NC0024406_Annual Report_20070605

June 05, 2007
Mr. David J. Coughlan
Duke Energy
Corporate EHS Services
McGuire Environmental Center
13339 Hagers Ferry Road
Huntersville, NC 28078
Michael F. Easley, Governor
William G. Ross Jr., Secretary
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Subject: Review of Duke Energy Report, August 2006 - Assessment of Balanced and
Indigenous Populations in Belews Lake for Belews Creek Steam Station.
NPDES No. NCO024406
Dear Mr. Coughlan,
Coleen H. Sullins, Director
Division of Water Quality
The Environmental Sciences Section has reviewed the 2006 NPDES report for Belews
Creek Steam Station summarizing station operations, water chemistry, and biological
data collected from 2001 - 2005.
Eric Fleek of the Biological Assessment Unit reviewed the Benthic Macroinvertebrate
section of the document and offers the following comments:
I have no objections to the changes in the monitoring program as detailed, in the
"RECOMMENDATIONS" section (Page 3-6) with the following exception:
On Page 3-7, it is noted that: "greater emphasis should be placed on collecting ample
macroinvertebrate biomass for elemental analyses to alleviate detection limit difficulties.
We therefore recommend that the number of groups of organisms being analyzed be
reduced from five to three and that the collection of Odonata and Ephemeroptera be
discontinued due to low abundance of these taxa."
Based on a review of the "Selenium Monitoring" protocols (Page 3-2) it is noted that:
"Benthic macroinvertebrate samples were collected with a 1,000 -Nm mesh kick net at
wadeable depths along the shoreline at each location".
Therefore, the following is recommended: Utilizing a kick net for lentic, edge habitats is
not appropriate and the use of such a net in these habitats may be contributing to the
alleged difficulty in obtaining sufficient biomass of Odonata and Ephemeroptera. To
properly sample lentic, edge habitats associated with lake margins a sweep net would be
a far more effective and appropriate sampling device. Consequently, DWQ recommends
that Odonata and Ephemeroptera remain as target groups for "elemental analyses" for at
least the next year and that a sweep net (with the same mesh size) be employed for
shoreline, wadeable macroinvertebrate collections.
NorthCarolina
Nlatund.ff
North Carolina Division of Water Quality 1621 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1621 Phone [phone]
Internet h2o.enr.state.nc.us 4401 Reedy Creek Rd. Raleigh, NC 27607 FAX [phone]
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer — 50% Recycled/10% Post Consumer Paper

Jeff DeBerardinis of the Biological Assessment Unit reviewed the Fisheries portion of the
document and offers the following comments:
In regard to Belews Lake fisheries assessments beginning in the spring of 2007, common
carp, Cyprinus carpio and either crappie species Pomoxis nigromaculatus and or
Pomoxis.annularis may be dropped from the list of targeted species based on the
following conditions:
1) As a replacement for common carp, attempt to collect an alternate bottom
feeding species such as channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus, white catfish
Ictalurus catus, brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus, or flat bullhead,
Ameiurus platycephalus for contaminant analysis. If the collection of a
suitable catfish species proves problematic, Duke Biologists should consult
with DWQ to adjust target species in future assessments.'
2) Continue to sample redear sunfish Lepomis microlophus as a mid trophic
level species- at all sampling stations in the lake for contaminant analysis.
3) Begin the collection and analysis of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides
at all stations in the lake as a top predator species for contaminant analysis.
Thank you for continuing to provide updates on Duke Energy's monitoring efforts with
regard to the Belews Creek Steam Station NPDES permit. If you have any questions or
concerns about any of the comments or monitoring changes listed above, please contact
either Eric Fleek or Jeff DeBerardinis at 919-815-1289, or at the following email
addresses:
eric.fleek(ccD-ncmail. net
9eff.deberardinisCcD-ncmail.net
Sincerely,.
Jimmie O rton
Chief; Environmental Sciences Section
cc: Trish MacPherson (ESS)
Mark Hale (ESS)
Steve Tedder (WSRO)
Gil Vinzani (Eastern NPDES)
Ronald Lewis (Duke Energy)
Keith Finley (Duke Energy)