TPWD 1964 F-7-R-12 #947: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region 1-A, Job No. C-1: Pollution Studies

JOB COMPLETION REPORT As required by FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT TEXAS Federal Aid Project No. F-7-R-12 FISHERIES INVESTIGATIONS AND SURVEYS OF THE WATERS 0F REGION l-A Job No. C-l‘ Pollution Studies Project Co-leaders: Lonnie J. Peters, Region 1-Al - - George G. Henderson, Jr., Region l-Ai J. Weldon Watson Executive Director Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, TeXas Marion Toole Eugene A.Wa1ker .D-J Coordinator Assistant Director, Wildlife March 9, 1965 ABSTRACT W Pollution from the Canyon sewage treatment plant killed fish in approximately 3 miles of Tierra Blanca Creek. Future pollution from this source could be pre- vented if the plant effluent was used for irrigation of nearby fields instead of being released into the creek. A serious threat to the fish population of Buffalo Lake exists in the accumulation of organic materials in feed lots located in the Hereford_area. Run-off from these feed lots carries a tremendous organic load and results in a "slugging" of oxygen-depleted water which destroys aquatic life downstream in Tierra Blanca Greek and the upper end of Buffalo Lake. Other continuing sources of pollution are the Hereford sewage treatment plant and the slaughterhouse. Seasonally, vegetable processing houses contribute to the organic load. Region 1-A2 (SlatOnl Fish mortalities were investigated at four lakes this year. At Buffalo Springs Lake there was a fish die-off of almost 3 months duration. The mortalities progressed at varying rates and sepsratewspecies died at different times of the year; The suspected cause is poor basic water quality and a thermally deve10ped toxic layer of chemicals which existed in the lake most of the summer. Reese Air Force Base Lake had a continuing or recurring die-off which was attributed to poor water quality in combination with insecticide buildup in fish and wide fluctuations of dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide gases. The fish died at McKenzie State Park Lake because of unusually high water temperatures associated with extremely high dissolved oxygen and low carbon dioxide levels. Fish mortalities at South Lake are unexplained. Circumstantial evidence indicated that an angler had attempted to stock the lake with large fish which did not survive. The site of a proposed flood control plays lake drainage project at Plainview was examined. Polluting wastes were being discharged into one of the plays lakes. It was recommended that business establishments be required to treat these wastes prior to their admission to the watershed. JOB COMPLETION REPORT State of Texas Project No. F-7-R-12 _ Name: _§i§he£le§_lnggstigatiggs and Sggggys of the Hammettesiemljnmww Job No. 0-1 ____‘ Title? Bollg£i2g_§tugie§m£Fisheries Region l-A-l! Period Covered ____ __ JQBEBFX 1r_la9a_;_aeseaag:_gl._1293_"_______ Objectives: To determine the source and nature of natural or man~made pollutants which affect fish populations. Procedure: Field observations and limited water analyses were by project personnel. Laboratory analysis for pH, conductivity, dissolved solids, chlorides, sulfates, chlorine demand, dissolved oxygen, B.O.D., ammonia nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, alkalinity, and suspended solids were made by the State Health Department laboratory. Additional laboratory analyses for dissolved oxygen, A.B.S., and B.O.D. were made by the Potter-Randall County Health Unit. A11 fish kills discovered by, or reported to, project personnel were in- vestigated to determine if they were caused by pollution. If pollution was apparent, attempts were made to locate the sourcefis) and to determine the nature. Findings: During this segment, pollution-caused fish kills were detected along two areas of Tierra Blanca Creek in Randall and Deaf Smith counties. An area of the creek, beginning at the Canyon city sewage treatment plant and extending downstream for about 3 miles. did not receive normal run-off during an extended period of drought and became stagnant in late February 1964. Fish began dying at this time (primarily gizzard shad. DQEQEQEQHEéflfiflléflflflln but observations and D.O. checks did not indicate pollution. The creek was very low, and extremely cold water suggested the possibility of normal winter mortality. Water samples collected along this portion of Pierre Blanca Creek on March 3, 1964, were analyzed for D.0., A.B.S., and B.O.D. at the Potter-Randall County Health Unit laboratory. Results, shown in Table l and Figure 1, revealed a high B.O.D. in all samples. Fish continued to die throughout March, and on April 13 a second investigation was made. Analyses of water samples taken during this check also revealed excessive B.O.D. and critically low D.O. By mid-June, still no run-off had entered the creek, and a major fish kill occurred due to oxygen depletion. Recommendations were made to the Canyon city‘ manager to provide for disposal of the sewage plant‘s effluent other than release into Tierra Blanca Creek. Table 1. Analysis Results of Water Samples from Tierra Blanca Creek, March 3, 1964. goint of Collection D.0. A.B.§. B.O.D. l. .1 mile above sewage plant (Canyon) 7.3 Trace 28 2. Final effluent at plant 2.9 6 55 3. Oxidation pond 3.7 . 8 53 4. Greek at oxidation pond effluent 4.1 6 48 5. Creek at Highway 217 3.8 .'6 47 6. Palo Duro Club Lake #1 4.6 5 25 7. Palo Duro Club Lake #2 4.8 5 12 8. Palo Duro Club spillway 5.2 3 l7 A second fish-kill, of greater magnitude, occurred in Tierra Blanca Creek downstream from Hereford and extended into the upper end of Buffalo Lake. Heavy rains in the Hereford area washed organic material from feed lots into the creek where it was carried downstream, reaching the lake about 25 hours after the initial inflow of run-off into the lake. Fish ascending the creek were met by 'the polluted, oxygen-depleted water and were killed. ' Project persOnnel were at Buffalo Lake on both Saturday, June 13, and Sunday, June 14, gathering data concerning fish spawning activities. -A moderate flow of fresh, unpolluted water was entering the lake at this time. On Monday, June 15, at 8:30 a.m. project personnel approaching the extreme upper end of the lake-ob- lserved sick fish and noted a strong "feed-lot" odor. Continuing upstream into Tierra Blanca Creek, increasing numbers of sick and dying fish-were noted. It appeared that the polluted water had first reached the lake only a short time earlier, probably around 6 a.m. By noon on Monday, June 15, thousands of dead fish (mostly small carp and bullheads) were washed ashore along the creek banks and in the upper area of the lake which had received the pollution. Damage to game species appeared minimal, probably because-the inflow was considerably cOlder than the lake water, and channel catfish and white bass were not sexually mature at this time.