TPWD 1960 F-5-R-7 #591: Inventory of Species Present in Lake Kirby near Abilene, Texas

Report of Fisheries Investigations Inventory of Species Present in Lake Kirby near Abilene, Texas by James F; Wilcox Assistant Project leader Dingell-JOhnson Project F-S-R-T, Job 3-26 April 16, 1959 — March 31, 1960 H, D. Dodgen - Executifie Secretary Texas Game and Fish.Commission Austin, Texas Marion Tools I KRnneth.C. Jorgens &'William E. Brown Coordinator .assistant Coorainators A B S T R A.C T Thirteen species representing five families of fish were collected from Lake Kirby. Giszard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), flathead catfish ( lodictus olivarisi, channel catfish (Ictalurus pnnctatusj, and white crappie (Pomoxis annulariss, are all very abundant. The principal fisheries prdblems appear to be gizzard shad and an overpopulation of small crappie. Channel catfish and flathead catfish provide very good fishing for the local anglers. The carp (C rinus carpio) and river carpsuckers (Carpiodes carpio found in Lake Kirby are all very small for some unexplained reason. Evidence Obtained by netting and seining collections indicated that largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) do not spawn in the lake probably'because of its ex- tremely turbid waters. Some very-large bass were collected and observed, however. These were prdbably the result of hatchery stocking. It was recommended . that largemouth bass be stocked more frequently in this lake. JOb Completion Report State of TEXAS Project No. F55~R~7 Name: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the waters of Region 3-3 Job No. 3-26 Title: Inventory of Species Present in Lake Kirby near Abilenez Texas Period Covered: April 162 1959 - March 312 1960 OBJECTIVES To determine the species present and their relative abundance as well as to determine the ecological factors influencing their distribution. PROCEDURE A total of 16 netting collections was obtained from Lake Kirby during the survey period. All nets used were experimental type nylon gill netsy measuring 125 feet in length and eight feet in depth. They were made up in five, 25 foot long sections with mesh sizes varying from onewinch square mesh to threeeinch square mesh; increasing in oneehalfwinch intervals in each succeeding section. Six stations were employed in the setting of these 16 nets. In addition to the information obtained from these nets3 data was collected from a commercial fishermen who set 79000 feet of 3% and h inch mesh in the lake for a one night period. All fish taken from the nets set by the Texas Game and Fish Commission were weighed, measured, and their sex and condition determined. Individuals of some species were examined for stomach contents and for parasites. Hoop and/or fyke nets were not employed for collection purposes as there were no channels in the lake or other locations that would have been particularly good for sampling with them. Also. insufficient time was available for their effective use. Seining collections were obtained on three occasions from three locations in the lake. Each collection consisted of several seine drags at each beach with either a 12 foot commonsense seine or a 100 foot nylon seine with lwinch mesh. The fish cola lected in seines were counted by species and a sample of each species was preserved for further study in the laboratory. In addition to netting and coining; records were made at sereral times during the course of the survey of the surface water temperature? the pH, and the turbidity. Notations concerning the description and general ecological conditions of the lake and surrounding terrain were also recorded. Further hydrological and water analysis information was obtained from the City of Abilene and the Texas State Department of Health. FINDINGS Location and Physical Conditions Lake Kirby is located on Cedar Creek, on the southern outskirts of Abilene, Texas, approximately 5 miles from the downtown area. Lake Litle and Fort Phantom Hill are also on Cedar Creek below the Lake Kirby Dam but there are no impoundments on the creek above Lake Kirby. Lake Kirby and Cedar Creek are on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River drainage system. The contributing watershed for Lake Kirby contains hh square miles. At spillway level the lake covers 800 surface acres and contains 2,850,000,000 gallons of water. The dam is 50 feet high, 2,000 feet long, of earth construction, and riprapped with large rocks approximately is to 2~feet in diameter. The lake bottom is silt, and red soils. A geological fault has created a steep bluff of crumbled bedmrock on the east shore of the lake while the other shore lines are gently sleping sand and silt beaches. The lake always has a large amount of colloidal suspension. Turbidity values ranged between 2 and h inches as observed by means of a Secchi disk. The red, sandy loams above the lake, much of which is in cultivation, helps explain this condition. The recorded pH for the lake is 8.l and during the project period water temperatures ranged between 38°F. and 83°F. The lake level was down approximately ten feet during the survey period and the lake covered only 350 surface acres. More complete hydrow logical information is given in Figures 9 and 10. vegetation Button willows and desert willows along with native grasses are abundant along the lakels shores. Except for algae on the domes riprap no aquatic vegetation is noticeable. This can probably be accounted for by the extreme turbidity of the water. History and Administration Lake Kirby was constructed in l928 for a water supply for the City of Abilene. Much'water is still drawn from the lake for municipal consumption even though Abilene has two other water supply lakes which contain more water. lhe water from Lake Kirby reportedly has a more desirable flavor than water from the other two lakes. This can probably be accounted for by the high turbidity and lack of aquatic vegetation that are characteristic of the lake. Since the lake was built.a great amount of siltation has taken place. At the time of construction the maximum depth of the lake was reportedly 31 feet. At the present time no water over 20 to 22 feet deep would exist if the lake were at spillway level. The lakefis level has fluctuated considerably from year to year. In 1953, the lake was down to a maximum depth of 10 inches in itls deepest area but has never gone completely dry. Lake Kirby has a local reputation of having been a good fishing lake. Some large crappie have been caught year in and year out. Channel catfish have also been heavily fished for with a good degree of success. Shortly after the lake caught water in 1953, yellow catfish were introduced into the lake in large numbers for the first time. These fish were obtained from a small lake below Lake Kirby. This species has flourished in Lake Kirby and today yellow catfish are caught on poles and lines, or rod and reels quite frequentlyo Trotlinesj throwlines or any similar apparatus? are not allowed in the lake and the lake is closed to night fishing; speed boating9 water skiing; swimming? and wadingo A 25 cent daily recreational charge is levied by the City of Abileneo This money is need to help pay the lake patrolmanis salary and for maintenance of roads and facilitieso Netting Figures 2? 3; and t present the data obtained by the use of gill nets and Figure ll shows the locations of the netting stationso A total of 329 specimens representing nine species, were collected by nettingt Of this number 6Toh8 percent were game specieso However, many of the game species collected by netting were small crappie therefore this percentage is misleadingo In evaluating the relative condition of the lake; Figure 7 gives the results of a commercial fishermanis gill netting catch from the lakeo Description 2i Netting Stations Station 1 m One end of the nets used at this station were tied to the water gauge? which was standing alone? approximately 50 feet from the demo (See Figure lEEO The other ends of the nets were anchored away from the gauge (and the dam) in Open watero The average depth of the water was approximately 12 feeto The bottom was composed of sand and silto This station was used during all three netting tripso Station 2 m This station was located near the west end of the demo One end of the nets was tied to the deals riprap while the other end was anchored away from the dam in open watero The average depth of the water was approximately 12 feeto The bottom was composed of the deals coarse rock riprap at one end of the net; and sand and silt at the other ando There was some filamentous algae apparent on the riprap at the wateris edgeo This station was used during the duly and Qctoher netting tripso Station 3 m This station was on the edge of the northernmost of too small islandso One end of the nets need was set in about three feet of water while the other end was stretched out into tater approximately nine feet deepo The bottom was sand and silto There were scattered patches of native grasses emerging from the water at the edges of the island which had most likely grown during periods of low watero This station was used every time the lake was nettedo (See Figaro l3)o Station t a This station was located at the sonthern island and had practically the same physical characteristics as station number three except that the water at this station was slightly shallowero Nets were set here during the Joly and Goteber tripso Station 5 m This station was close to the east shoreline about nidwsay down the lakeo The shoreline in this