A Fisheries Survey

OF THE Big Wichita River System

AND ITS IMPOUNDMENTS

BY

LEO D. LEWIS and WALTER W. DALQUEST Aquatic Biologists

TEXAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION H. D. Dodgen, Executive Secretary Austin, Texas 1009-157-500-L150

This report deals with biological investigations of the Big Wichita River, its tributaries and impoundment lakes, carried on between June 15, 1953 and May 31, 1955. The bulk of the data reported here was originally compiled in several Job Completion Reports that formed parts of two Dingell-Johnson Federal Aid Projects: Texas F-7-R-1 and Texas F-7-R-2.

Division of Inland Fisheries TEXAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION Austin, Texas Marion Toole, Director

IF Report Series—No. 2 February, 1957 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are deeply indebted to Dr. Carl Gray, Soils Scientist of Mid- western University and the Wichita County Water Improvement Districts, for the great number of water analyses which were so important in this survey. A number of water analyses during the early stages of this survey were also made by Dr. William Trodgon, pre- viously Soils Scientist at Midwestern University. Mr. Fred Parkey, General Manager of the Wichita County Water Improvement Dis- tricts I and 2, has aided us in many ways. Dr. D. L. Ligon, President of Midwestern University, and Dr. Ruth Holtzapfel, Chairman of the Department of Biology of the University, have made library facilities and equipment available to us. Mr. John Joerns, Area En- gineer for the U. S. Geological Survey, Division of Water Resources, has furnished the data on volume of stream flow. Much of the com- pleteness of the information in the following pages is the result of interest and hard work on the part of the several field assistants who worked with us in the long, often arduous surveys. We especially wish to acknowledge the help of Field Assistant James F. Thiel, who, more than any other field assistant, spent many long hours on this project. Appreciation is also offered to William H. Brown, Assistant Director, Division of Inland Fisheries, for the final editing of the manuscript. And last, but not least, to our wives who have been so considerate and understanding and who spent many hours typing contributing segment reports and the final manuscript, we say in grateful acknowledgment, "Thanks." FOREWORD

This is the second of a series of surveys on lakes and streams in Texas. These surveys are being conducted by the Division of Inland Fisheries in order to determine the status of the state's fresh waters. Recent surveys are being conducted under the provisions of the Dingell-Johnson Federal Aid Program. Under the provisions of this program the Federal Government contributes 75 percent of the over- all cost of the project, and the State Game and Fish Commission contributes 25 percent of the total cost.

MARION TOOLE Division of Inland Fisheries TEXAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 9

Methods 12

Description of the Big Wichita River, Its Tributaries and Impoundments 13

Water of the Big Wichita River and Its Impoundments 27

Fishes of the Big Wichita River and Its Impoundments 39

Quantitative Analysis of the Fish Population of the Big Wichita River System 49

Pollution of the Big Wichita River 57

Siltation and Erosion of the Watershed of the Big Wichita River 59

Recommendations 61

Literature Cited 63 Figure 1. Drainage area of the Big Wichita River. Numbers indicate permanent study stations on the river, as follows: 1, Byers Bridge Station; 2, Deadman Bridge Station; 3, Diversion Dam Station; 4, Kemp Dam Station; 5, Benjamin Station; 6, Guthrie Station; 7, Crowell Station; 8, Johnson Oil Field Station; 9, Hackberry Station. Figure 2. Typical cedar brake country, near the head of the South Fork of the Big Wichita River. The dominant woody vegetation is a species of juniper. Overlying prairie soils have been washed away, exposing the red Permian sediments, upon which little but juniper grows. Sub- sequent erosion is rapid and swift siltation of rivers and reservoirs results. Figure 3. Typical side of an arroyo in Knox County. The dark red (lower) sediments are the red beds of the Texas Permian. Pale material overlying is mid-Pleistocene sand and gravel of the Seymour Formation. Cedars are growing in prairie soils of Recent age.

Figure 4. An arroyo, or dry wash, in Knox County. Thousands of such arroyos in the cedar brakes are tributary to the Big Wichita River in its headwaters. A FISHERIES SURVEY OF THE BIG WICHITA RIVER SYSTEM AND ITS IMPOUNDMENTS By LEO D. LEWIS and WALTER W. DALQUEST

Aquatic Biologists Between June 15, 1953 and May 31, 1954, Lake Kemp and Lake Diversion, the largest impoundment lakes of the Big Wichita River, were studied in an attempt to determine the following facts: species of fishes present in the lakes, their relative numbers, and the ecolog- ical factors that might have an effect on their distribution. From June 1, 1954 to May 31, 1955, Lake Wichita, another moderately large impoundment lake of the Big Wichita watershed, was studied with the same ends in view. During this same time we made a study of the Big Wichita River itself, and its tributary streams and springs, to gather fundamental data concerning the physical and chemical nature of the waters as well as to determine the customary biolog- ical information. This report summarizes the results of the two-year investigation of the river system.

INTRODUCTION The Wichita River is the major stream draining north-central Texas. This honor would belong to the Red River were it not that, politically, the Red River, where it forms the common boundary between Texas and Oklahoma, lies entirely in Oklahoma. The Wichita River is the largest tributary of the Red River in Texas. Unlike most Texas streams, that drain southward or southeastward to the Gulf of Mexico, the Wichita River runs northeastward to the Red, and the Red River flows eastward along the Texas-Oklahoma boundary, into Arkansas and Louisiana, before turning to the Gulf of Mexico. Though some headwater streams of the Wichita River are quite close to those of the Brazos and the Trinity Rivers, the Wichita follows a widely divergent course to the Gulf. The Wichita is not a large river. Its straight-line length from per- manent flowing headwaters to its confluence with the Red is only about 165 miles. Nevertheless, it drains more than 4,000 square miles of north-central Texas, and located along the river or its tributaries are three of the few moderately-large impoundment lakes found in northern Texas. Geologically, the entire Wichita River drainage area lies within the Red Beds of the Texas Permian. These are largely marine and delta sediments of sandstone, shale, dolamitic limestone, gypsum, salt and conglomerate, locally, there are small beds and lenses of Pleistocene [91 sands and conglomerate, largely consisting of reworked Cretaceous materials. Except where removed by erosion, the older rocks and sedi- ments are covered with a thin layer of Quaternary deposits, partly de- rived from disintegration of underlying rocks and partly of aeolian origin. The Permian geology is especially important in a study of the biology of the Wichita River because the vast bulk of the solids, both dissolved and suspended, as well as bottom materials, are of Permian origin. The salts, especially sodium chloride and calcium sulfate, so important to the ecology of the river, its water, and the surrounding land, are Permian. The relative hardness of the successive strata of Permian rocks and the later erosional history of the area have determined the geography of the Wichita River. Near the headwaters of the river, the land is extremely rough and broken. The river flows in narrow canyons, bordered by high cliffs. The land is typified by exposed rock, steep hills, deep gullies and almost no level land, except for the floodplain of the river. Further eastward, the land is level to gently rolling and the river has a broad valley, many miles in width. The land form has determined the nature of the river. Near the headwaters the streams are swift and crystal-dear, descending over beds of rock, sand or gravel in a series of rapids, separated by deep pools. Further downstream, the river bed becomes braided sand and quicksand until it enters Lake Kemp. The river between Lake Kemp and Lake Diversion is dependent for flow on the release of water from the floodgates of the Lake Kemp dam. When the gates are closed, as they are during much of the year, the river is but an inch or so deep over a mud or sandy-mud bottom. Below Lake Diversion, the river becomes a mature stream, turbid, slow and deep, flowing over a sand or mud bottom in a series of wide meanders. The entire Big Wichita drainage area lies within the Mesquite Plains Biotic District, as defined by Blair (1950) . However, there are striking changes in vegetation type as one follows the length of the river. Near the headwaters, in Cottle, King and Knox counties, the cedar forms the dominant vegetation of the uplands and the area is usually termed the "Cedar Brakes." Further east, away from the desiccated canyons and rocky cliffs, and where the ground is more level, the mesquite is dominant. Downstream from Lake Diversion, the uplands are still covered with mesquite, but broad-leafed trees, bramble thickets and vines occur in the river valley. Still farther downstream, between Wichita Falls and the mouth of the river, the mesquite gives way to. grassy prairie, and the broad river valley is forested with oaks and elms and has a typical, thorny, understory vegetation. The land immediately adjacent to the river is a sandy floodplain from the headwaters almost to Wichita Falls. In this sandy soil the salt cedar is the most prominent plant. East of Wichita Falls, where the banks are muddy and a sandy-loam, streamside vegetation con- [ 10 sists of cottonwoods and willows, some of which grow almost to the water's edge. The most striking feature of the Big Wichita River is the burden of dissolved salts carried by its waters. The water is far too salty for human consumption. This dissolved salt is the major factor affecting agriculture in the Wichita Valley and offers enormous problems to irrigation engineers and chemists. The problems of fisheries manage- ment are no less challenging. Nearly a third of the length of the river is unsuited to fresh-water game fishes because of excessive salt. Game fishes do live, often in abundance, in the lower two-thirds of the river and the impoundment lakes, but they are adversely affected by the salt. The salt may permit salt-tolerant species of rough fishes, such as the gizzard shad, to become abundant at the expense of the sport species. Local increases in salt concentration, at critical times, result in the death of great numbers of black bass and other sport species. When the natural salts are augmented by salts from oil-well waste water, the sport fisheries are seriously menaced. Throughout its length, from sources in the cedar brakes and the desiccated desert hills to its mouth in the post oak forest of Clay County, the Big Wichita River varies constantly and greatly, physi- cally, chemically and biologically. For convenience we have referred to several divisions of the river system. These are: (1) , the upper river, including headwater streams and tributaries, and downstream to Lake Kemp; (2) Lake Kemp, the largest impoundment lake of the Big Wichita River; (3) the middle river, between Lake Kemp and Lake Diversion; (4) Lake Diversion, a constant-level impound- ment lake on the main Big Wichita River; (5) Lake Wichita, a moderately large impoundment lake on Holliday Creek, a tributary stream; (6) the lower river, between Lake Diversion and the Red River. In the upper river the stream gradient is high. The river and its major tributaries flow through deep valleys or steep cuffed canyons. The stream beds consist of sand, gravel or solid rock. The streams are shallow and swift or consist of deep, broad pools separated by rapids or low waterfalls. Salinity is generally very high, but each trib- utary stream and large spring that enters the major stream either in- creases the salt concentration or dilutes the river, so that the larger streams differ chemically from mile to mile. Except for a few "sweet- water" headwater springs and pools, the upper river is devoid of game fishes, or of any fishes of large size. Small fishes of the "minnow" type abound in this part of the river, where they have no predatory fishes to contend with. Lake Kemp measures some 20 miles in length and eight miles in width at spillway level. Water level fluctuates greatly as water is withdrawn to keep Lake Diversion at constant level and for irriga- tion. Salinity is only a fraction of that of the upper river for most of the water of the lake comes from rainfall. However, the salts of the upper river so contaminate the lake that its waters are not fit for human consumption. Large fishes, including several species of game fishes, are common in Lake Kemp. The middle river is dependent on human agency for its volume. Lake Kemp is the storage reservoir for Lake Diversion. When water is wanted in Lake Diversion, a considerable flow is maintained in the river. At other times the river is almost dry. In spite of the irregu- larity of flow, the middle river supports numerous large fishes, in- cluding sport species, in deeper pools. There is a great deal of sport fishing in the middle river, especially just below the Lake Kemp dam, and great numbers of white bass, black bass, crappie and channel catfish are taken there. The middle river has a sinuous course through a rather broad valley. The bed of the middle river is mud and quick- sand with some firm sand and gravel where the current is swift. Lake Diversion, with maximum measurements of approximately seven by three miles, is a constant-level lake. Rooted aquatic vegeta- tion is more abundant in Lake Diversion than in other lakes in the area, and the fish population is larger. Lake Wichita, on Holliday Creek, is a smaller lake, of some 2,500 surface acres. Water is less saline than that of the lakes on the main Big Wichita River. The fish population is large. The lower river is a mature river, flowing to the Red River in a belt of broad meanders with scattered oxbow lakes. The water is gen- erally turbid, deep, and only moderately saline. The bed is sand, quicksand or mud, depending on local conditions. Large fishes, typi- cal of the Red River drainage system, occur here.

