A survey of the in an 8 km reach of the drainage below Cochiti Dam, July 1988

by

Steven P. Platania and Kevin R. Bestgen 2808 Morningside Drive Albuquerque, NM 87110

A report submitted to

Department of the-Army Albuquerque District, Corps of Engineers P.O. Box 1580, 517 Gold Avenue, S.W. Albuquerque, NM 87103-1580

Purchase Order DACW47-88-M-0375

16 September 1988

000061 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

INTRODUCTION 1

STUDY AREA 3

METHODS 3

RESULTS 7

DISCUSSION 12

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 13

LITERATURE CITED 14

APPENDIX I 16

APPENDIX II 18

000062 LIST OF TABLES

TABLE PAGE

1 Physico-chemical characteristics of collection localities in an 8 km reach of the Rio Grande drainage below Cochiti Dam, July 1988 6

2 Scientific and common names of collected in an 8 km reach of the Rio Grande drainage below Cochiti Dam, July 1988 8

Species occurrence and abundance in an 8 km reach of the Rio Grande drainage below Cochiti Dam, July 1988 1 0

4 Species composition of collections made an 8 km reach of the Rio Grande drainage below Cochiti Dam, July 1988 11

000063 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE PAGE

1 Collection localities in an 8 km reach of the Rio Grande drainage below Cochiti Dam, July 1988 4

ZZZ

000064 INTRODUCTION

The Rio Grande is the fifth longest river in North America. From its headwaters in the San Juan Mountains in southeastern Colorado, it flows approximately 2900 km south through and then southeast near the -New Mexico border. From there it forms the international boundary between the United States and Mexico before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. Smith and Miller (1986) considered 154 species in 54 families as native to the Rio Grande basin. In New Mexico, the historic native ichthyofauna of the Rio Grande is thought to have consisted of at least 18 species (Smith and Miller 1986; Hatch 1985). Phantom shiner ( orca), bluntnose shiner (Notropis sinus), and Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus - formerly Hybognathus nuchalis), are endemic to the basin and are accorded endangered status (Group 1) by the state of New Mexico (New Mexico Department of Game and Fish 1985). The Rio Grande bluntnose shiner, (Notropis simus), was known from the lower reaches of the Rio Chama near Abiquiu, New Mexico, south to El Paso, Texas/Ciudad Juarez, Mexico (Chernoff et al. 1982). It was last collected in 1964 (a single specimen) near Pena Blanca, New Mexico (Fish Database, N.M. Dept. of Game and Fish).

000065 The phantom shiner occurred sporadically in the Rio Grande from the vicinity of Isleta, New Mexico downstream to El Paso, Texas and from the confluence of the Rio Grande and Pecos River downstream to near Brownsville, Texas. No individuals are known from the study area treated in this report. The last known specimen ,was collected in 1975 in the Rio Grande at Ciudad Diaz Ordaz, Tamaulipas, Mexico (Cheilloff et al. 1982). Chernoff et al. (1982) reviewed the and status of Rio Grande bluntnose and phantom shiners and presumed that both may be extinct. The Rio Grande silvery minnow, Hyboonathus amarus, was formerly widespread in warmwater reaches of the Rio Grande basin. It was historically abundant in the Pecos River, New Mexico, and occurred in the Rio Grande in Texas downstream of Big Bend (Hubbs et al. 1977) to the Gulf of Mexico (Robinson 1959), but it is apparently extirpated from these regions. In the Rio Grande in New Mexico, it occurred from the lower portion of the Rio Chama downstream to the New Mexico-Texas border. It now persists in the middle Rio Grande downstream of Cochiti Reservoir to Elephant Butte Reservoir and is most common downstream of Albuquerque. The purpose of this survey was to determine whether Notropis simus simus and Hyboanathus amarus occurred in the study area and to assess the possible impacts of proposed wetland draining on these species.

