TPWD 1961 F-4-R-8 #714: Resurvey of Lake Waco: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region 4-B

JOB DESCRIPTION REPORT As required by FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT TEXAS Federal Aid Project No. F-h-B-B I Fisheries Investigations and Survezs of the Waters.of Region h-B ” Job No. B-28 Resurvez of Lake waco Project Leader . Leonard Lamb H. D. Dodgen Executive Secretary Texas Game and Fish Commission Austin, Texas Marion Toole Eugene A. walker D-J Coordinator Director, Program Planning Date December 8: 1961_ A total of 5400 feet of gill net was used to sample the fish population of Lake Waco near Haco, McLennan County, Tean. The data collected is compared with data collected during the first inventory made in 1956-57. During this segment of work, nineteen Species of fish were collected with gill nets. The abundance of freshwater drum (Aplodinotus.grunniens) has decreased. The numbers and percentages of all other Species remained relatively stable. Six new species were netted during the resurvey that were not netted during the original survey. Seine samples were inadequate for comparison due to the heavy emergent vegetation (Scirpus validus) and (Typha latifolia) along the shore line and Nelumbo g2 and Potamo- genton g2 which made seining difficult. Recommendation is made that the lake be checked under the reconnaissapce job. Job Completion Report State of Texas Project No. F—A—R—S Namei Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region 4-B Job No. B—28 Title: Resurvey of Lake Waco. Period Covered: November 1, 1960 - October 312 1961' OBJECTIVES To conduct investigations to obtain: current information concerning the fish popula— tion and factors influencing the population. HISTORY Lake Waco is located in McLennan County, Texas. The dam is six miles west of the city of Waco. Due to siltation the present lake has an average depth of approximately _ feet. The lake was surveyed during l956~57 (Project No. F—4uR—4, Job B-18) when the lake was very low. The city of waco is building a new dam just below the old dam which is almost half completed at this writing. When the dam is completed the wattr level will inundate the present dam and the lake's depth will be greater by about 20 feet. PROCEDURE Gill nets, 100 feet long by eight feet deep with 1% inch square mesh, were used to collect samples of the fish population. Net stations established and used under Job B~18 of Project FeA-R~4 could not be used during this study because the water levei was much higher than in 1956—57. The new stations were selected to sample the various enviromental areas of the lake. These samplings were made at bimonthly intervals. Nets were set in the afternoon, left overnight and run on the following morning. The nets were left in the lake during the following day and night and again run in the morning. All fish were weighed, measured and examined to determine sex and sexual development. Stomaches were examined for all recognizeable materiads. All field data were recorded on standardized forms for use in reports. Due to heavy siltation and aquatic vegetation, seining was very difficult3 being restricted to places that had been cleared for launching boats. Rotenone samples were not taken from Lake waco because it is a source of public drinking water for the City of Waco and approval by the health department must be obtained. FINDINGS A total of 5400 feet of gill net was used in sampling the fish population of Lake Waco. Gizzard shad accounted for over one half (52.85 percent) of the fish taken in gill nets. Table 1 gives the tabulated data from the gill net collections. The next most netted fish is the white crappie, 17.64 percent of the total number, followed by channel catfish, bluegill sunfiSh, spotted gar, redear sunfish and largemouth bass with 8.07, 7.19, 4.73, 2.81, and 2.15 percent reSpectively. The gill net collectionSare comparable with those made during 1956-57 (Job 8-18) with the exception of the freshwater drum. The prior survey ypelded 16.42 percent drum while the present survey yielded only 1.15 percent. Due to the low water in 1956—57, nets were able to take this bottom feeder. Some larger mesh nets were also used in the previous survey- Spotted gar continue to be more abundant than longnose gar and appear to have