Abstract |
Virginia Electric and Power Company is building a 13,000 acre impoundment on the North Anna River to provide cooling water for a 14,000,000 kilowatt nuclear powered electrical generating facility. A detailed two-year water quality study has been made of the pre-impoundment basin. Results show that much of the pre-impoundment basin has been damaged by erosion, heavy metals, and acid drainage from old pyrite mine tailings on Contrary Creek. The river, below the confluence with Contrary Creek, is in the process of biological recovery, but the molluscan species have failed to become re-established within the pre-impoundment area. Increased discharge rates due to rainfall also produced high coliform counts. Construction of the impoundment is expected to ameliorate the effects of acid drainage and high coliform counts and hasten the recovery of the North Anna River below the dam site. (Author) |