TPWD 1954 F-3-R-1 #27: Basic Survey of the Sabine River in Gregg County, Texas: Job Completion Report, Project F-3-R-1, Job A-2

--- Page 1 --- uy |{ sccm [= STATE Texas = PROJECT NO, F-3-R-1, Job A-2 PERIOD July 1, 1953 - May 1, 1954 Job Completion Report by Robert J. Kemp, Jr. TITLE Basic ,survey of that portion of the Sabine River within and along the boundar- ies of Gregg ‘County, Texas. OBJECTIVES To gather fundamental data on the above waters in regard to their physical, chemical and biological aspects. METHODS The Sabine River in Gregg County was visited in conjunction with Job B-7. In all, five stations were observed and conditions noted. RESULTS Gregg County is typical East Texas land of sandy loam, clay and ferrous rock soils. The length of the river is approximately fifty-one miles in this County and approximately ninety percent of the area drains into the River. Cultivation was for- merly widespread in this area but due to oil discoveries, most of the land is in pas- ture or is idle. Approximately twenty-five percent of the county is mixed pine and hardwoods. The fluctuation of the river annually is great but there is always flow- ing water even during drouth years. The Geology Survey of the Department of the Tn- terior has a river gauge station at Gladewater where the drainage area of the Sabine River at that point is 2,846 square miles. Their records show the discharge varying from 13.2 second feet in August, 1939 to a maximum of 23,390 second feet in April, 1945. Due to the fluctuation of the water level, aquatic vegetation was limited to willow (Salix nigra) and button bush (Cephslanthus occidentalis). The pH of the water had a range of 6.5 to 7.2 with an average of 6.8, In March 1954 dissolved oxy~ gen varied from 6.9 to 10.0 ppm and dissolved carbon dioxide from 4 to 9 ppm. Total chlorides ran from 134.7 to 234 ppm. Turbidity varied from less than 25 ppm. to 420 ppm. during the study period, A typical locality was Station No. 2» located just above highway 271 bridge. The water flow is fairly slow; the bottom is sand and silt; shoreline isgind and clay with a 30° slope and the river is approximately 75 ft. wide at this point with an average depth of three ft. The only aquatic vegetation present was scattered wil- low with an occasional clump of grass on the bank. All the seining collection data taken at Station No. 5 is shown on the Fish Cards at the end of the report. Water analysis data @’€shown in Table No. l. --- Page 2 --- The area studied was the Sabine River in Gregg County. Surrounding land is sandy loam and clay, typical of east Texas. River fluctuation is great but there is always flowing water even during drouth years. River is sand and clay bottomed, usually acid, varying from clear to turbid with sparse aquatic vegetation. A typical locality had moderately fast water over a hard sand bottom. Shore line was and and clay with a few scattered willows. Water depth averages three feet and width of river is 75 feet. --- Page 3 --- 3. Table Number 1 Sabine River Station # 5 Water Analysis Surface Date Time Sky Wind Air Temp. Water Temp. Op COp Tur. Sal. pH 7/15/53 2:30 PM Clear None 96°R 87°F None 6.8 8/26/53 2:00 PM Clear 10-20 S$ 97°F 91°F None 6.7 9/23/53 2:00 PM Clear None 89°F 16°F | None 6.9 10/23/53 3:00 PM Partly Cl, THF 66°F 60 6.5 3/29/54 3:50 PM Partly Cl. None 87°F 72°F 10.0 4.0 Nonel41.8 7.0 5/11/54 10: AM Rainy NE 5 mph 74°F 8. OR 120 6.8 Fish Card Coll. No. - S 51 Species Locality - Sabine River, Sta. 5 Spotted bass 15 Largemouth bass 4 Yellow belly sunfish 8 Gizzard shad 9 Notropis Jutrensis 29 Notropis sabinae 1 Notropis venustus 5 sand and silt Notropis amabilis 3 None Hybognathus nuchalis 18 Clear and hot Notemigonus crysoleucas L ater temp: Turbidity: none Pimephales vigilax 11 surface - 87°F Phenacobius mirabilis 4 egetation: none Gambusia affinis 4 ackle: Bag seine; 26 x 6, £" mesh Amocrypta vevax 1 14 species specimens 113 Fish Card oll. No. - S-52 Species Number ocality - Sabine River Sta. #5 Spotted bass 5 ate - 8/26/53 Largemouth bass 1 ollector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Longear sunfish 12 ime - 2 P. M. Spotted sucker i escription (same) Gambusia affinis 3 Shoreline Notropis lutrensis LO Bottom Notropis venustus 2 Cover Notropis amabilis 9. Weather: clear, warm, windy Hybognathus nuchalis 12 Water temp: Turbidity: none Fundulus notatus 1 Surface - 91°F, Vegetation: none lO sw@eies . specimens 56 Tackle: Bag seine, 26 x 6; #4" mesh --- Page 4 --- Fish Card ‘}Coll. No. S-53 Species Number Weight Locality - Sabine River Sta. #5 ~ White crappie 3 0.87 lb. Date - 8/27/53 Longear sunfish 6 0.87 lb Collector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Time - 3 P. M. Description (same) Shoreline Cover Bottom Weather: Cleasy hot Water temp. Turbidity: none Surface - 90°F Vegetation; none Tackle: 2hoop nets Fish Card Coll. No. S-54 Species Locality - Sabine River Sta. #5 Gizzard shad Date - 9/23/53 Fundulus notatus Collector - R. J. Kemp, Jy. Notropis amabilis Time - 2 PM Description (same) Shoreltne Cover Bottom Weather: clear, warm 3 species specimens 52 Water temps Surface - 76°F, Turbidity - 40 ppm Vegetation; none ackle: sei i" Fish Card Coll. No. 8-55 Species Number Locality - Sabine River Sta. #5 Largemouth bass 2 Date - 10/23/53 Spotted bass 3 Collector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Yellow belly sunfish 17 Time - 3 PM Fundulus notatus 18 Description (same) Pimephales vigilax 3 Shoreline Cover Bottom Weather: clear to partly Water temp. cloudy 5 species, specimens 43 Surface - 66°F Turbidity - 60 ppm Vegetation: none ‘ eine Fish Card Coll. No. S-56 Species Number Locality - Sabine River Sta. #5 Spotted bass 10 Date - 3/29/5h Longear sunfish 3 Collector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Bluegill 2 Times 32:30 P. M. Spotted sucker L Description (same) Hybognathus nuchalis 2h Shoreline Cover Pimephales vigilax 12 Bottom Weather: partly cl. Notropis deliciosus 9 Water temp, Warm, no wind Notropis atherinoides58 Surface 72°F Turbidity, under 25 Notropis lutrensis 3 Notropis sabinae 2 Notropis roseus 19 ll species, specimens 143 Vegetation - 3 n Tackle - bag seine, x 6, i" mesh --- Page 5 --- 5 Fish Card Coll. No. S-57 Species Number Locality - Sabine River Sta. #5 Gizzard shad h Date - 5/11/54 Drum 2 Collector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Black crappie 1 Time - 10 A. M. Warmouth L Description (same) Channel cat 2 Shoreline Black bullhead a Bottom Cover Weather: cloudy, rain, no wind Water temp. Surface 8)°Fr Vegetation - none Tackle - 10 hoop nets, 6 net - 1 inch mesh i net - 2 inch mesh 1 net - 14 in. mesh 2 net - 3 in. mesh Weight 2.27 lbs. 1.31 0.50 0.18 0.62 0.37