TPWD 1958 F-5-R-5 #403: Inventory of Species Present in Red Bluff Reservoir near Orla, Texas, Project No. F-5-R-5

--- Page 1 --- Job Completion Report P State of TEXAS Project No. F-5-R-5 Name: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region 3-B. Job No. B-17 Title: Inventory of Species Present in Red Bluff Reservoir near Orla, Texas. Period Covered: April 16, 1957 - April 16, 1958. Abstract: Inventory indicated that as a result of a more stabilized volume white bass increased significantly and river carpsuckers decreased. Apparently largemouth bass are not suited to this reservoir and other game species were of little importance. Objectives: To determine the species present and their relative abundance and to determine the ecological factors influencing their distribution. Procedure: Thirty-six gill nets were set at nine locations in the reservoir. Experimental nylon gill nets, measuring 125 feet long by eight feet deep and made up in five, 25- foot sections, were used. Mesh sizes for these nets increased progressively in each following section, at half-inch intervals, beginning with one-inch mesh section and termi- nating with a three-inch mesh section. Fourteen seining collections were made at five seining stations in the reservoir. In nearly all collections, both 26 foot, e inch mesh bag seines and 15 foot, t inch mesh, common sense seines were used. To estimate relative abundance a count was made of all individuals taken in two hauls with a 26 foot, ¢ inch mesh bag seine. In addition to this work, collections with 4 foot, 1/16 inch mesh, common sense fry seine was taken. Water analyses to determine dissolved oxygen content and the quantity of dissolved carbon dioxide were made periodically. Surface temperature, pH and weather conditions were recorded for each netting and seining collection. Turbidity was measured on two occasions. In netting collections, samples from each collection and for each species were weighed, measured and sexed. This work was done in the field. Stomachs containing food were pre- served for laboratory examination. Similar work for seining collections included identifi- cation, weighing and measuring. Individual specimens not readily identifiable in the field were preserved in 10 percent solution of formalin. These were later identified in the aboratoy. --- Page 2 --- Findings: Red Bluff Reservoir is the fifth in a series of major reservoirs located on the Pecos River. It is impounded by a 9,200 foot compacted earth-fill dam, located three miles upstream from Screwbean Draw and 4.5 miles north of the town of Orla, Texas, and is designed to have a total storage capacity of 307,000 acre feet of water. The contributing watershed of 20,720 square miles is in the lower staked plains. The reservoir is primarily for the impoundment and control of irrigation waters and is owned by Red Bluff Power Control District, whose offices are in Pecos. About 15,000 acres in Reeves, Ward and Pecos Counties may be irrigated when water supplies permit. As shown in the accompanying hydrology data, the reservoir is subject to extreme fluctuation because of its use; is the most saline inland reservoir in the state and possibly in the south; and is generally unstable in nature. The area, subject to inundation particularily in the upper portions of the reservoir, is covered with dense concentrations of salt cedar and access to much of the reservoir area is difficult. Al- though bulrushes, Scirpus sp., are present in sparse and very limited concentrations, the reservoir has no vegetation problem. Turbidity was not recordable; pH was from 7.8 to 8.0; dissolved oxygen was from 7 to 10 ppm; and dissolved carbon dioxide was from O to 14 ppm. Subsurface infiltration, or seepage of water into the river bed above the reservoir, transported and deposited an estimated 279 tons of salt each 2h hours and a "saline" stratification was considered as possible. The accompanying charts are regarded as the most suitable presentation of other basic findings. (See Tables I and II.) Fish Populations; a. Relative Abundance - Because of the previously