PROGRESS REPORT
(February, 1958)
TITLE OF PROJECT Survey of fish populations in streams of eastern Kansas following four years of drought - James E. Deacon.
INTRODUCTION This report summarizes the results in the first year of a project undertaken cooperatively by the Kansas Forestry, Fish, and Game Commis- sion and the University of Kansas. The purpose of tais study is to gain information on the effects of reduced stream-flow on fish-populations in some streams of eastern Kansas. Fish-populations were depleted by the widespread drought, which extended from 1952 through 1956 but ended in the spring of 1957. This report indicates some of the effects of drought, and resumption of stream-flow, on fish-populations. Most work was done at six stations, described below, on the main- streams of the Marais des qygnes and Neosho rivers. Stations were established in the upper, middle, and lower parts of each river. These stations were selected on the basis of accessibility, diversity of habitat, and the extent to which they typified each portion of the stream. In the Marias des qygnes 3,901 fish were collected, and 4,412 were collected in the Neosho. In order to obtain additional field assistance dUting July and August, I made a reciprocal agreement to aid W. L. Minckley of the State Biological Survey, who is conducting a preimpoundment survey of the Big Blue River in Kansas. Data on the fish-population in the Big Blue River and information obtained from collections in he Caney River in Chautauqua County are appended.
-1- STATIONS
Station 1: Marais des Cygnes River, one mile south, one mile west of Pomona, Franklin County, Kansas (Sec. 12, T. 17, S., R. 17 E.): width, 30 to 40 feet; depth, to six feet; length of study area, one-half mile (three large pools with short connecting riffles); bottom, mud and bed- rock; banks, mud, 30 to 40 feet in height. According to Mr. Pete Lindsey (landowner) this section of the river was intermittent for most of the drought period, but did not cease to flow in 1957. There are four low-head dams between Station I and Station II.
Station II: Marais des Cygnes River, one mile east of Ottawa, Franklin County, Kansas (Sec. 6, T. 17 S., R. 20 E.): width, 50 to 60 feet; depth, to eight feet; length of study area, one-half mile (one large pool plus a long riffle with interspersed small pools); bottom, mud, gravel, and rock; banks, mud and sand, 30 to 40 feet in height. This section of the river was intermittent for much of the drought. Station III: Marais des Cygnes River, eastern edge of Marais des
Cygnes Wildlife Refuge, Linn County, Kansas (Sec. 9, T. 21 S., R 25 E.): width, 80 to 100 feet; depth, to eight feet; length of study area, one- half mile (one large pool plus a long riffle with interspersed small pools); bottom, mud, gravel, and rock; banks, mud, 40 to 50 feet in height. This section of the river ceased to flow only briefly in 1956. Station XI: Neosho River, two miles north, two miles west of Council Grove, dorris County, Kansas (Sec. 32 and 33, T. 15 S., R. 8 E): width, 20 to 40 feet; depth, to six feet; length of study area, one-half mile (one large pool plus many small pools connected by riffles); bottom, mud, gravel, and rock; banks, mud, 20 to 30 feet in height. -2- According to Mr. Bosch (landowner) this section of the river dried completely in 1956, except for the large pool mentioned above. Probably this section was dry also in 1954 and 1955; it again became intermittent in the late summer of 1957. Station XII: Neosho River, one mile east, one and one-half miles south of Neosho Falls, Woodson County, Kansas (Sec. 3 and 4, T. 24 S., R. 17 E.): width, 60 to 70 feet; depth, to seven feet; length of study area, one-half mile (tom large pools with a short connecting riffle); bottom, mud, gravel, and rock; banks, mud and rock, 30 to 40 feet in height. According to Mr. Floyd Meats (landowner) this section of the river was standing in pools for only part of the drought. Station. XIII: Neosho River, two and one-half miles west, one-half mile north of Saint Paul, Neosho County, Kansas (Sec. 16, T, 29 S., R. 20 E.): width, 100 to 125 feet; depth, to ten feet; length of study area, one-half mile (one large pool with a long riffle on the upstream end); bottom, mud, gravel, and rock; banks, mud and rock, 30 to 40 feet in height. This Station was established after one collection Was made approximately ten miles upstream (Sec. 35, T. 28 S., R. 19 E.). The present site provides greater accessibility, and a more representative section of stream. The change was made on the advice of Mr. Ernest Craig, area Game Protector.
METHODS
Equipment used included a boom-type shocking unit (600 watt, 115 volt, A. C.); a 125-foot experimental gill net, 6 feet in depth with 3/4 to 2" bar mesh in 25-foot sections; haul seines 6 to 60 feet in -3- length, 3 to 8 feet in depth, with 1/8 to 1/2 inch mesh; a 4 x 4 foot bobbinet seine; two hoop nets 1 1/2 to 3 feet in diameter at the first hoop, and with a pot mesh of I inch; one gyke net with 8-foot leads, 3 feet in diameter at the first hoop, and with a pot mesh of I inch; two- way wire traps covered with 1-inch-mesh galvanized chicken wire; and 5 per cent wettable powdered rotenone. The shocking unit was operated from a slowly moving boat. Shocking was done both in pools and riffles and fish were recovered in dip nets or seines that were placed at the foot of riffles. Fish seen and identified, but not recovered, were also recorded.