METHODS The survey of the Big Wichita River was carried out by traveling along the river as closely as possible, by walking in the upper parts, by car when possible, and by flat-bottomed skiff in the lower parts. At irregular intervals along the river, samples of fishes and water were taken. Samples of fishes and water were also taken at every tributary stream and spring. If the tributary had sufficient volume, a sample of water was taken in the river above the mouth of the tribu- tary, a sample from the tributary, and a sample of the river at the first rapids downstream from the tributary, where waters of tributary and river were thoroughly mixed. This spot-sampling gave us an over-all, areal picture of the chemistry of the river as it changed with increased salts or was diluted by the tributaries, and a qualitative inventory of the species of fishes of the various parts of the river system. A quantitative and seasonal inventory of the Big Wichita River was made by establishing nine permanent collecting stations on the river, between the headwaters and the river mouth, and visiting these sta- tions monthly to take samples of the fish population and water. These samples showed seasonal changes in water quality, relative abundance [ 12 ) and seasonal changes in the fish population, and indicated migrations or wanderings of some forms. Fish population in the lakes were studied by establishing several permanent collecting stations on each lake and sampling the water and the populations of fishes each month or more often. The stations were selected to sample the varied ecological conditions of each lake. Smaller fishes were taken in both lakes and river by the use of small-meshed minnow seines, the length of which varied to suit the local conditions. In the river, samples of the larger fishes were taken in gill nets, hoop nets, large seines, and by hook-and-line fishing. In lakes, the larger fishes were taken almost entirely in gill nets. As a test of gill net efficiency, small sections of Lake Kemp and Lake Diversion were closed off with nets and all fishes in the enclosed areas were killed with rotenone. Smaller fishes were preserved in formalin and identified and count- ed in the laboratory. Larger fishes were weighed and measured in the field, and opened to determine their sex and stage of gonadal develop- ment. Filled stomachs of predacious species were saved in formalin for laboratory examination, and ovaries of females that contained large eggs were saved so that the numbers of eggs present might be determined. Prominent parasites and samples of diseased tissues were saved for later study and developmental abnormalities were carefully noted.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BIG WICHITA RIVER, ITS TRIBUTARIES AND IMPOUNDMENTS The main branch of the Big Wichita River begins with the junc- tion of two principal branches or "forks" in Baylor County. Of these, the North Fork is approximately ten times the volume of the South Fork under normal conditions. The North Fork itself is formed by four tributaries: the North Fork proper, Salt Creek, Cottonwood Creek and the Middle Fork. Contributing springs and tiny spring creeks probably are responsible for as much of the water volume of the river as are the tributaries. The South Fork originates from springs and has no major tributaries. The North Fork originates as a dry wash or series of dry washes and arroyos in Dickens County, but does not become a true valley until it passes from King County to Cottle County. Where crossed by State Highway 70, south of Paducah, the bed is broad and there is a wide floodplain. We judge the river bed to measure at least 100 feet and the valley one mile. However, this river bed is dry through- out most of the year. The presence of flood guards at the bridge indi- cates that large volumes of water pass here in times of heavy rains, but we did not find water here in the course of our study. Undoubt- edly, the soft sand carries some water in underground flow. Near Sneedville, in Cottle County, the first "wet" stream enters the North Fork. This is Buck Creek (Sample Locality 1) . However, [13 1 Buck Creek flows out onto the sand of the bed of the North Fork, sinks into it, and vanishes. There is no water in the river itself until the springs two and one-half miles west of Hackberry, Cottle County, are reached. • Below these springs, the true source of the river, for a distance of three miles, there are numerous contributing springs. This area is the very edge of the Blain Formation, the main salt-contributing strata of the Wichita Valley. The Hackberry Springs are not exces- sively saline. The water is clear and cold, running swiftly between deep, clear pools. In these pools we found black bass, bluegill sunfish, longear sunfish and other species (Table 3) . Only in this three miles alone of the North Fork do game fishes live. The insect fauna is also very large and includes midges, craneflies, damselflies, dragonflies, caddisflies and stoneflies, as well as the usual aquatic beetles. To our knowledge, this is the only area on the Big Wichita drainage where stoneflies are found. About two miles downstream (straight-line distance) from Hack- berry Station, the North Fork is joined by Salt Creek. This creek bears an enormous burden of dissolved salts, and from the point where it joins the North Fork to Lake Kemp, it destroys the entire river as suitable habitat for game fishes. Below Salt Creek, the North Fork consists of a series of deep, green pools separated by low falls or rapids. In these deep pools there are ledges of rock and great boulders. The river looks ideal for game fishes, but the only "biting" fishes present are a few stunted green sunfishes, rarely weighing as much as one-fifth of a pound. A few miles below Salt Creek, Cottonwood Creek enters the river. This is another broad creek, but it is slow-flowing and has a much smaller water volume than Salt Creek. It is relatively sweet water, and contains white crappie, and reputedly, black bass. The waters of the North Fork become slightly less saline where diluted by Cottonwood Creek. For details on the contamination of the North Fork by Salt Creek, see Table 2, sample locality water analyses 7, 8 and 9. For details on the dilution of the North Fork by Cottonwood Creek, see Table 2, sample locality analyses 15, 16 and 17. Below the mouth of Cottonwood Creek, the North Fork receives water from a large number of springs. The salt content of each spring tested was slightly different so that the salinity of the river differs every few hundred yards. By the time Johnson Oil Field Station is reached, few more springs are encountered. A few miles below the Johnson Oil Field bridge, a tiny spring, with its origin in the Johnson Oil Field, enters the river. Though small, this stream is so salty that it actually changes the salinity of the river. At times, the total salts of this stream are in excess of 27 percent. For details of the contamination of the river by this stream, see Table 2, sample locality water analyses 35, 36 and 37. f 14 1 Below the Johnson Oil Field, no important tributaries are found until the Middle Fork joins the river, in Knox County. The Middle Fork drains the land south of the North Fork, but north of the South Fork. The stream contains only about half as much sodium chloride as does the North Fork, and the waters of the North Fork are appre- ciably diluted (Table 2, sample locality water analyses 40, 41 and 42) . The Middle Fork does contain a large amount of calcium sulfate (gypsum) . The South Fork of the Big Wichita River begins west of Guthrie, in King County, in a series of moderately saline springs. The water is not too salty to support game fishes, and black bass are said to occur there. By the time the water reaches Guthrie, it is quite salty, espe- cially after long dry spells, when the river does not flow at Guthrie and the water in the pools evaporates, thus concentrating the salts. Some less salt-tolerant species of fishes, such as the black bullhead and red shiner, occur at Guthrie after floods, when they are washed down- stream from the sweet-water pools and springs to the west. As drought continues, these forms die off and leave in the pools only the salt-re- sistant species. East of Guthrie, extremely saline springs emerge from the Blain Formation and pollute the water and result in a constant flow for several miles. We do not know what happens to this salty water. It does not reach State Highway 283, in Knox County in dry periods, because the river is then dry there and the rock bed of the river is exposed. The strata are level and there is no way in which the water could go underground to appear further down the Big Wichita River. Further, water analyses show that it does not do so. We suspect that it might pass southward through fault lines and appear in the Brazos watershed. From Benjamin eastward, sweet-water springs dilute the saline waters of the South Fork. For example, on April 23, 1955, we took water samples at Benjamin Station, ten miles eastward, and twenty miles eastward. Successive decreases in chloride were: 14,777 ppm., 11,893 ppm., and 8,387 ppm. Total salts tested decreased as follows: 27,782 ppm., 21,986 ppm., and 17,938 ppm. After heavy rainfalls, the South Fork becomes a raging torrent, red with mud. This is in extreme contrast to the North Fork which, with the same rains, rises only about twice its volume and becomes, at most, discolored. In periods of drought, the South Fork is dry ex- cept between Guthrie and Benjamin and near its mouth. However, when the South Fork rises so greatly following heavy rains, the water quality is good (see Guthrie Station records for December 10, 1954) . When the river floods, water from the uppermost reaches flushes away the salty water and the river runs sweet, the fresh water then reaching the North Fork with the swollen stream. In drought, when the only water reaching the North Fork from the South Fork comes from the fresh water springs on the lower part of the stream, the water is not excessively saline. Summarized, much of the salt of the [ 15 } LAKE KEMP BAYLOR COUNTY

it

Figure 5. South Fork does not reach the North Fork and Lake Kemp, but we do not know what becomes of it. As a result of dilution by the fresh water springs east of Benjamin, the South Fork, where it joins the North Fork, is quite similar in water quality (Table 2, sample locality analyses 51, 52 and 53) . As a result of the periodic dryness of the South Fork, there is very little aquatic vegetation in the stream. The invertebrate fauna is also rather limited, consisting principally of crayfish, in the more perma- nent pools, dragonfly nymphs, damselfly nymphs, midges and aquatic beetles. The South Fork and the North Fork join in an inaccessible area on the Waggoner Ranch. We visited this place on March 5, 1955, after a long journey through the mesquite. The junction is in a broad, sandy river floodplain, and the joining is uneventful. Fishes present are the usual forms common in the upper river. Below the junction of the North Fork and South Fork, the Big Wichita River becomes distinctly larger, flowing through a braided sand valley to Lake Kemp. In some places the river bed is quicksand. The fish population, however, remains the same as that of the rest of the upper river. Lake Kemp, located in Baylor County, is a moderately large and relatively old impoundment. The dam was constructed in 1923 and, at spillway level, the lake holds 560,000 acre-feet of water with a sur- face area of approximately 22,800 acres. Its greatest length is approxi- mately 20 miles and its greatest width about eight miles. The shore- line, at spillway level, is approximately 125 miles. The watershed draining to the lake is considerable, and the lake is subject to rapid rises following heavy rains. Throughout the year, but especially during the spring and summer, water is withdrawn (to Lake Diversion) for irrigation. During most of the 1953-1954 period of study, Lake Kemp was 30 feet or more below spillway level, and at one time approached a minimum of 50,000 acre-feet volume. Lake Kemp is devoid of rooted aquatic vegetation. There is an abundance of brush, weeds, etc., that grows on areas temporarily above water level, and, which are partially or completely submerged when the lake rises. These plants seem to serve as emergent vegetation for fishes. There is little fixed algae along the lakeshore due to vio- lence of wave action and fluctations in water level. The lake is rich in plankton as a result of water clarity and abundance of sunlight. The lake is situated in semi-desert country, where cloudy days are unusual. Water clarity is a direct result of flocculation of suspended particles by dissolved salts. Turbidity (Seichi disk) reached extremes of 735 mm. during periods of calm weather. Following storms, turbidity was often reduced to less than 300 mm. The temperature of the surface water, away from shore, varied from 25°C. in summer to 4°C. in win- ter. (All temperature readings were taken at 7:30 AM.) Skim ice formed over shallow water of protected coves in early January, 1954. A total of 26 species of fishes was found in Lake Kemp. [ 17 '1 Figure 6. The middle river near Fulda Bridge. in Baylor County, when water is being released from Lake Kemp Dam. Average width here was 240 feet at the time photograph was taken.

_

Figure 7. A fisheries crew check-seining the Big Wichita River near Fulda Bridge, in Baylor County. [18) The middle river is the shortest of the three parts of the river con- sidered. It is approximately seven miles in length (straight-line dis- tance) . The river flows in a bed of braided sand, mud and quicksand with but little surface flow when the floodgates of the dam are closed. Large game and rough fishes occur in the deeper holes, and there are usually fishermen attempting to catch them. Creeks that enter the middle river are usually small, except for Spring Creek and Cotton- wood Creek (there are two Cottonwood Creeks entering the Big Wichita River) , and the water quality of these tributaries is fair to good. Although the river itself is, of course, a navigable stream whose bed belongs to the state, the land around the middle river, ex- cept where crossed by the bridge on U. S. Highway 283, is the prop- erty of the Waggoner Ranch. Except at the bridge mentioned, and by boat from Lake Diversion, fishermen cannot gain access to the middle river without the landowner's permission. The middle river enters Lake Diversion by becoming generally wider, deeper and more sluggish. Change from river to lake is imperceptible. Lake Diversion is located in Baylor and Archer counties. It is a much smaller lake than Lake Kemp, with maximum length about seven miles and maximum width about three miles. The lake is about 3,420 acres in area at spillway level and some 40,000 acre-feet in volume. The shoreline is roughly 28 miles. The lake is held at or near a constant level by the water from Lake Kemp. The lake is primarily a storage reservoir of water intended for irrigation. Normally, it is not permitted to drop more than two feet below spillway level, the two feet intended for storage of water from the watershed of the lake it- self in times of rain. The rainwater not only conserves Lake Kemp water, but appreciably improves the quality of the irrigation water by dilution of the dissolved salts. Periodically, rains bring the lake level near or over spillway level. Water quality is poor, far too "salty" for human consumption. The dissolved solids ranged from 1,420 ppm. to 2,800 ppm. during the period of study. The flocculating effect of the salts results in relatively clear water. Seichi disk readings ranged from 110 mm. to 440 mm., the former after storms, and the latter in periods of relative calm. Maximum clarity is seldom gained. The lake is exposed to almost constant rolling action of winds. The lake lies in semi-desert mesquite country, with few cloudy days. As a result of water clarity and abun- dant sunlight, plankton is rich in species and individuals. The lake is highly productive in spite of the salt burden. The surface of the open water of the lake reached temperatures as high as 32°C. in summer and as low as as 4°C. in winter. During some "cold snaps," a skim of ice formed near shore in some shallow, protected coves. Multicellular aquatic vegetation is not abundant in Lake Diver- sion. Pondweeds (Potamogeton) appear in shallower waters of bays in the late spring. Occasionally, it forms masses many yards in diameter, becoming dense enough to impede boat traffic in some areas. The submerged Chara is more difficult to evaluate. This bottom weed [ 19 ) CRAPPIE GREEK EASIER SUA ROCK,/ CREEK END

C,t< ko4,4f, r,,eks Not

G 441 A/Aft £ LITTLE 44y

BOGEY CREEK

S PØI N,IE

BIG BRUSH,/ CREEK kliGH DIVERSION LAKE RESERVOIR POin)- BAYLOR s ARCHER COUNTIES

Figure 8. makes no trace on the surface of the water. Bottom samples, ob- tained with an Ekman dredge, showed Chara to be present over most of the shallower parts of the lake bottom. On one area (Duck Bay) , Chara forms a dense mat over the bottom of even quite shallow water. Emergent littoral vegetation is scarce and includes only a few small stands of cattail (Typha latifolia) near the mouths of some creeks. The invertebrate fauna of Lake Diversion is large. The usual ar- thropods are present, including crayfish and aquatic insects. Of spe- cial importance are the mayflies of the genus Hexagenia which abound in the lake and form enormous swarms at times. Several species of fresh-water mussels are present, but no snails. Thirty species of fishes were detected in the lake, although the presence of some of these is thought to be adventitious. The lower river begins at the Lake Diversion spillway. Although only a small quantity of water enters the river here during most of the year, there is a large plungepool where large fishes are common Below the plungepool, water enters the river a little at a time from irrigation seepage waters, small springs and tributary streams. The first major tributary is Beaver Creek. Between the mouth of Beaver Creek and the city of Wichita Falls, numerous small streams enter the river (Table 2, sample localities 66 to 84) . A major addition to the water volume of the river is the waste waters of the city of Wichita Falls. Just below Wichita Falls, Holliday Creek, another major tributary, joins the river. Three miles south of Wichita Falls, Holliday Creek is dammed to form Lake Wichita. Both the waste waters of Wichita Falls and Holliday Creek are important factors in the dilution of the salt burden of the river. Upstream from Wichita Falls, and downstream from Lake Diversion, the salinity of the river is increased by the escape of saline irrigation waters and the pollution of oil well salt water. At times, the total salts of the river double be- tween Diversion Dam and Wichita Falls. With addition of the waters of Wichita Falls and Holliday Creek, the river is diluted to approxi- mately the salt concentration of the water at Diversian Dam. Lake Wichita is the oldest lake of the Big Wichita River drainage, having been constructed originally as a water supply for the city of Wichita Falls in 1901. It is a lake of 2,500 acres, formed by an earthen dam several hundred feet in length. The lake lies in Archer and Wichita Counties, about half in each county. In 1952, the volume of Lake Wichita was greatly reduced by drought, but game fishes were still abundant and were caught in numbers by sport fishermen. By the summer of 1953, however, the volume of the lake was so greatly reduced, from 13,964 acre-feet ca- pacity to approximately 1,425 acre-feet, that the remaining fish were greatly crowded and fishing was poor. At this time, a selective kill of the rough fishes resulted in the death of approximately 73,000 pounds of drum and gizzard shad. The water lever continued to drop until areas in the center of the lake became islands and the water warmed [21) LAKE WICHITA ARCHER s WICHITA COUNTIES

Figure 9. greatly in July and August. Heavy rains in the fall of 1953 filled the lake to capacity, but it is thought that few or no game fishes, except catfishes, survived the summer. Later in the fall of 1953 and in the spring of 1954, game fishes were again stocked in the lake. The rains of the fall of 1953 covered large areas of the old lake bed, much of which had been dry for years. Weeds and brush growing on the exposed flats were drowned and decayed. Emergent vegetation, once growing about the shores of the lake, had vanished two years before and left no visible traces. In June, 1954, the emergent vegeta- tion again appeared, apparently from persistent roots. By July, cat- tails and tules again formed extensive marshes in the shallows and lotus (Nelumbo) made beds in the deeper places. Numerous ducks, geese and marsh birds again wintered at Lake Wichita. Green algae of several species was abundant in the lake in 1954, especially filamentous types. In the winter and spring of 1954-55, an extremely heavy growth of Cladophora formed on almost all exposed hard objects, such as pilings, rocks, the face of the dam, and even on the bottom where it was firm and the water shallow. This mat became so large and thick that it formed a green carpet over a large area, making fishing difficult in many parts of the lake. By May, 1955, most of this mat died away and only traces appeared subsequently. Plankton is extremely rich in Lake Wichita. The phytoplankton of several species of diatoms and desmids imparts a green color to the water at times and is responsible for much of the turbidity of the lake. Zooplankton is also rich, far richer than in Lake Kemp or Lake Diversion. Most of the dominant forms are small rotifers, small copepods and Bosmina. The aquatic insect fauna is rich, especially in Chironomus larvae and in backswimmers. The nature of the lake bottom was determined with an Ekman dredge. We were surprised to find that those places that had been ex- posed by the drying up of the lake in 1952, and again immersed in 1953, were still firm. Even though the soil had been beneath the water for two years, it looked like it had been covered with water for only a few days. In contrast, the bottom that had never been exposed to the air was a jellylike silt except at the heads of channels where the bottom was mixed sand and mud. Turbidity varies greatly in Lake Wichita. In summer, when the lake is usually calm, turbidity is probably due in large part to plank- ton. Our greatest reading of the eight-inch Seichi disk was 348 mm., on August 12, 1954. Over most of the summer, except after heavy winds, readings averaged more than 300 mm. In fall and winter, strong winds are the rule and often blow for days or weeks at a time. At such times, Seichi disk readings are usually less than 200 mm., and sometimes fall to only slightly more than 100 mm. Water quality is good. Usually it is excellent in the spring, after spring rains. Through the summer, salt concentration gradually in- creases by evaporation, but is periodically diluted by rains. The fall [ 23 1 Figure 10. A typical rapids in the lower river, formed by a ledge of hard sandstone. Near Petrolia, in Clay County.

