COFFEEVILLE LAKE WARRIOR - TOMBIGBEE RIVERS… · COFFEEVILLE LAKE WARRIOR - TOMBIGBEE RIVERS,...

COFFEEVILLE LAKE

WARRIOR - TOMBIGBEE RIVERS, ALABAMA

DESIGN MEMORANDUM

THE MASTER PLAN

APPENDIX D - FISH MANAGEMENT PLAN

A publication prepared under terms of a contract researchproject between the Corps of Engineers, Mobile District and theAgricultural Experiment Station of Auburn University, Auburn,Alabama. The departments of Agricultural Economics and RuralSociology and Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures were responsiblefor the research and development of this report.

Auburn University staff members with major responsibilitiesfor the research and development of this report were David R.Bayne, Carolyn Carr, Wm. Dumas III, J. D. Grogan, John M.Lawrence, David Rouse, Karen Snowden, Glenn Stanford, DavidThrasher, Charles J. Turner, and J. Homer Blackstone asproject leader•

. ,-1 ,

U. S. ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT, MOBILECORPS OF ENGINEERS

MOBILE, ALABAMA

July 1974

Table

TABLE OF CONTENTSText

Page

1. Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

A. Purpose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

B. Master plan , .. . . . .. . .. 1

C. Fish management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

D. Classification of the fishery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2. Physical Characteristics of the Aquatic Habitat that Influence FishProduction and Harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

A. General.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

B. Drainage area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1. Topography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2. Area 4

3. Land usage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

4. Rainfall patterns. . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

5. Runoff rates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

6. stream regulation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

C. Impoundment................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . 13

1. Morphometry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

2. Altitude , " . . . . .. .. 14

3. Area.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

4. Mean depth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

5. Maximum depth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 14

6. Productive-depth zone ........•.........•...............•... 14

7. Volumes of euphotic strata. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 15

8. Length of the shoreline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 15

9. Eulittoral zone. .. 15

10. Inflow... .. . .. .. . .. .. .. 16

11. Outflow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 16

12. Retention time 16

13. Internal flow currents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 16

14. Penstock depth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 17

15. Water-level fluctuations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 17

16. Uncleared flooded areas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 18

17. Meteorological influences 18

3. Water Quality in Relation to Fish Production. .. . . . .. . .. . . . .. .. . .. 19

A. General 19

B. Water quality constituents 19

1. Temperature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 19

a. Temperature stratification in a lake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 20

b. Temperature conditions in tailwaters 21

2. Dissolved oxygen .•......................................... 21

a. Dissolved oxygen stratification in lake 23

b. Dissolved oxygen conditions in tailwaters . .. .. . . . .. . .. . . . .. 24

3. pH.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 24

ii

4. Carbon dioxide and alkalinity 26

5. Chemical type. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

6. Plant nutrients 29

a. Nutrient enrichment in impolmdments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

b. Macro-nutrients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

c. Micro-nutrients ..... '" . ..... . . . .. ... ... . . .. . ..... . . 31

d. Nutrient sources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

7. Toxic substances 35

a. Pesticides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

b. Heavy metals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

c. Industrial toxicants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

8. Sediment load•......................................... " 42

C. Pollution sources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

4. Aquatic Plants in the Impolmdment. .. .. .. . 50

A. Aquatic plant - definition 50

B. Factors affecting aquatic plant growth 50

C. Aquatic plant groups and associated habitat problems.. . . .. .. . ... 51

1. Bacteria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 52

2. Fungi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

3. Algae................................................... 52

4. Flowering plants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

D. Aquatic plant populations of Coffeeville Lake and methods fortheir control ............................•................... 58

iii

5. Description of the Fishery 60

A. Warmwater species of fish in Coffeeville Lake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . •. 60

B. Coldwater species of fish in Coffeeville Lake ..•..................• 67

C. The downstream species from Coffeeville Dam ..................•. 68

D. Rare and endangered species ..............•...................... 68

E. Fish-food organisms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 68

F. History of parasite and disease incidents in fish populations . . . . . . . .. 70

G. History of fish kills .................•........................... 71

H. Establishment of Coffeeville Lake fishery including flooding schedule. 81

I. History of species composition, relative ablUldance, and conditionwithin each species including methods used to obtain fish samp·les . • .. 82

1. Methods of sampling fish populations ................•.•..... 0 82

a. Rotenone sampling ...........................•.......... 83

b. E lectrofishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 85

2. Fish population studies (Rotenone) 86

3. Fish population studies (Electrofishing) 1973-1974 •....•.•.•.. 91

4. Comparisons of relative conditions (KnJ 91

J. Fishing pressure 99

K. Creel census data 99

6. Management of the Fishery ........................................•. 101

A. Reservoir fishery biology ...............•...................•.... 101

1. Factors affecting fish reproduction 102

a. Adequacy of spawning area 103

iv

B.