The experimental gill net was set in a "J" position across the main channel. Entrapment devices (hoop and gyke nets, wire traps) were set in water more than two feet in depth in various habitats. Sets made in current were oriented in an upstream-downstream position, with the mouth on the downstream end in the case of hoop and gyke nets.
Rotenone was used three times and was mixed to a slurry and applied by hand. The rate of application ranged from four to six pounds per acre-foot of water.
This description of methods and materials pertains specifically to those used on the Marais des qygnes and Neosho Rivers; however, methods used an the Big Blue and the Caney Rivers were similar.
For the purposes of this report, fish are divided into three categories: game fish, forage fish (minnows, topminnows, silversides, darters), and rough fish (shad, redhorse, carpsucker, buffalo, suckers, carp). The latter two groups are treated as units. Game fishes are treated specifically except in cases of closely related species such as the basses (largemouth bass and spotted bass). A complete listing of species collected from the Neosho and Marais des qygnes rivers is -4- appended (Table 3).
In the interpretation of field data, one hour of shocking, 20 seine hauls,. and 5 trap days are considered "one unit of effort".
Tables 1 and 2 compare the numbers of each group of fish taken per unit of effort, with the first column reduced to the base number "1".
For example, TableI shows that for each gar taken in the Marais des Cygnes, 2.4 were taken in the Neosho, with the same amount of effort; for each rough fish taken in the Marais des Cygnes, 0.6 were taken in the Neosho, and so forth. Likewise, in Table 2, for each gar taken at
Station I, 2.1 were taken at Station II, 3.9 at Station III, 0 at Station XI, 9.3 at Station XII, and 7.6 at Station XIII. Results of rotenone applications are not included in Tables but are discussed later. RESULTS
All fish except rough fish, bullhead, and freshwater drum were more abundant in the Neosho than in the Marais des Cygnes (Table I). How- ever, the difference in relative abundance of the freshwater drum between the two rivers is slight (.9-1), except that the Marais des Cygnes seems to have a larger proportion of young-of-the-year drum than the Neosho.
The results at each of the six stations are compared in Table 2.
Gar, rough fish, forage fish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, and freshwater drum became more abundant as the size of the river increased downstream; and, conversely, bullhead, sunfish, and crappie became more abundant in the smaller, upstream parts of the river.
Reproduction by channel catfish appeared high at Stations II, XI,
XII, and XIII. Collections by Dr. Frank B. Cross and others, prior to and in the first years of the drought, included many riffle-dwelling -5- species of minnows and darters that were absent or rare in collections made in 1957. Possibly the absence of these fish contributed to the survival of channel catfish fry by eliminating competition for food- organisms and for niches in which to hide.
At Station I, four channel catfish were collected, two of which were young-of-the-year. This station supports a high population of bullheads and rough fish. However, results at this station may have been influenced by difficulties in collecting as a result of snags, uneven bottom, and steep banks that made seining ineffective.
Reproduction by flathead catfish was high at Stations II, III,
XII, and XIII. Young-of-the-year were collected in riffles with the
shocker. Young were also collected at Station II with rotenone. One
sub-adult flathead was collected at both Stations I and XI.
White crappie, young-of-the-year to large adults, were abundant
at Stations II and XI. At Stations I and III, adults (6-10 inches in length) were collected; at Stations XII and XIII, large adults (to 13.5
inches in length) were collected.
The largest population of bass occurred at Station XII. Although
no young-of-the-year were collected, eggs were stripped from an adult
female taken on 11 July 1957. Bass taken at Stations XII and XIII
appeared to be in excellent condition. Rotenone was applied to a pool at Station II on 13 September 1957; 549 sub-adult channel catfish 2-6 inches in length (ay. 4 3/4 inches) were recovered. Length-frequency distributions and limited examination
of spines indicate that these were young of 1957. Young-of-the-year channel catfish seined at Station XIII on 2 November 1957 ranged from
2.0 to 3.7 inches total length, averaging 3.0 inches. Rotenone was applied in the mouth of a small intermittent stream -6- at Station I on 22 July 1957. The area comprised .04 acre-feet. A total of 1,526 bullheads were taken. One white crappie and one green sunfish were the only other fishes taken in this collection. At Station XI, 786 fish were collected by rotenone from a small pool comprising .002 acre-feet of water. Of this total, 233 (30%) were young-of-the-year channel catfish, 321 (41%) were bullheads, and the remaining 29 per cent consisted of small sunfish and forage fishes. Results from rotenone applications indicated a successful spawn and subsequent survival through the summer of channel catfish at Stations II and XI, and a high bullhead population at Station I.
