U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Physical Data and Biological Data for Algae, Aquatic Invertebrates, and Fish from Selected Reaches on the Carson and Truckee Rivers, Nevada and California, 1993–97 Open-File Report 02–012 Prepared as part of the NATIONAL WATER-QUALITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Physical Data and Biological Data for Algae, Aquatic Invertebrates, and Fish from Selected Reaches on the Carson and Truckee Rivers, Nevada and California, 1993–97 By Stephen J. Lawrence and Ralph L. Seiler Open-File Report 02–012 Prepared as part of the NATIONAL WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM Carson City, Nevada 2002 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GALE A. NORTON, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES G. GROAT, Director Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government For additional information contact: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Information Services 333 West Nye Lane, Room 203 Building 810 Carson City, NV 89706–0866 Box 25286, Federal Center Denver, CO 80225–0286 email: [email protected] http://nevada.usgs.gov CONTENTS Abstract.................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................................................ 2 Background ................................................................................................................................................................ 2 Purpose and Scope ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 Study area and Data Collection Sites..................................................................................................................................... 2 Data Collection Methods ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 Physical Data.............................................................................................................................................................. 4 Semi-Quantitative Samples of Algae and Aquatic Invertebrate ................................................................................ 4 Qualitative Samples of Algae and Aquatic Invertebrate ............................................................................................ 4 Algae .......................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Sampling Methods.......................................................................................................................................... 5 Sample Processing, Identification and Enumeration...................................................................................... 5 Aquatic Invertebrates ................................................................................................................................................. 5 Sampling Methods.......................................................................................................................................... 5 Sample Processing, Identification and Enumeration...................................................................................... 6 Fish Sampling Methods.............................................................................................................................................. 6 Compilations of Physical and Biological Data...................................................................................................................... 7 References Cited ................................................................................................................................................................... 7 FIGURES 1. Map showing location of data collection sites on the Carson and Truckee Rivers, Nevada and California.......... 3 APPENDIX 1. Physical characteristics of the richest-targeted habitat during algae and aquatic invertebrate sample collection at sites on the Carson and Truckee Rivers, 1993–96 2. Algae identified in samples collected at sites on the Carson and Truckee Rivers, 1993–96 3–7. Algal density in richest-targeted habitat at sites on the Carson River: 3. East Fork Carson River near Dresslerville, Nev. (site 1), 1993–96 4. East Fork Carson River at Minden, Nev. (site 2), and Carson River near Carson City, Nev. (site 6), 1994–95 5. West Fork Carson River above Woodfords, Calif. (site 3), West Fork Carson River at Paynesville, Calif. (site 4), and West Fork Carson River at Muller Lane near Minden, Nev. (site 5), 1994–95 6. Carson River at Deer Run Road near Carson City, Nev. (site 7), and Carson River at Dayton, Nev. (site 8), 1993–95 7. Carson River near Fort Churchill, Nev. (site 9), 1993–96 8–12. Algal density in the depositional-targeted habitat at sites on the Carson River: 8. East Fork Carson River near Dresslerville, Nev. (site 1), 1993–96 9. West Fork Carson River above Woodfords, Calif. (site 3), West Fork Carson River at Paynesville, Calif. (site 4), and West Fork Carson River at Muller Lane near Minden, Nev. (site 5), 1994–95 10. East Fork Carson River at Minden, Nev. (site 2), Carson River near Carson City, Nev. (site 6), and Carson River at Deer Run Road near Carson City, Nev. (site 7), 1993–95 11. Carson River at Dayton, Nev. (site 8), and Carson River at Tarzyn Road near Fallon, Nev. (site 10), 1993 and 1995 12. Carson River near Fort Churchill, Nev. (site 9), 1993–96 CONTENTS III 13–17. Algal density in the richest-targeted habitat at sites on the Truckee River: 13. Truckee River at Farad, Calif. (site 12), 1993–96 14. Upper Truckee River at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (site 11), Truckee River at Mayberry Drive below Lawton, Nev. (site 13), and Truckee River at Idlewild Park at Reno, Nev. (site 14), 1993–95 15. Truckee River near Sparks, Nev. (site 15), and Truckee River at Lockwood, Nev. (site 16), 1993–95 16. Truckee River at Clark, Nev. (site 17), 1993–96 17. Truckee River at Wadsworth, Nev. (site 18), Truckee River at Dead Ox Wash near Nixon, Nev. (site 19), and Truckee River at Highway 447 at Nixon, Nev. (site 20), 1993–95 18–21. Algal density in depositional-targeted habitat at sites on the Truckee River: 18. Upper Truckee River at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (site 11), and Truckee River at Farad, Calif. (site 12), 1993 and 1995 19. Truckee River at Mayberry Drive below Lawton, Nev. (site 13), Truckee River at Idlewild Park at Reno, Nev. (site 14), and Truckee River near Sparks, Nev. (site 15), 1994–95 20. Truckee River at Clark, Nev. (site 17), 1993–96 21. Truckee River at Lockwood, Nev. (site 16), Truckee River at Wadsworth, Nev. (site 18), and Truckee River at Dead Ox Wash near Nixon, Nev. (site 19), 1993–95 22. Ash-free dry weight, dry weight, and chlorophyll concentrations in algal samples collected at sites on the Carson and Truckee Rivers, Nevada and California, 1993–96 23. Aquatic invertebrates identified in samples collected at sites on the Carson and Truckee Rivers, 1993–95 24-26. Number of aquatic invertebrates per square meter in the richest-targeted habitat at sites on the Carson River: 24. August to September 1993 25. July 1994 26. September 1995 27–29. Number of aquatic invertebrates per square meter in the richest-targeted habitat at sites on the Truckee River: 27. September 1993 28. June–July 1994 29. September to October 1995 30. Fish identified in samples collected at sites on the Carson and Truckee Rivers, 1993–97 31–33. Data for fish and crayfish collected at sites on the Carson River: 31. East Fork Carson River near Dresslerville, Nev. (site 1), 1993–95 32. Carson River at Deer Run Road near Carson City, Nev. (site 7), October 6, 1993 33. Carson River at Fort Churchill, Nev. (site 9), 1993–96 34–38. Data for fish and crayfish collected at sites on the Truckee River: 34. Upper Truckee River at South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (site 11), October 1, 1993 35. Truckee River at Farad, Calif. (site 12), 1993–96 36. Truckee River near Sparks, Nev. (site 15), September 30, 1993 37. Truckee River at Clark, Nev. (site 17), 1993–97 38. Truckee River at Dead Ox Wash near Nixon, Nev. (site 19), October 5, 1993 IV Physical Data and Biological Data from Selected Reaches on the Carson and Truckee Rivers, Nevada and California, 1993–97 CONVERSION FACTORS AND VERTICAL DATUM Multiply By To obtain centimeter (cm) 0.39370 inch millimeter (mm) 0.03937 inch micrometer (Nm) 0.00003937 inch meter (m) 3.28084 foot square centimeter (cm2) 0.15500 square inch square meter (m2) 10.76391 square foot milliliter (mL) 0.000264179 gallon liter (L) 0.264179 gallon cubic meter per second (m3/s) 35.31467 cubic foot per second Other units used in this report: ggram g/m2 gram per square meter mg milligram mg/m2 milligram per square meter Temperature: Degrees Celsius (oC) can be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (oF) by using the formula oF = [1.8(oC)]+32. Degrees Fahrenheit can be converted to degrees Celsius by using the formula oC = 0.556(oF-32). Sea level: In this report, “sea level” refers to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD of 1929, formerly called