REC-ERC-84-7 POTENTIAL FOR INTRODUCTION OF THREE SPECIES OF NONNATIVE FISHES INTO CENTRAL ARIZONA VIA THE CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT — A LITERATURE REVIEW AND ANALYSIS June 1984 Engineering and Research Center U. S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation 7-2090 (4-81) Bureau of Reclamation TECHNICAL REPORT STANDARD TITLE PAG I. REPORT NO. > 3. RECIPIENT'S CATALOG NO. REC-ERC-84-7 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. REPORT DATE Potential for Introduction of Three Species of Nonnative Fish June 1984 into Central Arizona via the Central Arizona Project —A 6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE Literature Review and Analysis. 7. AUTHOR(S) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Stephen J. Grabowski REPORT NO. Steven D. Hiebert Davine M. Lieberman REC-ERC-84-7 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10. WORK UNIT NO. Bureau of Reclamation Engineering and Research Center 11. CONTRACT OR GRANT NO. Denver, Colorado 1 3. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED 12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS 1 983 Same 1 4. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE 1 5. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES Microfiche and/or hard copy available at the Engineering and Research Center, Denver, Colorado ED: MJC 1 6. ABSTRACT The CAP (Central Arizona Project) is designed to deliver up to 2.2x106 acre-feet per year of allocated Colorado River water to central and southern Arizona for agricultural, municipal, and industrial use. CAP water would be stored in enlarged Lake Pleasant, northwest of Phoenix, and behind Granite Reef Diversion Dam on the Salt River, for later use. Fish will be pumped from Lake Havasu during operation of CAP and enter central Arizona receiving waters. Water quality changes are also expected. This report documents life history characteristics of three fish species, water quality aspects of CAP source and receiving waters, the existing fisheries of CAP source and receiving waters, physical features of pumping plants, and some life history phenomena of the southern bald eagle. Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and blue tilapia (Tilapia aurea) from Lake Havasu are suspected of having an adverse impact on the existing fishery of Lake Pleasant. These two species, and the white bass (Morone chrysops), currently in Lake Pleasant, are suspected of having an adverse impact on the ecology of the Salt and Verde Rivers. If blue tilapia enter Lake Pleasant, they will likely survive and reproduce successfully. Striped bass will be much less likely to reproduce successfully and establish populations. Recruitment would continue by introduction. Striped bass, white bass and blue tilapia introduced into the Salt and Verde Rivers upstream of Granite Reef Diversion Dam would likely survive, with blue tilapia most likely to reproduce successfully, followed by white bass, and with striped bass least likely to establish populations by successful reproduction. Recruitment by introduction would continue to occur. The degree of impact of blue tilapia and striped bass on the ecology of Lake Pleasant, and of blue tilapia, striped bass, and white bass on the ecology of the Salt and Verde Rivers cannot be predicted with certainty. If these fish become established and their numbers are not controlled by existing predators or environmental pressures, they could have an impact on the fish food base of the southern bald eagles nesting along these rivers. 1 7. KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS a. DESCRIPTORS-- striped bass/ white bass/ blue tilapia/ water quality/ pumping plants/ ecology/ introductions/ bald eagles b. IDENTIFIERS-- Central Arizona Project, Granite Reef Aqueduct, Lake Pleasant, Salt and Verde Rivers, LC Region c. COSATI Field/Group 06F COWRR: 0606 SRIM: 1 8. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT 10. SECURITY C LASS 21. NO. OF PAGES ( THIS REPORT) Technical Information Service, Operations 124 Available from the National UNCLASSIFIED Division, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161, 20. SECURITY CLASS 22. PRICE (THIS PAGE) UNCLASSIFIED REC-ERC-84-7 Potential for Introduction of Three Species of Nonnative Fishes into Central Arizona via the Central Arizona Project — A Literature Review and Analysis by Stephen J. Grabowski Steven D. Hiebert Davine M. Lieberman June 1984 Applied Sciences Branch Division of Research and Laboratory Services Engineering and Research Center Denver, Colorado SI METRIC UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR * BUREAU OF RECLAMATION ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Funding for this literature review and analysis was provided by the Arizona Projects Office, Bureau of Reclamation, Phoenix, Arizona. Valuable assistance was rendered by many individuals who helped conduct literature searches, locate and obtain pertinent articles, and provide technical and clerical services. Many State, Federal, university, and private biologists shared their wealth of scientific knowledge, which supplemented and enhanced information acquired elsewhere. All these people deserve a special note of thanks. As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the environ- mental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Depart- ment assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in the best interests of all our people. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communi- ties and for people who live in Island Territories under U.S. Administration. This literature review and analysis was funded by the Arizona Projects office, Bureau of Reclamation, Phoenix, Arizona. The information contained in this report regarding commercial products or firms may not be used for advertising or promotional purposes and is not to be construed as an endorsement of any product or firm by the Bureau of Reclamation. CONTENTS Page Acknowledgments Metric Conversion Table ...... viii Introduction ......... 1 Methods and materials ......... 3 Results and discussion ......... 5 Striped bass ......... 5 Description ......... 5 Distribution ......... 5 Preferred habitat ......... 6 Water quality requirements ......... 6 Food and feeding habits ........1 0 Spawning ........1 3 Age and growth ........17 Competition ........18 Introduction of striped bass outside their native range ........19 Excerpts and summaries from Arizona Game and Fish Department Federal Aid to Fish Restoration reports relative to Central Arizona Project waters ....... 23 White bass ....... 26 Description ....... 26 Distribution ....... 27 Preferred habitat ....... 28 Spawning ....... 28 Water quality requirements ....... 30 Food and feeding habitats ....... 31 Age and growth ....... 33 Competition ....... 33 Introductions of white bass into the southwest ....... 34 Excerpts and summaries from Arizona Game and Fish Department Federal Aid to Fish Restoration reports relative to Central Arizona Project waters ....... 36 Blue tilapia ....... 38 Nomenclature and description ....... 38 Native distribution of Maple aurea ..........42 Introduction of Tilapia aurea outside their native range including the United States ....... 42 Introductions of Tilapia into Arizona and California ....... 42 Water quality requirements ....... 50 Preferred habitat ....... 53 Food and feeding habits ....... 53 Reproduction ....... 54 Competition ....... 55 Age and growth ....... 56 Excerpts and summaries from Arizona Game and Fish Department Federal Aid to Fish Restoration reports relative to Central Arizona Project waters ....... 57 iii CONTENTS — Continued Page Existing fisheries of CAP source and receiving waters ...........59 Fishery aspects of Lake Havasu ...........59 Fishery aspects of Lake Pleasant ...........65 F ishery aspects of Alamo Lake ...........68 Fishery aspects of Salt and Verde Rivers and the Phoenix metropolitan area ...........70 Water quality aspects of CAP source and receiving waters ...........74 Lake Havasu ...........74 Alamo Lake ...........76 Bill Williams River ...........77 Lake Pleasant ...........77 Salt and Verde Rivers ...........78 Physical features of pumping plants and potential effects on fish ...........84 Havasu and Granite Reef Aqueduct Pumping Plants ...........84 A.D. Edmonston Pumping Plant and fish passage ...........86 Whitsett Intake Pumping Plant and fish passage ...........90 Effects of shear force on fish ...........91 Effects of pressure on fish ...........91 Effects of aqueduct temperatures on fish ...........92 Effects of velocity on fish ...........93 Predicting fish passage through the CAP pumping plant ...........94 Selected life history aspects of the Southern Bald Eagle as related to CAP ...........94 General considerations ...........94 Location of nests ...........95 Food habits ...........96 Analysis ...........99 Future without CAP operations ...........99 Future with CAP operations — possible effects of the introduction of three nonnative fish species into CAP receiving waters .........1 00 Summary .........1 09 Bibliography ........112 Personal communications .........1 22 FIGURES Figure 1 Map of Central Arizona Project ............. 2 2 The striped bass, Morone saxatilis ......... 5 3 The white bass, Morone chrysops ....... 27 4 The blue tilapia, Tilapia aurea ....... 38 5 Distribution of tilapia populations in the lower Colorado River system (from Courtenay 1982, adapted by McCann 1982) ...........40 iv FIGURES — Continued Figure Page 6 Locations of known,