-7- • TABLE 1
Ammob
Marais des Cygnes Neosho
01.1.0.0 Gar 1 to 2.4 Rough fish 0.6 Forage fish 1 It 6
Bullhead 1 If 0.5 Channel cat 1 4.4
Flathead 1 6.9 Sunfish 1 H 3.4
Crappie 1 1.8 Bass 1 4.2 Drum 0.9 All species 1 3.1 Now..m.■■•■■■••■.4••••■••••■•■••■ •• •••■.■■••Wol•■•••••••■••• ./Mw --••■
TABLE 2
■ Of■••■■•■0•••■ ,I•wassOM.. ..•■■• ••■••■■■ •=. 1....WEMMONNou IddnammOO • ■■••■•••■••• Nayais des Cygnes Neosho I II III : XI XII XIII
Gar 1 2.1 3.9 : 0.0 9.3 7.6 : Rough fish 1 1.4 .9 .• .2 .6 1.2 Forage fish 1 .9 20.0 14.9 31.7 83.7 Bullhead 1 5.8 .01 : 3.2 0.0 0.0 : Channel cat 1 4.8 1.6 : 2.1 3.6 26.5
Flathead 1 2.5 9.5 : 40.5 49.0 : Sunfish 1 .6 .8 • 7.8 .1 .14 : Crappie 1 10.0 .7 : 17.5 1.1 1.9 : Bass 1 .7 .1 : .3 6.0 1.2 : Drum 1 14.2 .5 : 4.0 10.4 1 18.2 AU speciea -- 4.3- 3.8 : 4.6 9.7 Zaild-Ei-iia-d: foi i7&y channel cat collected per unit of effort at Station II 4.8 were collected at Station II; 1.6 at Station III; etc. -8- TABLE 3
I II III XI XII XIII paddlefish X longnose gar X X X X X shortnose gar X gizzard shad X X X X golden rednorse X northern redhorse X X X X river carp sucker X X X X X X buffalo X X X X X blue sucker X carp X X X X X red shiner X X X X X X redfin shiner X X ghost shiner X X X X X sand shiner X X bluntface minnow X stoneroller X X creek chub X silver chub X mountain minnow X X bluntnose minnow X X X X parrot minnow X X X fathead minnow X X X suckermouth minnow X X stonecat X X X slender madtom X tadpole madtom X
-9- TABLE 3 (continued)
I II III XI XII XIII
black bullhead X X X yellow bullhead X X channel catfish X X X X X X flathead catfish X X X X X X
brook silverside X
blackstripe topminnow X
green sunfish X X X X X X
bluegill X X
longear sunfish X X X orangespotted sunfish X X X X white crappie X X X X X X black crappie X
largemouth bass X X X X X X spotted bass X X X
slenderhead darter X X X X X
orangethroat darter X
logperch X
freshwater drum X X X X X APPENDIX
The following data on fishes of the Big Blue River Drainage were furnished by W. L. Minckley of the State Biological Survey. The Big Blue River flowed less than normal during the drought, but was not affected as greatly as the Neosho or Marais des Cygnes rivers.
Thirty-four collections were made at 27 stations in the Big Blue
Drainage in 1957. Five of these collections were made on the Big Blue, approximately five miles N. of Manhattan, Riley County, Kansas (Sec. 30,
T. 9 S., R. 8 E.). Five hours and forty-five minutes of shocking at
this station yielded an average of 17.5 rough fish, 14.1 flathead and
channel catfish, and 1.1 freshwater drum per hour. Forage fish were
abundant, with the red shiner, sand shiner, and gizzard shad occurring
most frequently in collections.
Young-of-the-year channel catfish, flathead catfish and freshwater
drum first appeared in collections on July 29, 1957, and were common in
collections from the Big Blue River after that date. Young channel
catfish were abundant in areas sampled in the Little Blue River in
Washington County, and in various other streams throughout the drainage
system. An exception was the upper Black Vermillion River (in Marshall
County), where three collections on October 6, 1957, failed to include
channel catfish. This stream was intermittent along most of its course
in 1956.
Collections by W. L. Minckley and Art L. Metcalf, in the Caney
River in August, 1957, indicated successful spawning by bass, other
sunfish, and bullheads in that stream. No young-of-the-year channel
catfish were collected; however, adults were taken by pole and line.
In 1956, collections by Metcalf indicated that channel catfish were rare in the Caney River. Conversations with local fishermen revealed that fishing success had increased greatly in 1957. It seems probable that upstream migration during high water caused the Caney River to become repopulated with game fish. Except for the Upper Marais des
Cygnes, Upper Black Vermillion, and the Caney Rivers, channel catfish reproduction was successful in the rivers sampled. Flathead repro- duction was successful in the middle and lower Marais des Cygnes,
Neosho, and Big Blue Rivers. The largest variety of game species occurred in the Neosho, followed by the Marais des Cygnes and Big Blue; however, the Big Blue seemed to have the largest number of adult flat- head catfish.
State Biological Survey University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas
February 28, 1958
-12-