TPWD 1962 F-7-R-10 #787: Inventory of Species Present in Lake Stamford: Job Completion Report, Project F-7-R-10

. JOB COMPLETION REPORT As required by FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT TEXAS Federal Aid Project No. F—7—R-10 FISHERIES INVESTIGATIONS AND SURVEYS OF THE WATERS 0F REGION 1—A Job No. 3—19 Inventory of Species Present in Lake Stamford Project Leader: Lonnie Peters H. D. Dodgen Executive Secretary Texas Game and Fish Commission Austin, Texas Marion Toole Eugene A. Walker D-J Coordinator Director, Program Planning February 18, 1963 ABSTRACT Lake Stamford, located in Haskell County in west central Texas, was built in 1953 by the construction of a rock and earth dam across Paint Creek, a tributary of the Clear Fork of the Brazos River. The lake serves as a municipal water supply for the city of Stamford and is utilized for fishing, boating and skiing, water— fowl hunting, and camping. Lake Stamford, now about 10 years old, still supports a favorable game fish to rough fish ratio. The predominant game fish species are white crappie and channel catfish, which comprised 26.00 and 12.54 per cent of netting samples resPectively. Other game species recorded were flathead catfish, Pylodictus olivaris and largemouth baSs, Micropterus salmoides. Surprisingly the white bass, Roccus chrysoEs, was not taken in the lake, although it is present in Paint Creek and the Brazos River below Lake Stamford. The only rough fish presently overabundant is the river carpsucker, Carpiodes car io, which comprised 32.06 per cent of the netting sample and was the most abundant species taken. The gizzard shad, Dorosoma cepedianum, p0pulation was considerably lower than expected and heavy predation is considered as the primary reason for the suppresabn of this species. The pepulation of carp, Cyprinus carpio, and freshwater drum, Aplodinotus grunniens, is moderate according to gill netting results; however, from past experience, it is believed that drum are actually con” siderably more abundant than data indicate. Gizzard shad and red shiners, NotroEis lutrensis, accounted for 12.08 and 23.19 per cent of the seine samples respectively, Mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, comprised 19.52 per cent of the seine samples and the Mississippi silverside, Menidia audens, was the most abundant with 34.64 per cent of the total number of fish seined. EXCept for-the bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus, other species taken by seining were of minor importance. ”K” factors were better than average for most species, and stomach analysis revealed that shad and other forage species were the most important items in the diet of predaceous species. The Mississippi silverside, although abundant in Lake Stamford, apparently is not being utilized as food by predaceous species to any great extent. The spillway of Lake Stamford slepes gently and does not constitute an effective barrier to fish entering the lake from downstream areas. It should be modified to prevent recontamination with rough fish before any rough fish control measures are attempted on Lake Stamford. JOB COMPLETION REPORT State of Texas Project No. F-7-R—10 Name: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the ' Waters of Region l-A Job No. 3-19 Title: Inventory of Species Present in Lake Stamford Period Covered January 1, 1962 - December 31, 1962 Objectives: To determine the species present and their relative abundance as well as to determine the ecological factors influencing their distribution. Techniques Used: Netting collections were made during January, March, May, July, September, and November at eight stations with nets ranging in size from 1 to 3 inch square mesh. Six of the nets used consisted of one 25—foot section of l, 1%, 2,2%, and 3-inch mesh, plus 100 additional feet of 3—inch mesh. Two of the nets used con- sisted of two 25-foot sections of the sizes mentioned. A total of 1,850 feet of gill net was used during each collection. The total feet of each mesh size used during the collection was 250 feet of l, 1%, 2,2%, and 850 feet of 3-inch. Gill nets were set overnight and all sets were of the ”sinking” type, that is, the nets were rigged to fish the lake bottom. Data obtained from gill net col- lections included length, weight, sex, and stage of gonadal