Bd Can 31:1822–1824.
Bulletin of the Sport Fishing Institute (1972) Thermal fish kill. Bull Sport Fish Inst 232: 7 pp.
Elser HJ, (1965) Effect of warmed water discharge on angling in the Potomac River, Maryland, 1961–62. Prog Fish-Cult 27:79–86.
Förstner U and Wittman GTW (1979) Metal pollution in the aquatic environment. New York: Springer-Verlag: 486 pp.
Hill JM and Helz GR (1973) Copper and zinc in estuarine waters near a coal-fired electric power plant: Correlation with oyster greening. Environ Letters 5:165–174.
Holland AF, Mountford NK, Hiegel MH, Kaumeyer KR and Mihursky JA (1980) Influence of predation on infaunal abundance in upper Chesapeake Bay, USA. Mar Biol 57:221–235.
Lacy G and Zeger S (1979) Thermal plume studies in the vicinity of Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, April and May 1978: Rept No. 79-2. PA: Acad Nat Sci Phila: 56 pp.
Landry AM Jr and Strawn K (1972) Annual cycle of sportfishing activity at a warm water discharge into Galveston Bay, Texas. Trans Amer Fish Soc 102(3): 573–577.
Marcy BC Jr (1976) Fishes of the lower Connecticut River and the effects of the Connecticut Yankee Plant. In: Merriman D and Thorpe LM (eds) The Connecticut River ecology study. Amer Fish Soc Monogr No. 2.
Martin Marietta Corporation (1980) Benthic invertebrates. In: Summary of findings: Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant aquatic monitoring program: Vol. 1: PPSP-CC-80-2. Annapolis, MD: Maryland Power Plant Siting Program: pp V-1 through V-14.
McLean RI, (1975) Preoperational environmental radioactivity levels associated with the Chesapeake Bay in the vicinity of the Baltimore Gas and Electric Nuclear Facility at Calvert Cliffs, Maryland. PA: Acad Nat Sci Phila: 35 pp.
McLean RI, and Long SM (1978a) Ambient radiation levels in the vicinity of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant as determined by thermoluminescence dosimetry, April 1976 through March 1978: PPSP-R-2. Annapolis, MD: Maryland Power Plant Siting Program: 47 pp.
McLean RI, and Long SM (1978b) Gamma-ray emitting radionuclide concentrations in selected environmental media from the vicinity of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, August 1975–May 1978: PPSP-R-3. Annapolis, MD: Maryland Power Plant Siting Program: 56 pp.
McLean RI, Magette TE and Zobel SG (1982) Environmental radionuclide concentrations in the vicinity of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, 1978–1980. PPSP-R-4. Annapolis, MD: Maryland Power Plant Siting Program: 38 pp.
Moore CJ and Frisbie CM (1972) A winter sport fishing survey in a warm water discharge of a steam electric station on the Patuxent River, Maryland. Chesapeake Sci 13:110–115.
Mountford NK, Holland AF and Mihursky JA (1977) Identification and description of macrobenthic communities in the Calvert Cliffs region of Chesapeake Bay. Chesapeake Sci 18(4):360–369.
Newman EM and Sage LE (1981) Zooplankton entrainment study. In: Non-radiological environmental monitoring report, Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, January–December 1980. Baltimore, MD: Balt Gas and Elec Co: pp 10.2–1 to 10.2–46.
Olson M and Sage LE (1979) Zooplankton entrainment. In: Non-radiological environmental monitoring report, Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, January–December 1978.
Baltimore, MD. Balt Gas and Elec Co: pp 12.2-1 to 12.2-57.
Roosenburg WH, (1969) Greening and copper accumulation in the American oyster, Crassostrea virginica, in the vicinity of a steam electric generating station. Chesapeake Sci 10(3–4):241–252.
Sandoz M and Rogers R (1944) The effect of environmental factors on hatching, moulting, and survival of zoea larvae of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun. Ecology 25:216–228.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1987 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Abbe, G.R. (1987). Thermal and Other Discharge-Related Effects on the Bay Ecosystem. In: Heck, K.L. (eds) Ecological Studies in the Middle Reach of Chesapeake Bay. Lecture Notes on Coastal and Estuarine Studies, vol 23. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6355-2_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-6355-2_10
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-96668-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-6355-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive