TPWD 1961 F-6-R-8 #641: Basic Survey and Fish Inventory of Four Small Lakes of the Middle Nueces River

--- Page 1 --- e Report of Fisheries Investigations Basic Survey and Fish Inventory of Four Small Lakes of the Middle Nueces River Charles T. Menn Assistant Project Leader Dingell-Johnson Project F-6-R-8, Job B-16 January 4, 1960 - December 31, 1960 H. D. Dodgen - Executive Secretary Texas Game and Fish Commission Austin, Texas Marion Toole Kenneth C. Jurgens and William H. Brown Coordinator Assistant Coordinator --- Page 2 --- RSS TRACT Three lakes and a portion of the Nueces River (in the northern part of Zavala County) were studied during this segment and the pre- ceding segment. Rough fish, primarily gizzard shad, Dorosoma cepedianum, small- mouth buffalo, Ictiobus bubalus, gar, Lepisosteus sps., and freshwater drum, Aplodinotus grunniens, were predominant in all of the waters studied. The irregular water supply and silt bottom strongly favors rough fish species. Floods in the spring and fall are common and for this reason, no renovation work is recommended. --- Page 3 --- Job Completion Report State of TEXAS Project No. F-6-R-8 Name: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region O-8. Job No. B-16 Title: Basic Survey and Fish Inventory of Four Small Lakes of the Middle Nueces River. teenies stnaneusennneseetenpeeas Period Covered: January 4, 1960 - December 31, 1960 OBJECTIVES To determine the physical, chemical and ecological conditions and the fish popu- lations in the Nueces River Lakes in Zavala, Dimmit and LaSalle Counties. PROCEDURE During the study period tracings were made from aerial photographs of Comanche, Espantosa, and Bermuda Dam Lakes. Time did not permit similar work for Holland Lake. The aerial photographs were traced at the Carrizo Springs office of the U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service. Because of the large scale (1 inch = 660 feet), it was considered too expensive to make reductions small enough for inclusion in this report. The tracings are on file for future use at the project headquarters. Fish populations in Comanche, Espantosa and Holland Lakes were sampled with ex- perimental gill nets, 125 feet in length and eight feet deep with mesh sizes varying from one to three inches. Seine collections were made with a g-inch mesh, 20- by 4-foot nylon straight seine. Netted specimens were weighed and measured in the field and sex and stage of sexua! maturity were also recorded for the individual specimens. Stomachs of carnivorous spec: were examined for food contents in the field and seined specimens were preserved in 10 percent formalin solution for later identification in the laboratory. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION A checklist of fish species taken in collections from the Middle Nueces River during the period from July, 1959 through December, 1960, is given in Table 1. The results of seining and netting collections are given in Table 2 and the locations of the collection stations are given on the attached map. The results of water analyses for each station, including M. 0. alkalinity and pH, were recorded. Turbidity was recorded in terms of Secchi disc readings. These records are on file at the regional fisheries laboratory at Mathis, Texas. --- Page 4 --- “Dm Comanche Lake Comanche Lake was originally visited in September, 1959, when netting collectio. of fish and water analyses were made (See report for Job B-16, Project F-6-R-7). Be-~ cause the fish population was thought to have been altered by extensive flooding in October, 1959, the lake was revisited in July, 1960. The results of two netting col- lections of specimens taken at locations previously collected are given in Table 3. No significant change was noted in the fish population. Aquatic vegetation found during the 1959 visit was apparently removed by the flood since none was found during July, 1960. The water was quite turbid at that time when a Secchi disc reading of only 10 inches was recorded. No submerged vegetation was observed. Only two anglers and one commercial fisherman were seen on Comanche Lake during the July, 1960, trip. The local game warden reported that the commercial fishermen had been taking large numbers of rough fish, primarily smallmouth puffalo, Ictiobus bubalus, but test nets continue to indicate this species to be very abundant. As previously indicated the lake is used primarily for irrigation of farm crops. The irregular water supply, in the form of surface runoff, plus the silt bottom favor the