NC0024406_Annual Report_20070910

waOF 1 A TF9Q Michael F.Easley,Governor
- ( William G.Ross Jr.,Secretary
05 : . North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
- Coleen H.Sullins,Director
Division of Water Quality
September 10, 2007
Mr. Ron Lewis
Duke Energy
EHS Water Management Group •
526 South Church Street
'Charlotte, NC 28202-1904
Subject: Review of Duke Energy Carolinas Report, August 2006—Assessment of Balanced and Indigenous Populations
in Belews Lake for Belews Creek Steam Station. NPDES No. NC0024406
lackok
Dear M ewis,
The Environmental Sciences Section has reviewed your letter dated August 22, 2007, and have provided the following
comments:
In response to your concerns regarding Duke Energy's macroinvertebrate and plankton selenium monitoring program,
NCDWQ accepts the explanation concerning the use of the terms"kick net" and "sweep net", and will allow Odonata and
Ephemeroptera to be dropped from monitoring requirements due to the low abundances of these taxa in Belews Lake.
We-sincerely appreciate Duke Energy's commitment to using traditional nomenclature in all future reports to avoid any
further confusion concerning sampling methods.
In response to your concerns regarding Duke Energy's fisheries selenium monitoring program, NCDWQ accepts the use
of redear sunfish as a surrogate bottom feeding species to common carp and or catfish based on the following terms:
during future fish collections in Belews Lake, Duke Energy biologists continue their efforts to collect common carp and.
catfish as target species along with largemouth bass and redear sunfish. We understand that redear sunfish are primarily
benthic feeders, and that the likelihood of success for collecting carp and or catfish from the Down-lake and Discharge
regions of Belews Lake is low. However, in the event that any common carp or catfish are collected during Duke Energy's
future-sampling efforts,they should be retained for selenium analysis. Based on data that we have reviewed, carp and
catfish are longer lived species that generally have higher body burdens for contaminants than redear sunfish.
Furthermore, additional datasets that include selenium concentrations for both redear sunfish and carp or catfish at the
same site would further assist in evaluating the feasibility of redear sunfish as a surrogate. Therefore, it is important to
continue monitoring any selenium trends in these species, should they be collected.
We would like to thank you for Duke Energy's continued efforts in providing NCDWQ with NPDES monitoring updates in
regard to the Belews Creek Steam Station permit NC0024406. 'If there are any concerns or questions regarding the
comments provided above, please feel free to contact Eric Fleek or Jeff DeBerardinis at 919-733-6946, or at the following
email addresses:
eric.fleek ac ncmail.net
jeff.deberardinisancmail.net
Sincerely, •
Jimmie Overton
Chief, Environmental Sciences Section
cc: Trish MacPherson (ESS)
Eric Fleek (ESS)
Mark Hale (ESS),
Steve Tedder(WSRO)
Gil Vinzani (Eastern NPDES)
NA
a Carolina
- Naturally
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]
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