increased in numbErs. River carpsucker and smallmouth buffalo show a fair representae tion. Channel catfish, largemouth bass, and redear sunfish show an increase in number. The increase in abundance of these fish reflects the improvement in habitat conditions since the recent drouth years. Some species were taken that were not taken in gill nets during the previous work thus giving a better Species representation of this lake. The single flathead catfish given in Table 1 represents only 0.04 percent of the total catch, but large flathead catfish were caught by commercial fishermen using larger mesh gill nets. : In the 1956-57 survey, rOUgh fish accounted for 76.36 percent and_game fish accounted for 23.64 percent of the total number caught. Rough fish are defined as those considered undesirable or not normally sought by sport fishermen. During this survey, rough fish accounted for 61.88 percent and game fish accounted for 38.12 per— cent of the total number taken. Table 2 records the results of gill net collections from Lake Waco, made from November, 1956 through October, 1957 (Project Fe4-R-4, Job 8-18) and is used as comparative data. Table 3 shows the size/and condition of fish species netted during the 1960—61 survey. Table 4 gives an analysis of the water from Lake Waco and was furnished by the waco City Water Works. Slight changes are shown between the samples taken in 1956-57 and the samples taken in April of 1960. A checklist of species from Lake waco is included in the report. The seine samples obtained were inadequate for a lake of this size, due to the heavy vegetation in shallow water. The two successful seine samples yielded 14 gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), one logpearch (Percina caprodes), 26 purnose minnows (Opsopoeodus emiliae), 63 red shiners (Notropis lutrensis), and two bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus). RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that Lake Waco should be checked periodically under the recon— 'naissance job to obtain current information concerning gross changes in fishing conditions and factors influencing fish populations. A selective fish kill, by the use or application of rotenone, would relieve the over abundance of rough fish. After the selective kill of the rough fish the lake should be stocked with game fish particularly white bass (Roccus chrysops). Q Prepared by . Dwane Q. S.m____._.______________ith Approved WM Assistant Project Leader ' Dir. Inland Fisheries Date M A) /¢é/ A checklist of fish species taken from Lake waco, McLennan County, Texas, November, 1960 to October, 1961.' Common Name Spotted gar Longnose gar Gizzard shad , Smallmouth buffalo River carpsucker Grey redhorse Lake chubsucker Carp Pugnose minnow Red Shiner Channel catfish Black bullhead Yellow bullhead Flathead catfish Largemouth bass warmouth Green sunfish Redear sunfish Bluegill sunfish White crappie Logpearch Freshwater drum -4- Scientific Name Lepisosteus oculatus Lepisosteus osseus Dorosoma cepedianum Ictiobus bubalus Carpiodes carpio Moxostoma congestum Erimyzon sucetta Cyprinus carpio stopoeodus emiliae Notropis lutrensis Ictalurus punctatus Ictalurus melas Ictalurus natalis Pylodictis olivaris Micropterus salmoides Chaenobryttus gulosus Lepomix cyanellus I Lepomis microlophus Lepomis macrochirus Pomoxis annularis Percina caprodes Aplodinotus grunniens .. , ”“W‘” -.-....a.geu._ HmUHm H. woowwmm WWW ronmoomm mew OHNNEHQ mumn mamwaaocmu ocmmmwo weeme omHtmcowow Demw Hmnroemm were o?£UwConH n... awesomH ommmwmr menw dapprmmo mmHHOS dcwprmma menrmma omnmwmr rmemmBOCnr ommm EWSSOCmU Demo: mcomwmr woomme mcomemr chmmHHH mcnmem: Erenm ofimtpem memmramnmu mesa Honmwm izcaomfi om mwmr.omum3fiH. moanmnw OW nowmfi Noumea 0m flew? omcmrn Hub.mm w.mu : bww.©w mo.mH e©.uu H.No o.ob . e. 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An analysis of the waco Lake water furnished by the waco City water Works.l' m—m mm m- ~ . mmmmmmu 1956-57 Average Max. Min. April 25, 1960” Total.Solids 280.6 Total Alkalinity 139.0 Total Hardness 144.9 pH Value 7.‘ Silica 10.0 Iron and Aluminum Oxides 2.3- Calcium Bicarbonate 197-6 Calcium Sulfate 13.62- Magnesium Sulfate 7.2 Sodium Sulfate 22.4 Sodium Chloride 39.6 Fluoride 0.1 mum—.mmm 1. Parts per million 2. This reading taken January 9, 1961