S Fishes of the Smoky Hill River, Kansas ROBERT C. SUMMERFELT Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, Vol. 70, No. 1, 1967 This issue was published August 18, 1967 Fishes of the Smoky Hill River, Kansas' ROBERT C. SUMMERFELT Introduction The ichthyofauna of many major rivers in Kansas, for example, the Neosho and Marais des Cygnes (Deacon, 1961, Wakarusa, Deacon and Metcalf, 1961) and the Big Blue (Minckley, 1959) have been given at least preliminary study. Recently, Metcalf (1966) summarized previous literature and museum collections of fishes from the Kansas River system and has provided distribution maps for 51 species of fishes. The purpose of the present paper is to describe the kinds, relative abundance, standing crops and seasonal variation in abundance of fishes obtained from 62 collecting trips from eight stations on the Smoky Hill River between May, 1965 and August, 1966, in order to expand our knowledge of fishes in Kansas and the Great Plains. Also, sections of the Smoky Hill River, above, parallel to and below the Cedar Bluff Irrigation District, are being studied as part of a comprehensive evaluation of possible pesticidal con- tamination of soil, water, wildlife and fish resulting from intensification of agriculture and increased use of pesticides associated with irrigation in this area.2. This report, therefore, represents a published record of the population composition of the river during the initial stages of develop- ment of agricultural irrigation in the Cedar Bluff Irrigation District. Methods Fishes were collected by electrofishing, seining and trotline fishing. Trotline fishing and seining were used merely to supplement the electro- fishing and to measure the sports fishing potential of the river. The data (Tables 1-9) pertain only to fishes collected by electrofishing. In order to provide a basis for a seasonal or annual study of variation in relative abundance and to follow long-term trends in the population, fishes were collected as a standard unit of effort by electrofishing a 100-yard section of river at each visitation to a station. A 230-volt, 3,000-watt, 60-cycle alternating current generator was used to provide power for two elec- trodes. All stunned fishes captured with dip nets were counted and pre- served except large ones like carp, river carpsucker and channel catfish Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, Vol. 70, No. 1, 1967. Published August 18, 1967. 1 Contribution Number 395, Department of Zoology, Kansas State University. 2 Regional Research Project, NC-85, entitled, "Reduction of Hazards Associated with the Presence of Residues of Insecticidal Chemicals in the Environment." [102] Fishes of the Smoky Hill River, Kansas 103 which were identified in the field, weighed, measured and released. Each 100-yard section of the river was permanently marked with metal fence posts to establish a standard unit of effort as one thorough coverage of 300 feet of river by electrofishing. The same effort was duplicated as closely as possible for each collection. All fishes returned to the laboratory for study were either fixed in 10% formalin or frozen with dry ice. Fishes fixed in formalin were later preserved in 40% isopropanol. Frozen fishes were used for pesti- cidal analysis. The fishes were identified with the aid of taxonomic keys of Bailey (1951), Moore (1957), Eddy (1957) and Trautman (1957). Meristic characters, body dimensions and proportions were made according to the methods of Hubbs and Lagler (1958). At each visitation, the stream width, depth, and flow, temperatures of air and water and several general measures of water quality were deter- mined. The stream flow was determined by the method of Robins and Crawford (1954) as described by Lagler (1956). Turbidity was deter- mined by use of the Jackson candle turbidimeter; dissolved oxygen by the Alsterberg, azide modification of the Winkler method, free carbon dioxide and total alkalinity by titration. Hydrogen ion activity was deter- mined colorimetrically. All methods were in accord with those of the American Public Health Association (1955). Description of Stations All collections were made between 29 May 1965 and 6 August 