TPWD 1956 F-7-R-4 #201: Basic Survey and Inventory of Species Present, as well as Their Distribution in the Pease River, its Tributaries and Watershed within Wilbarger, Foard, Cottle, Motley,

JOB COMPLETION REPORT State of TEXAS Project No. FTRh Name: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region luB. _ Job No. BulO Title: Basic Survey and Inventory of Species Present, as well as Their Distribution in the Pease River, its Tributaries and Watershed within Wilbarger, Foard, Gottlez Motley, Floyd, and Brisco Counties, Texas. Period Covered: June 1: 1956 through may 31, 1957 ABSTRACT Fifty-two seine collections produced a total of 20,005 specimens for study._ Twenty—four species, representing 7 families of freshwater fish were found to occur. Except in a few isolated holes near the river mouth, the Faces River is valueless for game fish at the present time. For the most part, the water is excessively salty, and the river bed is often dry and too shallow to maintain a game fish population. The fish population is comprised mostly of salt tolerant cyprinids and game wardens report extensive seining for these species by commercial bait dealers. Since the water is not suitable for*municipal or irrigation purposes, the construction of an impoundment on the Peace River in the foreseeable future, for any purpose other than flood control, is unlikely. AEKNOWLEDGMENTS Dr. Walter balquest, whose employment with the Texas Game and Fish Commission terminated in October 1956, set up the original stations, conducted all of the labora~ tory work and most of the field work on this job for the first five months. Since that time, Dr. Dalquest has Zhelped.with some phases of work conducted in Region l-B and has checked the manuscript of this report. Grateful acknowledgment is also expressm ed to Dr. Carl Gray, Soils Scientist of Midwestern University and'Wichita County Water Improvement Districts, for making the numerous water analyses during this study. Data on water volume were obtained from Mr. John Joernes, United States Geological Survey, Water Resources Branch, Wichita Falls. Tscsm: cuss Sample stations were established at six points along the length of the Peace River. Eleven collections, approximately one month apart, were made at each sample station during the study. At each station, chemical and physical data concerning the water were taken, and seine samples of the fishes present were preserved in form malin for laboratory examination and identifications. Since an adequate picture of the fish.population at all points along the river could be determined by seining, no gill nets or fish toxicants were used. There are no important permanentwflowing tributaries of the Peace. Water was present at only one tributary during the study, and basic survey collections were taken from this station in addition to those on the river. On several occasions, data could not be obtained from some of the station either because the river was dry, or because the river was flooded and could not be seined. PETSICAL CHARACTERISTICS North Peace River originates in northwestern motley County and flows northeastwardly to just above the motley-Hall County line, then continues south- eastwardly across northern Cottle County to its confluence with South and Middle Pease Rivers. Both the South and Middle Peace Rivers originate in western motley County, flow northeastwardly to their convergence in east-central Cottle County, and continue to their confluence with North Peace River in northeastern Cottle County. After leaving Cottle County, the Pease River flows southeastwardly across the southwestern corner of Herdsman County, serves as a boundary line between south~ eastern Herdsman and northeastern Foard Counties, and continues across the northern section of Wilbarger County to its confluence with Red River. Headwater streams of the Roses River lie in Permian clays and sandstones, wi.th abundant veins and stringers of crystaline gypsum. The sediments of Permian age outcropping along the Faces River form the Peace River Group and are considered to have been deposited in earlymmiddle Permian time. On the north bank of the river at Lazaro Station, and at an elevation nearly 100 feet above the present river level, are found extensive Pleistocene gravel deposits that are now being worked commercially. To the south of the river and only a few yards above the present river level occurs a