Figure 11. A typical stretch of the lower river, in Clay County. Here the river flows in a series of broad meanders. [ 24 Figure 12. Natural prairie beside the Big Wichita River in Clay County. A small, brush-grown dry wash in the background.

Figure 13. Side of an arroyo in Wilbarger County, near Beaver Creek, showing contact of prairie soils (dark upper material) with later Pleistocene gravels. The remains of a fossil bison were removed from the gravel by the man shown.

[25 Figure 14. A fish-sample from the lower river. Only rough fishes were taken, including longnose gars, gizzard shad, European carp and river carpsuckers.

rains usually restore the water to its excellent quality, usually found in the spring. The lower river is a mature stream, moving slowly in a series of meanders. Large fishes are numerous in the deeper holes. In the lower reaches, almost all of the river is deep and pools are numerous. Aquatic life of all kinds is numerous, including such vertebrates as frogs, snakes, turtles, ducks, geese, beavers, muskrats, minks and raccoons. Zooplankton occurs in the larger pools. Crayfish are abun- dant as are several species of freshwater mussels, but there seem to be few aquatic snails. Insects are abundant. The usual aquatic species are found: dragonflies, damselflies, midges, craneflies, whirligigs, water beetles of several kinds, backswimmers, water boatmen, and vast numbers of water striders. Large numbers of dobsonfly larvae were found in the rapids, but no caddisflies. However, tiny caddisflies are found about lights in Wichita Falls in summer months, and these probably spent their larval life in the river. The river below the mouth of Holliday Creek has few tributaries, and none of any size. The lowest ten miles (following curves of the river) seem to be free of any tributaries except for a spring at the very river mouth. There are numerous oxbow lakes in the valley of the lower river, but we did not check these. The confluence of the Big Wichita River and the Red River is in a broad, braided valley. During most of the year, the Red River runs as a small stream in almost the center of its broad, flat, sandy bed, and the Wichita River flows over the sand flats to join the Red. Both rivers are shallow, clear and swift at the point of junction. [26) WATER OF THE BIG WICHITA RIVER AND ITS IMPOUNDMENTS Accurate data on the flow volume of the Big Wichita River is avail- able only for the lower river, at Wichita Falls. The data in the fol- lowing table was made available to us by the Water Resources Divi- sion of the United States Geological Survey. Discharge is given in cubic feet per second and run-off in acre-feet.

Table 1. Volume of Water in the Big Wichita River at Wichita Falls, October, 1952 to September, 1953

Mean daily discharge in October 83.0 Mean daily discharge in November 78.0 Mean daily discharge in December 58.1 Mean daily discharge in January 38.6 Mean daily discharge in February 35.0 Mean daily discharge in March 103.0 Mean daily discharge in April 54.3 Mean daily discharge in May 98.4 Mean daily discharge in June 109.0 Mean daily discharge in July 168.0 Mean daily discharge in August 155.0 Mean daily discharge in September 71.4 16-year average discharge 322 Total runoff in October 5,100 Total runoff in November 4,640 Total runoff in December 3,570 Total runoff in January 2,370 Total runoff in February 1,950 Total runoff in March 6,360 Total runoff in April 3,230 Total runoff in May 6,050 Total runoff in June 6,490 Total runoff in July 9,530 Total runoff in August 10,360 Total runoff in September 4,250 Total annual runoff 63,910

The chemistry of the water of the Big Wichita River was deter- mined at 100 strategically located sample localities between the head- waters and the mouth of the river, on the river, its tributary springs, streams and effluents. In addition, water chemistry was determined at nine permanent stations on the river and one in each major impound- ment. Water from these 12 stations was collected and analyzed monthly. All chemical analyses, other than pH, are expressed in parts per million. The 100 sample localities for which water analyses are given in Table 2 are arranged, in general, from west to east, beginning with the North Fork. These localities are as follows: 1. Buck Creek, near Sneedville, Cottle County, March 9, 1955. This is the first "wet" creek to enter the North Fork, but its waters sink into the sand of the river and vanish. 2. North Fork, 21A miles above Hackberry Station, Cottle County, May 20, 1955. In this area of springs the North Fork has its true source. [273 3. North Fork, 1 y2 miles above Hackberry Station, Cottle County, May 20, 1955. 4. North Fork, 1/4 mile above Hackberry Station, Cottle County, May 20, 1955. 5. Between Hackberry Station and the mouth of Salt Creek, Cottle County, January 31, 1955. 6. Small spring on north side of river, just west of mouth of Salt Creek, Cottle County, January 31, 1955. 7. North Fork, just above the mouth of Salt Creek, Cottle County, January 28, 1955. 8. Mouth of Salt Creek, Cottle County, January 28, 1955. 9. North Fork at first rapids below mouth of Salt Creek, Cottle County, January 28, 1955. 10. Large spring on Salt Creek, 1/2 mile above mouth, Cottle County, January 22, 1955. 11. Large spring on Salt Creek, 1 mile above mouth, Cottle County, January 22, 1955. 12. Large spring on Salt Creek, 11/2 mile above mouth, Cottle County, January 22, 1955. 13. West fork of Salt Creek, Cottle County, 11/2 miles from mouth of creek, January 22, 1955. 14. Small stream from spring on south bank of North Fork, just across river from mouth of Salt Creek, Cottle County, July 19, 1955. 15. North Fork above mouth of Cottonwood Creek, Cottle County, January 24, 1955. 16. Cottonwood Creek near its mouth, Cottle County, January 24, 1955. 17. North Fork at first rapids below mouth of Cottonwood Creek, Cottle County, January 24, 1955. 18. Small spring on south side of river, just across river from mouth of Cottonwood Creek, Cottle County, January 24, 1955. 19. Moderately large spring on same side of river as No. 18, and 100 yards to east, Cottle County, February 12, 1955. 20. Small spring on south side of river, 200 yards east of No. 19, Cottle County, February 12, 1955. 21. Small spring beside gypsum cliff on south side of river between No. 20 and Johnson Oil Field Bridge, Cottle County, February 12, 1955. 22. Double spring from conglomerate cliff on south side of river about two miles east of mouth of Cottonwood Creek, February 12, 1955. 23. Small spring, 100 yards east of No. 22, Cottle County, February 12, 1955. 24. Large, clear spring located just east of No. 23, Cottle County, February 12, 1955. 25. Slightly smaller spring, 100 yards to east of No. 24, Cottle County, February 12, 1955. f 28 ) 26. Large spring on south side of river, about five miles west of the Johnson Oil Field Bridge, Cottle County, February 13, 1955. 27. Tiny spring, 1 mile east of No. 26, Cottle County, February 13, 1955. 28. Small creek on north side of river, about /2 mile east of No. 27, Cottle County, February 13, 1955. 29. Small creek emerging from cave in gypsum cliff on north side of river, /2 mile east of No. 28, Cottle County, February 13, 1955. 30. Small, stagnant creek on north side of river, 1/4 mile east of No. 29, Cottle County, February 13, 1955. 31. Deep hole in river bank at Johnson Oil Field Bridge, possible spring in river bed, Cottle County, January 29, 1955. 32. Head of main branch of Johnson Oil Field Creek, Foard Coun- ty, March 9, 1955. 33. Creek at crossing of Farm Road 567, Foard County, July 19, 1954 and other dates. 34. Tributary of Johnson Oil Field Creek, entering main stream 1 mile below bridge on Farm Road 567, Foard County, January 31, 1955. 35. Johnson Oil Field Creek near its mouth, Foard County, March 13, 1955. 36. North Fork, just above mouth of Johnson Oil Field Creek, Foard County, March 13, 1955. 37. North Fork at first rapids below mouth of Johnson Oil Field Creek, Foard County, March 13, 1955. 38. North Fork, five miles above mouth of Middle Fork, Foard County, February 26, 1955. 39. Middle Fork on Jack Brown Ranch, several miles above mouth of stream, Foard County, March 9, 1955. 40. North Fork, just above mouth of Middle Fork, Foard County, February 26, 1955. 41. Middle Fork at mouth, Foard County, February 26, 1955. 42. North Fork at first rapids below mouth of Middle Fork, Foard County, February 26, 1955. 43. Good Creek, Foard County, February 26, 1955. 44. North Fork at mouth of Good Creek, Foard County, February 26, 1955. 45. Foard City Creek, Foard County, February 26, 1955. 46. North Fork near mouth of Foard City Creek, Foard County, February 26, 1955. 47. South fork on Humble lease, ten miles east of Guthrie, King County, July 19, 1954. 48. Arroyo, tributary of South Fork, located on State Highway 283, north of Benjamin, Knox County (probably Sheep Creek) . This stream is ordinarily dry but contains water for days after rains. Tested January 16, 1955. [ 29 ) 49. South Fork southeast of Guilliland, Knox County, June 18, 1954. 50. South Fork north of Vera, Knox County, April 23, 1955. 51. North Fork just above junction with South Fork, Knox County, March 5, 1955. 52. South Fork just above junction with North Fork, Knox County, March 5, 1955. 53. Big Wichita River at first rapids below junction of North Fork with South Fork, Knox County, March 5, 1955. 54. River at Cleghorn Ranch, above Lake Kemp, Baylor County, March 14, 1955, and other dates. 55. Small creek, usually dry, located 100 yards below Lake Kemp Dam, Baylor County, June 14, 1955. 56. Stream one mile below Lake Kemp Dam, Baylor County, June 14, 1955. 57. Creek three miles below Lake Kemp Dam, Baylor County, June 14, 1955. 58. Small stream four miles below Lake Kemp Dam, Baylor Coun- ty, June 14, 1955. 59. Whiskey Creek, Baylor County, July 13, 1955. 60. Spring Creek, Baylor County, July 13, 1955. 61. Cottonwood Creek, Baylor County (not Cottonwood Creek, Cottle County) , July 13, 1955. 62. Headwaters of Beaver Creek, above Santa Rosa reservoir on the Waggoner Ranch, Wilbarger County, March 5, 1955. Santa Rosa Reservoir, Wilbarger County, March 5, 1955. Beaver Creek on U. S. Highway 283 crossing, Wilbarger County, July 9, 1954. 65. Beaver Creek, IA mile above its confluence with the Big Wichita River, Wichita County, July 26, 1954. 66. River at Valley View Bridge, Wichita County, April 30, 1955. 67. Creek IA mile below Valley View Bridge, Wichita County, April 30, 1955. 68. Antelope Creek, Wichita County, near mouth, April 30, 1955. 69. Iowa Park sewer entrance, Wichita County, April 30, 1955. 70. Drainage ditch on north side of river, located just east of the entrance of the Iowa Park Sewer, Wichita County, April 30, 1955. 71. Creek on south side of river, IA mile east of No. 70, Wichita County, April 30, 1955. 72. Creek on south side of river, east of No. 71, Wichita County, April 30, 1955. 73. Creek on north side of river, possible irrigation escape water, located east of No. 72, Wichita County, April 30, 1955. 74. Large muddy creek on south side of river, east of No. 73, and apparently unnamed, Wichita County, April 30, 1955. [30) 75. Small stream, possible irrigation escape water, 1/2 mile above Deadman Bridge, Wichita County, April 30, 1955. 76. River just above Deadman Bridge, Wichita County, April 30, 1955. 77. Deadman Creek, Wichita County, July 13, 1954. 78. Small creek on south side of river, 1 mile below Deadman Bridge, Wichita County, May 1, 1955. 79. Small creek on north side of river, east of No. 78, Wichita County, May 1, 1955. 80. Another small creek on north side of river, possible irrigation escape water, just east of No. 79, Wichita County, May 1, 1955. 81. Large, slow stream entering river on south side, just east of No. 80, Wichita County, May 1, 1955. 82. Pleasant Valley Creek, Wichita County, May 1, 1955. 83. Seven Springs Creek, Wichita County, May 1, 1955. 84. Small creek, entering river on north side, 1/4 mile above Wichita Falls, Wichita County, May 1, 1955. 85. Wichita River at 10th Street Bridge, Wichita Falls, Wichita County, May 1, 1955. 86. Holliday Creek at State Hospital, Wichita County just north of Archer County line, July 26, 1955. 87. Holliday Creek at Hempstead Bridge, Wichita Falls, Wichita County, July 20, 1954. 88. Holliday Creek at cliffs, 1 mile below Pecan Street Bridge, Wichita Falls, Wichita County, July 20, 1954. 89. Wichita River at Ohio Street Bridge, Wichita Falls, Wichita County, April 12, 1955. 90. Small spring on south side of river, 1/4 mile below Ohio Street Bridge, Wichita County, April 12, 1955. 91. Flume of Wichita Falls disposal plant, Wichita County, April 12, 1955. 92. Another flume of same, April 12, 1955. 93. Creek east of No. 92, Wichita County, April 12, 1955. 94. Spring on north side of river, east of No. 93, Wichita County, April 12, 1955. 95. Another spring, farther downstream, probably in Clay County, : April 12, 1955. 96. Pond or small lake with overflow pipe to river, Clay County, April 12, 1955. 97. Creek entering north side of river near Iron Bridge, Clay County, April 12, 1955. 98. Another small creek, 1/4 mile below No. 97, Clay County, April 12, 1955. 99. Tiny stream on north side of river, one mile east of No. 98, Clay County, April 12, 1955. 100. Spring beside Wichita River 200 yards above its mouth, Clay County, April 13, 1955. 31 Table 2. Water Analyses at Sample Localities Listed on Preceding Pages

