TPWD 1954 F-3-R-1 #35: Basic Survey of Little Cypress, Cypress, and Black Cypress Bayous in Marion County

sears I 'Eeaes L 3,. m PROJEGT s0, waijela dob A:i_, J m PERIOD_July , 1953 m May 39, 193u_ m Job Completion Report “'d g ‘Q b' “f ‘ Y c Robert J. Kemp, Jro TITLE Basic survey of those portions of the Little Cypress, Cypress and Elena Cya press Bayous {or creeks) which lie within Narion County, OBJEGTEVES To gather fundamental data on the above waters in regard to their physical, chemical and biological aspects, METHODS Little Cypress, Cypress and Black Cypress in Marion County were visited in conjunction with Job Bmo. In all, six stations were observed and conditions note'J RESULTS Marion County is located in the northeast corner of Texaco it contains slignt~ ly over 250,000 acres, with about 10% in cultivation, 20% in pasture and ice in seed» landsg The woodlands are made up of 80% mixed pine and hardwoods and 20% altogether hardwoods (gum, oak and hickory), Approximately 90% of the county drains into Gym press, Black Cypress, or Little Cypress which are the main tributaries of feeds Lake, The soil has been termed by the U, 8, Soil Conservation agents as the poorest in fees asv mach of the area is deep sand with no organic matter at all. All tie er: = very low in lime, phosphate and potasho Watermelons and sweet potatoes are the pri:« cipal crops, Cypress Bayou extends for approximately 35 miles in.Marion Genotya Ea. _ tions were observed in conjunction with Job 3-6, one at Jefferson and one at Fer Bridge, nine miles west of Jefferson, The pH of the water ran from 596 to 7,”, gen varied from 6,6 to 7,20Dissolved carbon dioxide varied from 5 to 10 ppm, worse ity varied from less than 25 ppm to #00 ppm. .According to U0 SQ Engineers, the dis“ charge varied from 371 to 832 cubic feet per second oetween July, 1953 and Febrnary 19540 Their records also show a maximum discharge of 22,e69 cubic feet per second in February 1950 and a minimum of zero cubic feet per second she different tineseinee 1938, Due to the fluctation of the water level, aqnatic Vegetation was limited priw eerily to trees and shrUbs common to the area such as willow (Selin), button been (Cephalanthus occidentalis) and bald cypress Qfiaxodium distichgg}, No submerged aquatics were observed on Cypress at these stations, A typical cypress station was the one at Ferrellis Bridge on Farm Road ?26, The rate 0f current is fast, flowing over a sand and gravel bottom, The water depth was normally up to four feet, width approximately 50 ft. High sand and glay hence with moderate covero All collection records for the Ferrellfls Bridge Staten are inn 2. cluded at the end of the report and are typical of data collected at all stations. Black Cypress extends for 1h miles in Marion County. Two stations were so- served in conjunction with JOb B~6, one at Highway to and one at Highway 59. Diesel» ved oxygen varied from 7.0 to 8.2 and carbondioxide from 7.0 to 8.0 ppm. anbidi=y varied from less than 25 ppm to 320 ppm. The water was usually clear with a dark tanm nic acid stain, thus the name Black Cypress. U. S.Engineers records show a discharge of 109 cubic feet per second in December, 1953 and 321 cubic feet per second in Feb— ruary, 195M. They also show a maximum discharge of 9,765 cubic feet per second in September, 1950 and a minimum of zero during 21 different months since 1938. The prhcipal aquatic vegetation included bald Cypress, button bush, willow and occasional *patches of yellow waterlily (Nuphar advenum). Most of the shore line