wellmconsolidated conglomerate of unknown age. It seems to differ lithologically from Pleistocene gravels of the valley of the Pease and other northern Texas rivers, an no fossils of vertebrate animals were found in Spite of’rather intensive search. Downstream from Lazaro Station, wind blown sands from numerous dunes and there are bluffs along the river that consist of reddish, sandy soil and contain remains of modern buffalos and other Recent animals. The Permian rocks form the river valley but Recent deposits cover the floodplain of the river itself. There are local deposits of late Pleistocene age, as at vernon Station, containing remains of elephants and other test: s. Other deposits of apparently similar aye are found near the river mouth. The U. S. Geological Survey discontinued its station on the Pease River in July l9h7. Therefore, stream flow and runaoff data are not available for the period of this survey. Data is available for the monthly and annual mean discharge and the monthly and annual runwoff at Quanah Station from.January 192% to July l9h7. (See Tables 1 and 2). DESCRIPTICH OF SAMELE‘STATIONS NORTH FORK STATION. Located on Highway 83 approximately 18 miles south of Childress, in Cottle County. The river here has cut a relatively narrow valley in Permian rocks. There is much shale, gypsum and silt. The river*bed is braided sand and quite firm,(not Quicksand). The river was dry here most of the year, and collections were taken from isolated pools below cliffs on the north bank. MATiioR STATION. Located on Highway 70, approximately 12 miles west of Paducah, at the MhtleyeCottle County line. The vcfiley here is narrow and deeplymcut into Permian rocks. The river bed.is braided sand-and apparently dry most of the time because grass grows well out on the river bed. Many trees grow along the river's edge, mostly elms and a few cottonwoods. Collections were made frOm a deep hole near the bridge, that apparently holds water for long periods of time. This station is the point farthest up the river that is worthy of maintaining as a station. Since this station was dry for the first 6 months of the study, it was discontinued in Nov— ember l956, and replaced by South Fork Station approximately 25 miles downstream. SOUTH FORK STATION. Located on Highway 83 about 6 miles south of North Fork Station and 15 miles north of Paducah. This station is approximately 10 miles below the confluence of the Middle and South Forks of the Peace River. The river_bed is similar to that of the North Fork, but the valley is narrower. Except during a period of heavy rain, in may 1957, this station was dry. A tree at least 10 feet high, in the middle of the river bed, indicates a normally dry condition. LAZARE STATION. Located about 12 miles south of Kirkland and near the very small town of Lazaro. The confluence of the North and South Forks of the Peace occurs about 3 miles upstream. Approaching this station from the north, one descends through a series of cut terraces-in Permian sediments. Deposits on the north bank are sand- stone, shale, gypsum and dolomite. To the south the rise is more gradual, and.mnch of it is through a gravel and conglomerate series of many yards thickness. This mat- erial appears entirely nonwfossiliferous. The river bed is broad and of braided sand. Running water was present each time this station was worked. QUANAH STATION. Located on Highway 283, approximately 15 miles south of Quench. This station is in a valley cut into Permian silt, sandstone and dolamitic limestone. To the north, in the direction of Quench, the land rises greatly in level after level of'terraces cut into Permian sediments. No Pleistocene and little Recent, even on highest level. The river bed is quite broad, of braided sand, and rather muddy. Running water was not always present, but there were several large pools from which a collection could always be obtained. WEST VERNON STATION. Located on Highway 287, about 3 miles northwest of Vernon. The valley is broad and shallow with bluffs of bedded materials, mostly flood_ plain sand, on the north side. The river bed is very wide and braided, with the flood level approaching onewhalf mile in width. Bed is sand and quicksand. very little streamside vegetation except salt cedar. When the stream was not flowing, there were deep holes (up to 6 feet in depth) under the bridge from which collections were taken. - VERNON STATION. Quite