TPWD 1976 F-30-R-2 #1724: Performance Report, Federal Aid Project F-30-R-2: Management Recommendations for Proposed Reservoir and Other Public Water Projects, Navasota River and Lake Limestone

PERFORMANCE REPORT As required by FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATIDN ACT Federal Aid Project F—30—Rr2 Statewide Fishery Management Recommendations Job E: Management Recommendations for Proposed Reservoir and Dther Public Water Projeots Mavasota River and Lake Limestone Robert L. Rounds Inland Fisheries Management Program Director District II—C Duane Q. Smith Distriot Management Supervisor Clayton T. Garrison Eaeoutive Director Teaas Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, Texas David L. Pritohard Robert J. Kemp Chief, Inland Fisheries Director of Fisheries February 4, 19?? F-3U—R—2 Performance Report Job B — District II—C Dbjective: To recommend habitat improvement, fisherman information, fish II. III. population manipulation, vegetation control, pollution control, fisherman access and facility development and fishing regulations for existing and proposed public waters of Texas. Summary: Quarterly fisheries management surveys were conducted on the Mavasota River to supplement existing knowledge of the ichthyofauna, aquatic macrophytes, physicochemical and stream channel characteristics; and to evaluate the quality of eaisting fish habitat and fisherman access. Lake Limestone Dam, currently under construction at River Mile (R.M.) 125 is scheduled for completion in early ISIS. Impounded waters are eapected to create a reservoir of 14,200 a. Impoundment will result in alterations in both physical and biological characteristics of the stream. Fishing access to the Mavasota River is largely confined to highway crossings; facilities available for fishermen are deficient. Creation of Lake Limestone, with adequate fisherman access and facilities, could greatly improve fisherman utilisation of the Ravasota River. Quality of habitat for sport fishes could be enhanced by minimising the re— moval of brush from the lake basin. Introduction of threadfin shad, Florida largemouth bass and white bass a striped bass hybrids is re— commended to supplement first—year recruitment and to better utilise habitat. Dissemination of fish stocking, evaluation and current fish harvest information to anglers through appropriate media is also re— commended. .a continuous flow is needed for maintenance of the tail- water fishery and for conservation of the downstream riverine eco- system. Significant Deviation: Flooding of the study area and manpower limitations precluded em— ployment of some stream survey procedures as outlined in ”a Manual of Survey and Management Techniques for Reservoir and Stream Management." Cost: $d,200 Man—Days 85 IV. Prepared by: Dwane g. Smith District Management Supervisor John M. Mitchell Fish and Wildlife Technician Date: February 4, 19?? Approved by: flmi‘ g6“— Roger L. McCabe D—J Management Coordinator Regional Management Supervisor Methods and Materials Sampling was conducted at four stations selected to represent upper, middle and lower sections of the stream. Sampling locations were chosen to represent increases in stream order according to Horton (1945), and changes in land re— source areas from the headwaters of the Mavasota River to its confluence with the Brazos River. Locations of sampling stations are described in the Survey Results and Discussion section of this paper. Surveys were conducted quarterly at each station to evaluate fish communities, aquatic vegetation and water quality. Stream channel parameters were re- corded at least once for each station. Aquatic vegetation was surveyed along ZOO—ft stream.sections located at four sampling sites. Species collected were preserved with methanol and identified in the laboratory according to Correll and Correll (IRIS), Fassett (lQTS) and Mhencher (1944). Fish samples were collected with a 20—ft x fi—ft, 3f8~in. ace weave straight seine. specimens collected were preserved in 10% formalin solution and identified in the laboratory according to Hubbs (19?D) and Eddy (195?). Scientific and common names of fishes were listed according to Bailey,et al. (1970). Access and facilities surveys were conducted by visual inspection in con- junction with other survey efforts. Water temperature and dissolved oxygen were measured with a YSI Model 5? meter; specific conductivity was measured with a YSI Model 33 meter. Hydrogen ion concentration was measured with an Instrumentation Laboratories Porto—Matic Model l?5 meter. Total alkalinity, chlorides, hardness and turbidity were measured with a Delta Scientific Model 50 meter. Total dissolved solids, nitrate—nitrogen and phosphate concentrations were measured according to Standard Methods (American Public Health Association, 1971). Flow data were obtained from the U. S. Department of the Interior, Geological Survey and were taken at State Highway 16% near Groesbeck (R.M. 145}, at U. S. Highway T9 near Easterly (R.M. 105), and at U. S. Highway 190 near Bryan (R.M. 68). Locations of current flow gauging stations are shown in Fig. 1. Results and Discussion Watershed Physical Characteristics The climatology of the Mavasota River and its watershed