Oregon Wave Energy Trust

Avian Radar Baseline Study: Final Survey Report for the Proposed Reedsport Ocean Power Technologies Wave Park

2013-03-01T21:59:00Z

Avian Radar Baseline Study: Final Survey Report for the Proposed Reedsport Ocean Power Technologies Wave Park Geo-Marine, Inc. Geo-Marine, Inc. (GMI) conducted an offshore avian radar baseline study for Oregon Wave Energy Trust (OWET) for a wave energy study located northwest of Reedsport, Oregon from 25 August through 29 October 2010. The study was conducted from shore with GMI’s Mobile Avian Radar System (MARS®). The MARS® was equipped with a 3-centimeter (cm) wavelength 50-kilowatt (kW) radar with a 2.5-degree (°) parabolic antenna for horizontal scanning, and a 3-cm, 25-kW radar with an open array antenna for vertical scanning. Diurnal land-based nearshore and diurnal and nocturnal boat-based radar validation surveys were conducted specifically to determine whether the radar could detect birds flying at low attitudes above the water. Comparison between the nearshore and offshore (study area) observer bird passage rates and the nearshore and offshore radar passage rates revealed low correlation between diurnal observations and radar data. The correlation analysis values were all too low (<.307) to develop a correction factor to apply to the radar data. Sea clutter was identified as the limiting factor. When algorithms to reduce false tracks from sea clutter were applied, tracks of real birds were eliminated because they could not be separated from sea clutter false tracks. At present there is no technology known that can accurately remove bird detections from sea clutter. This problem was further magnified in this study because radar visual validation surveys revealed that a major portion of the bird movement both nearshore and offshore occurred at altitudes from 1-30 feet (ft) above sea level. At that altitude it is impossible to separate birds from wind-driven waves and high swells that are common in the study area during fall. The visual validation data documented that the radar was ineffective when birds were flying close to the surface. In addition to providing data to facilitate passage rate comparisons between observer and the radar, the radar validation surveys provided data on bird flight behaviors within and adjacent to the study area. These data, which were requested to be collected for this study, included information on nearshore and offshore (study area) bird species occurrence, passage rates, flight altitudes and speeds, flight directions, and flock sizes. During the diurnal land-based nearshore avian surveys 43 bird species were identified; 32 bird species were observed during the boat-based offshore surveys. One federally-listed bird species, Marbled Murrelet (threatened), was observed occasionally during nearshore and offshore surveys. Diurnal nearshore bird passage rates ranged from 30-390 birds/nautical mile (NM)/hour (hr) from 0 to 1 NM offshore and from 10-142 birds/NM/hr from 1 to 2 NM offshore. Offshore (study area) passage rates ranged from 142-268 birds/NM/hr; offshore nocturnal passage rates ranged from 3-53 birds/NM/hr. The majority of birds flying over both nearshore (94%) and offshore (93%) waters were flying from 1-100 ft above sea level (asl). The majority of these birds were flying from 1-30 ft asl (nearshore, 75%; offshore, 83%). The dominant flight directions were to the south and the majority of birds sighted were in the 1-5 flock category. This Avian Radar Baseline Study was contracted to assist in collecting data that could potentially be used to meet these requirements. Avian radar validation surveys were designed specifically by GMI for this study to determine the accuracy of the radar data in predicting the number of birds that would potentially collide with the 30-ft tall wave buoys. The results of the avian radar validation surveys from this study indicate that avian radar is not able to collect accurate altitude flight data within the potential bird-wave power buoy collision zone (1-30 ft asl) because of the presence of sea clutter (high wind waves and/or swells) in the study area; however, diurnal avian radar validation bird survey data collected from shore and from a boat in the study area provided information requested by the Scope of Work including on nearshore and offshore (study area) species occurrence, avian passage rates (number of bird tracks/NM/hr), frequency of avian flight altitudes within and above the bird-wave power buoy collision zone, flock size frequency, and flight direction frequency. In addition, a nocturnal thermal imaging camera was used to conduct nighttime avian studies and provided data on nighttime bird passage rates. GMI recommends, based on the findings of this Avian Radar Baseline Study, that seasonal radar studies recommended by the FERC Study Plan be replaced with diurnal boat surveys and nocturnal boat surveys using stabilized remote sensing technologies (e.g., thermal imaging, high definition cameras). These methods will, in GMI’s opinion, provide the best data on nocturnal passage rate (bird abundance) and altitude use within the potential bird-wave power buoy collision zone (1-30 ft asl).