similar to West Vernon Station and within sight of it. Located on Highway 283, immediately north of Vernon. This station was discontinued in January 1957, because it was not different enough from the West Vernon Station. *It was set up as a station Originally because it was thought to be below the sewage plant, it was discontinued and a new station (East Vernon) was set up below the effluent ditch. EAST VERNON STATION. Located about 2 miles east of the city of Vernon and about onewhalf mile below the sewage effluent ditch. The.river is quite often dry, except for the water provided by the sewage plant effluent. When the river is flowing, fish species similar to those of the stations further upstream may be found here. When the river is not flowing, fish are trapped in stagnant pools of sewage water and . usually die. There are signs of bank fishing farther downstream (probably for carp). Tracks and other indications of commercial bait coining are evident between this stew tion and the mouth of the river. SHORES CREEK. Located 3 miles north of North Fork Station on Highway 83. This creek is in a narrow canyon with steep walls. The creek consists of standing holes of water 50 to 200 feet long connected by seeping stream flow. Bottom is sandy and rocky with thin covering of silt. There is no vegetation in the canyon, and the walls have jutting rocks heavily laced with stringers of gypsum. Rocks and snags in the creek bed.made seining very difficult. Only gybognathus and Pimephales promelas were taken at this station. Physical data: Air - 72; water — 57; Turbidity - 500 plus Chemical data: .. ca. m na. cl. wsoh co3 hcoB Total IpH 105A 3h 28 2H6? 6 1&9 110 8.h CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WATER The chemical nature of water at the sample. stations is given in Table 3. Except during periods of rainfall and'where it is diluted by sewage effluent from the city of Vernon, the water in the Peace River is too salty and "gypy" to support most species of freshwater fishes. The source of these natural polluting salts is probably springs whose waters have percolated through gypsum and halite beds of Permian age. POLLUTION No industrial waste was found to enter the Peace River. The only sewage effluent entering the river is from the city of Vernon. Water from this effluent was checked_onfseveral,echasions and was always found tohbe well treated, free of all solids, and clear. Treated water is carried from the treating plant in an enclosed pipe: direc ly to the effluent ditch, where it falls onto large concrete blocks and flows approx- imately'hoo feet to the river. Frogs, turtles and algae were observed in the ditch. When water is flowing in the river at this point, it is actually improved by the treat- ed sewage water. When the river is not flowing and diluting the sewage effluent, it is quite common to find sick and dead fish (mostly carp, carpsuoker, bullhead catfish and native minnows) in the river and along the banks. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Physical conditions at sample stations are shown in Table h. For the purpose of this survey}; turbidity was measured with a secchi disk. Measurements were made in deepest water found at the station. Frequently, the disk was clearly visible on the bottom, in which case the turbidity was recorded as the depth of the water "plus". FISH COLLECTIONS ' A total of 2% species, representing 7 families of freshwater fishes was taken from.the Peace River during the segment period. monthly variations in species and numbers of fishes taken at eahh of the sample stations are given in Tables 5 through ll. The total numbers of fishes taken at all of the permanent sample stations along the river are given in Table 12. There were 20,005 specimens collected from the seven permanent sampling stations. Family Clupeidae Herrings Dorosoma cepedianum: gizzard shad. We took 66 specimens during the study? comprising 0.3% of the total. Family Catostomidae Suckers Cagpiodes carpio: river carpsucker. Only ll? specimens were taken, all but one of which were captured near the river mouth, close to Vernon. Family Cyprinidae Shiners and.mhnnows Cyprinus carpio: carp. Twelve carp were collected, all at West Vernon Station. Hybopsis aestivalisg speckled chub. A total of 9h specimens was taken at h stations. . Notropis percobromus: plains shiner. Sixteen specimens were taken at west Vernon and Quanah Stations. Notropis