TPWD 1976 F-30-R-2 #1725: Performance Report: Management Recommendations for Proposed Reservoir and Other Public Water Projects, Palo Duro Creek

PERFDRMANEE REPORT As required by FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATIDN ABT Federal Aid Project F-BD—R-E Statewide Fisherv'Management Recommendations Job E: Management Recommendations for Proposed Reservoir and Other Public Water Projects Palo Duro Creek, 19?6 Robert L. Bounds Inland Fisheries Management Program Director District I-A Joseph E. Kraai District Management Supervisor Clayton T. Garrison Executive Director Texas Parks and Wildlife Department David L. Pritchard Robert J. Kemp Chief, Inland Fisheries Director of Fisheries June 1, 19?? State: Performance Report Job B, District I—a Texas Project Title: Statewide Public Waters Management Project Section: Research and Survefis Studv Title: Management Recommendations for Proposed Reservoir and Dther Public Waters Projects Contract Period: From Januarz l, 19?6 through December 31, 19?6 Program Narrative Dbjective Number: 2 Dbjective: To recommend habitat improvement, fisherman information, fish II. population manipulation, vegetation control, pollution control, fisherman access and facility development, and fishing regula— tions for existing and proposed public waters of Texas. Abstract: During 19?6, a preimpoundment survey was conducted on Palo Duro Creek in the Texas Panhandle to provide basic biological data for designing a fisheries management plan for the proposed reservoir. This plan was to provide for optimum fishing recreation benefits from the reservoir over an extended period of time. The intermittent nature of Palo Duro Creek resulted in the collecting of relatively few species of fish and invertebrates. No game fishes were collected. Carp were found at several locations. Their presence poses a threat to the fishery of the proposed lake. Forage species collected were primarily those which prefer a stream environment. Recent events have occurred which resulted in the postponement of the lake's construction for a period of several years. Final fisheries management recommendations should not be formulated until the exact location of the dam is known and data concerning the lake's sire and other characteristics become avail— able. A second preimpoundment survey should be conducted within five years of actual impoundment. Segment Dbjectives: Conduct necessary surveys as outlined in ”A Manual of Survey and Management Techniques for Reservoir and Stream Management" to accom— plish the following procedures: a. Recommend fisheries management features for proposed water development B. Recommend fisheries management needs to other organisations having management authority on public waters. III. IV. C. Prepare an annual report of survey results and management recom— mendations. Introduction: The impounding of Palo Duro Creek was first seriously considered when the Texas State Legislature created the Palo Duro River Authority. The purpose of the River Authority was to construct a dam and reser— voir on Palo Duro Creek in Hansford County. Although an engineering feasibility study was completed during 19?4, the River Authority did not reach a final agreement on initiating the project until early 19?6. At this time Congress authorised the Corps of Engineers to investigate the water resources of Palo Duro Creek. New officers were placed on the Palo Duro River Authority Board and the project was turned over to the Corps of Engineers. Initiation of the project will probably be delayed for 8 to 20 years. During 19?6, District I—A personnel with the Inland Fisheries Section of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department initiated a preimpoundment survey on the watershed to gather information on which to base manage— ment recommendations concerning the proposed reservoir. Study Area Description: The valley formed by Palo Duro Creek in the area of the proposed reservoir site is broad and U—shaped. Several small canyons and one tributary stream intersect the stream at this point. The stream valley has steep sides and numerous points and rocky outcrops. Ter— restrial vegetation is sparse in this area. Small stands of cotton— wood trees line the creek banks in isolated locations and juniper trees and woody shrubs are occasionally found along the sides of the canyons. Prairie grasses are the dominant ground cover. Deep loam and clay and silt make up the primary soils of this region. The primary land usage is agriculture and mineral operations. Corn, sorghum, wheat and cotton are the major crops produced. Oil, natural gas, helium and gypsum are produced in commercial quantities. Procedures: The classification of Palo Duro Creek was based on the work of Horton (1945). Stream order was determined through the use of USCS topo— graphic maps. The intermittent nature of the stream required that sampling stations be established in areas where agricultural irriga— tion runoff provided a reliable source of water. Cnly three stations were found which were thought to maintain water throughout the sampling period. Physical characteristics of the stream were determined for each station during each sampling period. Stream width and depth were determined by averaging several measurements at each station. Current velocity was determined by timing the progress of a float across a known distance of stream. Several tests were made at each station and an VI. -3- average current velocity was determined. Cther physical character— istics of the stream and its basin were determined by visual obser— vation. Water quality measurements were made throughout the sampling period. Samples were analysed in the field for oxygen, temperature, pH, conductivity and total alkalinity. Samples were sent to the regional chemist each sampling period for the determination of total hardness, turbidity, total dissolved solids, chlorides, nitrates and phosphates. Visual inspections of the stations were made to determine the species of aquatic vegetation present in the stream. Aquatic invertebrate samples were collected during May, June and August. A Surber sampler and an Ekman dredge were used to assess the henthic population. Surber samples were collected from riffle areas and dredge samples from pools. All macroinvertebrates collected were preserved in 52 ethol alcohol and returned to the laboratory for identification. Fish populations were sampled using a 20—ft, SKIS in. mesh straight seine and an electrofishing boat. Three seine drags were made at each station during each sampling