2

000066 STUDY AREA

An 8 km reach of the Rio Grande between Cochiti Dam and 1.75 km north of the Santo Domingo Pueblo Bridge (Site 13) was sampled on 19-20 July 1988. The Santa Fe River, the only natural tributary of the Rio Grande, in this area, was also sampled. Discharge of the Rio Grande in the study area is almost entirely controlled by Cochiti Dam. During this survey, discharge from Cochiti Dam ranged from 6.4 - 8.2 m 3/s (224 - 286 cf/s) on 19 July and increased from 8.2 - 10.8 m 3/s (286 - 380 cf/s) on 20 July. The river was primarily confined to a single channel with a substrate of cobble and rubble. Low water levels dried most secondary channels and reduced the amount of available backwater habitat. Additional sources of water include the Santa Fe River and return irrigation water. The Santa Fe River is a small stream which is impounded by Cochiti Dam. Below the dam, the river is recharged by springs and reservoir seep where it forms a wide, shallow, silt-mud settling basin. Water from this basin is directed through a narrow culvert and reforms the Santa Fe River which is about 2-3 m wide with an average depth less than 0.5 m.

METHODS

Fish were collected with a small mesh seine at 13 locations in the Rio Grande, Santa Fe River, and irrigation canals on 19 and 20 July 1988 (Figure 1). Nine collections were made in the

3

000067 COCHITI DAM

Pena Blanca ■

South Boundary of the Pueblo de Cochiti Reservation Site ■

Pueblo de Santo Domingo Reservation

1 km

1 mile

Figure 1. Collection localities in an 8 km reach of the Rio Grande drainage below Cochiti Dam, July 1988.

4

000068 Rio Grande, three in the Santa Fe River, and one in an irrigation canal. All of the collection localities, except Site 13, were on the Pueblo de Cochiti Reservation, Sandoval County, New Mexico. Site length varied from 50-300 m and all microhabitat types including oxbows, cut-off side channels, pools, riffles, runs, and backwaters were sampled. Downstream, upstream, and across- stream seining was employed and bank and instream cover and substrate were severely agitated. Several sites designated as "possible sample sites" on the Cochiti Pueblo base map supplied by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) were examined and found to be dry. Site 13 (approximately 2 km downstream of site 12) is located in Santo Domingo Pueblo. Small specimens were fixed in 10% formalin immediately after capture. Most fish > 250-mm standard length (SL) were identified, enumerated and released. Notes on habitat and species associations were made along with an approximation of site length, width, and maximum depth (Appendix I). Water temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and salinity were measured and recorded (Table 1). All specimens were sorted, identified, enumerated, and catalogued into the fish range of the Museum of Southwestern Biology, Department of Biology, at the University of New Mexico. A list of specific site locations, field number, species, and number of specimens collected is appended (Appendix II).

5

000069 Table 1. Physico-chemical characteristics of collection localities in an 8 km reach of the Rio Grande drainage below Cochiti Dam, July 1988.

SITE NUMBER TEMPERATURE DISSOLVED CONDUCTIVITY SALINITY (°C) OXYGEN (mg/1) (micromhos) (ppt)

1 22.3 16.8 390 0

2 21.2 12.2 400 0 3 25.0 14.2 400

4 21.6 12.6 390 0

5 18.3 12.6 440 0

6 24.6 13.2 500 0

7 20.2 12.3 480 0

8 21.1 11.8 395 0 9 21.3 11.5 380

10 22.2 11.9 400 0

11 22.8 12.8 410 0

12 23.1 12.1 410 0 13 no physico-chemical data taken at this site

6

000070 RESULTS

Eighteen species of fish representing six orders and eight families were taken in the 13 collections made during this survey (Table 2). While no Notropis simus simus were collected, a total of 20 Hybognathus amarus were taken at two locations (Sites 3 and 13). Nine of the 18 species collected were native to the upper Rio Grande, New Mexico, and nine were introduced (Table 2). The most abundant species was the non-native Catostomus commersoni. It-was taken at all 13 stations and represented 77.6% of the total catch (Table 3). The second most abundant species was the native Pantosteus plebeius which, while also present at all 13 sites, only accounted for 7.9% of the catch (Table 3). Rhinichthys cataractae (7,5%), Gambusia affinis (3.8%), and Pimephales promelas (0.7%) were the next most common fishes. These five most abundant species represented almost 98% of the catch; the four native species in this group accounted for only 19%. Hybognathus amarus was taken at Sites 3 and 13 (Table 4). The first site was a side channel with reduced flow and a cobble- rubble substrate. Seventeen specimens were taken near the head of the side channel in the pool formed by the confluence of the main and side channels. The other three specimens were taken in a narrow (2 m), shallow (0.25 m), irrigation canal on Santo Domingo Pueblo (Site 13).

7

000071

Table 2. Scientific and common names of fish collected in an 8 km reach of the Rio Grande drainage below Cochiti Dam, July 1988

SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME

Order Salmoniformes Family Salmonidae trouts Salmo olairdneri rainbow trout Salmo trutta brown trout

Order Clupeiformes Family Clupeidae herrings I Dorosoma cepedianum gizzard shad

Order Family carps and minnows I Cyprinus carpio common carp N Hybognathus amarus Rio Grande silvery minnow N Hybopsis qracilis flathead chub N Notropis lutrensis red shiner N Pimephales promelas fathead minnow N Rhinichthys cataractae longnose dace

Family Catostomidae suckers N Carpiodes carpio river carpsucker I Catostomus commersoni white sucker N Pantosteus plebeius Rio Grande sucker

Order Siluriformes Family Ictaluridae bullhead catfish Ictalurus melas black bullhead

Order Atheriniformes Family Poeciliidae livebearers N -Gambusia affinis mosquitofish

8

000072 Table 2. continued.

Order Perciformes Family Centrarchidae sunfishes N Lepomis macrochirus bluegill I Micropterus salmoides largemouth bass I Pomoxis annularis white crappie

Family Percidae perches I Perca flavescens yellow perch

N =- - native I = introduced

9

000073 Table 3. Species occurrence and abundance in an 8 km reach of the Rio Grande drainage below Cochiti Dam, July 1988.

NUMBER OF SITES NUMBER OF RANK SPECIES WHERE COLLECTED SPECIMENS ABUNDANCE % OF TOTAL

Salmo gairdneri -1 4 12 * Salmo trutta 1 2 14 * Dorosoma cepedianum 1 52 6 0.6 Cyprinus carpio 2 34 8 0.4 Hybognathus amarus 2 20 10 0.2 Hybopsis gracilis 1 1 18 * Notropis lutrensis 6 23 9 0.3 Pimephales promelas 11 63 5 0.8 Rhinichthys cataractae 11 627 3 7.5 Carpiodes carpio 2 2 14 * Catostomus commersoni 13 6,450 1 77.6 Pantosteus plebeius 13 653 2 7.9 Ictalurus melas 2 3 13 * Gambusia affinis 11 318 4 3.8 Lepomis macrochirus 3 9 11 0.1 Micropterus salmoides 3 46 7 0.6 Pomoxis annularis 1 2 14 * Perca flavescens 1 2 14 *

13 sites 8,311 specimens

* = less than 0.1%

10 000074 Table 4. Species composition of fish collections made in an 8 km reach of the Rio Grande drainage below Cochiti Dam, July 1988

SPECIES SITE NUMBER

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Salmo crairdneri Salmo trutta Dorosoma cepedianum Cyprinus carpio

Hybognathus amarus X Hvbopsis gracilis

Notropis lutrensis X X X

f 7 • • les nromplq DISCUSSION

Fish collections made in the study area prior to the construction of Cochiti Reservoir indicate a substantial change in species composition when compared to the present ichthyofaunal community. Historically, overall diversity was higher, and the fish community was more similar to that found in the Rio Grande downstream of Albuquerque. Habitat changes caused by the construction and operation of Cochiti Reservoir are manifest in the fish community. Reservoir releases are probably cooler and clearer than the historic Rio Grande, and fine substrate particles were likely scoured from the riverbed. The altered environment favored establishment of a predominantly coolwater fish assemblage composed of Catostomus commersoni, Pantosteus plebeius, and Rhinichthys cataractae where Notropis simus, Hybopsis aestivalis, Hybopsis qracilis, and Hybognathus amarus were formerly common (Fish Database, N.M. Dept. of Game and Fish). The Rio Grande bluntnose shiner was apparently moderately abundant until at least 1949 and persisted until 1964.- The last known specimen of bluntnose shiner from the Rio Grande was taken near Pena Blanca, New Mexico, just below Cochiti Reservoir on 28 July 1964. Since then, over 300 fish collections have been made within the Rio Grande bluntnose shiner's former range but no additional specimens have been taken. As it is presumed extinct (Chernoff et al. 1982), the proposed draining of the Cochiti wetlands will have no effect on this species.

