TPWD 1953 F-9-R-1 #8: Inventory of species present and their distribution in those portions of the Devil's River, excluding Devil's Lake and Lake Walk which lie within Val Verde County, Texas

STATE Wines.“ PROJECT H0, Fm 9mR= 1, Job Beg PERIOD July 1, l953 a June 30, 195% Segment Completion Report William H, Brown Project Leader TITLE Inventory of species present and their distribution in those portions of the Devil‘s Riser, excluding Deril*s Lake and Lake walk which lie within Val Verde do,, Texas, OBJECTIVES To determine the distribution of the species present and their relative abun- dance as well as the ecological factors influencing their distribution, COOPERATING AGENCIES University of Texas (Department of Zoology, Dr, Clark Hobbs) Central Power and Light Co, METHQDS a total of 16 fish collections were made at 12 different stations on the Deva il‘s River, The collections consisted of 15 seining collections and l gill net collection, The seining collections were made wmh the following seines: 30' r 6? n i“ straight seine, 26* x 6' a i” bag seine; common sense seines, h? deep by 1/8" mesh'With lengths varying from four to ten feet, The one gill net collection was made with an experimental, nylon gill net, 8 x 125 ft,, consisting of 25 ft, sections ranging from one to three inches in mesh size and graduated in oneuhalf inch interw sale, All mesh sizes are given as square mesh sizes, ‘ Field eater analyses, including air and water temperatures, pH, dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, alkalinity and chlorides were made at seven stations on the Basil‘s River, Cooperation of Dr, Clark Hobbs, Department of Zoology, University of Texas, in the verification and identification of many fish species was greatly appreciated. All seining collertions were preserved in 10% formalin and brought to the labora: tory for verification and tabuhtion, Work on this job was greatly hampered by the late arrival of waders during the cold winter months, lack of sufficient time for job, and more directly by the inaccessibility of the riser, PHXEICAL CHARACTERISTICS The flowing portion of the Devil‘s River is entirely within the Edwards Plate eau in val Verde County, Texas. Johnson Creek in Crockett County and the Dry Devil‘s River in Val Verde County are normally only dry draws but they carry tremendous amounts of flood waters to the Devil‘s Riser during moderate to heavy rains on the watershed The perennial portion of the river begins at Pecan Springs on the Hudspeth River Ranch, approximately 4 5 air miles southwest of Juno and flows approximately 2° thirtyefive miles in a sootheasterly to southern direction to its conrergence with the Rio Grands River, approximately air air miles southwest of Del Rioo The river has several large springs and several thousand small springs along its entire coarse and is characterised by a rather large volume of flowing, slightly turbid to perfectly clearF watera The river has high limestone canyon walls along much of its course“ The stream bed is several hundred feet wide in places and mostly limes stone bedrock: However? there are numerous deep pools with gravel and rabble bots toms with slight to heavy silt deposits in some areasg The watershed is mostly rolling to rugged limestone hills with a thin soil severe There is very little grass cover due to overgrasing and recent years of droutha The present vegetation consists of thorny brush species and semimarid to arid plantsa The nature of the watershed ranses small "flash floods” as well as major floods during periods of only moderate raina There are three impoundments on the Devilis Biwer, all built and owned by the Central Power and Light Con The smallest damj located approximately one mile above the month of the rf‘Lv'erl is only about six feet