C.

b. Water fluctuation 103

c. Water temperature .......•................................ 103

d. Silt-laden waters 103

e. Repressive factor 105

f. Size of brood fish .......................................• 105

g. Food availability during period of egg-formation ............• 105

h. Crowding 106

i. Egg-eating habit ........................................• 106

j. Reproductive success of prey upon which predators feedafter reaching fingerling stage 106

k. strength of predation upon yOlmg predator species 106

2. Predator - prey relationships 107

I IResLUne of factors affecting fish production in reservoirs 1] 3

Information vs. action 116

1. Public relations ............................................• 117

2. Fishing access 118

3. Fishing intensity 119

4. Creel limits ......................................•........•. 119

5. Evaluation of fishery management changes ....................•. 120

6. Fishing tournaments and rodeos •.............................. 120

7. Coordination with Other Agencies 123

A. Personnel and funding .........................................••• 123

B. Cost - benefit projections 124

v

C. Equipment for biologist ........•....•..•.•..••...•...•••••••..••. 125

D. Job description - Fisheries Management Biologist ........•.....•..• 126

E. Budget ................................•.•......••.•....•...••.• 128

8. Research Needs for River and Impoundment Management ......••.•••..•. 129

9. Synopsis ..................................•........................ 133

vi

TABLES

Table Page

1. Average monthly and annual precipitation for Coffeeville Lake. 6

2. Average concentrations of macro-nutrients (elements) in filteredwater, suspended matter, bottom soils, rooted plants, and fishfrom Coffeeville Lake. 32

3. Average concentrations of micro-nutrients (elements) in filteredwater, suspended matter, bottom soils, rooted plants, and fishfrom Coffeeville Lake. 34

4. Average concentrations of pesticide residues in fish collected fromCoffeeville Lake, 1971. 37

5. Average concentrations (ppm wet weight) of pesticide residues invarious species of fish collected from the Tombigbee River compared with the overall average from species collected in all riversin Alabama, 1971. 38

6. Average concentrations (ppm wet weight) of pesticide residues invarious species of fish collected from public fishing lakes locatedin the Coffeeville Lake drainage area, compared with averages inspecies from all 23 public fishing lakes in Alabama, 1971. 39

7. Average concentrations of heavy metal elements in filtered water,suspended matter, bottom soil, rooted plants, and fish fromCoffeeville Lake. 41

8. Black Warrior River waste sources. 44-47

9. Upper Tombigbee River waste sources. 48

10. Lower Tombigbee waste sources. 49

11. List of phytoplankton genera collected from Coffeeville Lake in 1963. 55

12. List of potentially noxious flowering aquatic plants in CoffeevilleLake in 1973. 59

13. A check list of warmwater fish species believed to be present inCoffeeville Lake, separated into Game, Commercial, and Othergroupings.

vii

61-66

TABLE S, cont'd

Table

14. Macroinvertebrates from weed samples taken from CoffeevilleLake.

15. Fish parasites in the Mobile River basin.

16. Viral, bacterial and ftmgal diseases of reservoir fish.

17. Fish population data collected by rotenone sampling in Coffeeville Lake in 1955-1957.

18. Lengths (in inches) used to classify fish of different species asyoung, intermediate, or harvestable, and as forage, carnivorousor other.

19. Results of electrofishing at selected sites on Coffeeville Lake,1974.

20. Results of electrofishing at selected sites on the TombigbeeRiver below Coffeeville Dam.

21. Reproductive characteristics of various species of fresh-waterfish.

22. Maximum sizes of forage fishes largemouth bass of a given inchgroup can swallow.

viii

69

72-78

79-80

87-88

92-93

94

95

104

109

FIGURES

Title Page

1. Black Warrior - Tombigbee drainage area. 9

2. Tennessee - Tombigbee Waterway. 10

3. Oxygen content of water and its relation to fish. 22

4. Relationship of pH of reservoir waters to their suitability forfish production. 25

5. Relationship and determination of CO2, HC03 ' C03--, andOH- in natural waters. 27

6. Distribution of~ factor for various sizes of three groups of fishcollected from Coffeeville Lake in 1974. 96

7. Distribution of Kn factor for various sizes of three groups of fishcollected from the Tombigbee River at Jackson, Alabama in 1974. 97

Fish Management Planfor

Coffeeville Lake

1. Introduction.

I-A. Purpose. This report on the fishery management of Coffeeville Lake

presents a plan to preserve all species of fish within the impoundment, to increase

the production of harvestable-sized fish through the improvement of the aquatic

habitat, and to provide the most favorable lake conditions for public fishing.

I-B. Master plan. The fish management plan will be a part of the approved

Master Plan for the continued development and management of Coffeeville Lake.

I-C. Fish management. Fish management (Appendix D) will be in accordance

with ER 1130-2-400, APP.A (May, 1971); ER 1120-2-400; ER 1120-2-401; AR-

420-74; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958 (PL 85-624) as amended; and

Federal Water Projects Recreation Act of 1965 (PL 89-72).

I-D. Classification of the fisherv. The fishes in Coffeeville Lake have been

classified as warm-water sport, commercial, and miscellaneous species. They

are to be managed to provide the public with the maximum sustained yield of harves-

tably sizes of sport and commercial species and to insure the continued existence of

the miscellaneous species.

