(1954) Job Completion Report: Basic survey of the remaining portions of the Leon, Lampasas and Little Rivers within Region 6-B

--- Page 1 --- STATE Texas PROJECT F-2-R-2, Job A-3 PERIOD June lst through Novem- ber 31st, 1954 Job Completion Report by Kenneth C. Jurgens and Billy Dale Cooper TITLE Basic survey of the remaining portions of the Leon, Lampasas and Little Rivers within Region 6-B, which were not covered in Job A-l, Project F-2-R-1. OBJECTIVES To gather fundamental data on the above waters in regard to their phys— jeal, chemical and biological aspects. METHODS Fifteen stations were selected on the Lampasas River and its two prin- cipal tributaries in Lampasas and Burnet Counties, Texas. In addition, six stations were selected on the Little River in Milam County, Texas. The data gathered for these twenty-one stations completes the work begun on the Leon, Lampasas and Little Rivers in Region 6-B, under Job A-1, Project F-2-R-1. Tre locations of these stations are shown in Table 1 and on the accompanying map. Each of the stations were visited at least once during the course of the job. On the occasion of each visit, the following data were gathered: average width and depth; turbidity; volume of flow (wherever possible); pool size, type and frequency; bottom types, both in the pools and on the riffles; kinds and abundance of aquatic vegetation; a description of the surrounding country and immediate shoreline; a notation of the larger tributaries and evidences of pollution. FINDINGS A large portion of the drainage under study during the course of the pres- ent job was reported on under Job A-l, P,oject F-2-R-1l. Therefore, this report is concerned only with that portion of the Lampasas River which lies within Region 6-B but outside of Bell County and with the remaining portion of the Little River within Region 6-B, from the Bell County line to where it joins the Brazos, on the Milam = Robertson County line. The Lampasas River (Lampasas and Burnet Counties): - The Lampasas River flows in a southeasterly direction through gently rolling ranch country, in the northern part of Lampasas County and through rougher country, typical of the Ed- wards Plateau, in the southern part of Lampasas County and in Burnet County. All of this region is characterized by alternating layers of limestone and thin --- Page 2 --- 26 bedded marls. Generally, there is a thin soil mantle on the hills and soils of sufficient depth for farming in the valleys and also on the flood plains, e- specially to the east of the River in Lampasas County. The only tributaries of any consequence in this region are Sulphur Creek, in Lampasas County and Rocky Creek, in Burnet County. Sulphur Creek had very little flow during the study period and Rocky Creek had stopped running entire- ly. Water in the Lampasas itself was found only in small, silt bottomed pools, although there was a trickle of water from pool to pool in some places. Normally, the Lampasas River, in Lampasas and Burnet Counties, could be described as a small, shallow, clear stream with relatively short, shallow pools and long, shallow riffles. Bottom types could be fairly well generalized as being bedrock and/or gravel in the pools and ether bedrock or gravel on the rif- fles. The banks of this portion of the stream are low in the northern section of Lampasas County and more deep cut in the southeast section of Lampasas Coun- ty and in North eastern Burnet County. Vegetation in the main stream is limit- ed to filamentous green algae and musk grass (Chara sp.) in the pools. Since no large stream of running water was encountered, recent stream flow data was not obtainable. However, the United States Geological Survg, in SURFACE WATER SUPPLY OF THE UNITED STATES 1950, reports for Youngsport, the Bell County Station, an annual average discharge rate of 320 second feet, for the period 1924 to 1950. The maximum discharge rate also reported by this fed- eral agency was 10,900 second feet on September 5, 1950. At present there is little or no surface flow in the Lampasas River. Water temperatures