area is covered by large rocks and small boulderso The nets used were in about 2 feet of water at the shoreline and and in about 7 feet of water at the and stretched away from the shoreo The bottom was composed of sand and silto This station was ntilised during all three netting tripso QSee Figure lh)o Station 6 m This was a flat in the upper end of the lake adjacent to the creek channelo The water was approximately h feet deepo The bottom was composed of sand and silto This station was employed every time the lake was nettedo ease Although there were not but three areas where seining could be effectively cone ducted it is felt that these areas produced a satisfactory sampleo The use of other areas was prohibited by excessive obstructions? primarily stumps and large rochso Figures 5 and 6 present the statistical data Obtained from the seining collections and Figure ll shows the locations of the seining stationsa A total of 800 specimens representing 10 different species were collected by use of seineso Descriptions of Seining Stations Station 1 - This was the boat launching area at the northeast corner of the damo The shore had a gentle gradient and was covered with rubbleo This location was free of obstructions but became too deep for seining approximately 20 feet from the banku (See Figure 15)o Station 2 - This seining station was a flat area between the southernmost island and the west shoreline. The water was between 1 foot and 18 inches deep. The bottom was clay, sand and silt, and was interspersed with stumps which prohibited the use of long seines but did not seriously deter the use of 12 foot seineso Station 3 w This station was in a small slough near the southwest corner of the demo A silt bar partially obstructed the mouth of the slougho There is an inter“ change of water between the lake and the slough when the lake is not lowa The bottom was sand and silt with some rubble along the shorelineo The use of 100 foot seines was not prohibited by Obstructions in this areao Annotated Species List Clupeidae (herrings) Dorosoma cepedianum {giszard shad) m Over 53 percent of the total fish collected by seining were gizzard shad and over 2h percent of the fish collected by use of nets were this specieso The tremendous numbers of shad have apparently kept individuals of the species small since no large shad were capturedo The average weight of the shed taken in the netting collections was only 199 ounceso Most game fish stomachs examined contained shad remains.u Catostomidae (suckers and buffalofishes) Ictiobus bubalus (smallmouth'buffalo) ~ One 6wpound buffalo was captured by a commercial fishermen from a total of 7,000 feet of note This species was not rape resented in the regular netting and seining collections. Carpiodes carpio (river carpsuckers) m This species was collected both by netting and seining but did not appear to be as numerous or as serious a fishery problem as it often is in other West Texas lakesa All the carpsuckers captured were extremely smallo The sample of this species taken from nets averaged only 503 011118638 0 Cyprinidae (shiners and minnows) .Cyprinus carpio (carp) - Carp were collected both by seining and netting and appeared to be present in about the same numbers as were the river carpsuckers. The carp collected were somewhat larger than the river carpsuckers but even so they averaged only 1 pound and 5 ounces. The reason for the small size of these two species, when there does not appear to be a large overabundance of either species? has not been determined. Notropis lutrensis (redhorse shiner) - This appears to be the dominant minnow in Lake.Kirby. The species seems to do especially well in tanks and lakes in the area whichlure large suspensions of colloidal material. Notropis volucellus (mimic Shiner) - A small sample of this species was obtained from Lake Kirby. This species appears to be subwdominant to other species of minnows Pimephales vigilax (parrot minnow) w This was the second most common minnow collected in Lake Kirby. Most of these were fairly large size specimens. Ameiuridae (freshwater catfishes) Ictalurus punctatus (channel catfish) m These fish are aboundant in Lake Kirby and are frequently taken by anglers on rods and reels and cane poles. The average weight of the channel catfish taken in the regular netting collections was 1 pound and 5 ounces although the 12 channel catfish caught in the 3%w and heinch mesh of a commercial fishermanis nets averaged approximately eight pounds. Eylodictus olivaris (flathead catfish) w Only three fish of this species were obtained by netting but this is considered to be an error created by the use of small mesh nets. Flatheads are caught very frequently by anglers on cane poles and rods and reels. Trotlines and throwlines are prohibited. The