2. Physical Characteristics of the Aquatic Habitat that Influence Fish Productionand Harvest.

2-A. General. Aquatic habitats are as numerous as the waters themselves.

Rising in mountains, hills, or plains, small streams meander through the country-

side uniting with one another to form larger streams and eventually a river. Each

change in the size and shape of a stream forms a new habitat with a new set of

environmental conditions and a different assemblage of aquatic organisms. These

new conditions, however, are never independent of upstream influence. The same

is true of man-made impoundments on rivers. Morphometric features of the im-

poundment basically determine the types of aquatic habitats, but environmental

conditions in the lake will largely depend on the quality and quantity of the collective

waters from the drainage area. The physical features of Coffeeville Lake and its

associated drainage area are presented in this section of the report.

2-B. Drainage area.

2-B-1. Topography. The Black Warrior River rises in the Cumberland

Plateau (a subdivision of the larger Appalachian Plateau Physiographic Province)

in northcentral Alabama. This is a submaturely eroded upland area developed on

the sandstones, shades, and coal beds of the Pottsville Formation. Elevations

approach 1500 feet msl. The three forks of the Warrior drain the major portion

of this region. The western-most fork, the Sipsey, flows out of the central part of

the plateau and joins the middle fork, the Mulberry, in eastern Walker County,

Alabama. They combine with the Locust Fork which drains the eastern edge of the

2

Cumberland Plateau and the southwestern tip of the Ridge and Valley Province, to

form the Black Warrior River at river mile 393.6. From here the Black Warrior

flows in a southeasterly direction towards Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The average

elevation of the hills in this part of the plateau is about 500 feet msl. The Fall

Line on the Warrior is at Tuscaloosa where the river leaves the Cumberland Plateau

and enters the Coastal Plains Physiographic Province. The uppermost subdivision

of this province, the Central Pine Belt (Fall Line Hills), is a region of low sandy

hills. After leaving the Central Pine Belt the river flows into the Black Prairie

Belt. The Black Prairie Belt is developed on the Selma Chalk, which forms a

dark fertile calcareous clay that is the characteristic soil type of this ag-ricultural

region. Local relief is low and drainage is generally poor. The Black Warrior

empties into the Tombigbee River near the lower edge of the Black Prairie Belt at

Demopolis, Alabama.

The Tombigbee River is formed in the northeastern corner of Mississippi.

Except for isolated portions of the eastern edge all of the drainage basin lies within

the Coastal Plains Province. The Central Pine Belt occupies most of the eastern

part of the basin and the Black Prairie Belt occupies most of the western part.

Their common border marks the general course of the Tombigbee River in Missis

sippi. The physiography of these hvo subdivisions is similar in both the Tombigbee

and Warrior drainages. The Central Pine Belt is an upland area with steep hills

and sandy soil while the Black Prairie Belt is a poorly-drained area with gently

rolling hills and calcareous soil. In the Black Prairie Belt elevations range from

nearly 500 feet msl in the north to about 150 feet msl in the south. Near the

3

Alabama-Mississippi state line the river enters the Black Prairie Belt and flows

through it towards Demopolis, where the Tombigbee is joined by the Black Warrior.

Demopolis Lock and Dam is located 2.5 miles west of Demopolis near the lower

edge of the Black Prairie Belt.

Below Demopolis Lock and Dam the river flows southward through the southern

edge of the Black Prairie Belt, through the Chunnennugge Hills Region, through the

Southern Red Hills Region to its southern border which is the location of the Coffee

ville Lock and Dam. This is a distance of approximately 96.5 river miles. In

this reach of the Tombigbee River the elevation of surrounding ten"aine ranges

from 200 to 100 feet msl.

2-B-2. Area. The total drainage area above Coffeeville Lock and Dam

is approximately 19,000 square miles. Roughly 19 percent of tllis area (about

3,600 square miles) is between Demopolis and Coffeeville Locks and Dams.

2-B-3. Land usage. Prior to World War II much of the Black Warrior

drainage area supported a rural population that engaged in moderate row-crop

farming. Much of this farming took place on unterraced, marginal, hilly lands.

Tllis caused e),."tensive sheet and gully erosion in the upper reaches, and resulted in

an annual sediment load as great as 200 tons per square mile.

During and following World War II the rural population declined. The usage of

the land changed from primarily farmlands to forestry and surface mining. As much

as 60 percent of the Warrior watershed above Tuscaloosa is considered as potential

strip mining sites. By 1970 the usage of the upper portions of the Warrior water-

4

shed were about 50 percent forest and 30 percent crop and pasture lands. The re

maining 20 percent of the land area was occupied by residential, business, indus

trial (including surface mining), and transportation facilities.

In the reach of stream between Oliver and Warrior Dams, more e.,:tensive row

crop farming occurs than in the areas upstream from Oliver.

On the Tombigbee arm, the same trends in land usage has occurred during

the last 50 years. Currently land usage would be about 50 percent forest, 35

percent in crop and pastm'e lands, and 15 percent in residential, business, indus

trial, and transportation facilities. sediment loading on the Upper Tombigbee is

moderate when compared with that on the Black Warrior arm.