described concentrations of salt cedar and other obstructions seining could be done as described only near the dam. For that reason gill netting collections are probably more reliable in indicating this aspect of the population study. The species taken are listed in an annotated checklist. b. Species Distribution - Information pertaining to this part of the survey will be included in part under trends and influences of principal populations and partly under the annotated checklist. Annotated Checklist of Species of Fish Taken in Red Bluff Reservoir Lepisosteidae (gars) Lepisosteus osseus (longnose gar) = common and especially abundant near the mouth of the river. Clupeidae (shad and herrings) Dorosoma cepedianum (gizzard shad) - the most numerous and widely distributed species in the reservoir. Abundant and relatively large in size. Characidae (tetras) Astyanax fasciatus (Mexican jumper) - probably released by persons handling bait. Found near the dam. ; --- Page 3 --- Catostomidae (suckers) Carpiodes carpio (river carpsucker) - common and abundant, taken in all reservoir areas, high average coefficient of condition, however, apparently there was no significant in- crease during the second year of work. Moxostoma congestum (gray redhorse sucker) - common but usually restricted to the mouth of the river. Cyprinidae (minnows) Cyprinus carpio (carp) - common and fairly abundant, taken at all netting stations, possi- bly controlled or partially controlled by salinity. Notropis lutrensis (redhorse shiner) - common, probably the dominant minnow for the lake. Pimephales vigilax (parrot minnow) = common but less numberous than redhorse shiners or killifishes. Ameiuridae (catfishes) Ictalurus natalis (yellow bullhead) - not actually taken but known to be present immedi- ately below release structures and above reservoir in river. Significance undetermined. Ictalurus punctatus (channel catfish) - common but not numerous, evenly distributed but less concentrated in the upper reservoir. Pylodictus olivaris (flathead catfish) - rare and apparently not present in the saline upper reservoir near the river mouth. Cyprinodontidae (killifishes and topminnows) Fundulus kansae (plains killifish) - common and abundant, probably next to shad as the most numerous species for the reservoir. Gambusia affinis (mosquitof ish) ~ abundant in all areas where protection was afforded. Serranidae (basses) Roccus chrysops (white or striped bass) - abundant, the most numerous game species, con- centrated near the Pecos mouth, high average coefficient of condition, apparently particularly well suited to this type habitat. Centrarchidae (black basses and sunfish) Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass) - rare, and confined in distribution to the areas low in salinity near the dam. Unimportant as a resource, no juvenile fish taken in seining, condition poor and indicative of unsuccessful reproduction. Chaenobryttus gulosus (warmouth bass) - rare, taken in seining only. Lepomis cyanellus (green sunfish) - common and fairly abundant near the dam. aepomis cyanellus --- Page 4 --- Lepomis macrochirus (bluegill) - of about equal importance with green sunfish, more widely distributed, but not important as a game species. Lepomis microlophus (redear sunfish) - rare, taken in one collection only. Lepomis megalotis (longear sunfish) - rare, but more numerous than redear. Pomoxis annularis (white crappie) - possibly the most numerous centrarchid, but apparent=- ly stunted and not present in the extremely saline areas of the river mouth. Percidae (perches and darters) Percina caprodes (logperch) - not actually taken in reservoir, but present in the stream immediately below. Sciaenidae (drum) Aplodinotus grunniens (freshwater drum) - not actually taken in year's netting, but . observed in fishermen catches and taken in the previous year of inventory. Believed to be much more common than netting would indicate, more widely distributed, and of some importance as a game fish. (See Table III.) c. Trends and Influences in the Principal Fish Populations. Gizzard shad - netting and other