is dense brush and fallen trees make boat travel difficult so fishing pressure is not too great emu cept in a few clear areas. A typical black cypress locale was the station at highway 59. The creek was approximately 20 ft. wide with a normal depth of up to three feet. The bottom was sand and clay. Dense brush and trees in the water made seiningéfifficult. Scattered lily pads were present around margins and the button bush was abundant. Little Cypress Bayou extends for approximately nine miles in Marion County. Two statins were observed, one at Highway 59 and one at Highway lh3. The pH of the water here varied from 6.2 to 6.8. Dissolved oxygen ran from 7.0 to 8.e ppm and the carbon dioxide from 7.5 to 8.0 ppm. Turbidity varied from less than 25 ppm to 500 ppm on a Jackson Turbidimeter. U. S. Engineers records show a discharge varying from 111 cubic feet per second in September, 1953 to 638 in February 195%. They also show a maximum discharge of 18,875 in May, 19d8 and a minimum discharge of zero duru ing 16 different months since 1938. The aquatic vegetation was primarily bald cy~ press, button bush and willow with some scattered amounts of yellow lily pads. A typical station would be the one at Highway 59 where the Bayou was 50 ft. wide. water depths varied up to six feet. The bottom was"sandy silt and clay. The shore line's dense brush and trees, fallen trees, logs and roots provide dense cover for fish, but made fishing and seining difficult. A small amount of lily pads one present. SUMMARY 1. The area studied was the Cypress, Little Cypress and Black Cypress in Marion County. 2. The drainage area is mostly sand and considered the poorest soil in Texas. 3. The water fluctuations in all three bayous is great and often falls to a point of no flow, although there was flowing water at all stations during this study. a. Discharge greatest in Cypress, least in Black Cypress. h. Black Cypress is generalDTClearer and slightly more acid than the others. 5. All three bayous are similar in appearance, in that all are lined with modm crate to dense amounts of bald cypress, button bush and willow. Fallen trees and logs make boat travel difficult. 6. Fishing pressure in all three bayous is light except in a few accessible areas. 3.. Table No . l Cypess Bayou at Ferrel‘s Bridge Water Analysis . . _ Wid _ . . Air __ __ I. ._.. ._ a. 2 P. M. Cloudy, rain it P. M. Cloudy 11 A. M. Clear 2 P. M. Cloudy 10314-5 AM Cloudy Fish Card 1. No. _ C-51 Species Number Locality - Cypress at Ferrell‘s Bridge Chain Pickerel p 1 ate — 7/13/53 Bedear sunfish l ollector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Brook silversides l .ime w 2:30 P..M. , Notropis delicioeus 5 escription Notropis atrocaudalis l Shoreline - Clay, sand, ferrous rock Bottom — sand and gravel at shallow riffles with clay bottom pool below 5 species specimens9 Cover - occasional log or tree limb; mostly bare Weather: slow rain;o740F air temp. Surface m 90 F Turbidity — under 25 Vegetation submerged: none. Floating: none. Emergw ed: bald cypress, willow, button bush, and pine in fairly dense shoreline growth. in ,Eackle: Bag seine, 26 x 6, a mesh fl,“ Fish Card .011. No. C~52 Species Number locality - Cypress at Ferrellis Bridge Spotted bass 2 Date 8/6/53 Redear sunfish l .ollector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Fundulus notatus 8 “ime u 3 PM Gambusia affinis t ‘ cription (same) Brook silversides l . Weather — clear and hot Hybognathus nuchalis 7 ackle: Bag seine, 26 x 6 mi” mesh Hybognathus hayi l Hotropis venustus l