NC0005363_Monitoring (Information)_20190412

(as DUKE W. H.Weatherspoon Plant
491 Power Plant Rd
ENERGY® Lumberton, NC 28358
PROGRESS Mailing Address:
Kent Tyndall
L.V.Sutton Energy Complex
801 Sutton Steam Plant Rd
Wilmington,NC 28401
April 12, 2019 o 910.341-4775
f. 910.341-4790
Certified Mail#7017 2680 0000 1260 9423(2 copies)
Ms. Cyndi Karoly, Chief Water Sciences Section
NCDEQ-DWR
1623 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1623 RECElVEQIDNR/DWR
Subject: Weatherspoon's Proposed NPDES Fish Tissue Monitoring Plan APR 2 6 2019
Water Resources
Permiting Section
Dear Sir or Madam:
Enclosed is Duke Energy Progress LLC's (Duke Energy's) NPDES Sampling Plan. This plan has
been prepared and is being submitted in accordance with condition A. (14) of NPDES permit
NC0005363 for the Weatherspoon Steam Electric Plant.
Duke Energy appreciates your review of this study proposal. As required by the permit, upon
approval by the Division, the study plan will become an enforceable part of the NPDES permit.
If there are any questions, please contact either:
• Mr. Kent Tyndall, Environmental Professional and ORC-B for the W. H. Weatherspoon Plant;
phone [phone] ore-mail Kent.Tyndall @duke-energy.com; or
• Mr. Steve Cahoon, Environmental Specialist at our North Carolina Regional Headquarters,
phone [phone] or email [e-mail].
Please direct all correspondence to Kent Tyndall via the mailing address shown above.
I certify, under penalty of law, that this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision
in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the information
submitted.Based on my inquiry of the person or persons who manage the system,or those persons directly responsible
for gathering the information, the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true, accurate, and
complete. /am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of
fines and imprisonment for knowing violations.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Flanagan
Station Manager
C: Certified Mail#70172680 0000 1260 9430(1 copy)
Sergei Chernikov
NCDEQ NPDES Permitting Unit
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617

W. H. Weatherspoon Plant
NPDES Permit No. NC0005363
Fish Tissue Monitoring in the
Lumber River Study Plan
Lumberton, North Carolina
Robeson County
falls DUKE
Sej r ENERGY,
Water Resources
Duke Energy
April 2019
Raleigh, North Carolina

Table of Contents
Page
1.0 Introduction 1
2.0 Site Descriptions and Sampling Locations 1
3.0 Target Species 1
4.0 Field Sampling Methods 2
5.0 Laboratory Processing and Metals Analysis 2
6.0 Reporting 2
7.0 References 3
List of Figures
Page
Figure 1 Lumber River monitoring locations 4

1.0 Introduction
Duke Energy Progress, Inc. (DEP) owns and operated the W. H. Weatherspoon Steam Electric Plant
(Weatherspoon Plant) located on the north side of the Lumber River in Lumberton, Robeson County,
North Carolina. As required by the Weatherspoon Plant's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System(NPDES)Permit No.NC0005363,DEP will annually monitor arsenic,selenium,and mercury
in fish tissue in the Lumber River. This study plan is submitted for approval to fulfill the monitoring
requirements under Part I,Section A.(14)Fish Tissue Monitoring Near Ash Pond Discharge(Outfall
001 and Emergency Outfall 003).
2.0 Site Descriptions and Sampling Locations
Fish muscle tissues will be sampled from the Lumber River at two areas near the Weatherspoon
Plant(Figure 1). A location upstream(UP) of discharge point will serve as a reference location to
monitor background elements concentration in fish muscle tissue and a location in the immediate
vicinity of the discharge point (DI) will serve to monitor near-field uptake and assimilation of
elements in fish muscle tissue. The upstream sampling location (UP) will start approximately 3
river kilometers (rkm) above the discharge point and extend approximately 1.5 river kilometers
downstream. The discharge sampling location will start approximately 0.5 rkm above the
discharge point and extend approximately 1.0 rkm downstream.
3.0 Target Species
The proposed target species are based on prior sampling experience, species availability,
importance as fish food, predatory nature of certain species, and general trophic level. Proposed
target species will be Black Bass (Micropterus spp.) and Sunfish (Lepomis spp.). Duke Energy
will attempt to collect six individuals of each group. Specimens retained for analysis will be larger
individuals of older age and sufficient for human consumption. As recommended by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency(USEPA), an attempt will be made to ensure that the size of the
smallest individual sampled will not be less than 75% of the total length of the largest fish within
each species group (USEPA 2000). An attempt will be made to conform to this number and size
criteria;however,the number and size of each species will depend upon the availability of species
at a particular sampling area.
1

4.0 Field Sampling Methods
The following active and passive sampling methods may be employed to efficiently collect target
species: boat electrofisher (pulsed DC current), hoop nets, gill nets, and trotlines. Standard
sampling methods will be used for each gear type as outlined in the American Fisheries Techniques
Manual (Zale, Parrish, and Sutton 2012). Nets and trotlines will be checked at approximately 24-
hour interval during the sampling period.
Fish retained for trace elements analysis will be identified to species, measured for total length to
the nearest millimeter, weighed to the nearest gram, immediately placed in a labeled (date,
location,etc.)bag and stored on ice until they can be frozen. Only fresh fish that show no signs of
deterioration will be retained for analysis. Fish that have visible, open wounds that can allow
contamination will not be retained.
Other supporting environmental data will be collected during each trip. Water quality, consisting
of temperature, dissolved oxygen, and specific conductance will be monitored at the surface of
each sampling area during the sampling period. Other environmental conditions may be noted
during each sampling period include river flow conditions (discharge based on the nearest U.S.
Geological Survey gauging station), weather conditions, and other conditions that may assist in
data interpretation.
5.0 Laboratory Processing and Metals Analysis
All fish will be processed in the laboratory for metals analysis according to DEP procedure NR-
00107 Revision 4 Trace Elements Monitoring Laboratory Procedure (approved SOP on file with
the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality). Sample custody and tracking of
samples will be performed using chain-of-custody forms during transport to or from the laboratory.
Quality of vendor laboratory data, if applicable, will be ensured through the use of National
Institute of Standards and Technology tissue standards. The remaining processed sample will be
archived for two years if re-analysis is needed.
6.0 Reporting
Arsenic, mercury, and selenium concentrations (converted to µg/g fresh weight) determined from
individual fish tissue analyses will be reported. A report with the sampling methods,data analysis,
2

and conclusions will be prepared and submitted with the subsequent NPDES permit renewal
application as required by NPDES Permit No. NC0005363.
7.0 References
USEPA. 2000. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Guidance for assessing chemical
contaminant data for use in fish advisories,vol. 1.Fish sampling and analysis, third edition. EPA 823-
B-00-007.US EPA,Office of Water.Washington,DC.
Zale AV, DL Parrish, and TM Sutton, editors. 2012. Fisheries techniques, third edition. American
Fisheries Society.Bethesda,MD.
3

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Figure 1.Locations of fish trace element sampling transects,upstream(UP)of Outfall 002
discharge point and in the vicinity of the discharge(1)I)area.
4