Baseline Assessment of Physical Characteristics, Aquatic Biota, and Selected Water-Quality Properties at the Reach and Mesohabitat Scale for Reaches of Big Cypress, Black Cypress
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Prepared in cooperation with the Northeast Texas Municipal Water District and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Baseline Assessment of Physical Characteristics, Aquatic Biota, and Selected Water-Quality Properties at the Reach and Mesohabitat Scale for Reaches of Big Cypress, Black Cypress, and Little Cypress Bayous, Big Cypress Basin, Northeastern Texas, 2010–11 Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5058 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Front cover: Top right, Cypress knees, Big Cypress Creek, Texas, July 27, 2011. Photograph taken by James B. Moring, U.S. Geological Survey. Top left, Electrofishing from a barge, Big Cypress Creek, Texas, July 27, 2011. Photograph taken by Erin C. Sewell, U.S. Geological Survey. Bottom right, Electrofishing from a boat, Big Cypress Creek, Texas, July 27, 2011. Photograph taken by Justin A. McInnis, U.S. Geological Survey. Bottom left, Measuring physical characteristics, Big Cypress Creek, Texas, July 26, 2011. Photograph taken by James B. Moring, U.S. Geological Survey. Back cover, Cypress tree near Big Cypress Creek, Texas, July 27, 2011. Photograph taken by James B. Moring, U.S. Geological Survey. Baseline Assessment of Physical Characteristics, Aquatic Biota, and Selected Water-Quality Properties at the Reach and Mesohabitat Scale for Reaches of Big Cypress, Black Cypress, and Little Cypress Bayous, Big Cypress Basin, Northeastern Texas, 2010–11 By Christopher L. Braun and James B. Moring Prepared in cooperation with the Northeast Texas Municipal Water District and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5058 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior SALLY JEWELL, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2013 This and other USGS information products are available at http://store.usgs.gov/ U.S. Geological Survey Box 25286, Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 To learn about the USGS and its information products visit http://www.usgs.gov/ 1-888-ASK-USGS Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Braun, C.L., and Moring, J.B., 2013, Baseline assessment of physical characteristics, aquatic biota, and selected water-quality properties at the reach and mesohabitat scale for reaches of Big Cypress, Black Cypress, and Little Cypress Bayous, Big Cypress Basin, northeastern Texas, 2010–11: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5058, 90 p. iii Contents Abstract ..........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................2 Purpose and Scope .............................................................................................................................4 Description of Study Area ..................................................................................................................4 Previous Studies and Background Information ..............................................................................6 Methods .........................................................................................................................................................9 Site Selection and Environmental Flow Prescriptions ..................................................................9 Physical Characteristics ...................................................................................................................11 Aquatic Biota Collection ...................................................................................................................16 Fish Surveys ...............................................................................................................................16 Mussel Surveys .........................................................................................................................16 Selected Water-Quality Properties .................................................................................................17 Quality Assurance ..............................................................................................................................18 Physical Characteristics and Aquatic Biota at the Reach and Mesohabitat Scale for Reaches on Big Cypress, Black Cypress, and Little Cypress Bayous During Summer 2010 ..................................................................................................................................18 Physical Characteristics ...................................................................................................................18 Fish Surveys ........................................................................................................................................20 Mussel Surveys in Big Cypress Bayou and Black Cypress Bayou ............................................25 Physical Characteristics and Aquatic Biota at the Reach and Mesohabitat Scale for Big Cypress Bayou During Summer 2010 and Summer 2011 ........................................................32 Physical Characteristics ...................................................................................................................32 Fish Surveys ........................................................................................................................................32 Physical Characteristics and Water-Quality Properties in the Absence of Flow in Isolated Pools at the Reach and Mesohabitat Scale on Black Cypress and Little Cypress Bayous During Fall 2011 ................................................................................................34 Summary .......................................................................................................................................................37 References ...................................................................................................................................................38 Appendixes 1. Physical Habitat Measurements .............................................................................................41 2. Water-Quality Properties Measured in Samples Collected from Isolated Pools along Discrete Transect Lines .................................................................................................59 3. Number of Fish, Relative Abundance, and Catch Per Unit Effort ......................................65 4. Mussel Data and Habitat Descriptions ..................................................................................77 Figures 1. Map showing location of study area, Big Cypress Basin, northeastern Texas ................3 2. Map showing study reach locations and U.S. Geological Survey streamflow- gaging station locations, Big Cypress Basin, northeastern Texas ......................................5 3. Graph showing daily mean discharge at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow- gaging station 07346000 Big Cypress Bayou near Jefferson, Texas, August 1, 1924–December 31, 2011 ............................................................................................................6 iv 4. Graphs showing daily mean discharge during October 1, 1979–December 31, 2011, at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations A, 07346000 Big Cypress Bayou near Jefferson, Texas, B, 07346045 Black Cypress Bayou at Jefferson, Tex., C, 07346070 Little Cypress Bayou near Jefferson, Tex., and D, measured daily mean discharge from stations 07346000, 07346045, and 07346070 ......................................7 5. Graphs showing daily mean discharge at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow- gaging stations A, 07346000 Big Cypress Bayou near Jefferson, Texas, B, 07346045 Black Cypress Bayou at Jefferson, Tex., C, 07346070 Little Cypress Bayou near Jefferson, Tex., and D, composite depiction of measured daily mean discharge from stations 07346000, 07346045, and 07346070, January 1, 2009–December 31, 2011 ............................................................................................................8 6. Map showing mesohabitat extents and channel features surveyed A, July 2010, and B, July 2011, at U.S. Geological Survey station 07346015 Big Cypress Bayou at confluence of French Creek, Jefferson, Texas ................................................................13 7. Map showing mesohabitat extents and channel features surveyed A, August 2010, and B, October 2011, at U.S. Geological Survey station 07346044 Black Cypress Bayou near U.S. Highway 59 near Jefferson, Texas ............................................14 8. Map showing mesohabitat extents and channel features surveyed A, August 2010, and B, October 2011, at U.S. Geological Survey station 07346071 Little Cypress Bayou near U.S. Highway 59 near Jefferson, Texas ............................................15 9. Graphs showing physical parameters in different mesohabitats collected in 2010 from U.S. Geological Survey stations 07346015 Big Cypress Bayou at confluence of French Creek, Jefferson, Texas, 07346044 Black Cypress Bayou near U.S. Highway 59 near