cemmercial fishermen} who set 73000 feet of net in one night took over 500 specimens that averaged over 12 pounds each. According to local sources around Abilene this species was introduced into Lake Kirby for the first time about eight or ten years ago. These fish have added tremendously to the fishery of the lake. They have apparently spawned every year as there are various sizes in the lake. Centrarehidae (black basses and sunfishes) Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass) a Only one individual of this species was collected from Lake Kirby. This was a 3 pound 2 ounce fish collected by netting. Several large specimens were taken by the commercial fishermen that averaged 7 pounds each. It is believed? by the observer, that largemouth bass do not spawn in this lake. The extremely turbid conditions of the water which always prevails is believed a major factor_in the failure of bass to spawn. The lake was stocked with this species about five years ago from state fish hatcheries. Every bass seen or reported to be caught by anglers was of a large size, yet no small bass were captured by seining. L—rT‘E‘ s t- Lepomis macrochirus (bluegill) - This is the most common sunfish in the lake. Not a single individual collected was large enough to be of any value to a fisherman. These fish have probably overpopulated this lake in the same as they have in most other waters of the region. Lepomis humilis (orangespotted sunfish) - These small relatively unimportant fish are common in Lake Kirby. Pomoxis annularis (white crappie) - Lake Kirby contains two sizes of this species. One is the very large, very desirable size that is prObably a remnant of the year class produced a year or two after the lake filled up after nearly going dry in 1953. The other size is very small. Small crappie averaged only 2% ounces, yet they were fully mature, sexually ripe specimens. This small sized crappie, which composes a very large group, is prObably the result of an overpopulation of this species which has become evident during the last three or four years. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The results of the inventory of fish made in Lake Kirby indicates that: l. the crappie and sunfish are overabundant and, as a result, stunted; 2. the largemouth bass are not spawning; 3. gizzard shad are the principal rough fish problem, but their uniform small size makes them available to the other fish as a food supply; A. the suckers and carp found in Lake Kirby are, for some unexplained reason, very small; and 5. flathead catfish and channel catfish are the primary fishery in the lakr although many of the small crappie and sunfish are also utilized by local anglers. The only recommendation that can be made at this time is that largemouth bass be stocked more frequently from the state fish hatcheries as no natural reproduction appears to occur. is long as flathead catfish are providing fishermen of the area with the "good fishing" they apparently have, even though trotlines and throwlines are not allowed in the lake, it is felt that no management work is required. However, when selective eradication techniques are completely worked out for the waters of this region, and when long range results of such treatments are known or can be reasonably accurately predicted, a selective control of gizzard shad will be recomw mended. ‘ Prepared by James F. Wilcox Approved by 2% Egg Jfl’flg/ Assistant Project Leader Dir ctor Inland Fisheries Division Date July 1, 1960 7. Figure 1. A checklist of fish species caught by netting and seining from Lake Kirby from April 16, 1959 through March 31, 1960 Scientific Name Common Name Clupeidae (herrings) Dorosoma cepedianum gizzard shad Catostomidae (suckers and buffalofishes) Ictiobus bubalus smallmouth buffalo Carpiodes carpio river carpsucker Cyprinidae (shiners and minnows) Cyprinus carpio ' carp Notropis lutrensis I redhorse shiner Notropis volucellus mimic shiner Pimephales'vigilax parrot minnow Ameiuridae (freshwater catfishes) Ictalurus punctatus channel catfish Pylodictus olivaris _ flathead catfish Centrarchidae (black basses and sunfishes) Micropterus salmoides largemouth bass Lepomis macrochirus bluegill Lepomis humilis orangespotted sunfish Pomoxis annularis ‘white crappie m. Mommas m. womcHdm om codewom ooHHoodHoom amass woos Hows macaw access new ceases econ oases am. Home assoems.amsse me. Home mooowom mon Am nosey ac. tendons oaaooou no money 20. woeoood ascended A: oodmv no. wounded assumes same we mm.rm we mm.mm w m.mp msmHHsood5.oowono H H.mr mecca ammomoGWou w r.rH H H.mr H m.mm owes m m.w: a m.mr newness awesome we Hm.mo m 4.so m Ho.wm meaoomm omemwmw w H.:4 . Hmumosooao comm H m.m4 wHomMWHH moomwmw H o.rm asses gaseous mm carom rm mm.mm we 44.mm scams mo: Hoo.oo mp Hoo.oo er Hoo.oo