On the Lower Tombigbee between Demopolis Lock and Dam and Coffeeville

Lock and Dam there is a mixture of land usages, Forest lands account for about

60 percent, pasture, and row-crop lands about 30 percent, and residential,

business, industrial, and transportation facilities about 10 percent.

2-B-4. Rainfall patterns. The drainage basin above the study area lies in

a region of fairly heavy annual rainfall. There is some seasonal variation, with about

41 percent of the rainfall coming during the wet season (December through April) and

only about 18 percent coming during the dry season (September through November).

The average annual rainfall is about 57 inches (Table 1). The highest recorded annual

rainfall is 87.02 inches at Booneville, Mississippi, in 1932. The lowest recorded

annual rainfall was 27.95 inches at Demopolis Lock and Dam in 1954.

Most of the flood-producing storms that occur over the drainage basin are of

the frontal type. These storms usually occur in winter and early spring. Major

5

Table 1. Average monthly and annual precipitation for Coffeeville Lake.

Month Rainfall, inches

January 4.70

February 5.14

March 6.78

April 5.71

May 4.36

June 3.94

July 6.60

August 4.42

September 3.70

October 2.54

November 3.65

December 5.24

---Annuai average 56.79

Information from station at Thomasville, Alabama.

6

floods are occasionally produced in the summer by the inland passage of a hurricane.

Localized flooding of tributaries may occur during the summer as a result of con

vectional storms.

2-B-5. Runoff rates. The source of water entering Coffeeville Lake

is the combined flow from the Tombigbee and Black Warrior Rivers. Although

these two drainage basins are adjacent to one another their geology is totally dif

ferent.

About 75 percent of the Black Warrior basin is in the CUmberland Plateau.

This is a steep, hilly region in which the bedrock lies generally close to the surface.

A large percentage of the precipitation enters a stream unusually quickly, with re

latively little water being stored as gTolmd-water. TIJis results in extreme seasonal

variations in the discharge of the river. stream-flow patterns are also affected by

the extensive development of the Black Warrior above Demopolis. Although these

developments tend to moderate seasonal changes of stream discharge, short-term

discharge variations are often extreme.

The Tombigbee Basin is located in the Coastal Plains. In this region a fairly

thick layer of soil is underlain by sedimentary bedrock. Local relief is moderate.

In this situation more of the precipitation is stored as ground-water than would be

in a rocky, upland area (such as the Warrior Basin). Because its grolmd-water

reservoir is larger, the rate of flow of the Tombigbee River is more stable than that

of the Black Warrior River. At the present time there is no significant development

of the Tombigbee above Demopolis; therefore the flow of the river is regulated by

the meteorological conditions upstream.

7

The maximum recorded discharge of the Tombigbee River at Gainesville

(just above Demopolis Reservoir) is 168,000 cfs on January 11, 1949. The mini

mum recorded discharge at this point is 250 cfs on September 21 and 22, 1954.

The average discharge is 11,530 cfs and the average annual runoff is 18 inches.

The maximum recorded discharge of the Black Warrior River at Oliver Dam

(91 miles above Demopolis Reservoir) is 224,000 cfs on February 21, 1961. The

minimlUll recorded discharge is 37 cfs on October 23, 1953. The average discharge

is 7,505 cfs and the average annual rLilloff is 21.1 inches. The difference between

these figures and the corresponding figures of the Gainesville site reflects the

aforementioned differences in the geology of the two watersheds.

At Demopolis Lock and Dam the average discharge is 21,780 cfs. * The maxi

mum and minimum recorded discharges are 250,000 cfs on February 28, 1961, and

50 cfs on August 1-6, 1954, respectively. The estimated 10-year 7-day low flow

is 750 cfs.

At Coffeeville Lock and Dam the average discharge is approximately 26,000

cfs. The maximum and minimum recorded discharges are 153,000 cfs on March 7,

1971 and 957 cfs on June 18, 1968. The estimated 10-year 7-day low flow is

1,100 cfs.

2-B-6. stream regulation. The Black Warrior - Tombigbee drainage

area and stream profiles are shown in Fig'ures 1 and 2.

The uppermost headwaters of the Black Warrior River are the Sipsey, Locust,

and Mulberry Forks. Alabama Power Company impOlillded Sipsey Fork near Jasper,

* The average annual runoff is 19.2 inches.

8

,,III

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WARRiOR - TOMBIGBEE

RIVERS

Figure 1.

9

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MOBILE RIVER

Existing Waterway - Mobile to Demopolis

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3093 Mi.

Figure 2. Telll1eSsee - Tombigbee Ibterway

Alabama in 1961 to form Lewis Smith Lal'e. At its maximum power pool elevation

of 510 feet msl this reservoir covers 21,200 acres and has a maximum depth of

260 feet. The drainage area above the dam is 944 square miles. Smith Lake was

constructed primarily for hydropower but secondary benefits include flood-control

and water storage for seasonal regulation of streamflow below the dam. Due to the

location of the penstock openings and the development of thermal stratification in

late summer and fall, Smith Lake tailwaters are occasionally deficient in dissolved

oxygen.