develOpment for each fish taken. Game fish stomachs were removed and preserved for laboratnry exami- nation. Pathological conditions were noted in the field. Seine samples were taken with 20-foot seines from all ecological areas of the lake and were preserved for laboratory identification and counting. Physical data including wind speed and direction, weather conditions, and water and air temperatures were recorded at the time of each collection. Lake level data and pH records were obtained from the city of Stamford. Lake volume and lake tempera- ture data were obtained from records kept by the West Texas Utilities Company electricity plant located at the lake. Lake and watershed maps were obtained from thefikfiJ.Conservation Service office in Stamford. Findings: Lake Stamford is located in the southern part of Haskell County, 15 miles northeast of the city of Stamford. This area, located in west-central Texas in the eastern part of the Rolling Plains, has hot dry summers and moderate winters with occasional periods of severely cold weather. Annual rainfall is about 24 inches. Lake Stamford was created in 1953 by the construction of a rock and earth dam across Paint Creek, a tributary of the Clear Fork of the Brazos River. In general, the-watershed of the lake includes the southern half of Haskell County, (excepting the extreme southeast corner) and a portion of the northwest corner of Jones County. Almost the entire watershed lies in the Permian red beds, and watershed soils consist of mainly deep clay loams and clays with lesser areas of silty clay loam in creek beds. The lake is fed by runoff waters only; there- fore, its water level is subject to steady falling during dry periods and rapid rises following heavy rains. Lake Stamford is Seven miles long, with the long axis lying SW. to NE. The greatest width is about one mile, and the dam is at the NE. end of the lake, as shown in Figure 1. Lake Stamford serves as a municipal water supply for the city of Stamford._ It is utilized for waterfowl hunting, fishing, boating, skiing, and camping. There are numerous private cottages and commercial camps on the lake. Concessions, boat launching facilities, free public access, and improved roads around most of the lake contribute to the lake's p0pularity as a recreation area.- - -West Texas Utilities Company Operates an electric plant at Lake Stamford. Lake water is circulated through the plant for cooling purposes. Water circulation through the plant varies from 30,000 to 82,000 gpm,-and averages 30,000 gpm in winter and 50,000 gpm in summer. The average increase in the temperature of the water passing through the plant is about 90 F. Table 1 gives the average monthly increase from 1953 to 1959. The warmed water from the plant is discharged back into the lake through a seven-foot diameter pipe at a point located near the mouth of Horse Creek Bay (Figure 1). Fishing near this point is exceptionally good during the cool months, probably owing to the warmer water temperature and a strong up-current. Fish Collections Gill netting at the eight stations shown in Figure 1 produced a total of 1,204 fish. Represented in this total were 14 species in 7 families, as shown in Table 2. Seining with 20-foot minnow seines produced a total of 12,817 fish. Represented were 6 families and 17 species, as shown in Table 3. Seining and netting combined produced 14,021 fish from 9 familflusand 21 species as shown in the checklist of Table 4. Six netting collections were made from January to November, 1962. The netting stations shown in Figure 1 were selected to provide samples of fish from different ecological areas at different depths. Station 1, located on the SE. side and Opposite the east side of the mouth of Buffalo Creek Bay, ranged from 5 to 35 feet in depth and had a rock and mud bottom. At this station the end of the net furtherest from the bank lay in a channel. The average depth at Station 1 was 19.5 feet. Average depths at the other stations ranged from 16.7 to 3.7 feet, and bottom types varied from soft mud to hard clay. Table 5 gives the depth range and averages as well as the general bottom type for the eight netting stations. The river carpsucker, Carpiodes carpio, the most abundant species in the net collections, comprised 32.06 per cent of the total gill net catch. Males