1966. Collection sites, designated with Arabic numerals, are shown in Figure 1. Except for certain spring-fed tributaries, most maps show the river as being intermittent west of sta. 1, except at times of above average rain- fall. No attempt was made to study the tributaries of the river; however, a single collecion was obtained by Mr. Joe D. Cramer in August, 1966, from Salt Creek, a spring-fed tributary between stations 1 and 2 located 6.5 miles north and 3.5 miles west of Healy, Kansas: Lane County, sec. 8, T. 16 S., R. 30 W. The data pertaining to each station are summarized in Table 1. A longitudinal gradient in width and particularly in stream flow occurs from west to east. The lower end of the river was generally wider and had a higher volume of flow. The water temperature at sampling time was generally within one or two degrees of the air temperature. The midsummer water temperatures were as high as 36 C, because of the general scarcity of cover and lack of significant tributary springs. 0 Pill 101' 100. 9 9. NORTH Transactions Kansas Academy of Science OAK SOLOMON RIVER MILFORD RESERVOIR RUMIELL SHRINES JUNCTION CITY ABILENE SMOKY HILL RIVER 2 CEDAR BLUFF RESERVOIR KANOPOLIS RESERVOIR 941. 97. Figure 1. Smoky Hill River, Kansas, its major tributaries and impoundments. Solid circles indicate major cities, open circles and numerals indicate the eight collecting stations. Table 1. Means and ranges of width, depth, stream flow and physico-chemical characteristics of the Smoky Hill River, Kansas between May 1965 and August, 1966. Number Stream Temperature Alkalinity Station of Depth Width flow °C. Turbidity D.O. CO2 p.p.m. number samples (ft) (ft) (cfs) Air Water units pH p.p.m. p.p.m. CaCO3 ti 1 1 0.33 63 19.9 32.0 31.0 310 7.9 6.4 3.2 220 ,.,, --- 22.2 19.4 389 7.9 8.0 4.2 138 ,.., 2 17 0.38 47 25.9 o 8-115 0.5-103 4-32 1-30 25-5500 7.4-9.3 4.8-13.5 0.0-8.4 74-280 ---+.. .16-.76 ,.,,. co 3 17 0.90 37 22.7 24.3 21.6 43 8.0 ' 8.6 2.4 138 (...., 1-32 25-150 7.4-9.2 6.0-10.0 0.0-6.0 74-180 .48-1.43 18-125 4.8-81 1-35 o ....ar. 4 18 0.72 44 30.6 22.4 19.9 53 7.9 8.6 3.7 138 ..... .36-1.40 29-49 10.2-93.4 -4-29 0-33 25-192 7.3-8.8 6.0-14.4 0.0-7.5 66-200 ,-. Pz1 5 4 0.83 39 53.1 36.0 30.7 42 8.6 8.3 0.0 74 ..... ,c. .66-.91 38-40 17.2-109 32-39 28-33 32-51 8.4-8.8 7.8-8.8 0.0 66-67 ,:t 6 3 0.90 66 74.9 37.7 31.0 51 8.6 7.9 1.2 125 ;4 .66-1.06 46-86 35-115 32-43 27-36 37-65 7.7-9.6 7.0-8.8 0.0-2.4 85-164 A 7 2 0.93 101 108.4 26.0 25.5 54 7.6 7.3 2.5 140 .84-1.02 86-116 102-115 21-31 23-28 48-49 7.5-7.6 7.2-7.8 2.2-2.7 130-140 8 4 1.40 318 688 31.3 27.6 2100 7.9 8.2 0.0 228 .58-2.10 196-387 138-1219 21-42 23-31 80-6000 7.4-8.5 6.8-9.2 0.0 94-310 •-■ 106 Transactions Kansas Academy of Science The stations are described as follows: Station 1. Logan County, sec. 23, T. 13 S., R. 35 W., east of the highway bridge 0.5 mile south of Russell Springs on highway 25. A single fish collection was obtained 6 July, 1965; the stream was dry when visited 6 June, 1966. The stream bed was wide with low banks; the south bank of the stream had a stand of mature cottonwood trees, whereas the north bank had grasses, herbs and willows. The river bottom consisted of fine sand with some silting in the more sluggish areas. The station had less depth and strearn6aw than any o'her station (Table 1). Station 2. Trego Cnnty, ECC. 29, T. 14 S., R. 24 W., approxi- mately 15 miles south and 7 west of Wakeeney on the east side of the bridge on Trego County rcad 462. seventeen fish collections were made: 10 and 24 June, 8 and 22 July, 5 and 20 August, 2 September, 21 November, and 20 December, 1965; 27 March, 24 April, 15 May, 6 and 24 June, 9 and 29 July, and 8 August, 1966. The banks were wide and the water was generally quite shallow with no pools, undercut banks, or bank cover (Figure 2). The stream bottom was deep sand with some silt and pebbles. Wide fluctuations in depth, width, stream flow and turbidity were recorded for this station. During the summer of 1966 the river nearly disappeared at this station and the water depth was only 0.16 ft. and the width only 8 ft. Even at the lowest level the river contained large numbers of minnows and killifish. Station 3. Trego County, sec.