Notropis atrocaudalis 7 Hotropis deliciosus d Notropis umbratilis 2 Spotted sucker 3 ”12 srecies_.Sssofs.ncelmiiiimm1lwi ' . "””"”"“”"””“"“7 Fish Card 1 H011. No. — C-53 Species Number locality - Cypress at Ferrell‘s Bridge Spotted bass 1 Hate - 9/18/53 Hotropis venustus 7 vollector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Notropis amabilis l3 “ime - 3 P. M. Notropis chalybeus a flescription (some) Hybognathus nuchalis 7 eather partly cloudy: air 92oF Fundulus notatus l2 “ackle w 26 x 6, %" mesh Spotted sucker 1 Brook silversides 1 Bluegill 1 Western spotted sunfishl Green sunfish ' 1 amocrypta wires 1 Etheostoma gracile 1 Etheostoma chlorosomuml Hadropterus scierus l 15 species specimens 53 e k“ L ’_.. ... Fish Card 'Ln . No. Cufie Species dumber 'tocality - Cypress at Ferrell‘s Bridge Spotted answer i late » lO/lh/53 Grass pickerei i _ ollector w R. J. Kemp, Jr. Notropis amabilis 160 iime 2 P. M. ' Hotropis amnis 1t mescription (same) Notropis atherinoides 1% Weather w clear and warm Notropis umbratilis 3 'ackle a Bag seine, 26 X 6,%" mesh Notropis roseus 17 Notropis chalybeus 3 Hybognatus nuchalis l3 HybOgnatus heyi l Gembusia affinis i Fundulus notatus 2 Redear 1 Yellow belly sunfish l 1% species specimens, 232 .Toll. Ho. ~C~55 Species number* focality w Cypress at Ferreilis Bridge Hadropterus shamardi 1 Hate n 11/H/53 Hadropterus scierus 1 educator _ R. J. Kemp, Jr. Etheostoma gracile 2 lime: h P. M. Notrope lutrsnsis 2 Description {same} ieather: rain and north wind h species specimens, 6 .daciie m Bag seine 26 X 6, %” mesh Fish'Card" 'foll. N90 CDSG Species Number ‘Weight' locality f Cypress at Ferrellis Bridge Spotted sucker 3 egg; - Ilate " 12/15/53 Channel cat 1 #9 gm =iollector m R. J. Kemp, Jr. rims : 8 AM mescription {same} +eather: clear, 3lDF air temp. *rackles m 2 hoop nets, land 3” mes Fish cars"” roll. No. — Cw57 Species Number locality w Cypress at Ferrellis Bridge no fish mate 12/16/53 iroliector n R. J. Kemp, Jr. ‘ime - 8 A. M. nescription (same) weather » clear, cold h9DF "' "?ish”?ard £0 NO. Cm§8 Species Number Weigli Loosiity a Cypressai Ferrellis Bridge Spotted sucker l 1.12 Rate m s/s/gt “ollector m B. J. Kemp, Jr. Vime u 8 A. M. Description (same) Weather — clear, warm, 510F flackle - 7 hoop nets, 3 — 1 inch, 1-1% inch, 2-2 inch, 1-3 inch ‘Eoll. No. Cw59 Species . Locality - Cypress at Ferrell‘s Bridge Lergemouth bees Date - R/B/Sh wermouth Collector n R. J. Kemp, Jr. Green sunfish Time — l P. M. Bluegill ~ Description (same) Black oreppie 3 Weather: cloudy, windy 69oF White ereppie l Tackle - Beg seine, 26 X 6, %” mesh Flier 7 ' Golden Shiner 3 Brook silversides 36 Fundulus notetus 15 Gambusie effinis t Sehilbeodes nooturnus l Notropis lutreosis 3 Notropis peroohromus 2 1h species specimens 81 Fish Card Cell. No. Cufill Species Number Weight : Locality - Cypress at Ferrell‘s Bridge Longnose gar ‘ 3.5 lie. Date « 5/7f5h Channel eat 6 e.O Collector w R. J. Kemp, Jr. Blue eat l 1-5 3 Time - Black oreppie l 0.3? -Dr riptioo (same) White bass 1 Q.62 fleether — cloudy, cool, windy - Tackle - ll hoop nets, 6 - l" mesh, 2-léfl mesh, 1 _ 2 inch mesh, 2 — 3 inch mesh Fish Card Coll. No. 0—512 Species Number Weigi Locality « Cypress at Ferrell's Bridge Drum l 1.5 Date _ 5/26/5h Black orappie l 9.18 Collector u R. J. Kemp, Jr. White oreppie l 0.2fi Time: — T A. M. Redeer 2 0.3% Description (same) Bluegill l 6.30 Weather: partly cloudy, windy 78oF Tackle n 5 hoop nets, 1, 2 and 3 inch mesh mm.“ “an. mg..- «4.. . rm“ In“. it. “mm“! .4, «nun-h m .4“... m. .m...) MFA—«4..