Cumulative Effects Analysis Framework

2012-08-10T21:47:38Z

Cumulative Effects Analysis Framework Aquatera Ltd; Parametrix; European Marine Energy Centre; Powertech The fundamental aim of the Oregon Wave Energy Trust’s (OWET’s) cumulative effects framework is to provide an enduring set of information, presented in an effective way to inform substantial decisions about the future and ongoing management of wave energy developments in the context of the existing and future situation. At the core of the framework is an electronic tool which enables people to establish possible future scenarios on the basis of judgments about the type and intensity of impacts that may arise. Underpinning this core function are sets of data about the environmental sensitivities, technical factors, and activities that are and could take place in Oregon. The data sets used in the current framework represent data sets that were freely available at the time this framework was developed. Ultimately, the data sets within the framework would represent all available information of interest to the user. This report collates supporting information on a comprehensive list of environmental sensitivities relevant to potential users of the framework. This report discusses the status and trends in various physical, biological, social and economic factors that may be sensitive to the development of wave energy (sensitivities). It also addresses technical factors which would not be impacted directly or indirectly by wave energy projects, but which could impinge upon the prospects for their successful operation. In addition, the report describes the status and trends and associated pressures of those activities that are currently impacting that environment, such as fishing, shipping, recreation, and conservation. In the analysis of cumulative effects, these existing activities provide a baseline upon which the potential impacts and benefits of wave energy development are superimposed to provide a complete understanding of what development scenarios will mean for the natural and human communities along the Coast. The partners, Aquatera, Parametrix, European Marine Energy Centre, and Powertech, copmleted Phase 1 in 2009 and Phase 2 in 2011. The various components include: Existing Environmental Character, Trends, and Pressures (2009), Literature and Research Review (2009), Data Atlas (2009) and the Final Report (2011).

FISHCRED: Fishermen's Information Service for Housing, Confidential Release and Essential Distribution

2012-05-22T19:03:30Z

FISHCRED: Fishermen's Information Service for Housing, Confidential Release and Essential Distribution Anderson, Laura; FISHCRED FISHCRED is an Oregon statewide commercial fishing nonprofit organization focused on data management and support of marine spatial planning. FISCHRED was formed to serve as a central decision-making entity to act on behalf of the fishing industry and to guide, review, and approve of how fisheries data will be presented, utilized, or applied in the Territorial Sea Plan (TSP) and other planning/policy processes. In creating a statewide coalition of fishermen we seek to reduce conflicts associated with marine spatial planning.

Characterization of Benthic Condition and Organisms on the Oregon South Coast: A Rapid Evaluation of Habitat Characteristics and Benthic Organisms at the Proposed Reedsport Wave Park

2012-05-22T18:57:04Z

Characterization of Benthic Condition and Organisms on the Oregon South Coast: A Rapid Evaluation of Habitat Characteristics and Benthic Organisms at the Proposed Reedsport Wave Park Henkel, Sarah; Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center This project was a single assessment of the benthic habitat characteristics and organisms near the future Ocean Power Technologies Demonstration facility near Reedsport, OR, and a reference location. The goal of this project was to assess sediment characteristics, infaunal invertebrates, epifaunal invertebrates, and fish at the future installation site, inshore of the target site, and at a reference site. Specifically, CTD casts, box cores, and beam trawl collections were conducted at the sited in summer 2011. In summary, all assemblages sampled had distributions strongly driven by depth. Other factors contributing to the variability among sampling stations were potentially due to differences in temperature and dissolved oxygen, which co-vary with depth. In the following document we report in detail on the spatial variability of the habitat features and biological assemblages. Finally, we make recommendations for plans for future monitoring at these or similar sites.