Locality Carbon- Total No. Date Calcium Sodium Chloride Sulfate ates Salts pH

1. 3/ 9/55 1079 208 284 2501 160 4,228 7.80 2. 5/20/55 588 252 444 1138 244 2,666 3. 5/20/55 548 252 461 1030 244 2,535 .... 4. 5/20/55 562 512 799 1145 232 3,250 8.00 5. 1/ 3/55 720 494 808 1522 173 3,717 8.10 6. 1/31/55 2694 11859 20058 3872 142 38,725 7.84 7. 1/28/55 1392 1404 3106 1902 205 8,009 7.95 8. 1/28/55 3441 10100 18327 4448 134 36,450 7.71 9. 1/28/55 2282 5353 9140 4112 216 21,102 7.87 10. 1/22/55 794 12462 21080 14100 134 48,570 7.90 11. 1/22/55 1916 11457 19037 2656 140 35,206 7.66 12 1/22/55 2608 12563 20725 4378 119 40,393 7.30 13. 1/22/55 1942 9191 15220 3158 124 29,635 7.90 14. 7/19/54 617 3723 5991 1001 179 11,517 7.75 15. 1/24/55 1612 5100 8742 2535 192 18,181 7.85 16. 1/24/55 616 765 1376 1060 192 4,009 7.85 17. 1/24/55 1290 4998 8032 2516 188 17,024 7.90 18. 1/24/55 423 1556 2263 1010 244 5,496 7.55 19. 1/24/55 348 988 1429 830 166 3,761 8.00 20. 2/12/55 540 988 1598 998 260 4,384 8.40 21. 2/12/55 2710 7070 13135 2488 266 25,669 8.30 22. 2/12/55 320 468 692 620 220 2,326 8.45 23. 2/12/55 408 468 861 590 257 2,584 8.40 24. 2/12/55 262 420 524 600 250 2,056 8.30 25. 2/12/55 320 321 426 677 240 1,984 8.20 26. 2/13/55 284 276 231 682 330 1,803 8.15 27. 2/13/55 612 364 666 1150 228 2,970 8.10 28. 2/13/55 1340 4794 7810 2515 153 16,612 8.00 29. 2/13/55 667 30 116 1483 38 2,334 8.30 30. 2/13/55 1636 4641 7900 2505 540 17,222 8.70 31. 1/29/55 1065 4848 7455 2430 200 15,996 7. -2 32. 3/ 9/55 2593 1380 4750 2577 182 11,482 7. - 0 33, 7/19/54 27624 26026 88351 1059 125 143,186 7. 0 9/25/54 67956 33000 170090 1895 93 273,034 F. 0 1/31/55 8770 24550 51520 2503 135 87,478 7.• 0 34, 1/31/55 6745 10854 26980 2280 112 46,980 7. 3 35. 1/31/55 1403 4998 8343 2391 165 17,300 7.7; 36. 1/31/55 7234 12060 29368 2730 103 51,495 7.80 37. 1/31/55 1628 4945 8432 2699 165 17,869 7.75 38. 2/26/55 1090 5094 7544 2832 160 16,720 7.75 39. 3/ 9/55 1307 2295 3860 2607 173 10,242 .... 40. 2/26/55 1346 4794 7633 2805 142 16,720 7.95 41. 2/26/55 1084 2550 3684 2640 112 10,076 7.85 42. 2/26/55 1552 3009 5280 2675 154 12,640 7.95 43, 2/26/55 462 90 222 912 104 1,790 7.80 44. 2/26/55 1440 4029 6610 2805 153 15,037 7.75 45. 2/26/55 860 520 468 2125 190 4,343 8.05 46. 2/26/55 1444 4208 6524 3310 140 15,626 7.95 47. 7/19/54 1548 8888 15691 904 139 27,181 7.60 48. 1/16/55 933 598 925 2064 110 4,630 8.00 49. 4/23/55 1724 6565 11893 1642 144 21,968 7.49 50. 4/23/55 1552 5049 8387 2785 165 17,938 7.60 51. 3/ 5/55 1370 3825 6346 2592 122 14,255 7.95 52. 3/ 5/55 1562 3060 5858 2112 130 12,722 7.90 53. 3/ 5/55 1580 3417 6213 2424 125 13,759 7.80 54, 3/13/55 1556 3315 5982 2453 137 13,443 7.70 4/ 8/55 800 2268 3949 1205 137 8,359 8.21 4,28/55 1048 3825 5902 2402 134 13,317 8.16 55. 6/14/55 250 495 764 480 82 2,071 7.75 56. 6/14/55 242 501 773 438 139 2,093 7.85 57. 6/14/55 252 529 817 495 134 2,227 7.90 (32) Table 2. Water Analyses at Sample Localities Listed on Preceding Pages -Continued

Locality Carbon- Total No. Date Calcium Sodium Chloride Sulfate ales Salts pH

58. 6/14/55 52 55 85 19 128 339 7.75 59. 7/13/55 66 9 14 320 409 7.60 60. 7/13/55 218 435 670 432 104 1,859 7.90 61. 7/13/55 148 260 401 259 112 1,180 8.00 62. 3/ 5/55 434 15 18 860 185 1,510 8.05 63. 3/ 5/55 180 12 22 284 185 683 8.35 64. 7/26/54 71 0 9 30 144 254 8.40 65. 7/26/54 206 252 675 1 130 1,264 7.15 66. 4/30/55 415 759 1722 111 171 3,178 8.10 67. 4/30/55 386 583 1120 314 403 2,706 8.12 68. 4/30/55 400 671 1322 437 171 3,001 8.22 69. 4/30/55 218 396 675 327 118 1,734 8.25 70. 4/30/55 278 522 906 384 180 2,270 8.41 71. 4/30/55 238 426 710 373 155 1,902 8.35 72. 4/30/55 334 616 1295 203 165 2,610 8.31 73. 4/1;0/55 220 390 674 327 125 1,736 8.30 74. 4/30/55 214 402 693 297 140 1,746 8.25 75. 4/30/55 268 480 807 408 171 2,134 8.41 76. 5/ 1/55 332 572 1216 195 180 2,495 8.31 77. 7/13/54 271 318 621 352 125 1,701 8.35 5/ 1/55 378 605 1181 376 238 2,778 8.29 78. 5/ 1/55 232 390 683 312 164 1,781 8.30 79. 5/ 1/55 294 558 604 914 161 2,531 8.39 80. 5/ 1/55 226 402 675 351 134 1,788 8.31 81. 5/ 1/55 232 396 719 299 140 1,786 8.31 82. 5/ 1/55 230 444 755 317 159 1,905 8.31 83. 5/ 1/55 330 576 968 500 229 2,603 8.39 84. 5/ 1/55 224 450 692 428 131 1,925 8.12 85. 5/ 1/55 300 484 1030 206 152 2,172 8.25 86. 7/26/54 157 12 195 8 137 509 6.95 87. 7/20/54 47 20 49 19 81 216 7.70 88. 7/20/54 273 84 351 147 255 1,110 7.50 89. 4/12/55 264 484 1075 80 140 2,043 8.16 90. 4/12/55 180 363 736 60 152 1,491 8.23 91. 4/12/55 63 126 144 66 201 601 8.10 92. 4/12/55 68 126 144 76 201 615 8.30 93. 4/12/55 204 318 563 250 162 1,497 8.40 94. 4/12/55 412 637 1296 473 158 2,986 8.36 95. 4/12/55 240 378 674 353 101 1,746 8.30 96. 4/12/55 272 351 710 178 315 1,826 8.51 97. 4/12/55 472 546 1322 338 186 2,864 8.31 98. 4/12/55 312 585 914 636 125 2,572 8.30 99. 4/12/55 120 806 914 175 448 2,592 8.21 1 00. 4/13/55 180 56 20 59 573 888 8.32

The twelve permanent sample stations were named after nearby towns, geographic features or lakes. Their positions are shown on the accompanying map. Data for Lake Kemp and Lake Diversion were gathered during the 1953-54 period. Other data were collected dur- ing the 1954-55 investigation. HACKBERRY STATION-Located at the small town of Hack- berry, Cottle County, approximately 7 miles south-southwest of Pa- ducah. Here the water is relatively "sweet," clear and cold. There is a large, deep, sand-bottomed pool and a long, swift, stony rapids. 33 The surrounding area is sandy river floodplain, quite arid and desert- like. JOHNSON OIL FIELD STATION—Located on the North Fork where it is crossed by Farm Road 567, about six miles east of Hack- berry Station. At this point the river is extremely salty, having been joined by Salt Creek and Cottonwood Creek as well as many salt springs. The water is clear and cold. There are sandy shallows, swift rapids, and deep, green pools. Surrounding country is barren hills of gypsum and sandstone with dominant vegetation of cedar and cacti. CROWELL STATION—Located where the North Fork is crossed by State Highway 283, south of the town of Crowell, Foard County. The river valley is broad and sandy. There are numerous shallow pools and rills, and a few moderately deep pools. GUTHRIE STATION—Located on the South Fork at the town of Guthrie, where the river is crossed by U. S. Highway 83. Here, in an ordinary fall and spring, there is but a small stream, rarely more than two feet wide and two inches deep, running between broad, deep pools. In summer and winter the streams cease to run, but the pools rarely dry out completely. After heavy rains the river may become waist-deep in the shallows. Surrounding country is sandy floodplain in a broad valley in arid, cedar-covered hills. BENJAMIN STATION—Located on the South Fork north of the town of Benjamin, Knox County, at the site of the bridge on State Highway 283. The river is usually shallow, about ten feet wide and six inches deep, in a broad valley in mesquite flats and hills. In sum- mer the river is often completely dry, exposing the hard, stone bed. In times of heavy rains the river bottom becomes a raging torrent, 100 feet across and six to ten feet deep. LAKE KEMP—The bulk of the water samples were taken at Cara Blanca, at the southern and western (upper) end of the lake. KEMP DAM STATION—Located in the plunge pool below the dam, at the eastern end of the lake. When water is released from the floodgates the river becomes broad, clear, swift and extremely cold at this station. At other times the deep pools become almost stagnant. Surrounding country is mesquite-covered hills. LAKE DIVERSION—Water samples were taken in Crappie Creek Bay, on the northern side of the lake. DIVERSION DAM STATION—Located in the plunge pool be- neath the Lake Diversion Dam, in Archer County. Water passes here only when the lake floods over the spillway in times of heavy rains. At such times the river is broad and swift. Usually the broad plunge pool is still, sometimes almost stagnant. Surrounding country is mes- quite-covered hills. [ 34 1 DEADMAN BRIDGE STATION-LOCATED ON THE LOWER RIVER, ABOUT SEVEN MILES WEST OF WICHITA FALLS, IN WICHITA COUNTY. THE RIVER FLOWS IN A BELT OF MEANDERS WITHOUT ESPECIALLY DEEP POOLS AND ONLY A FEW GRAVEL-BOTTOMED RAPIDS. SURROUNDING COUNTRY IS A BROAD VALLEY WHERE DOMINANT VEGETATION IS COTTONWOODS AND ELMS. SURROUND- ING THE VALLEY ARE MESQUITE-COVERED HILLS AND FLATS.

LAKE WICHITA-WATER SAMPLES WERE TAKEN ON THE NORTHERN SIDE OF THE LAKE.

BYERS STATION-LOCATED WHERE THE OLD CHARLIE ROAD CROSSES THE RIVER ONE MILE NORTH OF THE TOWN OF BYERS, CLAY COUNTY. THIS IS ABOUT THREE MILES FROM THE JUNCTION OF THE WICHITA AND THE RED. THE RIVER VARIES FROM SWIFT TO RATHER SLUGGISH, IS TURBID AND DEEP, WITH BROAD MEANDERS AND OXBOW LAKES.

TABLE 3. MONTHLY VARIATION IN WATER QUALITY AT HACKBERRY STATION

Date Calcium Sodium Chloride Sulfate Carbonates Total Salts pH

7/19 54 724 312 932 999 154 3,127 7.65 8 5/54 1190 65 905 1628 137 3,946 7.75 9/11/54 535 806 911 1564 204 4,020 7.95 9 25 54 727 520 852 1577 122 3,798 8.64 10 21 54 762 559 1482 1633 209 4,042 7.78 11 26 54 780 495 861 1574 195 3,905 8.28 1 6 55 720 494 : 08 1522 173 3,717 8.10 2/ 4/55 766 494 670 1575 214 3,919 8.00 3 9,55 873 416 834 1614 198 3,935 7.95 3 12/55 814 528 888 1677 225 4,132 7.70 4/17/55 6.04 525 888 1192 195 3,414 7.50 5/ 3/55 562 512 799 1145 232 3,250 8.00 5/ 9 55 546 576 906 1112 204 3,334 8.19

TABLE 4. MONTHLY VARIATION IN WATER QUALITY AT JOHNSON OIL FIELD STATION

Date Cakium Sodium Chloride Sulfate Carbonates Total Salts pH

7/19/54 747 4590 7588 997 125 14,058 7.25 8/ 4/54 2734 3431 8121 2643 122 17,060 7.80 9/11/54 517 5858 8653 1654 136 16,818 7.85 9/25/54 7114 4845 17883 2733 337 32,912 8.53 10/21/54 4773 1479 8653 2743 124 17,782 7.78 11/26/54 1426 4718 7854 2506 158 16,662 8.20 1/ 7/55 1266 4645 7544 2400 161 16,016 8.10 1/29/55 867 5000 7322 2453 198 15,840 7.81 2/ 4/55 1208 4386 7145 2256 172 15,167 8.40 3/ 9/55 1205 4815 7590 . 2588 192 16,420 7.85 3/12/55 1618 4896 8343 2684 171 17,712 7.60 4/17/55 980 5050 8653 1084 137 15,904 7.55 5/ 3/55 800 4335 7189 1167 138 13,629 8.15 5/ 9/55 884 5100 8140 1662 128 15,914 8.21

[ 35 Table 5. Monthly Variation in Water Quality at Crowell Station

Date Calcium Sodium Chloride Sulfate Carbonates Total Salts pH

6/18/54 1314 2275 4726 2275 148 9,858 8.00 7/23/54 3022 2424 6825 2978 124 15,378 7.50 8/ 4/54 1675 4590 7562 3261 98 17,210 7.80 9/ 4/54 1133 2933 5396 1450 110 11,022 7.70 10/10/54 5506 4743 14777 3048 96 28,170 8.54 11/ 9/54 3653 2609 6653 3136 125 16,176 8.00 12/ 5/54 1496 4335 7190 2794 146 15,961 8.13 1/16/55 1100 3927 6213 2320 146 13,706 8.05 2/ 6/55 776 1326 2441 1258 95 5,896 8.30 3/ 7/55 594 4335 5592 2818 122 13,461 7.80 4/23/55 1040 4945 7765 2205 132 16,087 7.61 5/ 8/55 1006 4998 7420 2715 115 16,254 7.98

Table 6. Monthly Variation in Water Quality at Guthrie Station

Date Calcium Sodium Chloride Sulfate Carbonates Total Salts pH

7/19/54 1783 1428 3532 2346 111 9,211 7.80 8/ 5/54 2438 1377 4127 3013 145 11,112 7.50 9/11/54 1185 3366 5414 2436 143 12,544 7.65 9/25/54 5589 2958 11715 3649 114 24,512 8.49 10/21/54 3844 1122 5860 3456 230 14,512 7.33 11/26/54 1661 2958 5148 2972 240 12,979 8.19 12/10/54 95 60 120 136 70 481 7.69 1/ 6/55 1469 2397 4172 2717 210 10,965 8.15 2/ 4/55 1272 1581 2751 2453 232 8,289 8.00 3/12/55 1840 2444 4615 3097 213 12,209 7.49 4/17/55 1236 2448 4482 1857 201 10,224 7.25 5/ 7/55 1384 2856 5184 2160 172 11,720 8.29

Table 7. Monthly Variation in Water Quality at Benjamin Station

Date Calcium Sodium Chloride Sulfate Carbonates Total Salts pH

6/18/54 1018 2163 3741 1794 133 8,849 7.95 7/23/54 2994 5610 11272 3512 150 23,553 7.75 8/ 4/54 3380 5050 11183 3459 69 23,153 7.60 9/ 4/54 2071 4590 9541 1553 116 17,871 7.20 10/10/54 6447 4770 15750 4030 116 31,113 8.42 11/ 9/54 4532 5444 11630 3874 116 25,596 8.00 12/ 5/54 2686 7929 14245 3586 149 28,595 8.10 1/16/55 2661 6161 3106 2928 140 14,996 7.95 2/ 5/55 1120 6010 10073 1512 124 18,839 8.15 3/ 7/55 3266 6767 13580 3504 122 27,239 7.80 4/23/55 1896 8585 14777 2380 144 27,782 7.59 5/ 8/55 884 3060 5192 1370 137 10,643 8.20

