TPWD 1954 F-4-R-1 #67: Inventory of Species Present in Benbrook Lake, Benbrook, Texas

STATE Texas PROJECT N0. F-E-R-l, Job B—5 PERIOD June 1, 1953 — May 31, 195h Segment Completion Report by Leonard D. Lamb Project Leader Robert N. Hambric Assistant Project Leader TITLE Inventory of Species Present in Benbrook Lake, Benbrook, Texas. OBJECTIVES To determine the species present and their relative abundance as well as to de- termine the ecological factors influencing their distribution. HISTORY OF IAKE The Benbrook Dam is located on the Clear Fork of the Trinity River, 15 river miles above the stream‘s juncture with the West Fork of the Trinity and about 57h river miles above the mouth of the Trinity. The dam was constructed by the U. S. Corps of Engineers as a dual purpose im— poundment. Flood control and water conservation are the primary purposes, but re— creation and municipal water supply are given definite consideration. Closure of the dam was made on September 29, 1952 to begin the impoundment which due to the lack of rainfall, since that date, has remained comparatively small. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Benbrook Lake is located in the Fort Worth Prairie Sub-division of the Grand Prairie Region. The upper portion of the Reservoir area projects into the Western Cross Timbers Region but the majority is in the Fort Worth Priairie. This region is underlaid by alternating limestone and shale strata which forms a gently sloping and almost treeless plain. The dam is of the rolled—fill embankment type, with both gate and uncontrolled spillway. The bottom of the spillway notch is at an elevation of 710 feet which will provide a depth of 88 feet, and an area of 5,82h surface acres. The conserva- tion pool extends from elevation 622 to 69h and provides 3,769 surface acresvith a maximum depth of 72 feet and an average depth of 23.hh feet. This maximum depth is in the old river channel and is not extensive in area. The general lake bottom el- evation is 6&0 feet which provides a depth 0 f 5h feet. The lake at present covers 9&0 surface acres to a maximum depth of 37.7 feet. Benbrook Lake is fed by the following streams: Rock Creek, Mustang Creek, Bear reek, Clear Fork and Dutch Branch, which have a drainage area of #16 square miles. rhe average annual rainfall on this watershed during the 1891 to 19hhperiod was 31.3 inches, while the average in 1952 and 1953 see 2h.27 and 28.52 inches respectively. Y1.) AQUATIC VEGETATION There is littleemergent or floating aquatic vegetation to be found in Benbrook Lake. Small, widely scattered patches of pondweed (Potamogeton sp.) may be found along with isolated clumpiof cattail (Typha latifolia) and bulrush (Scirpus validus). Button willow (Cephalanthus sp.) and Black Willow (Salim nigra) may be found along the margins and in the beds of the tributary streams above the present lake basin. The submerged aquatic vegetation is largely in two species, Najas guadalupensis and Chara sp. These plants are quite thick in the tributary streams and in the shal- low areas. The majority of the plant material in the lake is composed of inundated terrestn rial vegetation. The failureto cut timber from a rather large tract of land togeth- er with the grass and brush that grew up on the cleared land, before inundation, pro— vides much cover for the fish. COLLECTING METHODS Sampling of the fish population by the use of gill nets and seines was carried on from July 1953 through May 1954. This sampling was done by means of 1%-inch mesh gill 100 ft. long and 8 feet deep and bag seines of % inch mesh, 30 ft. long and 6 ft. deep. The nets were set at established stations and a total of 30 net sets were made. The seining collections were made at three stations where suitable beaches were avail- able and five such collections were made. Data regarding length, weight and sex of the specimens taken was recorded along with scale samples and stomach contents. There is some doubt as to the validity of age determination from scale examination in this area but scale samples were taken. Stomach contents were examined and recorded. A check list of the fishes collected from Benbrook Lake is recorded in Table l. RESULiS OF SEINING COLLECTIONS Five seining collections were made on this lake between July 1953 and May 195h. (Table 2) Collections were made during July and September and again in April and May. These collections provided 719 specimens representing 7 families, 1h genera and 22 s cies. Sunfish made up ht.e3% of the total with green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) providing 25.99%. The game fish group constituted 60.3% of the entire seine