rough fish species including gars, smallmouth buffalo, freshwater drum, and cat- fishes. Espantosa Lake Since Espantosa Lake is located downstream from Comanche Lake it also was renetted in July, 1960. As found in the case of Comanche Lake, there was no appreciable chang’ in the fish population compared with the results of netting in September, 1959. Roug fish species comprised 94.12 percent of the number of fish netted and 99.00 percent of their weight. Smallmouth buffalo alone constituted 48.37 percent of the weight of the fish collected. With the exception of two small fish, the buffalos weighed from a pound to over five pounds each. The results of the netting are given in Table 4. Turbidity readings made with a Secchi disc ranged from 28- to 40-inches at the netting stations. Espantosa Lake is much clearer than Comanche and could probably sup~- port good black bass, Micropterus salmoides, and white crappie, Pomoxis annularis, pop- ulations. Unfortunately annual floods and excessive drawdown for irrigation during the dry spells have prevented the development of good game fish populations in this lake. Holland Lake Holland Lake is located approximately 16 miles southeast of Cotulla in LaSalle County, Texas, on a portion of the Nueces River which flows in a northeasterly direc tion. Formed by a concrete channel dam, it resembles the other lakes of the area and its main purpose is to retain water for irrigation of farm crops. . The sharply cut banks of the lake are lined with pecan, willow, live oak and wild mulberry trees. The only aquatic vegetation seen in the lake was very little duckweed, Lemna sp., scattered through large areas of water fern, Azolla caroliniana. One area, approxi- mately five acres in size, was completely blanketed with the fern. This was in the main part of the lake and more than likely the vegetation will be washed over the dam. --- Page 5 --- =3~ Analysis of surface water samples showed methyl orange alkalinity to range from 130 to 180 parts per million. The pH was in excess of 8.8. Turbidity was: measured in terms of Secchi disc readings. These ranged from 12 to 15 inches. In two netting collections (Table 5), it was found that rough fish species com- prised 67.73 percent of the number of fish netted and 85.67 percent of their weight. Smallmouth buffalo alone accounted for more than 72 percent of the weight of fish taken in nets. The most abundant game fish species netted were channel catfish, ictalurus punctatus, and white crappie. No largemouth bass were taken in nets. Because of the sharply cut banks no seining collections could be made in Holland Lake. Bermuda Dam Lake Bermuda Dam is located on the Nueces River about five miles south of the State Highway 85 crossing. The lake it impounds is similar to the other lakes in that it is a channel dam impoundment. It was not netted because no access road to the lake itself could be located and no boat launching lake was found. There is a private road leading to the dam, however, and a seining collection of 73 specimens was made below it (Table 6). CONCLUSIONS During the course of this job only 14 anglers and one commercial fisherman were seen on the four lakes studied, Rough species, primarily smallmouth buffalo, gars, shad and drum, are predominant in all the lakes. Since severe floods are likely to occur annually, renovation would not be feasible. Dimmit and Zavala Counties are in- cluded in the South Central Texas Regulatory Authority Area and it has been recommended that the use of gill nets with meshes not less than three inches square be allowed in an effort to reduce the numbers of rough fish by utilizing these species. The aerial photographs of the lakes studied are not included in this report due to the fact that they are too bulky. However, these maps will be kept at this office for future use. Adaptations of county highway maps are used in this report to show locations of netting and seining stations. Numbers followed by a small "s" indicate seining station, others represent netting stations. RECOMMENDATIONS No developmental work such as complete or partial removal of fish in any of the lakes studied is recommended since these waters are subject to floods once or twice a year. Periodic floods serve as a natural control on the aquatic vegetation in the lakes. Largemouth bass should be stocked in the Nueces River north of Crystal City, above FM Highway 1025. A good black bass population was present in this portion of the river before the drought and it is felt that restocking would restore the