brazosensis: Brazos River shiner. Only A specimens were taken; all at West Vernon station, in December 1956. NotroEis potteri: chub shiner. Although not numerous (0.39% of the total) this species was represented at all but 2 stations during the study. It was not taken at South Fork Station )dry except during floods) or at East Vernon Station where adequ~ ate water was not present to dilute the sewage effluent. Notropis bairdi: Red River shiner. This; one of the most abundant species in the Peace River, was represented at every station and comprised 23.8% of the total. Notropis lutrensis: redhorse shiner. This is also one of the more numerous and widely distributed species in the Pease River. It was taken from.every station and comprised 1?.06% of the total. Notropis buchanani: ghost shiner. Occurred only at two stations? near the river mouth. It_ was taken at West_Vernon station in August and September .1956? and at Vernon Station in August 1956. Hybognathus placita: plains minnow. Comprising 25.28% of the total, this widely distributed species was the most abundant of all fishes in the Tease River. It was not taken at East Vernon Station, but was found at all the other stations. Pimephales vigilasg parrot minnow. Eleven specimens were taken during the study} at Vernon and west Vernon Station. Timephales promelas: fathead minnow. Although not numerous, this species is widely distributed in the Peace, from the headwaters to its mouth. Family'Ameiuridae Freshwater catfishes Ictalurus punctatus: channel catfish. A total of ten specimens was taken, all at West Vernon Station. Ictalurus melas: black bullhead. This species is not numerous, but well distributed in the Peace — especially in isolated holes. Family Cyprinodontidae Killifishes and tOpminnows Fundulus kansaeg plains killifish. The killifish is abundant in the Pease River and widely distributed. Cyprinodcn rubrofluviatilis: Red River pupfish. Comprising lh.27% of the total, this salt tolerant species was taken at every sampling station. It was most abundant at Lazaro Station, where the salinity was consistently high. Family Poeciliidae Mbsquitofishes _MM “:2. 's: common.mosquitofish. A total of 59 specimens was taken from three stations. Noteworthy is the collection of one Gambusia at Lazaro Station in March 1957 when the chloride measurement was next-to-the highest recorded during the entire segment period (13,76h p.p.m.). All of the other specimens of Gambusia were obtained at Vernon and west Vernon Stations. _9 . .‘ .au‘o 2 s s :‘-.‘-._ Family Centrarchidae Black basses and sunfishes Micropterus saluoideg: largemouth bass. Only 7 specimens were taken - one at Quanah Station and 5 at West vernon Station. Lepomis cyanellus: green sunfish. Although not abundant, this salt tolerant sunfish was taken at all but one station. It was absent from only the polluted waters of East Vernon Station. Lepomis macrochirusg bluegill. Wot numerous, but widely distributed. Lepomis humilis: orangespotted sunfish. A total of 99 specimens was taken at 3 stations. Lepomis megalotis: longear sunfish. Eleven specimens were taken at Vernon and West Vernon Stations. Pomoxis annularisz white crappie. 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HoH o4 o.o00 H0.m4o m.4H0 H.0o0 oH.oo0 oo.0m0 H0H4 oo.ooo m.0oo H.4o0 0mm mHo moo H.HH0 HH0.H00 o.HH0 - - - - Zoom“ HHH Hzoaoww Hm showdown Ho Wows Home. I1iIIIIIIIIIIiiiIiiI1iiI1rIiIIIIiIIiiIiIIiIIiII1IIIIIIIiiiiiIiIIIIIIiIIiIIiIIiiIIiIiIIiiIiIlliiliiliilliililiilll. Tflfie3. Date Calcium 216 732 878 756 1120 1020 828 702 300 992 2195 1318 1536 1672 2028 2082 1632 1592 226 Sodium 300 1050 1173 1683 2223 1709 1919 1662 1617 1632 2957 121 560 3250 9226 5829 6565 7515 8150 8333 8232 8190 891 Chloride 505 1597 1862 3261 3852 3160 2973 2732 2521 2570 3873 200 195 950 5059 12697 10895 10206 11802 12780 12958 13762 12567 1530 Sulfate 382 1727 1939 872 1528 1228 2539 2093 1723 1822 1259 538 1320 10. Chemical Nature of the Water at the Sample Station. Carbonates NORTH FORK STATION oo01414<3<5c5c3c>c> rocn H m MATADOR STATION 00 SOUTH FORK STATION 3000000 Bicarbonates 102 122 162 157 132 122 108 108 132- 158 116 108 122 216 162 183 168 122 126 132 126 110 Total Salts 1505 5187 5978 7082 8736 7121 8703 7667 6782 6968 1232 3209 1320 2232 11751 30882 18675 21936 23759 27620 28255 26121 26292 3687 pH HJHJC>2roaanqsr v10: \n flflflgmmflflflli 7.97 dfidmmmdflflii oom-qu-H'Hamm Knxn QWO