TPWD 1954 F-3-R-1 #35: Basic Survey of Little Cypress, Cypress, and Black Cypress Bayous, Marion County

--- Page 1 --- STATE Texas a PROJECT NO. F-3-R-1, Job A-1 PERIOD July , 1953 - May 30, 1954 Job Completion Report by Robert J. Kemp, Jr. TITLE Basic survey of those portions of the Little Cypress, Cypress and Black Cy- press Bayous (or creeks) which lie within Marion County. OBJECTIVES To gather fundamental data on the above waters in regard to their physical, chemical and biological aspects. METHODS Little Cypress, Cypress and Black Cypress in Marion County were visited in conjunction with Job B-6. In all, six stations were observed and conditions noted. RESULTS Marion County is located in the northeast corner of Texas, It contains slight- ly over 250,000 acres, with about 10% in cultivation, 20% in pasture and 70% in wood- lands. The woodlands are made up of 80% mixed pine and hardwoods and 20% altogether hardwoods (gum, oak and hickory). Approximately 90% of the county drains into Cy- press, Black Cypress, or Little Cypress which are the main tributaries of Caddo Lake. The soil has been termed by the U. S. Soil Conservation agents as the poor as. Much of the area is deep sand with no organic matter at all. All the very low in lime, phosphate and potash. Watermelons and sweet potatoes are the prin- cipal crops. Cypress Bayou extends for approximately 35 miles in Marion County. Two sta- tions were observed in conjunction with Job B-6, one at Jefferson and one at Ferreis Bridge, nine miles west of Jefferson. The pH of the water ran from 5.6 to 7.8. Oxy-= ‘d= gen varied from 6.6 to 7.2.Dissolved carbon dioxide varied from 5 to 10 ppm. TYurbi ity varied from less than 25 ppm to 400 ppm. According to U. S. Engineers, the dis- charge varied from 371 to 832 cubic feet per second between July, 1953 and February 1954. Their records also show a maximum discharge of 22,469 cubic feet per second in February 1950 and a minimum of zero cubic feet per second nne different times since 1938. Due to the fluctation of the water level, aquatic vegetation was limited pri- marily to trees and shrubs common to the area such as willow (Salix), button bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum). No submerged aquatics were observed on Cypress at these stations. ~~ A typical cypress station was the one at Ferrell's Bridge on Farm Road 726. The rate of current is fast, flowing over a sand and gravel bottom. ‘The water depth was normally up to four feet, width approximately 50 ft. High sand ana clay banks with moderate cover. All collection records for the Ferrell's Bridge Station are in- --- Page 2 --- 2. cluded at the end of the report and are typical of data collected at all stations. Black Cypress extends for 14 miles in Marion County. Two stations were ob- served in conjunction with Job B-6, one at Highway 49 and one at Highway 59. Dis ved oxygen varied from 7.0 to 6.2 and carbondioxide from 7.0 to 8.0 ppm. Turbidi varied from less than 25 ppm tc 220 ppm. The water was uaually clear with a dark nic acid stain, thus the name Black Cypress. U. S.Engineers records show a discharge of 109 cubic feet per second in December, 1953 and 321 cubic feet per second in Feb- ruary, 1954. They also show a maximum discharge of 9,765 cubic feet per second in September, 1950 and a minimum of zero during 21 different months since 1938, The prhcipal aquatic vegetation included bald Cypress, button bush, willow and occasional patches of yellow waterlily (Nuphar advenum). Most of the shore line is dense brush and fallen trees make boat travel difficult so fishing pressure is not too grest ex- cept in a few clear areas. sol- t ‘s od tan- oS A typical black cypress locale was the station at highway 59. The creek was approximately 20 ft. wide with a normal depth of up to three feet. The bottom was sand and clay. Dense brush and trees in the water made seining difficult. Scattered lily pads were present around margins and the button bush was abundant. Little Cypress Bayou extends for approximately nine miles in Marion County. Two statims were observed, one at Highway 59 and one at Highway 143. The pH of the water here varied from 6.2 to 6.8. Dissolved oxygen ran from 7.0 to 8.4 ppm and the carbon dioxide from 7.5 to 8.0 ppm. Turbidity varied from less than 25 ppm to 500 ppm on a Jackson Turbidimeter. U.S. Engineers records show a discharge varying from 111 cubic feet per second in September, 1953 to 638 in February 1954. They also show a maximum discharge of 18,875 in May, 1948 and a minimum discharge of zero dur- ing 16 different months since 1938. The aquatic vegetation was primarily bald cy- press, button bush and willow with some scattered amounts of yellow lily pads. A typical station would be the one at Highway 59 where the Bayou was 50 ft. wide. Water depths varied up to six feet. The bottom was sandy silt and clay. ‘The shore line's dense brush and trees, fallen trees, logs and roots provide dense cover for fish, but made fishing and seining difficult. A small amount of lily pads was present. SUMMARY 1. The area studied was the Cypress, Little Cypress and Black Cypress in Marion County. 2. The drainage area is mostly sand and considered the poorest soil in Texas. 3. The water fluctuations in all three bayous is great and often falls to a4 point of no flow, although there was flowing water at all stations during this study. a. Discharge greatest in Cypress, least in Black Cypress. 4. Black Cypress is general clearer and slightly more acid than the others. 5. All three bayous are similar in appearance, in that all are lined with mod- erate to dense amounts of bald cypress, button bush and willow. Fallen trees and logs make boat travel difficult. 6. Fishing pressure in all three bayous is light except in a few accessible areas. --- Page 3 --- 3. Table No. 1 Cypess Bayou at Ferrell's Bridge Water Analysis Cloudy, rain Cloudy Clear 2P.M. Cloudy 10:45 AM Cloudy --- Page 4 --- ‘ : h, aS SA AE SE SSE EE TEODOR AS OEE ES ST DARA AP ET APESE STR NESE AO TA BL ARI TRE DEAT EONS AE IE CE I EER A SOOT SLE A Fish Card i. No. - C-51 Species Number Locality - Cypress at Ferrell's Bridge Chain Pickerel . L ate - 7/13/53 Redear sunfish 1 ollector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Brook silversides a ‘ime - 2330 P. M. . Notropis deliciosus 5 escription Notropis atrocaudalis 1 Shoreline - Clay, sand, ferrous rock Bottom - sand and gravel at shallow riffles with clay bottom pool below 5 species specimens9 Cover ~ occasional log or tree limb; mostly bare Weather: slow rain; 740F air temp. Surface - 90 F Turbidity - under 25 Vegetation Submerged: none. Floating: none. Emerg- ed: bald cypress, willow, button bush, and pine in fairly dense shoreline growth. an fackle: Bag seine, 26 x 6, 7" mesh _ Fish Card oll. No. C-52 Species Number ocality - Cypress at Ferrell's Bridge Spotted bass 2 ate 8/6/53 Redear sunfish 1 ollector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Fundulus notatus 8 ime - 3 PM Gambusia affinis 4 cription (same) Brook silversides 1 Weather - clear and hot Hybognathus nuchalis 7 ackle: Bag seine, 26 x 6 -i" mesh Hybognathus hayi 1 Notropis venustus i Notropis atrocaudalis 7 Notropis deliciosus 4 Notropis umbratilis 2 Spotted sucker 3 12 species Fish Card oll. No. - C-53 Species ocality - Cypress at Ferrell's Bridge Spotted bass ate - 9/18/53 Notropis venustus ollector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Notropis amabilis ime ~- 3 P. M. Notropis chalyheus escription (same) Hybognathus nucnalis eather partly cloudy: air 92°R Fundulus notatus ackle - 26 x 6, <" mesh Spotted sucker Brook silversides Bluegill Western spotted surfish Green sunfish Amocrypta vivax Etheostoma gracile Etheostoma chlorosomuml Hadropterus scierus L 15 species specimens 53 (ws) MN PRP RPP RP RPP PAN Ee --- Page 5 --- 4 _ Fish Card & . No. C-54 Species Number Locality - Cypress at Ferrell's Bridge Spotted sucker L Date - 10/14/53 Grass pickerel 1 ollector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Notropis amabilis 160 Time 2 P. M. Notropis amnis Lh Description (same) Notropis atherinoides 1h Weather - clear and warm Notropis umbratilis 3 ackle - Bag seine, 26 x 6,4" mesh Notropis roseus 17 Notropis chalybeus 3 Hybognatus nuchalis 13 Hybognatus hayi L Gambusia affinis i Fuandulus notatus 2 Redear 1 Yellow belly sunfish 1 14 species specimens, 232 oll. No. =C-55 Species Locality - Cypress at Ferrell's Bridge Hadropterus shumardi ate - 11/4/53 Hadropterus scierus alector - R. J. Kemp, Jp. Etheostoma gracile ime: 4 P.M, Notropis lutrensis escription (same) ‘eather: rain and north wind k species specimens, fau.te - Bag seine 26 x 6, ¢" mesh Fish Card oll. No. C-56 Species Number Weight ocality - Cypress at Ferrell's Bridge Spotted sucker L ate - 12/15/53 Channel cat >Ollector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. ime : 8 AM escription (same) eather: clear, 31°F air temp. ackles - 2 hoop nets, land 3" mesh nee) Fish Card roll. No. - C-57 Species Numbey ocality - Cypress at Ferrell's Bridge no fish ate 12/16/53 sOllector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. ime - 8 A. M., escription (same) eather ~ clear, cold 49°F Tackle, 1 ne awe ate" No. ¢-58 Locality - Cypress & Ferrell's Bridge ate - 2/5/54 oOllector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. ime - 8 A. M. Description (same) Weather - clear, warm, 51°F Tackle - 7 hoop nets, 3 - 1 inch, 1-14 inch, 2-2 inch, 1-3 inch Species Number Spotted sucker L --- Page 6 --- Coll. No. C-59 Species ' Locality - Cypress at Ferrell's Bridge Largemouth bass Date - 2/8/54 Warmouth Collector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Green sunfish Time - 1P. M. Bluegill Description (same) Black crappie 3 Weather: cloudy, windy 69°F White crappie 1 Tackle - Bag seine, 26 x 6, +" mesh Flier 7 Golden shiner 3 Brook silversides 36 Fundulus notatus L5 Gambusia affinis hy schilbeodes nocturnus a Notropis lutrensis 3 Notropis percobromus 2 i4 species specimens 81 Fish Card Coll. No. C=511 Species Number Locality - Cypress at Ferrell's Bridge Longnose gar i. Date - 5/7/54 Channel cat 6 Collector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. Blue cat 1 Time - Black crappie L De ription (same) White bass 1 Weather - cloudy, cool, windy Tackle - 11 hoop nets, 6 - 1" mesh, 2-13" mesh, 1 - 2 inch mesh, 2 - 3 inch mesh Fish Card Coll. No. C-512 Species Number Weight Locality - Cypress at Ferrell's Bridge Drum 1 Lad Date - 5/26/54 Black crappie L 0.18 Collector - R. J. Kemp, Jr. White crappie L 0,25 Time: - 7 A. M. Redear 2 0.30 Description (same) Bluegill 1 9.30 Weather: partly cloudy, windy 76°F Tackle - 5 hoop nets, 1, 2 and 3 inch mesh