Inland Lake is a small (1540 acres) impolUldment on Blackburn Fork, a tribu

tary of Locust Fork, near Oneonta, Alabama. This reservoir is used as an indus

trial and domestic water supply by the city of Birmingham, Alabama. Maximum

depth is 160 feet. The drainage area above the dam is only 70 square miles.

The Sipsey and Mulberry Forks join in eastern Walker County, Alabama,

fourteen miles below Smith Dam. At mile 385.4 the Mulberry and Locust Forks

combine to form the Black Warrior River. This spot is now covered by Banlffiead

Reservoir.

John Hollis Banlffiead Lock and Dam is located at river mile 365. 5 near Gal,

Grove, Alabama. Banlffiead Reservoir was formed in 1915 and has a surface area

of approximately 9,200 acres at elevation 255 feet ms!. The drainage area above

the dam is 3,990 square miles. Its uses include navigation, hydropower, flood

control and recreation. Much of the industrial and mlmicipal effluent of Birmingham

drains into Banlffiead Reservoir by way of Village, Valley, and Five-Mile Creeks.

11

Holt Reservoir is located at river mile 347. Normal pool elevation is

186.5 feet msl and its maximum normal depth is 82 feet. The area at normal pool

is 3,296 acres. There are 4,232 square miles in the drainage area above the dam.

Oliver Lock and Dam is located at mile 338. 1 within the corporate city limits

of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Oliver Lake is only S. S miles long, has an area of 675

acres, and is the smallest reservoir on the Warrior River. The normal pool

elevation is 124 feet msl. The drainage area above the dam is 4, S2S square miles.

Oliver Lake receives the effluent from most of the major industries located in the

Tuscaloosa area. The water quality within Oliver Pool is so poor that permanent

populations of game fish are found only within a few restricted areas.

North River rises in Fayette County, Alabama, and flows southward into Oliver

Lake. In 1970, the city of Tuscaloosa constructed a 5, SS5 acre water supply reser

voir, Lake Tuscaloosa, on this stream. Tllis reservoir is at elevation 223.2 feet

ms1. Although the tailwaters are, at times, low in dissolved oxygen, the 1. 5-mile

stretch of North River between the dam and Oliver Lake supports a healthy game

fish population.

Warrior Lock and Dam is located at mile 261. 1 on the Black Warrior River.

This 7,800 acre reservoir provides only navigation and recreation benefits. Normal

pool elevation is 95.0 feet msl and the greatest depth is about 50 feet. The drainage

area above the dam is 5, S2S square miles.

The Black Warrior River joins the Tombigbee River 47 miles below Warrior

Dam at river mile 217. Backwaters from Demopolis Dam md:end from this spot

to the toe of Warrior Dam.

12

At the present time there are no impoundments on the Tombigbee River proper

above Demopoliso Bluff Lake, on the Noxubee River, and Buttahatchie Lake, on

the Buttahatchie River, are the only significant impoundments in the watershed.

Demopolis Lock and Dam is located at river mile 213.4. This reservoir covers

la, 000 acres at normal pool 73. a feet msl. The watershed above this dam is 15,300

square miles.

Coffeeville Lock and Dam is located at river mile 116.6. This lake covers an

area of 8,500 acres at elevation 32.5 feet msl. The drainage area above this Dam

is in excess of 19, 000 square miles.

2-C. Impoundment. The physical characteristics of an inundated basin have

considerable influence on the production of fish in the subsequent impoundment. The

physical features of Coffeeville Lake which influence the production and harvest of

fi sh are listed below.

2-C-1. Morphometry. This stretch of the Tombigbee River is typical of

an impounded Coastal Plains stream. It has a well developed flood -plain with a

freely meandering channel. Throughout the upper three fourths of this reach of the

Tombigbee River the Lake is strictly a run-of-the-river impoundment. In the lower

quarter of the lake the river did not overflow its banl, but only flooded low-lying

creek bottomlands. Some of these tributaries, all flooded in varying degrees, are

listed below.

13

Turkey CreekOkatuppa CreekTallawampa CreekCopper salt CreekBashi CreekBig Bunny CreekRidge CreekWahalak CreekSucarbowa CreekVaughn CreekHorse CreekTuckabum CreekLandrums Creek

Beaver CreekKinterbish CreekLost CreekChicksaw BogueSix Mile CreekDouble CreekCotahager CreekCypress BranchSucarnoochee RiverMill CreekCypress SloughHalls Creek

2-C-2. Altitude. The altitude of Coffeeville Lake at normal upper pool is

32.5 feet ms!. The elevation of the plains around the lake varies from 50 to 100 feet ms!.

2-C-3. Area. At normal upper pool (32.5 feet msl) the surface area of

Coffeeville Lake is 8,500 acres with a volume of 190,800 acre-feet.

2-C-4. Mean depth. The mean depth of Coffeeville Lake at normal upper

pool is 23 feet.

2-C-5. Maximum depth. The approximate maximum depth is 40 feet at

elevation 32.5 feet ms!.

