The Brunner Island Power Plant: The Seasonal Effects of a Generated Thermal Plume on the Phytoplankton, Periphyton, and Macroinvertebrate Populations of the

Susquehanna RiverBy: Katharine Miceli and Dr. Jessica Nolan, Department of Biological Sciences, York College

INTRODUCTIONWhat is Brunner Island?

•Coal-fired power plant located on the west bank of the Susquehanna River

How is a thermal plume created?

•Millions of gallons of water are withdrawn from the river daily

•Water circulates inside the plant to cool steam produced by electricity-generating turbines

•Water acts to absorb heat from steam which results in increased water temperature

•Water discharged from the plant back into the river creating an area of warmer water known as a “thermal plume” (Adkins 2006)

Can a thermal plume be dangerous?

•December 2005: After a rainstorm, debris shut down one of two pumps used by Brunner Island for water withdrawal

•Less water being available to cool steam led to drastically increased water temperature in discharge channel of 115 °F

•Hundreds of fish killed (Klimanis 2005)

What is the biological significance of a thermal plume under normal conditions?

•Phytoplankton, periphyton, and macroinvertebrates are smaller organisms; more likely to be affected by temperature change

•Form the foundation of the freshwater food chain

How is seasonal variation proposed to influence the impact of the thermal plume?

•Summer/Fall Months: Thermal plume will mix with warmer river water and may exceed thermal tolerances of the organisms

•Winter/Spring Months: Thermal plume will mix with cooler river water which may bring temperatures in organisms’ optimal growth range

H0: No difference in phytoplankton, periphyton, and macroinvertebrate populations among sampling sites.

H0: No difference in phytoplankton, periphyton, and macroinvertebrate populations between seasons.

H1: Thermal effluent will enhance populations at site of discharge in colder months and decrease populations at outflow site during warmer months due to excessively high water temperature.

METHODS

Site #1: Upstream Site #2: Outflow

Site #3: Control Site #4: Downstream

Site #1 (1.9 miles from outflow)

Sites #2 & #3

Site #4

Measured/collected at each site

•Temperature (°C)

•Water

•Air

•Flow Rate (Site #2: Outflow ONLY)

•Dissolved Oxygen

•Chlorine (Often added to clean pipes)

•Nutrients

•Phosphorus

•Nitrogen

•Ammonia

•Periphyton-the “Toothbrush Method”

•Chlorophyll concentration (ug/L)

•Phytoplankton-Water Collection

•Chlorophyll concentration (ug/L)

•Macroinvertebrates-Surber Sampler

•Microscopic species classification

•Species Abundance per 0.09 m2

•Species Diversity/Evenness

•Shannon-Weaver Diversity Index

•Statistical Analysis-Two Way ANOVA

•Site vs. Site

•Summer vs. Spring

(5.5 miles from outflow)

RESULTS

SAMPLING

•Summer 2006

•August 2

•August 25

•September 25

•Spring 2007

•March 23

•April 6

•April 20

http://www.fandm.edu/Images/Departments/E&E/BrunnerA_6,5,3.jpg

What’s Important: A significant difference existed between seasonal water temperature at each sampling site. The water temperature measured at the outflow site in the summer and spring was significantly different from all other sites in both seasons.

What’s Important: No significant difference existed in chlorine concentration when comparing all sampling sites as well as seasons.

What’s Important: A significant difference was found in the abundance of periphyton at the outflow site between the summer and spring months. The abundance at the outflow site was significantly different from all other sites during the summer sampling only.

What’s Important: No significant difference existed in seasonal nitrate concentration at the upstream, island control, and outflow sites. Also, no significant difference existed in nitrate concentration when comparing the sampling sites. A significant difference existed between seasonal nitrate concentration at the downstream site.

What’s Important: No significant difference existed in macroinvertebrate abundance in the summer and spring at the outflow site and downstream site. The abundance at the outflow and downstream sites was significantly lower than the abundance measured at the upstream and island control sites only during the summer.

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS•The thermal plume generated from the Brunner Island Power Plant had a significant impact on the Susquehanna River by drastically increasing water temperature during both seasons at the outflow site. There were only slight changes in nutrient concentration over the course of the experiment. Changes in temperature, therefore likely played a large role in the observed trends.