[36J Table 8. Monthly Variation in Water Quality at Lake Kemp

Date Chloride Total Salts pH

8/25/53 852 1,960 7.7 9/29/53 834 1,890 7.6 10/ 1/53 852 1,750 7.9 10/23/53 639 1,470 7.1 11/12/53 444 1,050 7.2 12/ 3/53 674 1,400 7.5 12/30/53 710 1,540 7.6 1/22/54 781 1,454 7.6 1/26/54 852 1,890 8.1 3/16/54 1065 2,100 7.6 4/21/54 746 1,960 7.9

Table 9. Monthly Variation in Water Quality at Lake Kemp Dam Station

Date Calcium Sodium Chloride Sulfate Carbonates Total Salts pH

6/13/54 198 255 448 339 79 1,319 7.80 7/ 9/54 284 438 772 475 87 2,062 8.10 8/10/54 283 432 786 381 98 1,986 7.70 9/ 1/54 271 294 577 404 104 1,650 7.60 9/12/54 171 390 538 416 96 1,611 8.00 10/ 9/54 245 348 586 438 96 1,713 8.72 10/26/54 279 312 577 438 128 1,734 8.14 11/18/54 252 360 604 454 98 1,768 8.27 12/ 9 ,54 270 351 612 432 124 1,789 6.99 12/13/54 263 360 621 433 106 1,783 7.93 1/ 6/55 270 360 639 436 119 1,824 8.20 2/21/55 243 411 630 485 120 1,889 .... 3/ 1/55 268 396 666 475 122 1,927 8.10 3/13/55 267 384 648 461 128 1,888 7.75 4/11/55 240 366 673 272 137 1,689 8.31 5/18/55 272 378 763 282 162 1,857 7.50

Table 10. Monthly Variation in Water Quality at Lake Diversion

Date Chloride Total Salts pH

7/24/53 1,366 3,185 7.9 7/30/53 1,402 3,500 8.0 8/31/53 1,242 2,520 7.5 9/10/53 1,278 2,800 8.1 9/20/53 1,242 2,520 7.9 10/18/53 1,207 2,100 7.5 11/ 5/53 869 1,820 7.4 11/23/53 923 1,960 7.5 12/16/53 823 1,890 7.6 1/ 7/54 869 1,750 7.4 2/ 4/54 834 1,420 7.6 2/23/54 852 1,610 7.8 3/10/54 781 1,820 8.1 4/22/54 710 1,820 7.9

[37 J Table 11. Monthly Variation in Water Quality at Diversion Dam Station

Date Calcium Sodium n Chloride Sulfate Carbonates Total Salts pH

6/ 1/54 168 329 520 314 91 1,422 7.90 7/ 8/54 191 245 411 278 90 1,224 8.00 8/ 2 54 232 342 586 351 139 1,662 7.75 9/16/54 299 468 834 485 93 2,179 8.45 10/ 7/54 258 968 763 484 90 2,063 8.60 11/17/54 233 450 784 478 91 2,036 8.31 12/ 9 ,54 274 423 692 505 116 2,010 7.90 1 /17 /55 276 402 675 486 119 1,958 8.15 2/22/55 266 411 666 495 115 1,953 .... 3/ 2,55 264 420 701 477 109 1,971 8.10 4/ 8/55 228 366 818 116 131 1,859 8.35 5/18/55 248 378 728 292 125 1,771 5/25/55 180 306 568 211 110 1,375 7.95

Table 12. Monthly Variation in Water Quality at Deadman Bridge Station

Date Calcium Sodium Chloride Sulfate Carbonates Total Salts ph l

6/24/54 631 651 1642 471 231 3,626 7.60 7/13/54 506 312 1012 389 125 2,250 8.00 8/ 3/54 822 195 1369 496 162 3,070 8.00 9/27/54 391 819 1411 628 139 3,338 8.69 10/19/54 500 744 1482 604 174 3,505 7.83 11/16/54 242 715 1012 579 152 2,700 8.02 12/ 7/54 529 754 1527 613 198 3,621 7.81 1/ 7/55 427 689 1429 375 182 3,102 8.30 2/12/55 1380 975 2166 2175 294 6,990 .... 3/ 8/55 714 803 1962 556 232 4,267 7.89 4/ 7 , 55 524 714 1908 12 207 3,365 8.21 4/19 , 55 386 741 1411 704 186 3,428 7.80 5/ 1/55 332 572 1216 195 180 2,495 8.31 5/17,55 100 165 355 8 113 741 7.75

Table 13. Monthly Variation in Water Quality at Byers Bridge Station

Date Calcium Sodium Chloride Sulfate Carbonates Total Salts pH

6,24/54 183 295 520 214 171 1,383 8.10 7/ 9/54 306 510 976 373 113 2,289 8.15 7/23 54 651 26 852 385 90 2,010 8.05 8/ 6/54 761 91 1057 468 127 2,519 7.95 9/1454 171 793 1074 508 119 2,665 8.77 10/13 ,54 35 884 967 497 143 2,526 8.00 11/16/54 1122 552 482 518 161 1,935 8.06 12/ 8/54 470 682 1322 592 201 3,267 8.12 1/ 7/55 338 832 1429 456 192 3,247 8.35 2/17/55 490 546 1207 490 207 2,940 .... 3/ 8/55 532 803 1669 504 210 3,728 8.20 3/30/55 268 286 869 120 186 1,729 8.45 4/ 6/55 384 368 1242 72 189 2,355 8.42 4/12/55 337 546 1242 112 198 2,435 8.41 5/23/55 72 90 186 32 91 471 7.70

[ 38 it Table 14. Monthly Variation in Water Quality at Lake Wichita

Date Calcium Sodium Chloride Sulfate Carbonates Total Salts pH

6/21/54 43 34 83 3 84 247 7.65 7/14/54 59 100 160 54 96 472 8.20 8/12,54 259 444 786 381 98 1,986 7.70 8/17/54 252 518 825 470 104 2,181 7.75 9/ 9/54 89 159 293 97 55 693 8.56 9/22/54 119 168 327 108 104 826 8.43 10/ 6/54 116 196 337 139 108 896 8.81 10/19/54 115 198 342 133 113 901 7.78 11/25/54 122 208 350 156 122 958 8.23 12/15/54 336 198 387 121 135 1,177 7.78 12/21/54 114 222 364 149 113 962 8.15 1/12/55 103 222 355 130 122 932 8.20 132 216 360 187 122 1,017 7.80 1/26/55 - -21 1/55 154 252 426 221 128 1,181 7.60 2/25/55 220 192 384 215 120 1,131 7.90 3/ 4/55 248 204 375 413 125 1,365 7.85 4/29/55 128 258 462 116 159 1,123 8.50 5/ 9/55 128 264 476 89 152 1,109 8.49 5 :25/55 64 76 142 43 98 423 7.70

FISHES OF THE BIG WICHITA RIVER AND ITS IMPOUNDMENTS A total of fifty species of fish have been established as occurring in the Big Wichita River and its impoundments, including several forms known or suspected to have been introduced. Specimens of most of these species have been examined by us and examples preserved in the collection of lower vertebrates at Midwestern University. A few records have been taken from the literature. Annotated Checklist of Species Family Acipenseridae

Scaphirhynchus platorynchus: shovelnose sturgeon. Definitely record- ed from the Big Wichita River only once, near its mouth, on May 13, 1948. For details see Bonn and Kemp (1952) . We have heard of others taken in past years from the lower river but there seem to be no records for the last two years. Family Lepisosteidae

Lepisosteus platostomus: shortnose gar. The relationship between this form and the next species are rather confusing. Both species are present in most of the Big Wichita River system, but neither is abundant. In Lake Wichita, the shortnose gar outnumbers the spotted gar but elsewhere the reverse is true. Both the shortnose gar and the spotted gar may be important predators of the sun- fishes and may be desirable in moderate numbers. Lepisosteus productus: spotted gar. In Lake Kemp, the spotted gar is the dominant gar. Elsewhere it is only moderately common, or

f 39 I even rare. It would appear that this species and the longnose gar compete, for in Lake Kemp, where the longnose gar is absent, the spotted species is common. Where the two species occur to- gether, the longnose gar always outnumbers both the spotted and shortnose gars, at least in these waters. Lepisosteus osseus: longnose gar. The longnose gar is the most abun- dant and successful gar in our waters, except in Lake Kemp and the upper river. Questioning commercial fishermen and old resi- dents indicates that this gar never did occur in Lake Kemp. It is possible that no longnose gars were present in the area when the Lake Kemp dam was constructed. The longnose gar is a swift, predacious species that destroys many gizzard shad and sunfishes, and often is a highly beneficial fish. We suspect that the complete absence of goldfishes in the Big Wichita River system is largely the result of the predacious habits of this gar. Some white bass, and perhaps other game fishes, are also eaten. In large numbers, the longnose gar is a pest that drives fisher- men to distraction by stealing bait minnows, almost never be- coming hooked. Family Clupeidae Herrings and Shads Dorosoma cepedianum: gizzard shad. The gizzard shad is extremely abundant in the Big Wichita River system, ranging from the mouth of the river to and well into the upper river. Gizzard shad reach a large size in Lake Kemp and Lake Diversion but especially in Lake Wichita where specimens of four pounds or more in weight are not uncommon. Young gizzard shads are ex- tensively fed upon by game and predacious fishes, but are often so abundant that the game fishes refuse bait minnows and ar- tificial baits. Because the numbers of gizzard shad cannot be kept in control by natural means, it quickly outbreeds and crowds out desirable fishes. The gizzard shad is not itself edible. However, it is one of our most important forage species. Family Hiodontidae Mooneyes Hiodon alosoides: goldeye. This highly predacious but almost in- edible fish is moderately common in the lower river. We took a single specimen in Lake Diversion. Fishermen's accounts of catch- ing shad on a fishhook pertain to the goldeye. Family Characidae Tetras Astyanax fasciatus: Rio Grande tetra. The tetra does well in our water in the summer It is often sold by local bait dealers and commonly [ 40 released by fishermen. However, the tetras are unable to stand the winter cold and we have never found the species in the early spring. They usually appear at the bait stands in midsummer, and are taken in a feral state shortly thereafter. Family Catostomidae Suckers and Buffalofishes Ictiobus cyprinellus: bigmouth buffalo. This large fish does not do well in the Big Wichita River system. It is, and apparently always has been, absent from Lake Kemp. It is rare in Lake Diversion and the lower river. Only in Lake Wichita is this species even fairly common Commercial fishermen eagerly seek this fish for its large size and ready market. Rarely, however, is it sought by sport fishermen. Ictiobus bubalus: smallmouth buffalo. The smallmouth buffalo is ab- sent from Lake Kemp and the upper river but is common to abundant elsewhere. It constitutes the principal commercial fish of the area and finds a ready market. Rarely it is sought or taken by sport fishermen. Carpiodes carpio: river carpsucker. This small sucker is the most common sucker in the Big Wichita River system. It is the most serious menace to the sport fisheries at present, because it is abundant, difficult to kill, widespread, and apparently general- ized in food and breeding habits. It is ordinarily too small to be taken in the nets of the commercial fishermen and has no good market. It is almost never taken by sport fishermen, even by ac- cident. Family Cyprinidae Shiners and Minnows Cyprinus carpio: European carp. The carp is widespread in the Big Wichita River system, even extending into the upper river at times. It is most common in lakes but, at best, constitutes but a small percentage of the large-fish population. In some areas the carp is extremely common, but in these waters it apparently can- not compete successfully with the native suckers. Notemigonus crysoleucas: golden shiner. The golden shiner seems unable to exist in the more saline parts of the Wichita River system. At least we failed to find it anywhere except in Lake Wichita and Holliday Creek, and there it is only moderately common Hybopsis storeriana: silver chub. This fish is extremely rare. We took but a single specimen, in the lower river. Hybopsis aestivalis: speckled chub. This tiny fish is moderately com- mon in riffles and rapids of clear water, where the bottom is sand [41 ) or gravel. It was found throughout the length of the river, from headwater streams to mouth, but seems to be absent from the lakes and turbid, slow streams like Beaver Creek and Holliday Creek. Phenacobius mirabilis: suckermouth minnow. This widespread min- now is not common anywhere. Its tolerance to salinity and tur- bidity are striking. We found it from headwater streams of extreme salinity to relatively "sweet" waters, and from clear to extremely turbid waters. Although it is primarily a stream fish, numerous specimens were taken in Lake Diversion. Notropis bairdi: Red River shiner. This saline-water shiner is com- mon from the headwaters of the river to the mouth of the river. It is present in Lake Kemp but apparently absent from other lakes, as well as turbid streams, like Beaver Creek and Holliday Creek. Notropis buchanani: ghost shiner. This small, transparent shiner is common in all three major lakes and at the stations below Lake Kemp dam and Lake Diversion dam, but absent from the mov- ing parts of the river and its tributaries. Current, rather than salinity or turbidity, seems to determine the distribution of this form. Notropis deliciosus: sand shiner. The distribution of this shiner is spotty. It appears occasionally where the water is swift and shal- low, or over sandy shallows of lakes, but is absent from hundreds of seemingly identical habitats. Further, established colonies vanish after a few months. Possibly the colonies result from the release of bait minnows. The sand shiner is a fairly common bait minnow, usually seen offered for sale in midsummer. The colony at Diversion dam station has been present there for at least two years, in contrast to the other localities known to us. Notropis lutrensis: red shiner. This form is, by far, the most abun- dant forage fish in the watershed of the Big Wichita River. Only in the extremely saline waters of the headwater streams of the upper river is it uncommon. It seems to prefer waters where the total salts are less than 5,000 parts per million. Notropis oxyrhynchus: sharpnose shiner. In the past, the sharpnose shiner has been considered endemic to the Brazos River. It is widespread and obviously native to the Big Wichita River also. The headwaters of the South Fork of the Big Wichita River and the Salt Fork of the Brazos are close together. We suppose that floods have joined the waters in the past and allowed the spread of this shiner from one system to the other. The sharpnose shiner has a high tolerance to salinity and reaches its greatest abun- dance in the saline upper river. It is absent from the lakes but is present, though rare, in the lower river. [42) Notropis percobromus: plains shiner. The lower river is the principal habitat of this species, where it is common and occasionally abundant. It is rare in the middle river and we did not find it in Lake Diversion. Apparently, it does not occur above the Lake Kemp dam, though we found it just below the dam. The plains shiner seems to be strictly a stream fish. Notropis potteri: chub shiner. The relationship detween this shiner and the Red River shiner is close. The two forms are usually found together, and often in association with the sharpnose shiner. The chub shiner is usually less common than the Red River shiner. Notropis venustus: spottail shiner. A colony of this shiner existed in Deadman Creek for several years but vanished in 1955. Since the species was not found elsewhere in the river system, we suppose the established colony resulted from the release of bait minnows. The spottail shiner is quite often offered for sale on bait stands, and it is surprising that the species has not become established in the lakes. Hybognathus placita: plains minnow. The plains minnow is the most valuable commercial minnow in the river system. Most efforts of commercial bait seiners are directed to its capture. It is abun- dant in spite of this, from the headwater streams to the Red River and has a great range of tolerance to salinity and turbidity. Although not a lake form, it is common and apparently breeds in Lake Kemp. In the other lakes it is only of casual occurrence, probably introduced as released bait. It is a highly prolific species, and when spawning occurs, countless thousands of tiny minnows of this species may be taken in a single seine haul. Pimephales vigilax: parrot minnow. The parrot minnow is a wide- spread and common minnow with an extremely broad range of tolerance to environmental conditions. It occurs in both streams and lakes, from headwaters to the river mouth. It lives in both still and swift, saline and "sweet" and turbid and clear waters. A decided preference is shown for moderately saline, cold, swift and clear water. Pimephales promelas: fathead minnow. The fathead has a rather puzzling distribution in the Big Wichita River system. It seems to be principally a species of river pools and sluggish tributaries, absent or scarce where the water flows swiftly, and absent from the impoundments. Its range of tolerance to environmental con- ditions is much smaller than that of the related and superficially similar parrot minnow. Campostoma anomalum: stoneroller. The single record of this min- now, from Lake Diversion, is doubtless the result of released [431 fisherman's bait. The species is sometimes offered for sale at bait stands in late summer. Family Ameiuridae Catfishes Ictalurus punctatus: channel catfish. The channel catfish is one of the most sought-after sport fishes of the Big Wichita River system. It ranges from Lake Kemp downstream to the mouth of the river. We have taken individuals up to 14 pounds in weight, although the average fish caught by sport fishermen probably weighs less than three pounds. Ictalurus furcatus: blue catfish. A single fish, recorded at the time as a blue catfish, was taken in Lake Kemp in the early part of this study. We have taken no others and now wonder if the early record might not have been an error. Although local fishermen often refer to blue catfish from the Big Wichita River system, all those so called and examined by us were large channel catfish. The absence of spotting is almost always the basis for fisher- men's identification of blue catfish, and most fishermen are not aware that the spotted channel catfish in our waters loses all spots when fish reach a weight of four to six pounds. We now doubt that the blue catfish exists in the Big Wichita drainage area, except, perhaps, where stocked in private lakes. Ictalurus melas: black bullhead catfish. Bullheads are uncommon in the Big Wichita River system, though they are widespread. All taken have been the above species, which in the adult form in our waters is usually olive yellow in color. The true yellow bull- head is uncommon in North-central Texas and apparently ab- sent from the saline waters of the Big Wichita River system. Pylodictus olivaris: flathead catfish. The flathead catfish, like the black bullhead, is uncommon in the drainage area of the Big Wichita River. We have heard of individuals taken in Lake Kemp and have ourselves taken a few in Lake Diversion. In Lake Wichita, a "sweet-water" lake, the species is fairly common. Trotline fishermen regularly take a few specimens in the lower river and we saw a dead specimen on the shore near Byers Station that we estimated would weigh 40 pounds. Family Cyprinodontidae Killifishes and Topminnows Fundulus notatus: blackstripe topminnow. Oddly enough, we have failed to take this small fish in the "natural" waters of the Big Wichita River system, though the area is well within the pre- sumed range of the species. We have taken numerous specimens in drainage ditches and irrigation ditches, however, in water with its source in Lake Diversion. [ 44 I Fundulus kansae: plains killifish. This killifish is one of the most abundant fishes of the upper river. Its principal requirements seem to be shallow water with a sand bottom and high salinity. It is also found locally in some shallow, sand-bottomed bays in Lake Kemp and Lake Diversion. A small colony lives in the shal- lows at the foot of the plunge pool at Diversion Dam Station but none was found elsewhere in the lower river. Plains killifish were abundant in Lake Wichita when the lake was at its low level, in 1953, but vanished when normal water levels were restored and have not again been found there. Cyprinodon rubrofluviatilis: Red River pupfish. The distribution of the pupfish is quite similar to that of the plains killifish. The two forms, together, constitute the bulk of the fish population of the upper river. We did not find the pupfish in Lake Wichita but it is common in Deadman Creek, a small tributary of the lower river west of Wichita Falls. Family Poeciliidae Mosquitofishes Gambusia affinis: mosquitofish. The mosquitofish is ubiquitous, rang- ing from the springs at the headwaters of the river through the length of the river to its mouth, including the impoundment lakes and most tributaries. Neither salinity nor turbidity seem to govern its distribution, though it is not common where salinity is excessive. Family Serranidae Basses Roccus chrysops: white bass. This game fish is abundant in the lower river and the impoundment lakes but is absent from the upper river. It is one of the most popular sport species, even though it rarely reaches more than three pounds in weight in local waters. Family Centrarchidae Black Basses and Sunfishes Micropterus punctulatus: spotted bass. This bass was introduced into Lake Kemp several years ago, and was at one time fairly common. It did not spread to other parts of the river system and has steadily declined in numbers until, at present, it is un- common Sport fishermen often report taking this fish, usually termed "Kentucky jumper," but most specimens proved, on examination, to be highly colored largemouth bass. Micro pterus salmoides: largemouth black bass. Although a few black bass live in the "sweet-water" pools at the sources of the river, none is found in the more saline parts of the upper river be- [ 45 tween the "sweet-water pools and Lake Kemp. From Lake Kemp downstream, throughout the length of the river, the im- poundment lakes, and the larger tributaries, the black bass is moderately common and greatly sought by fishermen. Indeed, it is the most prized game species in the Big Wichita River system. Black bass weighing seven pounds and more are not rare in the impoundment lakes, but the average fish taken by anglers prob- ably weighs little more than one pound. Chaenobryttus gulosus: warmouth. The warmouth is a sluggish-water fish and is not common in the clear, saline waters of the Big Wichita River system. We found one colony in the plunge pool beneath the Lake Kemp dam, another in the plunge pool be- neath the Lake Diversion dam, and another large colony in Holliday Creek and Lake Wichita. A few individuals of one pound or more in weight are taken in Lake Wichita by sport fishermen. Lepomis auritus: yellowbelly sunfish. This species is apparently not native to the drainage area of the Big Wichita River. Our only record is of a fish taken in a routine seine haul in Lake Diver- sion. We can only imagine that it was accidentally introduced to the lake in some way, perhaps with some hatchery-raised black bass. Lepomis cyanellus: green sunfish. The green sunfish has a broad range of tolerance to environmental conditions, broader than that of any other predacious fish in the Big Wichita River sys- tem. It is able to live in waters showing considerable variation in temperature, salinity and turbidity. Indeed, it is almost ubiquitous, and is found from the headwater springs through the river system, including impoundment lakes and most tribu- taries. It is usually considered a pest by anglers, for its large mouth and voracious habits make it a great bait thief. The usual cost of minnows is three to five cents each, and the depredations of green sunfish can reach considerable cost in a short time. The sunfish itself rarely exceeds three inches in length in these waters and is not large enough to be considered food by most anglers.

