Regulate temperature of water discharged from power plants

Overall effectiveness category Awaiting assessment
Number of studies: 1
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Background information and definitions

Warm water discharged from power plants into the ocean can change ocean temperatures and as a result affect local habitat use by marine reptiles, such as sea turtles, which may seek out areas of specific temperatures (Madrak et al. 2016). Regulating the temperature of water discharged would also protect against any negative impacts of power plant closure, which can cause rapid changes in local ocean temperatures.

^{Madrak S.V., Lewison R.L., Seminoff J.A. & Eguchi T. (2016) Characterizing response of East Pacific green turtles to changing temperatures: using acoustic telemetry in a highly urbanized environment. Animal Biotelemetry, 4, 22.}

Study locations

Key messages

One study evaluated the effects of regulating temperature of water discharged from power plants. This study was in the USA.

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

POPULATION RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

BEHAVIOUR (1 STUDY)

Use (1 study): One study in the USA reported that power plant water cooling canals were occupied by a population of American crocodiles.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A study in 1983–1993 in a system of cooling canals for a power plant in Florida, USA (Brandt et al. 1995) reported that the canals were occupied by a population of American crocodiles Crocodylus acutus and that the population grew over the study period. A total of 55 nests were found in the canals, and the number of nest/year increased in the period from 1986–1993 (1983: 3 nests; 1993: 11 nests). The number of non-hatchlings crocodiles increased by an average of 9% each year from 1983–1993, and authors estimated that the populations consisted of 24–30 non-hatchling crocodiles. The Turkey Point power plant site (2,388 ha) had a large canal system acting as a closed loop system for cooling water discharged from the plant. Water temperatures in the canals averaged 38°C, and salinity was 36 ppt. Eight other non-connected canals are also located adjacent to the cooling canals. In 1983–1993, night surveys were conducted of the whole area twice/week to monitor crocodile distributions and survival of hatchlings and juveniles. In 1984–1993, nest surveys, night surveys for hatchlings and periodical day surveys were conducted within the cooling canal system and hatchlings were individually marked.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Brandt L.A., Mazzotti F.J., Wilcox J.R., Barker Jr P.D., Hasty Jr G.L. & Wasilewski J. (1995) Status of the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) at a power plant site in Florida, USA. Herpetological Natural History, 3, 29-36.

Please cite as:

Sainsbury K.A., Morgan W.H., Watson M., Rotem G., Bouskila A., Smith R.K. & Sutherland W.J. (2021) Reptile Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions for reptiles. Conservation Evidence Series Synopsis. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

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This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Reptile Conservation

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