catch. The remaining 39% included 5.15% bullheads which leaves only 33.55% of the catch in the forage fish group. Aquatic insects and some fresh water shrimp (Palaemonmes sp.) were also taken in seine hauls among vegetation. RESUETS OF NETTING COLLECTIONS Results of 30 net sets made from August 1953 through May 195M are shown in Table 3. The 2l87 specimens taken in these collections numbered 16 species which represen— ted 11 genera and 5 families. The most numerous species in the net collections was found to be Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) which made up 8h.77% of the catch by number and 81.9sfi'by weight (Table A.) This species is largely responsible for the overbalance in favor of game fishes as shown in Table 5. This table shows 88.30% by weight and 89.07% by number to be made u p of game species. Table 6 records the length, weight and coefficient of condition of the specimens taken in gill net collections. The coefficient of condition fails to indicate the overcrowded condition of the lake. The moderate infestation of a copepod parasite {Ergasilus versicolor) which was noted in February 1953 became intensified until by Aprih lOOT of the largemouth bass specimens taken harbored this parasite along with Achtheries microptera. The May collections showed heavy infestations of Yellow Grub, "'N .3 . (C linostomum margi.natum) and Leeches, along with the two previously mentioned Cope- poo s a.nd a third that is as yet unidentified. The number of nets used varies from month to month and from one lake to another and for that reason Table 7 was prepared to show the average number of each species taken per net. The average of 63.09 largemouth bass per net is rather significant as this species tends to be wary of nets and generally is caught in relatively small numbers. Table 8 records the stocking of game fishes in Benbrook Lake shes the closure of the dam, by both the State and Federal fish hatcheries. A total of 5h8,575 fish were stocked in 1953. All of these were more than one inch in length although the 270,325 largemouth bass from the State Fish Hatchery are listed as fry. The re— cords of fish stocking on the Clear Fork and the tributary streams is not available but the fact remains that much stocking of this watershed had been done in the past. This lake was closed to fishing in September 1953 and remained closed until June l, l95h which will in part account for the high percenta.ge of game species in the population of the lake. In view of the data collected, it is the opinion of the writer that further of this lake is advisable. a Data collected from representative seine and net stations ameincluded in the following data sheets and is typical of the data collected from all such stations. SUMMARY l. Benbrook Lake is located on the Clear Fork of the Trinity River, 15 river miles from Fort Worth, Tamas. It is a flood control and water conservation res— ervoir constructed by the U. S. Corps of Engineers and completed September 29, 1952. 2. The conservation pool, when filled, will impound 3,769 surface acres to an average depth of 23. in. feet, but due to a much lower th.a.n a.verage rainfall the impoundment now covers only 9&0 surface acres to a maximum depth of 37. 7 feet. 3. Twentymeight species repr weseitring twenty genera and six families were taken from Benbrook Lake by seining and netting from July 1953 through May 195M. Largemouth bass accounted for 10.16% of the seining and 8t.77% of the netting collections. t. ill net collections totaled 2,187 fish that weighed 1,651 pounds. .lai gemouth case made up 8b. 77% of the number and 81. 9h% of the weight of all species collected. a. Game fish totaled 88.32% by number and 89.07% by weight with chan- nel catfish recorded as game fish. 6. The overcrowded condition of the bass population of this lake is re— flected lfl theec.1tch per net where 63. 09 uses were taken per net set with nets 100 deep a.nd 1% inch mesh. { Hatchery stocking of this lake in 1953 totaled 5h8,575 fish of which 370,325 were largemouth base. This is 393.9 bass per surface acre for the 9&0 acres in the lake. The entire stocking numbered 583.0 6 fish per surface acre which is in addition to natural spawn present in the impoundment. J. Data collected from representative seine and net stations and typ- ical of data collected from all stations areincluded. O G 9 6 Q9 0 O 6' fl 6 0 E 4:*co re be <3 no (I3Md C3\\j1.hr{JJ n3 .4 C a a *2: {2 {a B 5 6 7 s. 9 :3 ~1- feb. 15 C Texas, l9a3 — l95h. l Gammon.Name._ Giszard shad River carpsucker Texas Gray redhorse Spotted sucker European carp minnow Suckermouth minnow Redfin shiner Blacktail shiner Plains