Lepomis hum ills: orangespotted sunfish. This small, brightly-colored sunfish is rarely seen by sport fishermen. It is usually uncommon in the Big Wichita River system, but is widespread. It seems to be absent from the upper river but we took a few specimens in almost every other part, including the impoundment lakes and major tributaries.

Lepomis macrochirus: bluegill sunfish. A few bluegills of small size were found in the "sweet-water" pools at the head of the North [46 ) Fork but the species was not found elsewhere in the upper river. In the impoundment lakes the species is abundant, and some individuals of a pound or so in weight are taken by sport fisher- men. Except for these rare specimens, the bluegills of the im- poundment and the river are small, the average large specimen weighing less than a quarter-pound. The bluegill is not a sport species in local waters.

Lepomis megalotis: longear sunfish. The distribution and habits of this sunfish are similar to those of the bluegill. A few specimens were taken in the "sweet-water" pools at the river source, but none were found elsewhere in the upper river. From Lake Kemp downstream through the river, impoundment lakes, and unpol- luted tributaries, it is common to abundant. It usually outnum- bers the bluegill wherever the two species occur together. One longear sunfish from Lake Diversion weighed almost a pound, but no others were seen that measured more than four inches in length.

Lepomis microlophus: redear sunfish. Our few records of this sunfish are all of large fishes and are from scattered localities. We found no young specimens. Probably all taken were released hatchery stock and it would seem that the species does not reproduce suc- cessfully in our waters.

Pomoxis annularis: white crappie. Except for a small population isolated in Cottonwood Creek, the upper river is free of crappie. From Lake Kemp downstream, the crappie is common to abun- dant, especially in the impoundment lakes. The crappie is one of the most important game fishes in the area and great num- bers are taken by sport fishermen, especially in winter. Some crappie weighing more than four pounds come from the im- poundment lakes, though the average "keeper" crappie weighs little more than one pound.

Family Percidae

Perches and Darters

Percina caprodes: logperch. This is the only member of the wide- spread darter group to occur in the drainage area of the Big Wichita River. The species seems unable to stand high salinity and occurs only in Holliday Creek and Lake Wichita. This population, isolated by the saline waters of the main river, has evolved into a strongly marked local race. The species is of no economical importance. Some fishermen who have tried to use logperch for bait remarked that the fish was "too tough to stick the hook through." [ 47 ) Family Sciaenidae Drum, Weakfishes, etc. Aplodinotus grunniens: freshwater drum. The drum is absent from the upper river but is abundant from Lake Kemp downstream, in the river, the impoundment lakes and major tributaries. In spite of its abundance it is not taken in corresponding numbers by sport fishermen. Anglers rarely seek the drum, even though it attains a weight of more than 40 pounds on occasion. Most drum are caught incidental to "catfishing." The drum is a fine foodfish, and most fish taken are eaten. Sciaenops ocellata: redfish. Experimental introduction of this popular salt water game fish was begun in 1954, when a small number were placed in Lake Kemp. Results of this stocking remain to be determined. Cynoscion nebulosus: speckled trout or spotted weakfish. Small num- bers of this excellent food and sport fish were introduced from the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Kemp in 1955. Results of the experi- mental stocking remain to be determined. HYPOTHETICAL LIST Notropis blennius: river shiner. Recorded from the Red River, and might therefore be expected in at least the lower Big Wichita River. We searched for this fish and failed to find it. Notropis boops: bigeye shiner. Another form recorded from the Red River (by Knapp, 1953) which we failed to find in the Big Wichita River. Notropis fumeus: ribbon shiner. Recorded from the Red River by Knapp (1953) and earlier (unpublished MS.) from the Big Wichita River. We believe the old reports were based on speci- mens of the superficially similar Notropis oxyrhynchus, which is present in the Big Wichita River but apparently was overlooked by earlier workers. Ictalurus natalis: yellow bullhead. This species is present locally in non-saline waters of North-central Texas, but we found none in the waters of the Big Wichita River system. Schilbeodes gyrinus: tadpole madtom. Like the yellow bullhead, this tiny catfish is resident in North-central Texas but apparently avoids the saline waters of the Big Wichita River system. Anguilla rostrata: American eel. We have received persistent reports of eels taken by fishermen in waters of the Big Wichita River system but have been unable to verify these reports. It is not at all impossible that an occasional eel might ascend the Red River and so enter the Big Wichita system. [ 48 ) QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE FISH POPULATION OF THE BIG WICHITA RIVER SYSTEM Quantitative studies of the fish populations of various parts of the Big Wichita River system were made by several means. At the nine stations along the river itself, fish samples were based on approxi- mately equal seining effort. These samples, taken monthly, are pre- sented in detail so that seasonal distribution and possible migratory tendencies might be shown. Elsewhere, the fishes are separated into "large and important" forms, which classification includes rough fishes and game species together, and "forage fishes," or fishes of the minnow or sunfish type. Forms of rare or casual occurrence are ex- cluded.

Table 15. Monthly Variation in Species and Numbers of Fishes at Hackberry Station, 1954-55

Species 7/19 8/5 9/11 9,25 10/21 11/26 1 /6 2/4 3/4 4/17 5/7

Hybopsis aestivalis 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Phenacobius mirabilis 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 4 .0 0 Nottopis bairdi 12 16 0 0 23 7 26 28 7 7 5 Notropis lutrensis 102 32 140 66 223 58 117 222 21 91 61 Notropis oxyrhynchus 0 11 1 2 0 0 3 2 0 4 1 Notropis pot/eni 0 2 0 0 10 0 0 2 2 0 1 Hybognathus placita 13 0 0 0 27 37 2 1 6 0 0 Pimephales promelas 98 0 37 0 0 1 0 0 3 66 3 Pimephales vigilax 44 38 0 104 66 40 15 18 10 0 19 Ictalurus me/as 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fundulus kansae 14 16 36 32 0 16 4 7 21 31 22 Cyprinodon rubrofluviatilis 1 11 0 9 5 6 2 9 6 14 7 Gambusia affinis 5 3 14 4 19 0 0 0 3 0 0 Micropterus salmoides 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lepomis cyanellus 27 8 14 26 82 12 0 11 2 6 14 Lepomis macrochirus 0 3 4 1 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lepomis megalotis 2 4 13 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0

Table 16. Monthly Variation in Species and Numbers of Fishes Taken at Johnson Oil Field Station, 1954-55

Species 7/19 8/5 9/11 9/25 10/21 11/26 1/16 2/4 3/4 4/17 5/7

Hybopsis aestivalis 0 1 4 1 0 8 2 3 7 9 3 Notropis bairdi 7 24 10 10 30 31 263 492 61 9 28 Notropis lutrensis 6 9 1 1 2 4 2 0 0 1 0 Notropis oxyrhynchus 13 1 0 0 0 16 3 3 2 1 0 Notropis polleni 0 0 13 11 0 0 2 3 0 2 3 Hybognathus placita 5 10 28 38 5 0 7 0 1 16 11 Pimephates vigilax 0 1 0 0 0 11 0 0 3 0 0 Fundulus kansae 4 49 393 262 216 119 30 221 121 62 41 Cyprinodon rubrofluviatilis 33 49 99 103 113 64 16 4 88 31 18 Gambusia affinis 4 5 6 1 4 14 0 3 0 0 0 Lepomis cyanellus 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[ 49 1 Table 17. Monthly Variation in Species and Numbers of Fishes at Crowell Station, 1954-55

, Species 6/18 7/23 8/4 9/41010119 12 5 1/16 2/6 3/7 4/23 5/8

Dorosoma cepedianum 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cyprinus carpio 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hybopsis aestivalis 7 5 6 12 5 14 2 17 7 17 3 11 Notropis bairdi 13 22 14 1 6 11 26 41 27 28 26 14 Notropis lutrensis 22 77 16 2 9 3 4 9 0 0 4 0 Notropis oxyrhynchus 23 59 21 30 30 9 7 2 5 11 19 42 Notropis pot/en i 0 4 1 7 2 2 0 0 0 3 4 11 Hybognathus placita 26 7 32 19 28 35 41 39 0 3 4 16 Pinzephales promelas 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pimephales vigitax 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 Fundulus kansae 166 203 61 131 92 75 67 167 185 87 31 39 CuprinoCon rubrolluviatilis 27 24 25 17 20 34 191 59 33 22 14 40 Gambusia affinis 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lepornis cyanellus 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Table 18. Monthly Variation in Species and Numbers of Fishes at Guthrie Station, 1954-55