data indicate a significant increase of this population. The average size of shad was slightly larger indicating that a lessor percent were in utilizable form, and there was evidence of a coinciding increase in this species and white bass. White bass - the numerical increase indicated by netting is insufficient to ex~ press the importance in the change occurring within this population. Most fish taken were utilizable, had a higher coefficient of condition, and spawning was successful. The majority or bulk of these fish were taken near the river mouth. Other population trends ~ with a more stabilized volume most game species in- creased numerically and in condition. There was no apparent increase in the number of river carpsuckers; however, condition remained high for the species. Sunfishes were rel~ atively unimportant and only redhorse shiners were of importance as forage in the minnow category. Summary: 1. The reservoir remained comparatively constant in volume and elevation during the year, however, extreme fluctuations during August, 8.2 feet, and September, 6.3 feety probably had a detrimental effect on the game species. 2. Increases in gizzard shad were regarded as being of temporary benefit since a corresponding size increase indicated that there was a trend vogere a lesser number of utilizable individuals of this species. : --- Page 5 --- 3. White bass increases in numbers and utilizable form were the most important trends or improvements by any fish population, and the previously known importance of this species was confirmed and increased. 4, Apparently largemouth bass are not suited to this reservoir and other game species are of little importance. . K —_, Prepared by Lawrence Campbell Approved by pees. Loelee Project Leader Director Inland Fisheries Division Date May 19, 1959 --- Page 6 --- Table I. Hydrology and Fluctuation Data for Red Bluff Reservoir (1953-1958) Date El Acre Ft, 1953 January 2795.2 28,780 February 2796.5 31,100 March 2796.8 31,900 April 2796.2 30, 700 May 2796.1 30,500 June 2795.2 28,780 July 2794.2 26,980 August 2792.8 24,580 September 2792.0 23, 300 October 2788.8 18, 8h0 November 2791.1 21,950 December 2793.5 25,750 1954 January 2799.1 36,840 February 2799.2 37,080 March 2792.9 24, THO April 2799.2 37,080 May 2798.9 36, 380 June 2796.7 31,700 July 2790.2 20 , 680 August 2794.9 28 , 220 September 2788.9 18,970 October 2797.5 33,350 November 2797.7 33,770 December 2798.1 34,620 1955 January 2826.7 164,200 February 2826. 162,000 March 2823.4 141,600 April 2819.1 115,600 May 2816.7 102,500 June 2812.2 80,900 July 2805.0 53,000 August 2793.3 25,410 September 2796.7 31,700 October 2826.6 163,500 Novenber 2826.5 162 , 800 December 2826.4 162,000 1956 January 2816.7 102,500 February 2816.8 103,000 March 2816.0 99 , 000 April 2812.3 81, 350 May 2810.8 74,700 June 2807.0 60,000 July 2800.7 40,750 August 2794.2 26,960 September 2791.9 23,150 October 2815.1 9h. 500 November 2815.5 96,500 December 2816.2 100,000 --- Page 7 --- Table II. Hydrology and Fluctuation Data for Red Bluff Reservoir Month Max. El. Min. El Avg Fluc. Avg. Af. 1955 October 115.1 96.7 105.9 18.4 55,900 November 115.5 115.1 115.3 0.4 95,500 December 116.2 115.5 115.85 0.7 97,900 1956 January 116.7 116.3 116.5 O.4 101,500 February 116.9 116.8 116.85 O.2 103,200 March 116.8 116.3 116.55 0.5 101,700 April 115.9 112.7 114.3 3.2 91,700 May 112.3 111.0 111.65 1.3 78,400 June 110.7 107.0 108.8 3.7 66, 700 July 107.0 100.7 103.8 6.3 48,500 August 100.5 95.1 97.8 5.4 33,980 September gh .0 92.2 93.1 1.8 24,900 October 92.5 91.9 92.2 Qu 23,620 November 93.4 92.9 93.1 0.5 25,070 December 95.0 93.5 94.2 1.5 26,960 1957 January 96.0 95.0 95.5 1.5 29,430 February 95.0 83.5 89.3 11.5 19,490 March 86.2 83.5 84.8 2.7 14,000 April 86.8 86.2 86.6 0.6 16,010 May 87.1 85.4 86.3 Laff 15,660 June 89.6 88.9 89.3 0.7 19,490 July 88.9 88.0 88.5 0.9 18,450 August 96.8 88.6 92.7 8.2 24,400 September 94.2 87.9 90.0 6.3 22, 300 Two Year Period -- October, 1955 to October, 1957. Max. El. Min. El. Avg. Fluc. Max. Af Min. Af. Avg. 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