2-C-6. Productive-depth zone. Within a body of water a certain area sup-

ports most of the aquatic life there. Several limiting factors determine the lower

depth of tills productive zone in a lake. One factor is the depth at which the total

quantity of surface light is reduced by 99 percent. Another factor is the depth at

which the dissolved oJ-."ygen concentration in the water drops below 1 ppm. Because

14

these two limits vary according to other lake conditions, the 10-foot depth will be

considered the approximate bottom of the productive zone.

In a riverine environment the productive zone is generally quite variable, depen-

ding upon the rate of flow and the sedimentation loading. Current evidence from

Coffeeville Lake indicates that phytoplankton is the basic fish-food in the mainstream

area, while macroinvertebrates are a major food source only in inundated flood plains.

2-C-7. Volumes of euphotic strata. The volumes of the various euphotic

strata, which comprise the primary productive areas of lake waters, determine the

quantities of nutrients that may be efficiently converted into phytoplankton. The vol-

ume of water in each 2. 5-foot strata in Coffeeville Lake is given below.

32.5 to 30.0 feet msl 20,000 acre-feet30.0 to 27.5 feet msl 17,000 acre-feet27.5 to 25.0 feet msl 18,000 acre-feet25.0 to 22.5 feet msl 14,000 acre-feetbelow 22.5 feet msl 122,000 acre-feet

2-C-8. Length of the shoreline. The productive zone of a lake, as well as

its accessability to bank fishermen, is reflected by the length of its shoreline. This

length is also used to calculate the shore development. The shoreline of Coffeeville

Lake is approximately 300 miles long and its shore development (which is the ratio

between the length of the shoreline and the circumference of a circle whose area is

equal to that of Coffeeville Lake) is 23. 2.

2-C-9. Eulittoral zone. The eulittoral zone is the bottom area between the

high and low-water levels. Due to the frequent wetting and drying wi thin the eulittoral

zone, this area is not considered to be suitable habitat for the production of fish-food

organisms.15

Reservoirs used primarily for navigation, such as Coffeeville Lake, are gener

ally subject to less severe water-level fluctuations that those reservoirs whose

primary uses include hydro-power and/or flood control. The loss of fish-food

production area due to water-level fluctuations is not great enough in this reservoir

to impair fish production.

2-C-10. Inflow. The average flow of the Tombigbee River at Demopolis

Lock and Dam is 21,780 cfs. The average flow of the Tombigbee River at Gaines

ville, Alabama is 11,530 cfs.

2-C-11. Outflow. The average annual discharge at Coffeeville Lock and

Dam is 26,000 cfs. The estimated 10-year 7-day low flow is 1,100 cfs.

Low discharges have occurred periodically from impoundments on the Black

Warrior River in the past. Such discharges can interfere with fish production.

These conditions are not expected to develop below Coffeeville Lake because the

discharge of the Tombigbee River is more stable than that of the Warrior and re

leases from Smith Reservoir now augment late summer flows in the Black Warrior.

2-C-12. Retention time. Based on an average discharge of 26,000 cfs

and an average volume of 190,800 acre-feet, the water exchange rate is 98 times

per year, the average exchange time being 3.7 days. Using the estimated 10-year

7-day low flow of 1,100 cfs the water exchange time is 85 days.

2-C-13. Internal flow currents. Impoundments on large streams are subject

to various types of internal currents. During the cold months the impolmded waters

16

are fairly homogeneous as to temperature, dissolved oxygen, and amounts of sus

pended matter. This homogeneity is due to the complete circulation of the impounded

water. During the warm months the water may stratify thermally and density cur

rents may exist in the lower depths. Normally, there are no density currents in

surface waters; instead these waters are subject to wind and convection currents.

At the present time there is no evidence to indicate that thermal stratification

develops in Coffeeville Lake. During those periods when stream flow is low and

temperatures are high, weak thermal stratification may develop in lower portions

of the lake. Areas most likely to develop thermal stratification include flooded

tributaries, and other backwater sites removed from the main river channel.

2-C-14. Penstock depth. The depth at which the penstock intake openings

are located may determine the quality of tailwaters released during power generation.

During stratification of lake water, if these openings are below the level in which

dissolved oxygen is present, then the tailwaters will be deficient in dissolved oxygen

and high in CO2, H2S, and BOD (biochemical oxygen demand).

No hydropower facilities exist at Coffeeville Dam. The tailwaters are composed

of releases through the navigation lock and over the fixed-crest spillway. Low concen

trations of dissolved oxygen are seldom found in tailwaters drawn from the surface of

the impoundment in this manner. To date, no problems with impaired water quality

have been observed here.

2-C-15. Water-level fluctuations. Coffeeville Lake was constructed pri

marily as a navigation pool and as such is regulated to minimize water-level fluctu-

17

ations. Water-level fluctuations are not expected to interfere seriously with fish

production in Coffeeville Lake, but the rather frequent wave-action from barge

traffic plus the continuous agitation of the sandy shore by stream flow has largely

eliminated the habitat fish-food organism production.

2-C-16. Uncleared flooded areas. All of the trees were cleared from

most of the reservoir below elevation 73 feet msl. The location of the remains of

the few clumps of trees left to serve as fish attractors are found in inundated tri

butaries in the lower reaches of the lake..