recorded for the Lampasas River of Lampasas and Bur- net Counties varied from 79 to 94 degrees Fahrenheit during the study period with the pH ranging from 7.7 to 8.7. (See Table 11.) The fish found to occur in the approximately 60 miles of stream surveyed during the course of the study period consisted of 21 species of 9 families, and were restricted almost entirely to the small pools. The severity of the prolonged drouth has seriously reduced the numbers of fish existing in this portion of the Lampasas River and unless the drouth is soon broken, these fish populations will be reduced even further. A checklist of the species found to occur in the Lampasas River of Lampasas and Burnet Coun- ties is presented in Table IV. The Little River (Milam County): - The Little River in Milam County may be ecologically divided into two sections on the basis of the country through which it flows: an upstream section, flowing through the Blackland Prairie of Texas, and a downstream section which flows through a portion of the Post Oak Belt. The soils of the Blackland Prairie are mostly dark crumbly clays, where- as the soils of the Post Oak Belt are sands or sandy loams which are from light red to chocolate brown in color. Since the soils of the Post OakBelit are very por-~ ous, runoff is reduced to a nimimum and little surface water is added to the mainstream of the Little River in Milam County. --- Page 3 --- 3% In the Blackland Prairie section, the Little River is a deeply entrench- ed, slightly turbid stream with steep, sloping banks, covered with dense vege- tation in the form of brush and trees. The pools of this section are long and relatively deep (from four to six feet in depth), with silty bottoms, while the riffles are short and shallow, with either bedrock or gravel bottoms. Aquatic vegetation in this section was limited to the riffles and along the edges of the pools and was composed of filamentous green algae and musk grass (Chara sp.) The Little River in the Post Oak Belt becomes wider and less deeply en- trenched due to the lessened degree of stream gradient. The pools are deeper (from four to eight feet in depth) and longer with bottoms of sand and gravel. As in the upstream section of the river, aquatic vegetation was limited to filamentous algae and musk grass along the edges of the pools and on the rif- fles. No oxygen deficiency was detected anywhere in the Little River of Milam County during the study period. Water temperatures ranged from 82 to 88 degrees Fah- renheit and the pH varied from 7.8 to 8.2 (See Table 111). Dissolved carbon dioxide was found in small amounts in all parts of the river but no pollution was detected during the study. Stream flow data obtained from the U. S. Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 1178, SURFACE WATER SUPPLY OF THE UNITED STATES 1950, shows the Little River at Cameron, in Milam County, had an annual average discharge rate of 1,924 second feet for the period 1917 to 1950. The maximum during this period was 64-7 ,000 second feet and the minimum was 2.6 second feet on September i0, 1921 and September 3, 1918, respectively. In the approximately 50 miles of the Little River studied under this job heading, 23 species of fish, representing 8 families, were found to occur in the Little River of Milam County. These species are shown in the checklist of spe- cies, Table IV. SUMMARY 1. The work done under this job was divided between those portions of the Lampasas River lying in Lampasas and Burnet Counties and the Little River in Milam County, and completes the work begun under Job A-l1, Project F-2-R-1. 2, The Lampasas River in Lampasas and Burnet Counties is best describ- ed as a small, shallow, clear stream with short. shallow, bedrock’ or gravel bot- tomed pools and long, shallow, bedrock or gravel riffles. 