Species 7 19 8,5 9/11 9 / 25 10i21 11/2612/101/6 2/4 3,12 4 17 5/7

Dorosoma cepedianum 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Notropis bairdi 0 3 0 0 0 9 5 0 6 7 11 0 Notropis lutrensis 59 35 46 104 18 23 11 13 12 2 4 14 Notropis oxyrhynchus 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 Notropis pot/en i 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hybognathus placita 0 16 1 4 0 0 14 3 6 0 14 4 Pimephates promelas 64 87 165 122 32 27 21 43 145 67 38 28 letalurus rnelas 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fundulus kansae 71 56 20 75 418 18 23 6 5 21 61 36 Cyprinodon rubrofluviatilis 27 21 6 15 276 53 321 121 212 81 20 9 Gambusia affinis 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Lepomis cyaliellus 21 9 11 7 26 0 1 0 0 0 .0 0

Table 19. Monthly Variation in Species and Numbers of Fishes at Benjamin Station, 1954-55

Species 6 18 7 23 84 9 410 1011 9 125 1/16 2/6 37 423 5/8

Dorosona cepediamini 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hybops's aestivalis 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Notropis bairdi 5 167 56 25 2 0 0 1 34 35 22 5 Notropis lutrensis 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Notropis oxyrhynchus 1 0 11 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Notropis potter i 0 0 0 46 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Hybognathus placita 26 4 19 55 407 429 46 1 0 24 9 0 Pirnephales vigilax 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fundulus kansae 51 118 50 14 63 39 14 14 17 4 31 9 Cyprinodon rubrolluviatilis 47 20 32 32 66 54 21 3 0 0 9 • 0

50 Table 20. Monthly Variation in Species and Numbers of Fishes Take at Lake Kemp Dam Station, 1954-55

Species 6/13 8/10 9 /1 10.26 11,18 12 23 1 '6 221 3/1 4/11 5/18

Dorosoma cepedianum 80 2 2 0 1 6 8 8 12 48 17 Ictiobus bubalus 4 0 2 0 0 6 3 2 9 2 0 Carpiodes carpio 2 0 0 10 1 4 2 1 4 15 0 Cyprinus carpio 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 Phenacobiu.s mirabilis 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Notropis bairdi 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 0 Notropis buchanani 11 0 0 0 4 0 0 7 3 40 17 Notropis deliciosus 0 0 0 0 1 0 18 0 2 0 0 Notropis lutrensis 121 36 65 38 81 0 46 2 20 23 61 Notropis oxyrhynchus 0 0 17 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 Notropis percobromtzs 3 0 0 6 43 0 0 0 0 0 3 Notropis pollen i 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pimephales vigilax 57 21 37 22 60 0 12 72 17 19 30 Ictaturus punctutus 12 11 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Fundulus kansae 39 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 Cyprinodon rubrofluviatilis 5 0 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 Gambusia allinis 15 21 4 0 33 0 0 0 10 0 0 Roccus chrysops 0 0 20 9 5 1 3 0 1 3 0 Micropterus salmoides 0 1 1 1 3 6 0 1 3 7 0 Chaenobryttus gulosus 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Leporni.s cyanellus 1 0 6 6 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Lepornis hurnilis 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 Lepomis macrochirus 46 0 8 8 0 0 0 2 36 21 0 Lepomis megalotis 59 3 11 30 0 0 0 0 9 0 1 Pomoxis attnularis 11 0 8 16 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 Aptodinotus grunniens 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Table 21. Monthly Variation in Species and Number of Fishes at Diversion Dam Station, 1954-55

Specics 6 1 66 77 82 916 P7 111712/9 1;17 2 22 32 4/6 5/25

, 1,, pisosteus ossens 25 0 0 11 8 5 6 0 0 1 0 0 0 Dorosoma cepedianum 1 1 3 0 10 45 11 0 3 1 12 4 0 0 lUc 1af alosoides 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ictiobas bubalus 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CaTiodes carpi° 11 0 0 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 ,inas carpi° 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 P'>eorrcobins mirabilis 0 0 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Notropis buchanzmi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Notrop's eliciosus 0 0 0 5 7 11 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 84 0 34 28 55 0 11 0 26 58 36 26 Notrops Iilrensis- - Notr >pis pe cotr o-nus 0 2 0 0 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Not oois ootteri 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 H lb yrnathas Narita 0 0 0 0 0 12 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 Pimephales vipilax 0 4 0 11 212 68 0 1 0 1 0 20 0 Ictulurus punctatus 0 0 4 6 11 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Funduhts knnsae 0 6 0 4 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Gambusia ajJinis 0 2 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 9 0 0 Rorrus chrysops 1 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Micropoterus salmoides 0 7 5 5 1 1 3 0 0 4 1 0 1 Chaenobryttus gulosus 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 Lepomis czyznellas 4 17 8 16 4 26 0 9 0 1 0 1 0 Lepomis humilis 0 2 0 2 0 0 3 0 ( 0 0 10 0 Lepomis macrochirus 5 9 35 15 21 1 22 3 0 1 1 2 0 Lepomis megalotis 1 4 6 63 :37 17 6 12 0 1 2 0 0 Lepomis microlophus 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pomoxis annularis 1 0 6 4 0 1 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 A plodinotus grunniens 0 0 19 37 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 [511 Table 22. Monthly Variation in Species and Numbers of Fishes at Deadman Bridge Station, 1954-55

Species 6/24 7/13 8/3 9/27 10/19 11/16 12/7 1/7 2/17 3/8 4/19

Dorosoma cepedianurn 2 9 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Carpiodes carpio 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Cyprinus carpio 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Phenacobius mirabilis 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Notropis bairdi 1 1 0 1 2 7 0 0 0 0 1 Notropis lutrensis 201 128 330 80 128 16 11 66 78 34 63 Notropis oxyrhynchus 0 0 0 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Notropis percobromus 14 0 15 17 14 21 33 10 11 7 6 Notropis pollen i 0 0 4 0 1 0 7 2 0 0 0 Notropis venustus 2 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hybognathus placita 2 1 242 1 6 0 6 0 3 0 0 Pimephales promelas 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pimephales vigitax 15 12 27 31 14 14 19 14 12 9 30 Ictalurus punctatus 0 1 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 Cyprinodon rubrolluviatilis 0 1 6 6 3 16 0 0 0 0 0 Gambusia affinis 0 3 0 61 26 5 0 8 0 0 0 Roccus chrysops 0 0 4 11 4 0 3 0 0 0 0 Lepomis cyanellus 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lepomis megatotis 1 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pomoxis annularis 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Aptodinotus grunniens 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Table 23. Monthly Variation in Species and Numbers of Fishes at Byers Bridge Station, 1954-55

Species 6,24 7/23 8/6 9 /14 9/21 10/13 11/16 12/8 1 /7 2/17 3/8 3/30 4/6

Lepisosteus osseus 1 0 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 119 4 Lepisosteus platostomus 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Dorosoma cepedianum 69 138 19 10 7 0 4 1 0 0 0 2 0 Hiodon alosoides 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Ictiobus bubalus 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 1 Carpiodes carpio 0 4 34 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 15 20 Cyprinus carpio 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hybopsis aestivalis 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 0 0 Hybopsis storeriana 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Phenacobius mirabilis 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 No/ropis bairdi 0 4 9 0 1 0 16 3 53 0 6 0 0 Notropis lutrensis 35 86 131 6 136 59 110 41 28 0 0 0 9 Notropis oxyrhynchus 0 50 114 3 2 0 8 1 0 1 0 0 4 Notropis percobromus 0 0 18 2 16 7 26 11 0 2 26 0 14 Notropis pollen i 0 0 11 0 0 0 1 1 17 5 0 0 0 Hybognathus placita 0 318 253 326 23 112 143 77 14 5 33 0 7 Pimephales vigilax 0 0 0 13 0 0 0 3 6 3 9 0 5 Ictalurus rnelas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Ictalurus punctatus 0 1 3 0 6 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Gambusia affinis 0 0 21 40 141 0 21 11 0 0 0 4 2 Roccus chrysops 0 0 22 5 9 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 Lepomis cyanellus 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lepomis humilis 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lepomis rnacrochirus 0 1 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 Lepomis megalotis 1 3 2 3 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pomoxis annularis 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Aplodinotus grunniens 0 0 7 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

[ 52 Table 24. Percentage Composition and Sex Ratios of the Larger Fishes Taken in the Big Wichita River, 1954-55

Species % of Total Number Number % Males % Females

Lepisosteus osseus 193 23 1 59 41 Dorosorna cepedianum 240 28.7 57 43 Hiodon alosoides 3 3 100 Ictiobus bubalus 50 6.0 54 46 Carpiodes carpio 95 11 4 52 48 Cyprinus carpio 11 1.3 55 45 letaturus punctatus 50 6.0 58 42 Roccus chrysops 60 7.2 38 62 Micropterus solmoides 31 3.7 34 66 Pornoxis annularis 38 4.5 47 53 A plodinotus grunniens 65 7.8 34 66 -- -- - Totals 836 100.0

Table 25. Percentage Composition and Sex Ratios of Large and Important Species of Fishes from Lake Kemp, as Determined from Gill Nets Only, June 15, 1953 through May 31, 1954

% of Total Species Number Number % Males % Females

Lepisosteus produrtus 40 4.0 37 63 Dorosoma cepedianum 222 22.1 36 64 Carpiodes carpio 428 42.7 52 48 Cyprinus carpio 61 6.1 50 50 Irtalurus punctatus 39 3.9 44 56 Roccus chrysops 79 7.9 47 53 Micropterus salmoides 15 1.5 37 63 Pornoxis annularis 111 11.0 43 57 A plodinotus grunniens 8 0.8 87 13 ------Totals 1,003 100.0

Table 26. Percentage Composition and Sex Ratios of Large and Important Species of Fishes from Lake Diversion, as Determined from Gill Nets Only, June 15, 1953 through May 31, 1954

r/i. of Total Species Number Number % Males % Females

Lepisosteus osseus 73 4.9 44 56 Lepisosteus platostomus 5 0.3 60 40 Lepisosteus productus 6 0.4 33 67 Dorosoma cepedianurn 443 29.9 51 49 Ictiobus bubalus 185 12.5 71 29 Carpiodes carpio 287 19.4 60 40 Cyprinus carpio 42 2.8 51 49 Ictalurus punctatus 38 2.6 37 63 Roccus chrysops 206 13.9 52 48 Micropterus salmoides 41 2.8 22 78 Pomoxis annularis 107 7.2 49 51 Aplodinotus grunniens 49 3.3 37 63 -- - Totals 1,482 100.0

[53) Table 27. Percentage Composition and Sex Ratios of Large Fishes from Lake Wichita Taken in Gill Nets, June 1, 1954 through May 31, 1955

% of Total Speci2s Number Number % Males % Femr 1.-ts

Lepisosteus osseus 105 9.8 75 25 Lepisosteus platostomus 36 3.3 53 47 Lepisosteus productus 9 .8 44 56 Dorosoma cepedianum 178 16.5 33 67 Jellabas cyprinellus 7 .7 100 .. Ictiobus bubalus 226 21.0 84 16 Carpiodes carpi° 173 16.1 57 43 Cyprinus carpio 40 3.7 60 40 Ictalurus pundatus 4 .4 75 25 Ictalurus melas 14 1.3 50 50 Roccus chrysops 121 11.2 46 54 Micropterus salmoides 32 3.0 34 66 Pomoxis annularis 86 8.0 42 58 Aplodinolus grunniens 45 4.2 33 67 - - - Totals 1,076 100.0

Table 28. Rough Fishes Taken in Survey Gill Nets from Lake Wichita, June 1, 1954 through May 31, 1955

% of Total Weight % of Total Average Species Number Number (lbs.) Weight Wt. (lbs.)

Gars (all species) 150 19.4 931.9 22.8 2.2 Gizzard Shad 178 23.0 292.6 15.4 1.6 Buffalos (2 species) 233 30.1 731.4 38.5 3.1 River Carpsucker 173 22.3 383.7 20.2 2.2 European Carp 40 5.2 58.2 3.1 1.5 -- -- TOTALS 774 100.0 1,897.8 100.0

Table 29. Rough Fishes Taken by Commercial Fisherman C. E. Walston in Lake Wichita, February 1, through April 30, 1955

% of Total Weight % of Total Average Species Number Number (lbs.) Weight Wt. (lbs,)

Gars (all species) 387 3.6 2,309 6.6 6.0 Gizzard Shad 3,649 33.4 7,936 22.7 2.2 Buffalos (2 species) 3,282 30.0 13,947 39.9 4.3 River Carpsucker 3,534 32.3 10,062 29.1 2.8 European Carp 75 .7 645 1.7 8.6

TOTALS 10,927 100.0 34,899 100.0

[541 Table 30. Weights, Percentage Composition by Weight and Average Weights of Larger Fishes Taken in the Big Wichita River, June 1 1954 through May 31, 1955

Weight % of Total Average Species (lbs.) Weight Wt. (lbs.)

Lepisosteus osseus 710.8 61.6 3.7 Dorosoma cepedianum 144.0 12.5 .6 Iliodon alosoides 2.1 .2 .7 Ictiobus bubalus 88.1 7.6 1.7 Carpiodes carpio 86.4 7.5 .9 Cyprinus carpio 23.2 2.0 2.1 Idahaus punctatus 34.7 3.0 .7 Roccus chrysops 14.9 1.3 .2 Micropterus salmoides 21.7 1.9 .7 Pomoxis annularis 7.2 .6 .5 Aplodinotus grunniens 20.3 1.8 .3 - TOTALS 1,153.4 100.0

Table 31. Weights, Percentage Composition by Weight, and Average Weights of Large and Important Fishes from Lake Kemp, as Determined from Gill Nets, June 15, 1953 through May 31, 1954

Weight % of Total Average Species (lbs.) Weight Wt. (lbs.)

Lepisosteus productus 99.74 10.7 2.49 Lepisosteus platostomus 8.14 .8 2.71 Dorosoma cepedianum 56.60 6.1 .24 Carpiodes carpio 530.00 56.8 1.20 Cyprinus carpio 61.58 6.6 1.01 Ictalurus punctatus 33.30 3.6 .86 Roccus chrysops 43.31 4.6 .54 Micropterus salmoides 41.08 4.4 2.74 Pomoxis annularis 33.44 3.6 .30 Aplodindus grunniens 26.15 2.8 3.27* - TOTALS 933.34 100.0

*Includes one very large specimen, weight 25.5 lbs. Table 32. Weights, Percentage Composition by Weight, and Average Weights of Large and Important Fishes from Lake Diversion, as Determined from Gill Nets, June 15, 1953 through May 31, 1954

Weight % of Total Average Species (lbs.) Weight Wt. (lbs.)

Lepisosteus osseus 228.23 15.9 3.99 Lepisosteus platostomus 12.60 .7 2.52 Lepisosteus produthis 11.27 .6 1.88 Dorosoma cepedianum 277.86 15.4 .63 Idiobus bubalus 455.56 25.2 2.47 Carpiodes carpio 360.94 19.9 1.27 Cyprinus carpio 81.44 4.5 1.94 Ictaturus punctatus 51.56 2.8 1.36 Roccus chrysops 150.62 8.3 .73 Micropterus salmoides 45.08 2.5 1.10 Pomoxis annularis 45.06 2.5 .42 Aplodinotus grunniens 31.09 1.7 .63 -- - TOTALS 1,751.31 100.0 [55) Table 33. Weights, Percentage Composition by Weight, and Average Weights of Larger Fishes from Lake Wichita Taken in Gill Nets, June 1, 1954 through May 31, 1955

Weight % of Total Average Species (lbs.) Weight Wt. (l is.)