2-C-17. Meteorological influence. Weather conditions are a major in

fluence on the water quality of Coffeeville Lake. Due to the fairly high (and con

stant) exchange rate there is little likelihood that the lake waters will stratify in

the Tombigbee River. Heavy rainfall upon any portion of the Coffeeville drainage

will produce excessive flow and turbidity in this lake. Such conditions should be

expected each spring and may exist during the period when most species of fish will

be spawning.

18

3. Water Quality in Relation to Fish Production.

3-A. General. The quality of impounded river waters largely determines the

quality and quantity of aquatic life in the lake. The water quality of a river is, in

turn, the product of its watershed. The river receives leached, washed-off, and

dumped contributions from agricultural, industrial, and urban use of the drainage

area.

3-B. Water quality constituents. Since water is the medium in which aquatic

plants and animals spend most or all of their existence, water conditions must be

optimum for survival, growth, and reproduction of aquatic life. Those water quality

parameters that are most important to aquatic life include temperature, dissolved

oxygen, pH, carbon dioxide and alkalinity, chemical type (hardness and so forth),

plant nutrients, toxic substances, and sediment load. Each of these water quality

parameters is discussed below.

3-B-1. Temperature. The water temperature in a lake determines the

type of aquatic life that it can support. In the Southeast, water temperatm"es range

from about 400 to 95+ 0 F six inches below the sm"face. Generally, weather condi

tions control surface water temperatures, but the activities of man can sometimes

alter the temperature of water. Some obvious examples of the latter case are the

construction of deep-water impoundments, the winter storage of cold waters, and

the release of heated water from industrial cooling systems.

19

3-B-l-a. Temperature stratification in a lake. In all bodies of water

there is a tendency for the entire volume to be homogeneous in temperature during

the winter period. However, as the air temperature rises in the spring the surface

water temperature of a lake also increases. Then as summer approaches, there

is an increasing temperature differential between the surface and the bottom waters

of a lake. The magnitude of this difference depends upon altitude of the lake, the

depth of water, and the quantity and quality of inflowing and outflowing waters.

In lakes of sufficient depth the summer thermal pattern starts at the surface

layer or epilimnon, where surface temperatures approach or may exceed mid-day

air temperatures. Descending in depth, the water temperature decreases until it

approaches stratification and may form a thermocline. This is a region in which

the water temperature decreases 10 for every meter of increasing depth.

During the spring the thermal pattern of Coffeeville Lake is typicaIly that of a

free flowing river during periods of intermittent flooding. As summer approaches

the thermal pattern on the upper reach of the river exhibits thermal characteristics

of surface waters in Demopolis Lake and approaches an isothermic status by mid

summer. In the lower reach the Lake exhibits some slight decrease in water tem

perature with increasing depth, but even under most adverse conditions of low flow

it never approaches a thermocline. The thermal pattern existing in any portion of

this lake can be disrupted in warm weather by a heavy summer thunderstorm, by

excessive upstream discharges, and in the lower reach by prolonged high winds.

20

3-B-l-b. Temperature conditions in tailwaters. Since the Coffee

ville Dam is a navigation structure where the river flows through gates over a

fixed crest spillway, the tailwaters have temperature characteristics almost iden

tical to temperature in epilimnon of Coffeeville Lake.

3-B-2. Dissolved oxygen. Surface waters must contain an adequate supply

of dissolved o":ygen in order to support aquatic life. Ranges of dissolved oxygen

concentrations in relation to freshwater fish production are shown in Figure 3.

Factors which affect the quantity of dissolved oxygen in water include temper

atm'e, presence of oxidizable materials, respiration requirements of aquatic

plants and animals, and the abundance of phytoplankton. The oxygen-absorbing

capacity of water decreases as the water temperature rises. However, the amolmt

of oxidizable organic and inorganic materials in the water determines the degree of

satm'ation that will be maintained.

Although water can absorb oxygen from the atmosphere, such absorption. is

limited to the surface layers of lakes. Since a lake needs dissolved oxygen more

during the warm weather period when absorption is lower, a more efficient oxygen

source is required. Such a source is provided by microscopic aquatic plants called

phytoplankton. This biological process is so efficient that waters supporting moder

ate-sized phytoplankton populations can become superstaurated with oxygen.

An overabundance of phytoplankton can be detrimental to the overall oxygen

situation in a lake. Dense growths reduce the depth to which sunlight can penetrate,

which in turn restricts the amolmt of photosynthesis. Thus, oxygen production

21

Pond Fish

( Usable range for pond fish >'"'"

Lethalpoint forpondfish

Small bluegills maysurvive ifCO is low. )

2 J;

I Desirable range for pond ::>fish

-v

5.0 ;,>4.03.02.01.00.1 0.2 0.3ppmdissolved oxyg~en~ _

IDanger pointfor streamfish

Ii'Desirablerange forstream

! fish ;>

Stream Fish

Figure 3. Oxygen content of water and its relation to fish.

occurs near the water surface, while the oxygen demand below this layer is increased

by dead plants settling toward the bottom. Also, the dark-period respiration of this

dense plant population may utilize most of the previously-produced excess dissolved

oxygen. The supersaturation of surface waters resulting from excess oxygen pro

duction is not necessarily beneficial to a lake, since much of this supersaturation

is lost to the atmosphere if the area is subject to wind-wave action.

