Effects of El Niño on local hydrography and growth of the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, at Santa Catalina Island, California (USA). -

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Home: USES: Human Settlements on the Coast: Types of Habitats at Risk: Kelp forests: San Onofre, California, USA, Pacific Ocean

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San Onofre, California, USA, Pacific Ocean

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Instead of building huge billion-dollar cooling towers, the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) are cooled with ocean water. A giant system of pipes takes in more than two million gallons of ocean water a minute. After being warmed to as much as 108 degrees, the water is sent back out to the sea.

This effluence has altered the movement of ocean waters in the area causing the destruction of over two hundred acres (59,000 kelp plants) of kelp forest. This, in turn, will have caused the displacement or death of thousands of individuals from numerous species. In total it is estimated that the kelp fish population in the area has declined by 80%.

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Effects of El Niño on local hydrography and growth of the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, at Santa Catalina Island, California (USA). ( DOCUMENT )

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