TPWD 1954 F-2-R-1 #88: Inventory of species present and their distribution in those portions of the Leon, Lampasas and Little Rivers which lie in Bell County, Texas

STATE Texas _ PROJECP F"3f3%la_dsb_filg. m PERIOD June I, 1953“4W”"” Job Completion Report Kenneth C. Jurgens TITLE Inventory of species present and their distribution in those portions of the Leon, Lampasas and Little Rivers which lie in Bell County, Texas. OBJECTIVES To determine the distribution of the species present and their relative abundance and ecological factors influenchg their distribution. METHODS A total of he collections were made at 22 stations in Bell County on the Leon, Lampasas and Little Rivers which are portions of the greater Brazos River Drainage. (See appended map for locations of stations.) With the exception of three, the collections were made with common sense seines and/or thirty ft. straight seines, with %“ mesh size. The other collections were made with experimental gill nets, 125 fto in length, having mesh sizes in 25 ft. sections ranging from one to three incheso Rotenone collections were not practical due to the large rate of flow in the streams under study. Seined specimens were taken to the laboratory for identification and counting af~ ter field preservation with 10 percent formalin. Gill net specimens were identified and counted in the field. Water analysis, temperature and pH were determined in conjunction with dob Ami. (Basic Survey of those Portions of the Leon, Lampasas and Little Rivers which.iie Within Bell County, Texas.) RESULTS As shown in the appended map of Bell County, the area through which these rivers flow is divided into two ecological sections by a line closely approximating the Balcones fault. To the west of this line, on the Edwards Plateau, the country is rough, rocky rolling ranch land with few fields under cultivation. The stream beds on the plateau have frequent outcroppings of limestone bedrock and the water, except in time of heavy runoff, is relatively free from turbidity. To the east of the Balcones fault, on the Blackland Prairie, the country is relatively flat with deep soils, most of which are new der cultivation. The stream beds in this section are heavily silted and there is little or no bedrock. Turbidity in these portions of the rivers becomes increasingly more inm tense. A total of 33 species of fish, representing ten families were found to occur in the rivers. Of these, 32 species were taken on the Edwards Plateau while only 20 species were taken in the rivers of the Blackland Prairie. The distribution and relative shuns .ance of these species are Shown in Table l. Apparently the factors which influence the distribution of those species taken in the rivers of the Plateau but not found in the rivm ers of the Blackland Prairie are turbidity and bottom type since water quality in both sections is essentially the same. 2. With the closing of Bolton Dam on theLeon River, it is expec.ted that turbi dity :Ln the lower Leon and therefore the Little River will on oecrea ed. The suspense Riva er, which is normally clearer than the Leon, does not usually add much to the total turbidity of the Little River. The closing of this dam should result in the invasion of the Little River by species which.do not now occur there. The 33 species collected may be divided into six groups on the basis of t.heir distribution in the rivers under study. The first group includes: the spothLl seiner, the redfin shiner, the mimic shiner, the parrot minnow, the ch.a.nnel ca.tfish “the pa1m busia. or mosquitofish and the longear sunfish. These species were present/ non E7 t-o 92 percent of the collections and might be expected to be taken anywhere in the rivers. The second group includes those species typically found in the clear, :hullow barren, bedrock type of area. They are: the young of the river oarpsuvker the grey redborse, the stoneroller, the spotted bla.ck base, the Texas spotted bass,t the Tart south base, the warmouth, the green sunfish, the bluegill and the orangespotted unfish. Group three includes those species usually found in association with some form of aquatic vegetation in the clear pools. They are: the yellow