12

000076 The Rio Grande silvery minnow was also formerly more widespread in the Rio Grande basin. It is now most common in the Rio Grande downstream of Albuquerque, where the river is warm, broad, shallow, and substrate is predominantly sand. Adult microhabitat of H. amarus includes shallow, low velocity, sandy bottomed runs, and backwater pools over sand-silt substrates. Larval H. amarus occupy primarily shallow, low velocity backwaters with sand-silt substrates. These habitats are rare in

• • • - •••• • LITERATURE CITED

Chernoff, B., R.R. Miller, and C.R. Gilbert. 1982. Notropis orca and Notropis simus, cyprinid fishes from the American Southwest, with description of a new subspecies. Occasional Papers of the Museum Zoology, University of Michigan, 698:1-49.

Hatch, M.D. 1985. Native fishes of the major drainages east of the Continental Divide, New Mexico. Unpublished M.S. thesis, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, New Mexico. 85 pp.

Hatch, M.D., W.H. Baltosser, and C.G. Schmitt. 1985. Life history and ecology of the bluntnose shiner (Notropis simus pecosensis) in the Pecos River of New Mexico. Southwestern Naturalist 30(4):555-562.

Hubbs, C., R.R. Miller, R.J. Edwards, K.W. Thompson, E.-Marsh, G.P. Garrett, G.L. Powell, D.L. Morris, and R.W. Zerr. 1977. Fishes inhabiting the Rio Grande, Texas and Mexico, between El Paso and the Pecos confluence, pp. 91-97. in: Symposium on the Importance, Preservation and the Management of the Riparian Habitat, July 9, 1977, Tuscon, Arizona. USDA Forest Service, General Technical Report RM-43

14

000078 New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. 1985. - Handbook of Species Endangered in New Mexico. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Robinson, D.T. 1959. The ichthyofauna of the lower Rio Grande, Texas and Mexico. Copeia:253-256.

Smith, M.L. and R.R. Miller. 1986. The evolution of the Rio Grande Basin as inferred from its fish fauna. pp. 457-485 in Hocutt, C.H. and E.O. Wiley (eds.), _Zoogeography of North American Freshwater Fishes. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York.

15

000079 APPENDIX I. Description of collection localities in an 8 km reach of the Rio Grande drainage below Cochiti Dam, July 1988 Site 1: The first site was an old, slow flowing channel on the west side of the Rio Grande. The substrate was sand in low velocity areas and gravel and cobble in riffles. Water clarity was at least 0.5 m. Site 2: This site was the mainstream Rio Grande in swift current over a substrate of cobble and gravel. Depth varied from 0.25 to 0.-75 m. Over 100 m of river were seined at this location. Site 3: This station was a side channel on the east side of the river. Water in this channel was clear and flowing at a rate of 1- 3 cf/s. There were several shallow disconnected pools along the length of this channel. Substrate was primarily cobble and approximately 72 m of this channel were sampled. Site 4: This site was in a braided reach of the Rio Grande. The water was clear and visibility was 40 cm. Habitat consisted of runs, riffles, and pools and substrate was gravel and cobble. Site 5: This site was in the Santa Fe River just upstream (100 m) of the confluence of the Rio Grande and Santa Fe River. The Santa Fe River was 2-3 m wide, had a high gradient, gravel and sand substrate and was dominated by runs and riffles. Site 6: At this location on the Santa Fe River (at NM State Highway 22 Bridge) the river was narrow (2-3 m). As below, current was swift and the substrate was primarily gravel and sand. Instream vegetation was dense as was riparian grasses which seem to constrict the channel. Depth was generally less than 0.75 m. Site 7: This most upstream site on the Santa Fe River was very similar to the previous two downstream locations (sites 5 & 6). Collections were made below a narrow culvert an in deep (1 m) pools formed on the upstream sides of small boulders. Water temperature seemed lower than the other Santa Fe - River sampling locations. Site 8: The Rio Grande at this location was 15-25 m wide and was primarily a deep (1.5 m), slow-moving pool. There was one small riffle and two nearly dry embayments in this reach. Over 100 m of river was sampled at this location. Site 9: We sampled a large "oxbow" at this Rio Grande location. The downstream end of the oxbow was open to the river and was the deepest segment. There was no surface current and the substrate consisted of sand and silt. Over 50 m of this habitat was sampled. Site 10: At this location, both the Rio Grande and associated side channels were sampled. The habitat was fairly diverse and consisted of runs, riffles, and pools. The mainstem of the Rio Grande was primarily a 25 m wide, 0.5 m deep run. Side channels were narrow (3-10 m) and fairly shallow (0.25 m).