•In a study conducted at a Korean power plant, a significant reduction in bacterial and zooplankton abundance was observed after treatments with chlorine alone as well as with a combination of chlorine and high temperature (Choi et al. 2002).

•Since no significant difference between chlorine concentration was observed among the sampling sites, it can be assumed that Brunner Island is either not adding chlorine to the water or it is at a concentration which does not adversely affect organisms.

•Drastically increased water temperature during the summer months, which may have exceeded the thermal tolerances of some species, resulted in a significant decrease in the macroinvertebrate abundance at the outflow site and this impact continued to be observed 5 miles downstream.

•Species evenness and diversity were unaffected by the thermal plume

•Increased water temperature during the summer months due to the thermal plume stimulated an increase in the periphyton population at the outflow site only. A particular species of periphyton that thrives at high temperatures could be taking advantage of the conditions caused by the thermal plume.

Acknowledgements: I would like to thank Dr. Nolan for helping me to develop and complete my project successfully. I would also like to thank Dr. Kleiner for his input, the use of his canoe, and for taking pictures that helped to make my poster visually appealing. Also, a special thanks to Sally Hoh who was always willing to open a lab for me.

LITERATURE CITED

Adkins, Sean. “Power Plant has Plans.” York Daily Record 31 Aug. 2006. A8+.

Choi, D.H., Park, J.S., Hwang, C.Y., Sung, H.H. and Cho, B.C. 2002. Effects of thermal effluents from a power station on bacteria and hetero- trophic nanoflagellates in coastal waters. Marine Ecology Progress Series [serial online] 229:1-10. Available from: www.int-res.com.

Klimanis, Daina. “Problems at Brunner Island Power Plant kills fish.” York Today 1 Dec. 2005. D1+.

CONCLUSION*The thermal plume generated by the Brunner Island power plant has a drastic impact on the water temperature subsequently leading to significant changes in the periphyton and macroinvertebrate populations of the Susquehanna River.*

0.0

2.5

5.0

7.5

10.0

12.5

15.0

17.5

20.0

22.5

25.0

27.5

30.0

32.5

35.0

37.5

40.0

42.5

45.0Summer

Spring

A

A

B B

B

C

AD

Figure 1. Mean water temperature (degreesCelsius) in spring and summer months atupstream, island control, outflow, and downstreamsites along the Susquehanna River.

Wat

er

Tem

per

atu

re (

Deg

rees

C

elsi

us)

0.00

0.25

0.50

0.75

1.00

1.25

1.50

1.75

2.00

2.25

2.50

2.75

3.00

3.25

3.50

3.75

4.00

4.25

4.50

4.75

5.00

5.25

5.50

5.75

6.00SummerSpring

ns

ns

ns *

Figure 3. Mean nitrate concentration (mg/L)measured in both spring and summer months atupstream, island control, outflow, and downstreamsites along Susquehanna River. "ns" indicates nosignificant difference. "*" indicates significantdifference. Ammonia and phosphorus were alsomeasured and showed no significant difference (datanot shown).

Nit

rate

Co

ncen

trati

on

(m

g/L

)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100SummerSpring

B

B

A

A

A

A

A

A

Figure 4. Mean macroinvertebrate abundancemeasured in both spring and summer at upstream,island control, outflow, and downstream sites alongSusquehanna River.

Macro

vert

eb

rate

s (

Rela

tive A

bu

nd

an

ce p

er

0.0

9 m

2)

0

250

500

750

1000

1250

1500

1750

2000SummerSpring

AA

A

A

A

A

A

B

Figure 5. Mean Periphyton abundance(chlorophyll concentration per cm2) in both springand summer months measured at upstream,island control, outflow, and downstream sites alongSusquehanna River. The graph corresponding tophytoplankton abundance is not shown since nosignificant trends between sample sites wereobserved.

Ch

loro

ph

yll

Co

ncen

trati

on

(C

hl/

cm2)

0.000

0.005

0.010

0.015

0.020

0.025

0.030

0.035

0.040

0.045

0.050

0.055

0.060

0.065

0.070

0.075

0.080

0.085

0.090

0.095

0.100SummerSpring

ns

ns

ns

ns

Figure 2. Mean chlorine concentration (mg/L)measured in both summer and spring months atupstream, island control, outflow, and downstreamsites along Susquehanna River. "ns" indicates nosignificant difference.

Ch

lori

ne

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n (

mg

/L)