and females of this species averaged 1.45 and 1.88 pounds respectively. The carpsucker was taken in abundance during every collection except the one in January when-an ice covering prevented the setting of nets at stations 6, 7 and 8 and when the overall catch was low. More carpsuckers were taken from stations having moderate to shallow water depths. This is probably related to feeding, since the micro-organisms that the carpsucker feeds upon are more abundant in the littoral zones. rammbm mm9<3 A<mHUHZDZ ZDHH<NMUMm 02¢ UZHImHh “mumammbm mg“: a ill: :HQHZ HmMH<mMO quHx a all: EHUZMH HmflHfimmu mmHHE m¢llnl mzHA mdomw aubmu ¢Mm mbOnm HMMh Qfiqw cull ZDHH¢>MAH VESAAHmw Puma ow pun: AH>MJ M<3AAHMm Ed :me9 Hmmfl4mmu Baum H¢u4 00000 in}: memv M¢3qgmmm Hm deA no NHHU<N¢U mmmuw Dawn .:1: wwWNU VREHAHWL H4 DNQMHZEbm wMMU¢ AdHOH HHZDOU AAmMmflm nmomz<flm m¥<4 H meUHm _ d— u 3...... _ .2 A ”V dun—c... a ‘ 41.22:... 8.0 \. @ e amouzfim 5:: “gimme @ 1 ya“? anew 25.2 m an ax 045w Em .355 “5:01 3‘ .IJI'II Table l.' Average Monthly Temperature Increase of Water PaSSing Through West Texas Utili’H _ Com-an Electric_P1ant_on Lake Stamford. ‘Jan. Feb. March April May June July Aug. 'Sept. “Dot.” Nov. I Dec. 1953 57‘66 47-56 1954 42-50 50‘57 51-58 65-71 68-76 78-86 83-92 82~9l 79~88 72w80 58—60 50-59 1955 46-55 47—56 56w66 58-68 73-82 76-85 81-92 83-93 79—89 73~81 57~66 48-55 ‘ 1956 45-53 45-53 54-62 61~69 75-83 80-90 82—93 83—92 78-87 72-81 58-67 49-58 1957 48-58 50-60 55-65 60-68 70-78 77-86 84-94 83-94 78—88 68-78 55-65 47-59 1 1958 44-55 44-55 50-69 59-69 69-78 81-91 82-92 84-95 80-91 71—80 61-71 48-58 1959 “44-55 46-57 53-65 61-72 73-83 79-89 82-92 83-93 79-89 67-80 55-69 47-60 1960 47-62 47--- 44--- 63--- 70--- 79--- 81--- 82--- 79--- 71--- 61--— 4 --- 1961 44--- 44--- 56--- 60--- 71--- 75--- 80--- 82--- 76--- 70--- 57-—- 49--- 1962 41--- 48--- 50--- 60--- 72--- 77--- 82--- 82--- 78--- 73--- I Nine Year Monthly Average Water Temperature. 44.6 46.8 52.1 60.8 71.2 78.0 81.9 82.7 78.4 70.7 57.7 47.9 Average Monthly Temperature Change. -3 +2 +5 +9 +10 +7 +4 +1 -5 -7 -13 -10 I Table 2. Species Taken From Lake Stamford by Gill Nets m January - December 1962 Scientific Name Common Name LEPISOSTEIDAE Lepisosteus platostomus Shortnose Gar CLUPEIDAE ' Dorosoma cepedianum Gizzard Shad CATOSTOMIDAE Ictiobus bubalus Smallmouth Buffalo Carpiodes carpio River Carpsucker CYPRINIDAE Cyprinus carpio Carp AMEIURIDAE Ictalurus punctatus Channel Catfish Ictalurus melas Black Bullhead Pylodictus olivaris Flathead Catfish CENTRARCHIDAE MicroEterus salmoides Largemouth Bass Lepomis cyanellus Green Sunfish Lepomis macrochirus Bluegill Lepomis megalotis Longear Sunfish Pomoxis annularis White Crappie SCIAENIDAE Aplodinotus grunniens Freshwater Drum Table 3. Species Taken by Twenty Foot Seine From Lake Stamford. January - November,1962 Scientific Name Common Name CLUPEIDAE Dorosoma cepedianum Gizzard Shad CYPRINIDAE Cyprinus carpio Carp Notemigonus crysoleucas Golden Shiner NotroEis lutrensis Red Shiner Pimephales vigilax Bullhead Minnow Pimephales promelas I Fathead Minnow AMEIURIDAE Ictalurus punctatus Channe1_Catfish Ictalurus melas Black Bullhead POECILIIDAE Gambusia affinis ' Common Mosquitofish ATHERINIDAE _ Menidia audens Mississippi Silverside CENTRARCHIDAE Microgterus salmoides Largemouth Bass Chaenobryttus gulosus Warmouth Lepomis cyanellus Green Sunfish Lepomis macrochirus Bluegill Lepomis humilis Orangespotted Sunfish Lepomis megalotis Longear Sunfish Pomoxis annularis White Crappie Table 4. Checklist of Fish Species Taken From Lake Stamford January — November 1962 Scientific Name Common Name LEPISOSTEIDAE Lepisosteus platostomus Shortnose Gar CLUPEIDAE Dorosoma cepedianum Gizzard Shad CATOSTOMIDAE Ictiobus bubalus Smallmouth Buffalo Carpiodes carpio River Carpsucker CYPRINIDAE Cyprinus carpio Carp Notemigonus crysoleucas Golden Shiner NotroEis lutrensis Red Shiner Pimephales vigilax Bullhead Minnow Pimephales promelas Fathead Minnow AMEIURIDAE Ictalurus punctatus Channel Catfish Ictalurus melas Black Bullhead Pylodictus olivaris Flathead Catfish POECILIIDAE Gambusia affinis MosQuitofish gETHERINIDAE “' Menidia audens Mississippi Silverside CENTRARCHIDAE Micropterus salmoides Largemouth Bass Chaenobryttus gulosus Warmouth Lepomis cyanellus Green Sunfish Lepomis macrochirus Bluegill Lepomis