16

000080 Site 11: This sampling location consisted of collections made in two small side channels and the main river. Substrate still consisted primarily of large gravel and cobble particles. Over 100 m of habitat was seined at this location. Site 12: This was the lower-most site in the study area which was on the Pueblo de Cochiti Reservation. We made collections in the mainstream Rio Grande and backwaters. The Rio Grande was 20-25 m wide at this site, approximately 1 m deep, and had a cobble-gravel substrate. The backwater was clear, had a sand substrate, and no visible velocity. Site 13: This site, a return drainage ditch, was located on the Pueblo de San Domingo Reservation. The ditch was approximately 3 m wide and 0.3 m deep with a sand-gravel substrate. The water in the canal was swift-flowing,-the banks were well vegetated, and the habitat was runs and riffles. We seined the canal from its confluence with the Rio Grande upstream 50 m.

17

000081 APPENDIX II. Site location, ichthyofaunal composition and number of individuals captured *. * NUMBER = total number of fish captured; both retained and released ( ) = number of specimens released

NM: Sandoval Co., Rio Grande; old channel just below Cochiti Dam, west of dam outflow (Site 1) 19 July 1988 K.R. Bestgen, S.P. Platania, J.N. Stuart KRB 787

SPECIES NUMBER Pimephales promelas 5 Rhinichthys cataractae 1 Catostomus commersoni 238 Pantosteus plebeius 4 Gambusia affinis 133

TOTAL 381

NM: Sandoval Co., Rio Grande 1 km below Cochiti Dam spillway in main channel (Site 2) 19 July 1988 K.R. Bestgen, S.P. Platania, J.N. Stuart KRB 788

SPECIES NUMBER Notropis lutrensis 2 Pimephales promelas 8 Rhinichthys cataractae 93 Catostomus commersoni 910 Pantosteus plebeius 95

TOTAL 1108

18

000082 NM: Sandoval Co., Rio Grande, east side of channel approximately 1 km below Cochiti Dam (Site 3) 19 July 1988 K.R. Bestgen, S.P. Platania, J.N. Stuart KRB 789

SPECIES NUMBER Hybocinathus amarus 17 Notropis lutrensis 5 Pimephales promelas 7 Catostomus commersoni 1013 (343) Pantosteus plebeius 327 Ictalurus melas 2 Gambusia affinis 2 Micropterus salmoides 4 Pomoxis annularis 2 Perca flavescens 2

TOTAL 1381

NM: Sandoval Co., Rio Grande 3 km downstream of Cochiti Dam at ditch re-entry - (Site 4) 20 July 1988 K.R. Bestgen and S.P. Platania KRB 792

SPECIES NUMBER Notropis lutrensis 2 Rhinichthys cataractae 12 Catostomus commersoni 1058 Pantosteus plebeius 41 Gambusia affinis 49

TOTAL 1162

19

000083 NM: Sandoval Co., Santa Fe River 100 m upstream of the confluence with the Rio Grande (Site 5) 20 July 1988 K.R. Bestgen and S.P. Platania KRB 793