period. Various habitat types were selected for the samples. The seine was held open to cover the entire stream width in most samples. Length of the drags varied with the amount of obstacles and cover in the stream. An electrofishing sample was collected during June and August at Station I. The entire shore— line of an impounded section of the stream was sampled with the shocking boat during the two months. Results: A search of the literature indicated that no fisheries investigations have been conducted on Palo Duro Creek prior to 19?6. Channel Data: According to the Horton System of Stream Classification, Palo Duro Creek is a Group IV stream, both intermittent and inter— rupted. Following periods of locally heavy precipitation the stream maintains a substantial flow and often creates minor flooding. Sections of new stream channels are often formed and the stream bed is commonly scoured during these floods. The average width of the channel varied throughout the year. During May the average width was 18.1 ft. During June it had increased to an average of 2A.D then decreased to an average of 21.5 ft at Stations I and II by August. During August Station III was dry. Depths at the sampling stations ranged from a maximum of 31 in. at Station I in May to a minimum of A.5 in. at Station 11 during August. The volume of flow varied from a maximum of 113.1 ft3fs during May to a minimum of no flow at Station III during August. -4i Stream bottom types were primarily combinations of muck, sand, silt and rubble. Small sections of the stream containing only a sand substrate were common. Habitat: Pools were shallow and contained only a marginal amount of cover. Riffles became decreasingly common throughout the sampling period. Stream shade, undercut banks, boulders and other fish attrac~ tors were uncommon throughout the study area. Water Quality: All water quality values measured were well within tolerance ranges of most species of fish. Seven feedlots operate within the Palo Duro Creek watershed but in— vestigations into these operations revealed adequate retention faciliw ties are present in all cases and no effluent flows into the watershed. Irrigation runoff from.local farmland commonly enters directly into Palo Duro Creek. Water quality values indicated no excessive amounts of nitrates, phosphates or chlorides were associated with the runoff. Mo analyses were made to determine pesticide residue in either the stream bottom sediment or in fish flesh from Palo Duro Creek. Vegetation: Aquatic vegetation was absent from the study area of Palo Duro Creek with the exception of isolated growths of filamentous algae. A few areas of smartweed and reeds bordered the stream. Benthos: Very few organisms were collected in the benthic samples. A checklist of organisms collected is presented in Table 1. Low invertebrate production can be attributed to the intermittent character of the stream. In addition to the above organisms, adult giant water beetles, whirly— gig beetles, damselflys and dragonflys were observed in or around Palo Duro Creek. The larvae stages of these organisms undoubtedly exist within the stream. Fish Populations: Two electrofishing samples were collected above Station 11. These samples resulted in the collection of 38 carp which weighed a total of 15.9 lb and three yellow bullheads weighing a total of 0.? lb. Both species could become problematic in a lake environ— ment. Seining proved to be the only fish collection method suitable for all three stations. Cnly 12 species of fishes were collected throughout the sampling period (Table 2). Red shiner was the most abundant species collected. They were collected from each station during each sampling period. Silvery minnow and plains killifish were abundant at Station 111 but absent from collections at the other two stations. Mimic shiners were common only at Station III. Fathead minnows were collected from all stations and were fairly common in the samples. Other species were taken only rarely during seining operations. -5- Station III, under the conditions present during 19?6, is separated from.the other two stations by an interrupted section of stream several miles in length. The effect of this barrier is apparent in the fish samples. Collections revealed that 11 species were collected from Station III, five from Station I and two from Station II. Station III, in all probability, will be below the area of the pro— posed dam and its fish population will not have access to the lake. Only five species of fishes were collected from that area of Palo Duro Creek which will be inundated by impoundment. VII. Recommendations: because the project initiation dates are unknown and the exact location and sise of the proposed reservoir are undetermined, it would be inappropriate to formulate management recommendations for the lake at this time. It is recommended that a second preimpound— ment survey be conducted within five years of the project completion date. Data collected during ISIS should be used for reference and for comparative purposes with the findings of this proposed study. In addition, it is recommended that a sample of fish from each station be analysed for pesticide residue when the stream is resurveyed. VIII. Cost: $1,100. Joseph E. Kraai January 31, 19?? Prepared by: Date District Management Supervisor Approved 131’: Qéfigl % William C. Provine Project F—30—R Program Assistant Program Director Director Project F—30—R HANSFORD CO. Figure l. Preimpoundment study area, Palo Duro Creek, Texas, ISIS. mum am Q.NH mmm omH N.m m.m m.mH m QmH mm m.mm Hem aha o.m m.aa H.mm N mma MN m.mm mum Ham o.m oH.m $.mm H nfiuuu AEuuV DEW onmoseo Afiadv ma Afiauu ADV aoflumum msocpwmm Hm hufimfinon oocauoopcou .me .m.m dame ofiMHowdm Hmuoe .mhmfi .omswom use was .mmme nweapons whommomm .xomwu owom ofimm Eowm woods mo mofiumflwouomumgo HaoHEofio amassed .H oHLmH Table 2. A checklist of aquatic invertebrates collected from Palo Duro Creek, Hansford County, Texas, 19?6. Common Name Taxon Crayfish Family Decapoda Midge larvae Family Chironomidae Blackfly larvae Family Simulidae Mayfly larvae Family Baetidae Aquatic annelids 0rder Cligochaeta a Haasmsam m amwmuus cmouw N a umeeaaasaaaa cm mmq seemeaaex seesaw N N woxuouauao wueem SH m NH m m m A sauces escapee NH an escape ueeex amm masses mmmmmmmm qwa mmm mad mmm Hm mmm ewe mmm access use sea has sauces mamsaam H aumu HHH as H HHH as H HHH Ha H smashes asauaum deepens agendas ma umomom N meow N hmE % .mmmH .swon .hooooo muomecum .uoouu owom oHum .uooflouou sauce .uoeuweusue pauses ocfiom .m panda