deep and fornishes water to the Central Power and Light Steam Planta The two larger dams; Lake weir ad Devilis Lake, approximately six and eight miles respectively northwest of Del Rio are hydroe electric dams” Lake walk is 250 surface acres and Devil‘s Lake is tho surface acresa Both are shallow lattesj less than 50 feet deepa Detailed information regarding the physical aspects of the Devil“s River may be found in Job Rel; Segment Completion Reportu CHEMICAL CHERRCTERISTICS A key to the water analysis stations is included in Table la The stations are also located on the map accompanying this reportu The results of these water analyses may be found in Table 2a The water temperature ranged from 69 F in Novemm her to Efidfii in September“ The average temperature for the seven analyses was TGDlDF a Mostrf the springs have a constant, yearsronnd temperature near 7205“a The air temperature ranged from 96DF in lhly to TSDF in October and November. The pH of the river ranged from Tue to 8D? with an average of 89kg Most of the spring wet“ ers have a low pH near 7020 The dissolved oxygen of the river varied from 302 to 8u6 with.an average of 605 parts per millionu The carbon dioxide ranged from 095 to EQJO wiin an average of Tad parts per millionq The spring areas consistently give the hgher carbon dioxide readings“ The total alkalinity; due entirely to bin carbonate alkalinity; varied from 1?? to 220 with an average of 191 parts per mil« liono The chloride contenr ranged from 17“? to h2u6 with an average of 33oh parts per million“ There is a sligh+ turbidity present in certain areas of the riverP espedally at Station 3 and downstream near the Rio Grande Rivera However, the tar bidity is so low in the majority of the stream the it can not be recorded with a Jackson tnrbidimetcro RESUHPS OF FISH GOLLEGTIQNS A key to the fish collection stations may be found in Table 1a A total of 16 collections were made at 12 different locations on the Rivera These 16 colleen tions consist of 15 seimng collections and one gill net collectiona Table 3 cone tains a checklist of fish species for the Devilis River and Table s gives the numm ber of each species collected at each stations a total of 6,760 fish specimens were collectedb This total contains 28 species and one hybrid, representing 10 families. The fish fauna of the Devilis River is typical of that of the Rio Grande River Drainage below the month of the Devilis Rivera The number of species present is much lower than that of streams of the eastern portion of the Stateu Two new species were discovered as the result of this iHVestigationn One; a new cyrinodonti Eyprinodon spades is to be described by Dru Reeve Bailey of the Una ersity oi Misha igana The other; a new cyprinidg Dionda species is to be desribed by Dr“ Clark Hobbs 31 and the a.ntToru The minnow epeoiee a.re moat abundant in the Devilie River, eepeom ia.lly gotropie eennetue_, the epottail Shiner.a and Dionda episcopa, the roandnoee minnoeq The epottail ehiner ie iWCJnd throughout the entire river; but the ronnd= noee minnow is found only in the immediate vicinity of Springer The game epeeiee are found throughout The entire stream and provide good to excellent fiehing in the deeper poola of eateru The following fienee a.re found only in the spring areae or they are close .111r aeeoriated with the are ing eatere: Dionda. epieoopa m roundnoee minnow Bionda aperiee a new epeeiee Eyprinodon epeeies 1 new epeeiee Lepomie panota.tue e eootted annfieh giehlaeoea oyanogntrata m Rio drande perch The Rio drande tetra ie found Throughout the entire river but its abundanee ie no donor due to the large rolune of flowing apring water. The river earpeneaer may be eoneidered ae numerone in the river“ Several species are eloeely aeeoeieted with rapide and feet