SPECIES NUMBER Cyprinus carpio 1 Pimephales promelas 3 Rhinichthys cataractae 56 Catostomus commersoni 7 Pantosteus plebeius 14 Gambusia affinis 4

TOTAL 85

NM: Sandoval Co., Santa Fe River at State Highway 22 crossing on Cochiti Pueblo (Site 6) 19 July 1988 K.R. Bestgen, S.P. Platania, J.N. Stuart KRB 790

SPECIES NUMBER Rhinichthvs cataractae 184 Catostomus commersoni 16 Pantosteus plebeius 27 Gambusia affinis 1

TOTAL 228

NM: Sandoval Co., Santa Fe River 1 km upstream of State Highway 22 at flume (Cochiti Pueblo) (Site 7) 19 July 1988 K.R. Bestgen, S.P. Platania, J.N. Stuart- KRB 791

SPECIES NUMBER Salmo crairdneri 4 (3) Salmo trutta 2 (1) Pimephales promelas 2 Rhinichthys cataractae 54 Catostomus commersoni 1 Pantosteus plebeius 16 Ictalurus melas 1 Gambusia affinis 1

TOTAL 81

20

000084 NM: Sandoval Co., Rio Grande immediately below (downstream) of its confluence with the Santa Fe River (Site 8) 20 July 1988 K.R. Bestgen and S.P. Platania KRB 794

SPECIES NUMBER Pimephales promelas 3 Rhinichthys cataractae 2 Catostomus commersoni 167 Pantosteus plebeius 45 Gambusia affinis 2 Lepomis macrochirus 1 Micropterus salmoides 2

TOTAL 222

NM:_ Sandoval Co., oxbow of the Rio Grande 2 km downstream of Santa Fe River and 10 km downstream of Cochiti Dam (Site 9) 20 July 1988 K.R. Bestgen and S.P. Platania KRB 795

SPECIES NUMBER Dorosoma cepedianum 52 Cvprinus carpio 33 Notropis lutrensis 10 Pimephales promelas 14 Carpiodes carpio 1 Catostomus commersoni 526 Pantosteus plebeius 10 Gambusia affinis 51 Lepomis macrochirus 7 Micropterus salmoides 40

TOTAL _744

21

000085 NM: Sandoval Co., Rio Grande 15 km downstream of Cochiti Dam (Site 10) 20 July 1988 K.R. Bestgen and S.P. Platania KRB 796

SPECIES NUMBER Pimephales promelas 1 Rhinichthys cataractae 48 Catostomus commersoni 352 Pantosteus plebeius 44 Gambusia'affinis 2

TOTAL 447

NM: Sandoval Co., Rio Grande 19 km downstream of Cochiti Dam (Site 11) 20 July 1988 K.R. Bestgen and S.P. Platania KRB 797

SPECIES NUMBER Notropis lutrensis 3 Pimephales promelas 13 Rhinichthys cataractae 6 Carpiodes carpio 1 Catostomus commersoni 1114 Pantosteus plebeius 15 Gambusia affinis 2

TOTAL 1155

NM: Sandoval Co., Rio Grande at Cochiti - Santo Domingo-Pueblo Boundary; just east of Sile (Site 12) 20 July 1988 K.R. Bestgen and S.P. Platania KRB 798

SPECIES NUMBER Pimephales promelas 3 Rhinichthys cataractae 1 Catostomus commersoni 806 Pantosteus plebeius 12 Gambusia affinis 43

TOTAL 865

22

000086 NM: Sandoval Co., ditch inflow into the Rio Grande 1.75 km North of Santo Domingo Pueblo Bridge (Site 13) 20 July 1988 K.R. Bestgen and S.P. Platania KRB 799

SPECIES NUMBER Hybognathus amarus 3 Hybopsis qracilis 1 Notropis lutrensis 1 Pimephales promelas 4 Rhinichthys cataractas 170 Catostomus commersoni 242 Pantosteus plebeius 2 Gambusia affinis 29

TOTAL 452

■•■

23

000087