megalotis Longear Sunfish Pomoxis annularis White Crappie SCIAENIDAE Aplodinotus grunniens Freshwater Drum Table 5 Bottom Types and Depths at Lake Stamford Netting Stations Depth Readings gFeetz - Station No. Bottom Depth Soundings Max. Min. Average Depth 1. Rocks & Mud 5-8-12%-15-17%-23-25-26 - 35 5 19.50 ' 28%-35 2. Rocks & Mud 8-12%—15-16%-18%-l9-19-19 19 8 15.94 3. Rocks & Mud 10-16—16-16—15—15-16%-15- 16% 10 15.10 l6%-15 4. Mud 6%-9—10—11-11%—12-l4-15- 22 6% - 13.00 19-22 5. Mud & 16-16-15%—16—l6%-18%-20- 18% 15% 16.67 Submerged 16-15% Brush - 6. Soft Mud 5-5-6-6-6%--6%-7-7 7 5 6.12 7. Hard Mud & 2%-4-4-5-4-4-3%-3%-3 5 2% 3.72 Clay 8. Soft Mud 3%—4-5%—6%—8-9-10-10%— ll 3% 8.05 10-11-10% White crappie, Pomoxis annularis, were second in abundance and comprised 26.00 per cent of the total. Three hundred and thirteen crappie were taken which was over one hundred more than all of the other game species combined. Turbid water a.nd an abunda.nt supply of forage contribute to the success of this Species in La.ke Stamford. Male and female white crappie a.veraged 0.54 and 0.39 pounds respectively. The sex ratio of 1 male to 2 females wa.s considera.bly' out of balance Errors in sexing the extremely small individuals and a. tendency to label unsure specimens as females might account for this variation in sex ratio and also the difference in average weight of the sexes. The mean weight for white crappie was 0.44 pounds as shown in Table 6, which gives the percentage composition by weight_and mean weight. A total of 151 channel catfish were taken which comprised 12.54 per cent of the total. This relatively high percentage of channel catfish together with the abundance of white crappie totaled 38.54 per cent and largely accounted for the high percentage of game species (42.19 per cent) as shown in Table 7, which gives the percentage composition by number, and average weight by sex. Male channel catfish averaged 0.72 pounds while females averaged 0.64 pounds. Freshwater drum, Aplodinotus grunniens, was fourth most abundant with 107 individuals comprising 8.89 per cent of the total. Male drum averaged 1.16 pounds and females averaged 2.34 pounds. Several very large females account for the difference in average weight. Experience has shown that netting does not reveal the true relative abundance of drum, and that figures obtained are always 10w. Therefore, the actual relative abundance of drum in Lake Stamford is probably somewhat higher than shown. Prior to the selective kill treatment of Lake Diversion, intensive netting showed only about 3 per cent drum. The rotenone treatment resulted in the killing of almost as many drum as gizzard shad. Shad were noted to have comprised about 36 per cent of the pre-treatment netting collections. This inability to get accurate figures concerning the abundance of drum might be attributed to the anteriorly-blunt body shape of the drum. Also, movements and habits of the species are probably factors involved. Carp, Cyprinus carpio, were next in abundance with 95 individuals comprising 7. 89 per cent of the total. With 49 male carp a.veraging 2. 33 pounds and 46 females averaging 3.13 pounds, carpwfifle fourth highest in mean weight as shown in Table 6. Carp were widespread, but nowhere a.bundant. Seventy smallmouth buffalo, Ictiobus bubalus, comprised 5.81 per cent of the total and had average weights of 2.85 and 2.99 pounds for males and females respectively. This species has been fished for commercially in Lake Stamford. It was reported that some 75, 000 pounds were removed in early 1959 by two fishermen Opera.ting with 3% and 4 inch mesh gill nets. Discussions with these commercial fishermen revealed tha.t the avera.ge weight of the buffa.1o they re- moved was about 8 pounds. According to data collected on this inventory, the population of larger buffalo was greatly reduced. Surprisingly, gizzard shad comprised only 2.66 per cent. Only 32 individuals were taken and 15 males averaged only 0.16 pounds, and 17 females averaged only 0.12 pounds. Seining data shown in Table 8 showed 12.08 per cent shad with 1,549 individuals taken by this method. It would seem that shad had been introduced to Lake Stamford only recently. However, local fishermen report that they have seined young shad for bait for the past several years. In view of this, it