is broadly character— ised as mild, with hot summers and moderate winters. The mean annual tem— perature is approximately 6? F, ranging historically from a maximum recorded 11d F to a minimum of —? F. The length of the growing season averages about 250 days. Rainfall throughout the Mavasota River watershed averages about 39 in. annually, with a maximum of 65.d6 in. recorded in 1919, to a minimum of 1?.69 in. in 191?. The period of heaviest rainfall normally occurs from.April through June. The watershed also experiences recurring periods of drought and heavy rainfall. The most severe drought period occurred from June 19$? through'March 195?. Flooding of the watershed has been known to occur at almost any time of the year, but usually occurs during months having heaviest average rainfall. The Ravasota River and its flood plain are typically comprised of a com— bination of various clays, silts, sands and gravels. The headwaters region is generally characterized by marly clay soils which become increasingly more sandy as the river progresses southeastward toward the East Texas timber belt. The general land elevation of the headquarters region of the Ravasota River is about 650 ft above mean sea level and decreases to about 185 ft above mean sea level at the confluence with the Brazos River. The Navasota River watershed is found within out—croppings of the Upper Cretaceous, Eocene, Dligocene, and Miocene strata. Formations of decreasing age are found as the river progresses from the headwaters toward the con— fluence. The principal outcroppings are largely comprised of consolidated marls, soft limestone, sands, clays, silty clays and sandy clays { U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1965). Descriptive Data The Ravasota River watershed is located in east—central Texas between 300 20' and 31D 50' north latitude and 95D 55' and 97D 00' west longitude. The Wavasota River, intermittent in its upper reaches, is largely a permanent stream which originates in southeastern Hill County about 1.5 m.northeast of Mount Clam. The river is about 95 R. M. long from its source to its con— fluence with the Brazos River near Washington, Texas. The river has a drainage area of 2500 m2 and an average streambed slope of 2.6 ftfm. The drainage system of the Navasota River is bounded on the east by the Trinity River drainage and on the west by the Brazos River drainage. The Mavasota River Basin (Fig 2) is located within the Texas Biotic Provence (Blair, 1950). The principal tributaries are Christmas, Big, Steel, Lake, Clear, Camp, Cedar, Wickson, Carters, Lick, Gibbons, Peach, Holland, and Big Creeks in order of their confluence with the Havasota River from.source to mouth. The Mavasota River arises in the Blackland Prairie land resource area and traverses alternating Post flak Savannah and Blackland Prairie land resource areas as it flows toward its confluence with the Brazos River (Fig 3). Such stands of timber as oak, pecan, elm, bois d'arc and mesquite are frequently found along streambeds throughout the Blackland Prairie regions; pecan, walnut and other water demanding trees are most commonly found along stream— beds within the Post flak Savannah regions. Land use is largely for livestock production and agriculture (Dallas Morning News, 19?3). The flood plain consists mainly of agricultural grazing land, much of which is classified as unimproved (H. 3. Army Corps of Engineers, 1965). The Ravasota River is relatively free of pollution (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, lRTl), but organic pollution, apparently the sewage effluent from the City of Mexia, has been reported (Rosenburg, et al, 19?2). Reservoirs Within the Watershed Lake Mexia, completed on June 5, 1961, was constructed on the Mavasota River (R.M. ITO} in Limestone County near Mexia by the Bistone Municipal Water Supply District. Lake Mexia was constructed for municipal and industrial water supply purposes. Lake Springfield is located on the Mavasota River (R.M. 160) in Limestone County within Fort Parker State Park. Constructed by the Texas Parks and Wild— life Department, the lake is used for municipal and industrial water supply purposes and recreation. Camp Creek Lake is located on Camp Creek, a principal tributary of the Havasota River. Camp Creek Lake was constructed in 1949 for recreational purposes by the Camp Creek Water Company of Bryan, Texas. Cther reservoirs constructed on the watershed include Teague Lake and Holman Reservoir, constructed by the City of Teague for municipal water supply; and Lake Normangee located within Mormangee City Park, constructed for recreation. Proposed reservoirs to be constructed by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers include the Millican and Ravasota #2 projects. The Millican dam site would be located at R.M. 24.1, and the Mavasota #2 site at R.M. 33.4. Lake Limestone, currently under construction at R.M. 125, will be controlled by the Brazos River Authority. This project is scheduled for completion in early 19?3. The earth and concrete dam will impound about 21?, 494 a.