population. Only one black bass fingerling was taken in a seining collection in this area. This indicates --- Page 6 --- whe a few bass are present but additional stocking should speed their restoration. Suf- ficient cover and food are available in this portion of the river and bass, if stocked should provide much recreation for the anglers in the area. Five Secchi disc reading. were made at various places on this portion of the river; they ranged from 363~ to 48~ inches. Future work relative to recommending changes in the fishing regulations in Dimmit and Zavala Counties, etc., will be done under the reconnaissance job (F-6-R, Job B-20). Prepared by Charles T. Menn Approved by YL Biren ines Se peincble : Assistant Project Leader Director Inland Fisheries Division Date March 3, 1961. --- Page 7 --- Table 1. Common name Alligator gar Spotted gar Longnose gar Gizzard shad Smallmouth buffalo Grey redhorse Pugnose minnow Redhorse shiner Parrot minnow Channel catfish Black bullhead Gambusia Tidewater silversides Largemouth bass Redear sunfish Bluegill sunfish White crappie Freshwater drum Rio Grande cichlid -5- A checklist of fish species from middle Nueces River. Scientific name Lepisosteus spatula Lepisosteus productus Lepisosteus osseus Dorosoma cepedianum Ictiobus bubalus Moxostoma congestum Opsopoeodus emiliae Notropis lutrensis Pimephales vigilax iIctalurus punctatus ictalurus melas Gambusia affinis Menidia beryllina Micropterus salmoides Lepomis microlophus Lepomis macrochirus Pomoxis annularis Aplodinotus grunniens Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum --- Page 8 --- «6- Table 2. Numbers of specimens taken in netting and seining collections, Nueces River, July 1959 - December 1960. Species Stations rif is] 2fest 3] 41 5 6 tt 8 9 Lea ai Tie 733 ak 5s | Tota Alligator gar oo. Spotted gar 2 2 56 Longnose gar 11 8 83 Gizzard shad 18 9 223 Smallmouth buffalo 10 9 96 Grey redhorse 2 Pugnose minnow 9 Redhorse shiner 65 Parrot minnow 1 Channel catfish 8 10 67 Black bullhead 1 Ganbusia 33 Tidewater silverside 87 Largemouth bass 2 Redear sunfish 3 Bluegill | 67 White crappie 9 13 52 Freshwater drum 56 | 113 Rio Grande cichlid 1 fk --- Page 9 --- Table 3. Results of collections with experimental gill nets, Comanche Lake, July, 1960. Species Spotted gar Longnose gar Gizzard shad Smallmouth buffalo Channel catfish* White crappie* Freshwater drum umbers of fish collected | Stations —_—i«i | Percent of | 1 J 2 [Total | total number | Weights of fish collected 3,099 3,911 2,878 6 3 7 17 el a (ee) 3,719 2 8 231 1 6 261 28 82 7,016 Totals 6 [| a | 100.00 21,115 37,896 | 59,011 Percent game fish 10.14 Percent rough fish 89.86 *Indicates game fish species grams Percent of total weight D225 17.05 6.00 17.58 9 33 1.05 43.74 100.00 10.38 89.62 --- Page 10 --- B= Table 4. Results of collections with experimental gill nets, Espantosa Lake, July 1960. Weig ghts of fish collected : Stations Percent of total weight Numbers of ‘fish collected Percent of [1 [ 2 ]fotal | total number | Species Spotted gar 16 22.92 Longnose gar 5 11.74 Gizzard shad 1 0.41 Smallmouth buffalo 17 48.37 Channel catfish* 2 0.93 Redear sunfish* 1 0.07 Freshwater drum 9 15.56 Totals 16 | 35 51 100.00 Percent game fish 5.88 1.00 Percent rough fish 94.12 99.00 *Indicates game fish species --- Page 11 --- Table 5. Results of collections with experimental gill nets, Holland Lake, December 1960. “Weights of fish collected (¢ Stations Percent of I] 2 J] Total] total weight Numbers of fish co lected _Stations Percent of Pi [2 [otat | total numberf Species Spotted gar 2 0.42 Gizzard shad 4 1.76 Smallmouth buffalo 25 72.57 Channel catfish* 9 Oe lt Black bullhead a 0.67 Bluegill 2 O41 White crappie* 11 5.56 Freshwater dean 8 9.84 Totals 23 39 62 100.00 11,315 2h , 766 36,081 100.00 Percent game fish 32.27 1h, 33 Percent rough fish 67.73 85.67 *Indicates game fish species --- Page 12 --- «iO~ Table 6. Seining results, Nueces River below Bermuda Dam, December 1960. Numbers collected Species Percent of total Pugnose minnow 12.32 Redhorse shiner 79.49 Gambusia 2.13 Tidewater silverside 4.10 Bluegill Totals --- Page 13 --- vA we ~ / Ns uvALDE J NN. couNTY MAVERICK ~ / ~ COUNTY r > / ~S / 2 = ~ / 7 >.< / TURKEY os zi nm , CREEK . ae / / Ww f / / ZAVALA / / ae) Z ey COM anc KE COUNTY / CARRIZO SPRINGS / rare / / COUNTY DIMMIT ™~ ~N COUNTY / Sy a ~~ z he = ~ “ sate _ x INA aa ™~ wees SN / . brome \ / u . STATE COUNTY N\ / se / 97 ~y/ / LA SALLE lead HOLL AN 14 LAKE COUNTY / LEGEND: I°=4 MILES l Se ™N ™ --- Page 14 --- fe i I H z