red shiner / Silvery minnow Stoneroller Southern channel catfish Black Bullhead Catfish Yellow bullhead catfish Tadpole madtom Blackstripe topminnow Common mosquitofish Spotted bass Largemouth black bass Warmouth,bass Green sunfish Small sunfish Spotted sunfish Bluegill sunfish Yellowbelly sunfish Rock bass White crappie fhecklist of Species Collected from Benbrook Lake, Tarrant County, Scientific Name Dorosoma cepedianum Carpiodes carpio Moxostoma congestum Minytrema melanops Cyprinus carpio Ceratichthys sp. Phenocobius mirabilis Notropis umbratilis Notropis venustis NotrOpis lutrensis Hybognathus nuchalis Campostoma anomalum lctalurus punctatus Ameiurus melas Ameiurus natalis Schilbeoides mollis Fundulus notatus Gambusia affinis Micropterus punctulatus Micropterus salmoides Chaenobryttus coronarius Lepomis cyanellus Lepomis symmetricus Lepomis punctatus Lepomis macrochirus Lepomis auritus Ambloplites rupestris Pomoxis annularis Table 2. Results of Seining Collections by Number and Percentage of Each Species, Benbrook Lake, Tarrant County, Texas, 1953 - 195M. :Species_ _Dorosoma cepedianum Minytrema melanops :Phenocobius mirabilis iNotropis umbratilis Notropis lutrensis ”Hybognathus nuchalis 'Campostoma anomalum .Ameiurus melas 'Ameiurus natalis 'Schilbeodes mollis .Fundulus notatus Gambusia affinis iMicropterus punctulatus ;Micropterus salmoides :Lepomis cyanellus .Lepomis symmetricus ELepomis punctatus fLepomis macrochirus jLepomis auritus éPomoXis annularis iCeratichthys sp. :Notropis venuStus Totals July- 12 ll 28 23 ht 118 13 12 283 Sept. 15 39 2h ll 129 Apr. 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Acoscapnoo v .m mgmda 00.00 00.22m 00.002 02.2m m0.m 00. mm.2m 00.000 00.00 mm.0m 00.2 02.22 m0.m 00. mm. 00.2 0m.m2 20.2 2m.2 00.2 90.2 mm.m 00.2 2m.m 00.2 m0. 0 .092 2 9200000 20030009 20202 20020009 h002009m £009 90 2000509 02 KPQM203 92 00020002200 wmflppez 90 0220009 .002 00.002 20.22 mm.m mm.2 02.00 20.0m mm.2 mm.2 02.2 00.m mw.m mm.m 2 .mp2 . 20980202 00.002 00.00 am. 2:. 02. 00. 00. 02.2 m0.2m 00.m02 me. 0m.2 02.2 00.m 00.m em.e mm. 00.2 20.2 m2.m 9 .002 2090900. 00.00 20.200 mm.2 20.0 02. 2m. 00.2 00.0 00. pm. 00.00 2m.m22 02.2 m0.m me.» 00.02 om.m2 02.00 22.2 mm.m mm. 02.2 mo.m mm.0 9 . .m22 20080290m 00.002 02.002 00. mm. 02.2 02.2 2m.2 22.2 mm. mm. 2m.0m mm.00 02. me. mm.w mm.e we.m 00.0 00.20 2m.mm 00.0 m2.m 0m.m 00.0 9 .mp2 200059 020203 022020000 0220809 020000902 00222902009 0092250 0230002 msmwnoohowa 0280902 052200090 0280902 0522000200 mSPphmflomomao 000205200 00200902023 05p02000009 00209902022 0220000 00252089 00208 05202089 009000009 05202020H 029200 03020990 09000208 080299022 Espmmwmoo 080200802 029200 000029900 8500200900 08000209 mwfiom9m .2m02 :mmma nmwxoa “hpmsoo 9002003 .2 62020 06.662 06.2002 06.602 26.00 00.662 00.202 66.662 20.000 06.062 20.602 020060 ..iiiiiiii1iilillliiiii a3iiIIiIIiiiIIiIiiIIIIIiIIIIlII1IiIiIiIIiaiiiiIiIilliiiliillliliilliillll om. mm.m 020020000 0200009 20. 20. 020000900 00p229020§¢ 02. 00.0 26.2 00. 00. 00. 0222000 0206002 mm. mm.w 00. mm. 05020000008 0200902 m2. m2.& mm. @0.2 002200000 02E0902 mo. mm. . 0520000000 0500000000000 20.20 00.0002 60.00 00.20 02.00 60.002 00.20 00.000 00.20 00.062 000000200 00000660600 20. mp. 00. mp. 05002000039 05000900022 06.0 60.02 00.0 00. 62.0 22.0 .02.2 20.2 00. 02.2 0020006 02060000 20.0 20.00 20.0 00.2 00.6 20.02 20.2 06.0 00200 02002000 0m.m 0m.w 0m.2 m2. 2m.m 6m.m mm. mm. 00.02 00.02 050000009 000520002 00. 20.0 00.2 20.2 626006 02620000 00.2 02.60 00.0 22.0 02.2 20.02 06000200 000000622 00. 2m. mm. 2m. 850000000 080000002 mp. 0m.m2 2m.2 20.0 ww. _m2.2 029000 000029000 00.m mm.m2 m2.m mm.m mm. oo.m 0m.22 02.2w 6500200900 08000009 0 - _.0p2 . . .0 .062 0 .002 9 .092 R .002 0020090 02000B . . 002 22090 . £0002 00000909 005029000 .2 02909 Table 5. Results of Netting Collections by Game and Rough Species, Benbrook Lake, Tarrant County, Texas, 1953 - 195M. Total Number of Individuals Collected 2,187 Total Weight of Individuals Collected 1,651.93 Average Weight Per Individual (pounds) .75 Total Weight of Rough Species Collected (pounds) 191.95 Total Number of Rough Species Collected 239 Average Weight Per Rough Fish (Pounds) .80 Percent Rough Fish By Weight 11.69 Percent Rough Fish By Number 10.93 Total Weight of Game species (pounds)* l,u59.98 Total Number of Game Species* 1,9h8 Average Weight Per Game Fish (pounds)* .75 Percent Game Fish By Weight* 88.32 Percent Game Fish By Number* 89.07 *Note: Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) has been included in the game fish group since they are so considered by the local fishermen and are often taken by the sport fishermen.