fleeing naieren They inelnde the proeerpine ahiner, the redm epot darter and the Rio Grande ehinern The epottail Shiner is muoh more numerone in the eeifier eaterea Many of the apeeiee walleeted are different enbmepeeiea from those of the central and eastern yortione of the State but they here not been recorded ae anon in thie reporta SUMMARY lo .a toial of 16 fieh ooileeiione, ineluding 15 gaining eolleotione and l gill net oolleotion were made at 12 different loeatione on the Devil‘e Rivera A total of 7 field eater analyses were made at seven different locations on the river“ fit The eater teaperatnre ra.nged from 690F in November to 820 F in Seofeeber with an arera.ge temperature of 76 II.0 F The spring eaters had a rather constant teem peraiure near 72 0F The pH ranged from 712 to 8a? with an average of 8141 The spring waters had a rather oonetant 93 near TDEQ The dieeolved oxygen varied from SDB to 896 with an average of 69 ' parte per milliono The hereon dioxide earied free OfiE to TTQO with an avenge of T d parte per milliono The epringa have high eaihon dioxide readingaa The +o1al :=':1...1Jaalininggifi5 dne entirelr'to bioarbonate alien lining} ranged from 155 to £20 with an arerage of 191 parte per milliono The tar» bidiig of the atreae in normally very low} beloe the reeording limits of a iaokeon Turbidimstera 3, a i1ifl1 oz1. 6 760 fi a rare eolleeted, rerreeenting 10 familieej 28 ape“ eiee and one hybrida Two nee fieh enemies were diaeorered aa the reeult of inia inreetigationn The nreeenr.e of noeerone enringe and the constant rather high rate of flee of ihe rive.r eeem to be foe moat important feetora effecting The dieiriEnm tion of the iieh eneeieeo “a .Minnoe epeoiea are moei numerone in the river and the gene epeeiee are 'eidely distributed and farnieh good To excellent fishing in moat of the atreanj -Table l, fitation No,_ S ining Collection No, l, Damsmé a, namsmg 3, DRHS~2, DRnSmlh a. DRwSmlO 5. DE=SmlS 6. newsmT, DRmSmlE T, DRwS ll 8. DRmsul, DRmS~9 9 newswe 10, DR 3,13 ll, name-u,'nameaml 12, DRwSmE 1. Given as approximate air miles, Key to Seining and Water Analysis Stations on the Devil*e River. Locationl Devilis River, at headwaters, Pecan Springs, Hudepeth Ranch, 18% miles north.of Comstoek, val Verde Co, Devilie River, log-miles north of Gomstoek, val Verde, Co. Devilie River, at Bakerie Crossing, State Highway 163, 9% miles north of Cometoek, Val Verde County, Devilie River at Indian Creek Cane yon, Luoious Hines Ranch, ll miles Northeast of Comstoek, Val Verde Co, Devilis Rivar, % mile below mouth of Dry Devilis River, Ed Verde Co, Devil‘s River, fi-mile above head Cf Devilis Lake, Val Verde County, Devilis River, % mile above head of Devilis Lake, Val Yerde County Devil‘s River, at U. S, Highway 90 Bridge, val Verde County, Galifornia Creek, Castle Canyon, bem loW'U, So Highway 90 Bridge, val Verde County, Devilis River at railroad bridge, 2 miles below Staiion 8, re: Verde Co, Devil‘s River at Central Power and Light Steam Plant, 1 mile above mouth of river, Val Verde Coo, Texas, Berilie River, 300 yards above juncm tion with Rio Grande Hirer, Val Verde County. ogpmwe poea wee afiepeeflaoamme we memep meameem “V a a.mm Hma m.» m,m e,m H,ma e,mm memesmse .eeense ,esa m,mm mea o.m w.e e.w o,me o.me amcmaoa .ma manage ea -eeaaam mama m,mm mma o.m m.w a.m o.mm 0.0m mmlmam .aa .eaassa paeaam 1-1- mea m.o $-1: e.e mom» came mmimmis .m gameau nape: a.ea mom m.m m.m a.w o.mm o.me mmuea-aa .a ..eapsee .eoa. :-- mam m.o _-:: e.w o.aw o.mm mmImmte .m apaean -aep peeam mcmm ewe 0.4a o.e a.w o.ea o.mm Mm-m1m ,m mmofiaee - eeaeeae w.ma 0mm o.mm o.e m.s o.me o.ms mmleroa .H - and age see sea aeaeaaeaae meaasae nemeaeo ea ea mmaaaem eeeflaoamo Heeoem nephew eeeaommflm mm .maeH ampez .mEeB Had ePeQ seawaem .lr . H.eeaea “hpsaeo eeaeb Heb “harem mefifiaea mo awmaaeee have: ,m magma .Table 3. Cheeklist 3f fishes from Devilis River, exclusive of Devil‘s Lake and Lake walk, Val Verde Counts, Texas. Seientifie Name Common Name 1. Dorosoma nepedianum Gizsard shad 2. .astyanan fasciatus Rio Grande tetra 3. Csrpiodes earpio River earpsuoher a. IMorostoma eongestum Redhorse sucker 5. Hotroeis jemezanus ’ Rio Grande shiner 6. fietronis amahilis Texas Shiner T. fibtrepis brayteni Tamaulipas shiner 8. fibtropis wenustus Spottail shiner Q. fiotropis lutrensis Bed shiner O. Ifiotropis preserpinue Proserpine shiner ll. .Estropis delieiosus Sand shiner 12. Dienda episcopa Eoundnese minnow 13. Eionda species New species 1L. fimephales wigilan Parrot minnow 5. Eampestoma anomalum Stoneroller l5. Egtalurus punctatus Southern channel catfish 17. Pilodietus eliwaris Flathead catfish 18. Cyrrinodon species New species 19. flembusia affinis Common mosquitofish 20. flieropterus salmoides Iargemouth black bass a1. Chaenobryttus ooronarius Warmouth.bass 2. iggomis o anellus Green sunfish 23. Emporis_punetatus Spotted sunfish ‘h. lepomis maeroohirus Bluegill sunfish 25. lepomis auritus Yellowbelly sunfish G. genemis megalotis Longear sunfish . L. punetatus x E. maeroehirus Hybrid sunfish 28. E}heostoma grahami Redspot darter 9“ {ffiflhlasgma 4:: anodutfiafa Rio Grands BT33}. “mm...“ ....___.._b.._..._.___._. ems.m mas 0mm mm: 0mm ma mm m o mma ma as a m a e o a a o o o o o 0 mm a o o o a 0 mm o a e o a a ama as 0 Ha ea em 0 m o o o o o o mas o o m sea m o w o o o o o 0 am e e ma 9 a o mam mm a Hoe a smm m as o 0 am 0 am 0 m o o o o a 0 mm m H a o w 0 mm o m am a a a as m a 4 mm a m sea 0 o o o o o mmm.a o 0 am a o m» wma o 0 Ha mm om o amm m m m 0 ma w as a H o om o o mas.a mm mm sea e om: m NH am 0 o o o o a o o a o o o o o a o o o m o o o a sea me a e 0 ma mm 0 ea am e a a a o o 0 Ha OH m m a escapees assassaaoe sees me a KOO 1—] (Dr—IO“. 03 ,2!" OJ ONMNONU‘XOC‘JO mmm mmaa mos was saw OUWL‘HKDHDOOOOOOOOQOu—l HHI—l mmoa same mm: mm :m me a Ha He 0 o o a ea m 0 ea 0 o o o o o o o a o o o o o H 0 am mm we as o o o a o m ma a m o o m o o 0 mm mm mme ems mmm a am e as mm mm a o 0 am ems as me o o o as mm m a o m a m ea 0 0 mm a o o o o a m m nowperm floflpoeflaoo Seem Beam geese meweeam seem an neesoz an eesma savanna sweep Heb .aesam m.Haaem esp seen empeeaaoo eeaoeaw neah .l we: mr—Joxm CU H CDriCJC>r1CJC)C)CDJTCDWWC) mHePoB speeaoweneao eseeeaeuao. Heenaam esopeoeeem menaeeoaoes .H a asaeponsa .H. maeoaemes maeomeg savages managed. msaafleoaoefi manomeq asaeeesnm easemeg eoHHeQeae mflaeweg mafiaesomoe mnaphaeomeeno meeaoeaem mosepmoaoai menawee eHesQEe. meaoeme seeosweflma efiaeawao wepofleoaflm mapepossg mnanaeeeH amassese eeoeeoaee aeafimfls meaeeaeefla mefieemm eefloae emoemfime sense: mamoaowaee magekpo. menaaaemoam mflmoapo. eflmsmapoa mamoheo_ assesses memoapo_ anopaeafl memosee_ mfifiwnmas mwaoapo_ mmseaefiew memoaeo“ sepmemmoe eeoaaoso ofimaeo meeoamae mdpefioeem message. eoneaeemeo eeomoaog mefioemm neea .: maneB Head of Devil's Lake, looking upstream. Devil‘s Lain, halfway up lake. Job B-6 I Dwfl's River at U. S. Highway 90 Bridge. JOB 3—6 LOCATION OF SEINING AND WATER ANALYSIS STATIONS ON THE DEVIL'S RIVER JOB 3-6 _ w . ._ a a. H. _ _ _ _. w W _ m _ .m a .._ l W _ . n a D _ ._ M“ m mrnamawwmmmm_awe. _. a _:me.;_nu:e.na_ea. _ E .. a _ a ..__.. ._._m____l=::_:w_..... _ _ . .a _ _ —. m“ a u_=:wr_=:mea_nrma:_ _w n ...-I. ........ +A4-II..-Mumhlallia.mn.ud _ u a a .__ n . _ v: a .m . E _ a M U m mm m M u n mm m M m nu m.mm m mmww . w G. was .mmmmfl . .wm . ...n: Bun. m mu ._ iii... a E xTWM .3 En “ a H D E Named.” .. mm L T EmEomm _. M w A R Tmmu H M m; ._n_.. H W... H... mm .m. . Jaw a . ..H m m. G M m m v s H II] iL. II:.|I|| .I! - : .-.: . ..|.I-. an. Exam Suzi-Few