3. The Little River in Milam County is deeply entrenched in the Black- land Prairie, with steep sloping banks covered with dense vegetation and long, deep, silty bottomed pools and short, shallow, bedrock or gravel bottomed rif- fles. In the Post Oak Belt, the river is not so deeply entrenched and the pools are longer and deeper, with sandy, gravel and silt bottoms, while the infrequent riffles are short and shallow with sand and gravel bottoms. h, Limited amounts of aquatic vegetation are found in both the Lampasas and Little Rivers and is confined to the edges of the pools in the Little River. 5. Drouth conditions have stopped all surface flow in the Lampasas Riv- er and have reduced the flow of the Little River to a minimum. , 6. In the approximately 60 miles of the Lampasas River in Lampasas and Burnet Coutties andthe 50 miles of the Little River in Milam Co., 32 fish species, --- Page 4 --- h, representing 11 families were found. Of these, 21 species were found in the Lan~ pasas and 25 were found in the Little River. 7. No evidences of pollution were found. Table 1. Lecations of Survey Stations Used During Study Period For Job A-3, Project F-2-R-2, Basic Survey of the Re- Maining Portions of the Leon, Lampasas and Little Rivers | Within Region 6-B, Which Were Not Covered in Job A-l, Project F-2-R-1. Stream Survey Stations Lampasas River (Lampasas and Burnet Counties) Station No. Location Lampasas River, 11 mi. N. Adamsville Lampasas River, 6 mi. N. Adamsville Lampasas River, 1mi. 8S. Adamsville Lampasas River, 7 mi. S. E. Adamsville Lampasas River, Rumeley Crossing Donaldson Creek, 5 mi. W. Lampasas on Farm Road 5€0 Donaldson Creek, 5 mi. W. Lampasas on Farm Road 149) Burleson Creek, 1 mi. N. W. Lampasas Sulphur Creek, 3 blocks W. of Lampasas Golf Course 10. Sulphur Creek, 2 mi. E. Lampasas in City Municipal Park ll. Lampasas River, at mouth of Sulphur Creek. 12. Lampasas River, 1 mi. N. Oakalla 13. Rocky Creek,. 1 mi. N. Watson on Farm Road 7. 14. Rocky Creek, 2 mi. S. Watson 15. Rocky Creek, 3 mi. N. E. Watson ) 2 ° oo —- AW Fu Mk Little River (Milam County) Little River, 4 mi. W. Buckholts . Little River, 6 mi. W. Cameron Little River, 6 mi. S. W. Cameron Little River, 13 mi. E. Cameron Little River, 4s mi. N. E. Station 4 ‘ Little River, 3 mi. N. W. Gause * Ow uw te --- Page 5 --- or Table ll. Record of Temperature, pH and Secchi Disc Conditions On the Lampasas River and its Principal Tributaries In Lampasas and Burnet Counties, June and July 1954. Temperature, pH and Secchi Dise Records Lampasas River, Lampasas and Burnet Counties Station Air Temp. Water Temp. pH Secchi OF OF Dise Too shallow Too shallow nm 12.5" Too shallow --- Page 6 --- Table lll. Records of Temperature and pH Conditions on the Little River in Milam County, July 1954. Temperature and pH Conditions on the Little River in Milam County, July 1954 ; Station No. Air Temp = F --- Page 7 --- ry e o « . ° | ane o oo NVRFOW ON Ow Fwnh a . be Fw ° *. 15. 16. 17. 18, 20. el. 22. 23. ek, 25. 26. oT. 28, 29. 30. 31. 32. SCIENTIFIC NAME Lepisosteus platostomus Dorosoma cepedianum Astyanax fasciatus Cycleptus elongatus Carpiodes carpio Moxostoma congestum Cyprinus carpio Hybopsis aestivalus Notropis potteri Notropis venustus Notropis lutrensis Notropis volucellus Notropis buchanani Pimephales vigilax Campostoma anomalum Pimephales promelas Ictalurus punctatus Pilodictus olivaris Strittbeodes gyrinus Fundulus notatus Gambusia affinis Micropterus punctulatus Micropterus salmoides Chaenobryttus coronarius Lepomis cyanellus Lepomis macrochirus Lepomis humilis Lepomis megalotis Hadropterus scierus Percina caprodes Etheostoma spectabile Aplodinotus grunniens Checklist of Freshwater Fishes COMMON NAME LAMPASAS RIVER LITTLE RIVER shortnose gar gizzard shad Rio Grande tetra blue sucker river carpsucker grey redhorse European carp speckled dace broadhead shiner blacktail shiner red shiner mimic shiner ghost shiner parrot minnow stoneroller fathead minnow channel catfish flathead catfish tadpole madtom blackstripe topminnow common mosquitofish spotted black bass largemouth black bass warmouth green sunfish bluegill orangespotted sunfish longear dusky darter logperch orangethroat darter freshwater drum ~~ PS MPa OS POO Pe OOPS moO OK bia) PoP * MR OM OM OP OP MO mS Table IV. 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