bullhead, tadpole nadton and the blackstripe topminnow. Group four is composed of the shortness gar, the gizsard shad, tzhe blue catfis the flathead catfish, the white crappie and the freshwater drum. These nuances are typically found in the deeper pools where cover is abundant in the form of bru.sh or. undercut banks. The darters, which are generally found in close association with,riff1es comprise he fifth group. The orangethroated darter was found on riffles throughout the study res while the logperch and dusky darter were found on those riffles where the waier we.s irom slightly to moderately turbid. The sixth group includes miscellaneous species. The ghost shiner was found in the more turbid areas and there was a.n indication that its abundance increae wed wigfh :in- creased turbidity. The roundnose minnow a.nd the fathead minnow were not collL2 so in numbers enough to form the ba.sis for conclusions concerning their diatrlbdloL: SHMMARL l. a total of #2 collections were made at 22 stations on the icon. leaps as and Li.ttle Rivers within Bell County, Texas. 2. 33 species representing ten families were found to occur in the study area. 3. Of the fish species collected, 33 were taken from those portions of the r.ver on the Edwa rds Plateau while only 20 were found on the Blackland Prairie. h. Turbidity and bottom types are the two main factors which influence the diam tribution of the species occuring in these rivers since water quality is es enfiullv the sa.me throughout the area. i. The tota.l of 33 species may be divided i.nto six groups on the ba.sis of their _.J abundance and distribution. a. Those species found abundantly throughout the study area b. Those species found associated with clear, shallow, barren bedrock areas. c. Species found almost entirely in association with streams of limited aquatic vegetation. d. The species typical of the deeper pools. a. The darters — typical of the riffles. f. The miscellaneous, more or less rare species. Name of Species Scientific Lepisosteus platostomus Dorosoma cepedianum Carpiodes carpio Moxostoma congestum Hybopsis aestivalus Notropis yenustus Notropis lutrensis Notropis volucellus Notropis buchanani Dionda episcopa Pimephales promelas Pimephales vigilax Campostoma anomalum Ictalurus punctatus Ictalurus furcatus Ameiurus natalis Pilodictus olivaris Schilbeodes mollis Fundulus notatus Gambusia affinis Micropterus punctulatus Micropterus treculi Microperus salmoides Jhaenobryttus coronarius warmouth Lepomis cyanellus Lepomis macrochirus Lepomis humilis Lepomis megalotis Pomoxis annularis Hadropterus scierus Percina caprodes Etheostoma spectabile Aplodinotus grunniens Distribution of fish species collected in those portions of the Le Rivers within Bell County, Prairie collections. 3. Table 1. Distribution Checklist Edwards Plateau Common 30 collections shortness gar C gizzard shad F river carpsucker A grey redhorse F speckled dace F spottail Shiner VA red shiner VA mimic shiner A ghost Shiner - roundnose minnow F fathead minnow R parrot minnow VA stoneroller A channel catfish VA blue catfish yellow bullhead flathead catfish tadpole madtom blackstripe topminnow mosquitofish spotted black bass Texas spotted bass largemouth bass *Ijbwfibo VA green sunfish bluegill orangespotted sunfish longear sunfish white crappie dusky darter logperch orangethroat darter freshwater drum Wb'fijiflfigbfieb'fifl’fl made as follows: . C - common (id-32%;),9 F — frequent (T~17%) and Blackland Prairie 12 collections :5“ r F 1;: VA VA VA F cu: VA F1? i’El’lj: VA on, Lanpasas and Little Texas showing the differences in Edwards Plateau and Blachland The distribution figure is based on the number of t cies was found in relation to the number of collections dent (over 50%), A~ abundant (33 w 50%), R m rare (6% or less.) imes each spew can Very abunw ¢ m. a .0 MMJI.‘ ugh ....anou ....um .69.... o ... > .. $6 .‘I who a. ..r .v 0.... .2? oo . E '3 .. +3... . _ K— no 0 N _ ... . ._ 9 AL. . . . CV & .As.V no . O x: m. a O .. Q . .. Q ... no... @cohd mm H .v ...? ...... o . .O m. _ on KN. 0M4 . w 4 L {up 9 ....v.» o 0.0 or: 2 .. “d 005.. I. 5 3% I .. w I. .. n. / u. I .. / ... I I on... / \s...: I I I I \ I .I/ s\ I I 1\ Is