Lepisosteus osseus 356.5 16.7 3.4 Lepisosteus platostomus 63 1 3.0 1 6 Lepisosteus productus 12.3 .6 1 4 Dorosonta cepedianum 292.6 13.7 1.6 Ictiobus cyprinellus 26.5 1.2 3.8 Ictiobus bubalus 704.9 33.0 3.2 Carpiodes carpi° 383.7 17.9 2.2 Cyprinus carpio 58.2 2.7 1.5 Ictaturus punctatus 9.4 .4 2.4 Ictalurus melas 20.4 1.0 1.5 Roccus chrysops 103.9 4.9 .9 Micropterus salmoides 26.1 1.2 .8 Pomoxis annularis 30.7 1.4 .4 Aplodinotus grunniens 49.8 2.3 1.1 - TOTALS 2,138.1 100.0

Table 34. Percentage Composition of Forage Fishes from the Impoundment Lakes

Lake Lake Lake Species Kemp Diversion Wichita

Astyanax fasciatus .10 Notemigonus crysoleucas 4.10 Phenacobius mirabilis .16 Pintephates vigilax .79 • 9.96 1.40 Ilybognathus placita 22.15 1.85 30 Notropis bairdi 1.20 Notropis buchanani 10.12 5.64 5.00 Notropis deliciosus .20 .05 Notropis lutrensis 48.84 67.32 44.40 Notropis oxyrhynchtzs 11.23 Ilybopsis aestivalis .40 Fundulus kansae 2.24 .20 Cyprinodon rubrofluviatilis .29 1.89 Gambusia affinis .46 1.11 10.80 Chaenobryttus gulosus 1.10 Lepomis cyanellus .25 5.50 Lepomis humilis .17 1.00 Lepomis macrochirus 1.61 5.35 16.10 Lepomis megalotis .50 5.93 9.90 Lepomis microlophus .12 Percina caprodes 05

TOTALS 100.00 99.98 99.80

Based on random seine samples that included 2.412 fishes from Lake Kemp, 2,430 fishes from Lake Diversion and 2.008 fishes from Lake Wichita.

[56) POLLUTION OF THE BIG WICHITA RIVER Domestic pollution of the Big Wichita River is nominal. The larger communities along the river have effective sewage treatment plants and the waters of the effluent ditches are of good quality. (Table 2, numbers 69, 91, 92) . A few farms and small tourist courts may dispose of sewage directly into the river, but the amount of such material is slight and probably oxidizes rapidly. The garbage dump of the city of Iowa Park is located on the banks of the river in such a manner that rain water may percolate through the garbage and then drain into the river. A few individuals also dump trash beside or into the river when they think their actions will pass unnoticed. Hard objects such as tin cans, old automobile tires, etc., are un- sightly and last a long time, but probably have little effect on the fish population. The most serious domestic pollution results from emptying the "sludge," or materials removed in clarifying the drinking water of the city of Wichita Falls into Holliday Creek, a tributary of the river. This sludge is a gray muck that forms unsightly bars in the river below the mouth of Holliday Creek and creates conditions in which game fish do not live. The sludge contains little organic matter and, in small quantities, at least, does not seem to be toxic to fishes. Industrial pollution in the form of oil field salt brine is a char- acteristic feature of the Big Wichita River and has continued for nearly fifty years. The great numbers of oil wells located on the drainage area of the Big Wichita River all produce a certain amount of salt water, in addition to petroleum. Qualitatively, these salts are quite similar to the salts of the natural springs emerging from the Blain Formation at the headwater streams of the river. As a result, the addition of the oil field brine to the already saline natural waters simply augments the salt burden of the river without changing the relative proportions of the salts present. The relative amounts of salt contributed by natural springs, as compared with the amount of salts contributed by oil well brine, cannot be estimated in the upper river. Many of the oil wells on the upper river, such as those of the Johnson Oil Field, have injection systems, and the salt water is pumped back into the earth at the level from which it was withdrawn. This salt water will not again reach the surface of the earth in the foreseeable future. A great deal of salt from oil wells on the South Fork does reach the river, but, as explained elsewhere, much of the water and salt of the South Fork fails to reach the main river. There are no natural springs producing excessive salt water in the lower river, however, and there the pollution resulting from oil well brine can easily be determined. There are no salt springs between Diversion Dam Station and Deadman Bridge Station, but the Kay- may Oil Field is located between these stations. If the water quality at Diversion Dam Station (Table 11) is compared with the water 57 1 quality at Deadman Bridge Station (Table 12) , it is seen that the chlorides and total salts average between two and three times greater at the latter station. The bulk of this increase is industrial pollution from the Kaymay Oil Field. Concentration by evaporation accounts for only a small amount of the increase. The effect of salt pollution on fishes is difficult to determine. Since the Big Wichita River is naturally a saline stream, fishes native to it are adapted to saline conditions. Further, tolerance to salt varies in different species of fishes. Even some of the less-tolerant forms can endure a rather high salt concentration, but are unable to stand a sudden change in salt concentration. In general, it was found that in the Big Wichita River, small fishes of the "minnow" type are most resistant to salt. The pupfish (Cyprinodon rubrofluviatilis) and plains killifish (Fundulus kansae) can stand astonishingly high salt concen- tration, several times higher than sea water. Plains minnows (Hybog- nathus placita), speckled chub (Hybopsis aestivalis) and several species of shiners (Notropis) thrive when the chloride content of the water is in excess of 10,000 parts per million. Of the larger fishes, only the gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) and European carp (Cyprinus carpio) naturally entered waters this salty. We did not find any of the popular game fishes, such as black bass, white bass, crappie, cat- fishes or drum in waters where the chloride content averaged as much as 2,000 parts per million. Occasionally, a light rain after a period of drought will gather accumulated salt from the watershed of the upper river and wash it into the head of Lake Kemp. This sudden influx of salt causes the death of great numbers of fish. These fish kills are marked by relatively great numbers of game species killed in com- parison with the numbers of rough fishes. Thus is seems that the salt not only kills the game fishes and keeps them out of otherwise suit- able waters, but it also may favor the undesirable rough fishes which have a naturally higher tolerance to salt. There seems to be little industrial pollution of the Big Wichita River, other than that caused by oil field brine, except in and near the city of Wichita Falls. Even here, pollution is slight under most conditions. There is occasional surreptitious dumping of waste ma- terials such as spoiled milk, etc., into the river or drainage channels leading to the river. More serious is the occasional accidental release or escape of detergents, petroleum products or by-products, from refineries, oil lines, business concerns, railroad roundhouses, etc. In instances where repetition of such accidents indicated lack of concern or inadequate facilities, court action has been brought or threatened by state game wardens. As a result, such accidental pollution is rare, but when some such instances do occur, the results are disastrous to the fish population of the lower river. In some cases, pollution deci- mated the fish population of the lower river and even extended into the Red River of Oklahoma. Numerous crude oil pipe lines cross the Big Wichita River, and these sometimes break, causing a serious and long-lasting but subtle [ 58) pollution. Opportunity to study such pollution was offered when, on March 17, 1955, an oil line leading to a refinery just east of Wichita Falls broke, and released several hundred barrels of oil directly into the river. The oil ignited, or was ignited, and burned fiercely for several hours. Immediate damage was caused to fish life by the oil and fire, but greater damage, extending over a period of months, was caused by the floating blobs of oil. As the oil slowly oxidized, it gath- ered dust and debris until its specific gravity was greater than that of the water, and the blobs sank. There they adhered to the bottom mud or sand, smothering and killing animals and plant life under and near them. As the dead organisms decayed, bubbles formed and were trapped beneath the oil blobs until these were torn loose and floated to the surface again. The rise of the oil blobs through the water relieved the pressure on the bubbles on their undersides, and the blobs expanded until, at or near the surface, the expanding bubbles overturned the oil blobs causing them to spill their bubbles and give off a film of volatile oil before sinking again to repeat the process. At each rise and the following sinking, the oil blobs were floated a few yards downstream. Two months after the breaking of the pipe line, oil blobs were still rising and sinking at Petrolia Bridge Station. Eventually, the oil was oxidized to an asphalt, and the in- cluded dust and debris increased its weight until it remained on the bottom after approximately four months.

SILTATION AND EROSION OF THE WATERSHED OF THE BIG WICHITA RIVER Study of the surface rocks and soils of the watershed of the Big Wichita River reveals a similar general pattern throughout the area. The underlying rocks are of Permian age, consisting of some shales and sandstones, but principally of soft red clays and silts with beds and stringers of gypsum. These are, in most areas, directly overlain by sands and gravels of Pleistocene age. These deposits contain, in some places, abundant remains of large mammals. The presence of mammoth bones, and absence of bison bones, indicates an early- middle Pleistocene age for these deposits. These older beds are di- rectly overlain by Recent earth containing bones of buffalo and ante- lope, along with arrowheads and worked flints. Interpretation of the described sequence indicates a brief period of deposition in the early-middle Pleistocene, followed by, perhaps, a period of a half-million years when no soils were deposited (except for local gravel beds that are terraces of the river and contain bones of later Pleistocene animals) . The Recent seems to be the only other major period of deposition in later earth history. Examination of these Recent deposits is also informative. The soils are "fluffy" and largely wind-deposited. Exposed on their sur- faces are skeletal elements of buffalo and worked flints. Remains of cattle and other modern animals are not found in the ground except where actually buried by man or landslides. Thus, it would appear [ 59 ) Figure 15. Erosion on the headwaters of the South Fork of the Big Wichita River, in Knox County. As a result of overgrazing and poor land use, the prairie soils (dark upper layer) have croded away, exposing beds of silt, sand and gravel of the Seymour Formation. As the soil washes away from the roots of the mesquite trees the mesquites die and are replaced by the more resistant cedars (green vegetation on left of photo). The silts contribute to the turbidity of the river and siltation of the basins of the reservoirs farther downstream. that the depositional history of the Recent has been reversed in the last hundred years, and we are again in an erosional period. This erosion is caused by wind and is probably the result of overgrazing and poor land use. Wind erosion decreases or removes the vegetative cover, permitting swift water erosion of gullies and canyons. Most of the upper river furnishes striking examples of this. The cedar brakes are virtual "bad- lands," of barren spires, knife-edged ridges and naked basins. In many areas, the Recent and Pleistocene deposits have been removed, leav- ing the soft, barren, red Permian clays and silts exposed for dozens of square miles. Almost no vegetation will grow on the saline Per- mian soils. The result of the rapid gulley erosion is extreme siltation of the river. After every heavy rain, the river flows red with silt. The dis- solved salts cause rapid flocculation of the silt and its deposition in the bed of the slower-moving parts of the river and in the impound- ment lakes. This soft mud bottom is unsuited to game fishes but can be utilized by the rough fishes, thus giving them an advantage in their competition with the game species. In the arid watershed of the upper river, the value of the land is so low that there is a tendency to gain as much from its use as it possible. Reclamation of the erosion-damaged land is economically unfeasible for the landowners. In some areas, we have noted half- hearted attempts to stop headward erosion of gullies by placing brush or other debris in the arroyos. Only intensive effort and rigid control of grazing can restore the uplands and control the erosion.

RECOMMENDATIONS The Big Wichita River is a naturally saline stream and will remain so. Nevertheless, much can be done to reduce the salinity of the water of the river, and the value of the river and its impoundments for sport fishing will be in proportion to this reduction. The major source of salts that can be eliminated is oil field pollution. Insistence that all oil wells have reinjection equipment, and forbidding the use of surface storage of brine in pits, along with strict enforcement of these regulations, would eventually result in the elimination of more than half of the salt in the lower river and a considerable, but unde- termined amount, from the upper river and impoundment lakes. Most of the salt and much of the gypsum can be kept from enter- ing the impoundment lakes by diverting or detouring the upper river. The river might be canaled around the lakes to the lower river. This would ruin the lower river for sport fishing, but the re- sultant increase in the sport fisheries of the impoundment lakes would more than make up for this loss. The waters of the upper river might be pumped to another watershed or to a large evaporating basin. Such projects would be undertaken by agencies desiring to improve the water quality for agricultural or industrial use, or even as a [ 611 supply of drinking water. Regardless of the purpose, the sport fish- eries would benefit from the reduction of salinity of the water. Until the salinity of the Big Wichita River is reduced, its waters offer a fertile field for experimentation with the introduction of salt water game fishes into saline inland waters. If one or more of the popular salt water game fishes can be established and maintained in the river or its impoundments, it might prove even more popular than the native game species. Lastly, good land management should be encouraged on the water- shed of the river, to prevent siltation of the river and impoundment lakes.

{ 62 ]. LITERATURE CITED

Blair, W. Frank. 1950. The biotic provinces of Texas. Texas Journal of Science, 2:93-117.

Bonn, E. W. and Robert J. Kemp. 1952. Additional records of fresh-water fishes from Texas. Copeia 1952 (3) :204-205.

Jurgens, Kenneth C. and Clark Hubbs. 1953. A checklist of Texas fresh-water fishes. Texas Game and Fish, 11:12-15.

Knapp, Frank T. 1953. Fishes found in the fresh waters of Texas. Ragland Studio and Litho Printing Co., Brunswick, Georgia, pp. i-viii, 1-166, illus- trated.

Lewis, Leo D. and Walter W. Dalquest. 1954. Inventory of the species of fishes present in Lake Kemp, Texas. Texas Game and Fish Commission, Austin, Texas, Federal Aid Completion Report, F-7-R-I, Job B-1, pp. 1-8 (multilithed) .

. 1954. Inventory of the species of fishes present in Lake Diversion, Texas. Texas Game and Fish Commission, Austin, Texas, Federal Aid Completion Report, F-7-R-1, Job B-2, pp. 1-9 (multilithed) .

. 1954. Laboratory and statistical analyses of materials and data collected in the field. Texas Game and Fish Commission, Austin, Texas, Federal Aid Completion Report, F-7-R-1, Job B-4, pp. 1-25 (mul- tilithed) .

1954. Pollution studies of the waters of lakes Kemp, Diversion and Kickapoo, Region 1-B, North-central Texas. Texas Game and Fish Commission, Austin, Texas, Federal Aid Completion Report, F-7-R-1, Job C-1, pp. 1-6 (multilithed) .

1955. A basic survey of, and inventory of species in, the Big Wichita River and its watershed in North-central Texas, lying in the fol- lowing counties: Cottle, King, Foard, Knox, Wilbarger, Baylor, Wichita, Archer and Clay. Texas Game and Fish Commission, Austin, Texas, Federal Aid Completion Reports, F-7-R-2, Jobs A-2 and B-6 Combined, pp. 1-38 (multilithed) . [ 63 ) . 1955. Inventory of species present in Lake Wichita, Texas. Texas Game and Fish Commission, Austin, Texas, Federal Aid Completion Re- port, F-7-R-2, Job B-7, pp. 1-10 (multilithed) .

. 1955. Laboratory and statistical analyses of materials and data collected in the field. Texas Game and Fish Commission, Austin, Texas, Federal Aid Completion Report, F-7-R-2, Job B-4, pp. 1-14 (mul- tili thed) .

1955. Pollution studies in Region 1-B: of the Big Wichita River in North-central Texas and the Canadian River in the Texas Pan- handle. Texas Game and Fish Commission, Austin, Texas, Fed- eral Aid Completion Report, F-7-R-2, Job C-1, Part 2, pp. 1-12 (multili thed) . 1956. Pollution of the lower part of the Big Wichita River by oil-field brine from surface storage pits. Texas Game and Fish Commission, Austin, Texas, Federal Aid Completion Report, F-7-R-3, Job C-1, Part 1, pp. 1-8 (multilithed) .

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