-ft of water, creating a 14,200—a. lake. A primary function of the reservoir will be to serve as a source of cooling water for two proposed steam electric power plants to be constructed by the Texas Utilities Generating Company (Brazos River Authority, Pers. Comm., l9?6}. Endangered Populations The Navasota River drainage has been regarded as an area of transition, con— taining some fishes found only in Austroriparian drainages; others found commonly in the Brazos and Colorado River drainages are absent or found only in scattered localities within the Ravasota River drainage (Blair, 1950). Fishes associated with more eastern or Austroripian drainages become more in— frequent and disappear from collections toward the western boundary of the drainage. Construction of proposed reservoirs on the Mavasota River may be expected to create changes in the quality and quantity of fishes present. Species asso— ciated with lotic areas will be reduced in number or eliminated in areas where riffles or sandbars are destroyed, and in areas where streamfloW'is greatly reduced. Alteration of the river channel below the Millican dam site at R.M. 24.1 could result in the disappearance of the most southeastern pop— ulation of stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum) recorded from Texas. Bigscale logperch (Percina macrolepida) has been collected from the Mavasota drainage, but is found in lentic habitat and probably will not be threatened (Rosenburg et al., l9?2). Stream Access Currently, access to the Mavasota River is quite limited. Since the flood plain is almost entirely controlled by private ownership, access is limited largely to those few roadways which cross the stream. Sport fishing activity is largely confined to existing impoundments on the river and its watershed. Much of the fisherman access to these is limited by landowners, controlling authority or private club restrictions ( U. S. Department of the Interior, 1965). Streamflow Monthly streamflow data were obtained from the H. S. Department of the Interior, Geological Survey for the period Cctober, l9?5 to September, l9T6. Measured at upper, middle and lower stations, mean monthly streamflow values correspond to historical streamflow and precipitation records for previous years ( U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1965). Figure 4 graphically illustrates annual streamflow'patterns for upper, middle and lower stations on the Mavasota River. Streamflow fluctuations for the months of October through February were slight to moderate with more dramatic increases seen from March through July. Streamflow was greatest in April and May and smallest in August. Streamflow fluctuations were greatest at the upper station and less pronounced at middle and lower stations where volume and drainage area are greater. Survey Results and Discussion Station I Location Station I is located on the Mavasota River in Limestone County, on State High— way 164, approximately at R.M. 145, some 5 m east of the City of Groesbeck. Stream Channel Stream width varied between riffle, flat and pool areas of the stream. Channel measurements (Table 1) define the upper segment of the Mavasota River as shal- low and narrow, with more clearly defined riffle, flat and pool areas than lower segments of the stream. Greatest pool depth of the station was 3 ft; riffle depth was l—ft. Mean current velocity, recorded in March, was 2.12 ftfsec. (Fig. 1?) when water level was slightly above normal. All segments of the stream, according to Lagler (l969),'were classified as having a ”rapid” current velocity during this period. Substrate composition was largely muck and clay (Table 2). Habitat Types Stream width measurements revealed pools were wider than riffles or flats. Pools were small and exposed with little submerged or overhanging cover. The stream study area consisted of approximately 20% pools, 30R riffles and 60% flats. Water Quality Water quality (Table 3), wh11E'within recommended limits for fish and wildlife (McKee and Wolf, 1971), often exhibited the greatest degree of fluctuation at this station. Total dissolved solids approached the recommended limits for public drinking water (U. S. Public Health Service, 1962) in the month of September (Fig. 5). Specific conductivity rose to 1090 micromhosfcm in Sep— tember (Fig. 6). Values for other water quality parameters are presented in Fig. 2 through 14. Vegetation Quarterly surveys of a 200—ft stream section failed to reveal the presence of aquatic macrophytes from this area. Current velocity, wide fluctuations in volume of flow'and turbidity are all probable contributing factors which pre- vent the establishment of aquatic macrophytes here and elsewhere along the Mavasota River. Ichthyofauna The predominate species collected from Station I was red siner. 