‘ Water samples were taken the following day , on June 16, the analyses results of which are given in Table 2. On July 14, a c00perative investigation with the State Health Department was made on Tierra Blanca Creek from Buffalo Lake westward to a point about 3 miles west (upstream) from Hereford. The objective of this investigation was to locate - sources of organic pollution. The locations of water sampling stations are shown in Figure 2 and the results of water analyses are given in Table 3. The major source of organic pollution is from cattle feed lots located on the creek or on tributaries of the creek. Other sources contributing to the organic loading of the creek were three vegetable-processing houses and one slaughterhouse. ‘- Summary: Pollution from the Canyon sewage treatment plant killed fish in approximately 3_miles of Tierra Blanca Creek. Future pollution from this source could be - o o . mmmmmmmmmm _ .mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. IIII IIIIIIIII.nIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII menses H. m.o.b. moo HU.o. we nunnIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ma d. H owl IIIInnnIIIIunun III IIIIIIIIIIiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII m Hcom m now He -m IIIIIIIIIIIIIII I Mu IIIIIIIIII—IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII mHmoom nemmw. IIIIIII _u IIII _ _. y . IIIIIIIIII—IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII . 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III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIInII 0 III I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.IIIII II ‘ Tabla 2. Analysis Results of'water Samples Taken from Buffalo Lake and _ Tierra Blanca Creek, June 16, 1964. -. Station 1 Station 2 Station 3 Station 4 .pH_ - 7.6 Conductivity, Micromhos I l ' 420 Total Dissolved Solids ppm 252 Chloride ppm _ _ 21 sulfates-ppm "I - _ l 25' Chlorine Demand ppm ' I _ I '_ 3.5 ; 'Diaaolvad oxygen (field) ppm ' -4.0 -B.O.D..ppm- I - I ' 17‘ Ammonia Nitrogen-ppm 4.2 ”Hitrita.Nitrogsn ppm I - 0.1- Nitrata Nitrogen ppm I' 0.4-6 P. Alkalinity ppm 7 . O ".Tbta1 Alkalinity ppm - _ I'l44 I Floral Suspended Solids ppa' l I 447 'motal Volatila.8011da ppI! 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Some of this effluent is now disposed of in this manner, but sufficient amounts enter the creek to cause oxygen depletion during periods of low water. A serious threat to the fish p0pulation of Buffalo Lake exists in the accumulation of organic materials in feed lots located in the Hereford area. Run-off from these feed lots carries 6 tremendous organic load and results in a "slugging" of oxygen- depleted water which destroys aquatic life downstream in Tierra Blanca Creek and the upper end of Buffalo Lake. Other continuing sources of pollution are the Hereford sewage treatment plant and the slaughterhouse, Seasonally, vegetable processing houses contribute to the organic load. 'Recommendations: This job should be continued. Special emphasis should be given to study of feed lot pollution from the Hereford area, and to determining whether insecticides are significant in any future fish kills that may occur from the same source. I //:;/é/ Prepared by Lonnie Peters Approved by Project co-leader . Coordinator Leo D- Lewis Date March 9, 1965 Regional Supervisor JOB COMPLETION REPORT State of - Texas Project No. F-7-R-12 Name: -Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region l-A. Job No. C-l Title: Pollution Studies gFisheries Region 1-A2) Period Covered January 1, 1964 — December 31, 1964 Objectives: - To determine the source and nature of natural or man~made pollutants which affect fish pOpulations. Procedure: Fish kills or die-offs were investigated by field observations, counts of fish killed, examinations of the fish, and chemical analysis of the affected waters. Water analysis in the field included dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH determinations. Occasionally, water samples were sent to the State Health Department laboratory in Austin for more detailed analysis. Searches above and below affected areas were conducted in order to determine origin, type and extent of pollution. Findings: Investigations were carried out at four lakes this year. One lake, Buffalo Springs Lake in Lubbock County, is currently the subject of a study to determine its limnological and game fish problems. Consequently, much information is available on this lake, and information pertinent to pollutions problems is in- cluded in this report. The other three lakes were South Lake at Post, Reese Air Force Base Lake, and McKenzie State Park Lake. Buffalo Springs Lake Buffalo Springs Lake is an end depository for almost all settleable solids and many chemicals which originate in storm drains, dump grounds, feed lots, and several industrial plants in Lubbock. Most probably, the majority of fish mortalities at Buffalo Springs Lake are directly and/or indirectly the result of the basic water quality which is produced on the watershed.“ _ Leuter's cattle feed lot constituted a source of pollutants that caused fish kills in 1963. The feed lot effluent now drains into a retention pool. From . the pool it is pumped into shallow, broad oxidation ponds and disposed of safely. One of Lubbock's water reclamation plants is situated on the watershed. Its effluent does not flow directly into Yellowhouse Canyon but is pumped into large holding ponds and utilized for irrigation. The irrigated areas are drained - into catchment tanks, but heavy rains and ground percolation provide eventual transport of some of the materials from these waters into Buffalo Springs Lake.