0ther species frequently collected were mosquitofish, bullhead minnow and bluegill. Species less frequently collected were longnose gar, gizzard shad, green sunfish and dusky darter (Table 4). The number of specimens collected was greatest in November and smallest in September (Fig. 15). Species diversity for Station I was lowest in March, but increased slightly and remained constant for sub— sequent collections (Fig. 16). Location Station II is located on the Mavasota River at approximately R.M. 114, 5 m west of the City of Marquez. AT this location, the river forms the boundary between Leon and Robertson Counties. Stream Channel Stream measurements revealed an increase in overall width for riffles, flats and pools from the preceeding station (Table 1). Pool and riffle areas were slightly less frequent. Greatest pool depth was 4.5 ft, depth of flats was 3 ft and riffle depth l—ft. Mean current velocity (Fig. 1?) recorded in March was 1.2? ftfsec. Predominate constitutents of the substrate were clay and muck (Table 2). Habitat T es L Pool width remained greater than the width of riffles and flats. Pools were wider and somewhat deeper; but remained exposed with only a slight increase in the amount of available cover. Station II consisted of about 15K pools, 15R riffles and TOR flats. Water Quality Measurements of water quality (Table 5, Fig. 7-14) exhibited fluctuations which generally were less pronounced than these seen upstream at Station 1. Pattern and degree of fluctuation occasionally did not parallel other stations upstream or downstream, but were generally more similar to stations located further downstream. Vegetation Mo aquatic macrophytes were seen from quarterly surveys of a 200—ft stream section at this station. Ichthyofauna Red shiner was the predominate species collected from Station II. Bullhead minnow, mosquitofish and dusky darter were species frequently collected. Species collected are shown in Table 6. The number of individuals collected was greatest in September (Fig. 15) and was considerably greater than March or November collections. Species diversity was also greatest in September collections when a slight increase was evident (Fig. 16). Station III Location Station III is located on the Havasota River at the Old San Antonio Road, 6 m southwest of the City of Mormangee (about R4M. 80). At this location the Old San Antonio Road serves as the northnsouth boundary between Robertson and Brazos Counties on the east bank of the river, and between Leon and Madison Counties on the west bank. Stream.Channel Stream widths at Station III indicate the river channel continues to increase in width as it progresses toward its confluence with the Brazos River (Table l). Dther observations revealed the relative lack of riffle and pool areas. The river and its flood plain exhibited a broader and more uniform appearance. Stream_measurements taken at Station III were more representative of the ex— tremes than of the pool, riffle and flat areas at this location. A fairly uniform maximum depth of 4 ft was maintained when flow was near normal. Current velocity (Fig. 17), measured in March, was rapid with a reading of 1.56 ftfsec. The substrate consisted mainly of sand (Table 2). Habitat Types Habitat at Station III has a wider, more uniform streambed and flood plain than the upper stations. The substrate, comprised largely of sand, differed from upper reaches of the stream (Table 2). Streambanks are wooded and have considerable overhang. An overall increase of cover in and above the stream was noted. Station III consisted of about 80% flats, 10$ pools and 10% riffles. Water Quality Measurements for water quality (Table 2) revealed generally lower total alka— linity than at other locations (Fig. T). Values for other water quality parameters are shown in Fig. 5—14. Vegetation Two species of aquatic macrophytes were recovered from Station III in the Sep— tember survey. A vegetation survey of a 200~ft transect revealed the pree sence of yellow water lily (Muphar advena) and arrowhead (Sagittaria falcata). Yellow'water lily occupied less than 5% of the stream area surveyed and arrow; head occupied less than 1%. Mo aquatic macrophytes were observed during pre— vious or subsequent surveys. Ichthyofauna Twenty—two fish species (Table 8) were collected at Station III. Greatest species diversity among the stations surveyed was found here (Fig. 16). While species diversity was greater, total number of fish collected from this station was not as great as for stations located upstream (Fig. 15). Mosquitofish and red shiner continued to be most abundant. Largemouth bass, white crappie, black crappie, other centrarchids and darters were collected. Station IV Location Station IV is located 2 m north of the City of Mavasota on State Highway 6 (about R,M. 11). At this location, the Mavasota River serves as the eastern boundary of Brazos County and the western boundary of Grimes County in their southern reaches. Stream Channel An overall three—fold increase in stream width was seen for this station when compared with the upper—most survey station on the river. Station IV ex— hibited a maximum width of ?0 ft and a minimum width of 59 ft (Table 1). Pool, riffle and flat areas of the stream were discernable, but did not vary greatly in width. Maximum channel depth recorded at this station was 5.8 ft; average depth was 4.2 ft. Substrate composition was largely sand, muck and clay. The presence of rubble and boulders was also noted (Table 2). A current velocity of 3.34 ftfsec. was recorded in March (Fig. 1?). Habitat Types The Station IV area contained the greatest amount of cover within the stream, and consisted of snags and boulders. Considerable overhang was found along stream banks. This station consisted of about 80% flats, 10R pools and 10S riffles.