Dense populations of phytoplankton in lake waters are also undesirable since

such populations are subject to die-offs. Such die-offs not only terminate oxygen

production in the water, but also create a severe oxygen demand. This generally

results in complete oxygen depletion in the lake and the consequent suffocation of

aquatic life in the lake habitat.

In Coffeeville Lake there are sufficient plant nutrients present to support a mod

erate growth of phytoplankton, but other conditions have prevented this situation from

existing most of the time. There are sufficient growths of phytoplankton, however,

to keep the dissolved oxygen concentrations in surface waters at 80 percent or more

of saturation during most of the year.

3-B-2-a. Dissolved oxygen stratification in lake. The dissolved

oxygen concentrations in CoffeeVille Lake are usually homogeneous during those

same cold weather periods when water temperatures are tmiform at all depths. As

the surface waters begin to warm up, the dissolved oxygen saturation level decreases.

In addition, organic and inorganic oxidation processes begin to speed up and fish

and other aquatic life become more active. All of these factors increase the demand

for o;.,:ygen.

23

Since the entire reach of Coffeeville Lake has the characteristics of a river,

the dissolved oxygen concentration will be fairly uniform from surface to bottom

of the Lake throughout most of the year. During periods of low flow and hot

weather there may be some decrease in dissolved oxygen from surface to bottom,

but it generally will not decrease to a level that endangers fish.

3-B-2-b. Dissolved oxygen conditions in tailwaters. The waters

overflowing Demopolis Dam are generally at 75 percent or greater saturation with

dissolved oxygen. Such a condition assures that the tailwaters of this dam contain

the minimum dissolved oxygen concentration of 4 ppm for a majority of the time in

hot weather.

3-B-3. 2!!. The pH of surface waters is a measm'e of whether the water

has an acid or basic reaction. In most natm'al surface waters, pH reflects the

quantity of free carbon dioxide present. Such waters generally fall in the pH range

of 6. 0 to 9.5, which is the range tolerated by freshwater fish (Figure 4 ). Normally,

surface waters fluctuate somewhere between these two eJ>.1;remes every 24 hours as

a result of photosynthetic activity. Aquatic plants use the CO2 and sunlight to pro

duce 02 and carbohydrates during the day, thus raising the pH toward 9.5. At night

these plants respire, releasing CO2 and depressing the pH toward 6. O.

Some sm'face waters, such as mine drainage wastes, may accumulate acid that

has leached from the exposed soil. others may contain acidic or basic wastes from

industrial operations.

The pH of the waters in Coffeeville Lake fall within the range of 6.0 to 9.5.

24

ACIDDEATHPOINT

ALKALINEDEATHPOINT

12II109876543

< :;;. < >;;roxlc TO LOW DESIRABLE RANGE LOW TOXIC TO

FISH PRODUCTION FOR PRODUCTION FISH

FISH PRODUCTION~ NO

REPRODUCTIONItli li JJ V li Ji,

FIGURE 4. RELATIONSHIP OF pH OF RESERVOIR WATERS TO THEIR SUITABlll TY

FOR FISH PRODUCTION

3-B-4. Carbon dioxide and alkalinity. Most natural waters are buffered

by a carbon dioxide-bicarbonate-alkalinity system. The relationships of CO2 , HC03-'

C03-~ and OH- in natural waters are shown in Figure 5.

Carbon dioxide is a natural component of all surface waters. It may enter the

water from the atmosphere but only when the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in

the water is less than in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide can also be produced in

waters through biological oxidation of organic materials. In such cases, if the

photosynthetic activity is limited, the excess carbon dioxide will escape to the

atmosphere. Thus, surface waters are continually absorbing or giving up carbon

dioxide to maintain an equilibrium with the atmosphere.

The alkalinity of natural waters is due to the presence of salts of weak acids.

Bicarbonates represent the major form of alkalinity since they are formed in consi

derable amounts by the activity of carbon dioxide upon basic materials in the soils.

Under certain conditions natlll"al waters may contain considerable amounts of car

bonate and hydroXide alkalinity. This situation often exists in waters supporting a

moderate to heavy growth of phytoplankton. These algae remove free and combined

carbon dioxide to such an extent that a pH of 9.0 to 10.0 often exists.

3-B-5. Chemical type. The total hardness, total chloride, and total sulfate

content of surface waters indicates its chemical type, particularly where the source

of these ions is attributable to the soil formations in the drainage area. Conductance

measurements are also included lmder this heading since it may be used to detect

changes that may occur in the relative abundance of the above mentioned ions.

26

~ Total Alkalinity)

'"...,

( Bicarbonate Alkalinity )

NaHCOS

( Carbonate and OH Alkalinity )

Range of Occurrence of COSAmount Determined by Titration with HCI.

( Na2COS + HCI

CO2

Range of Occurrence of HCOS-. AmountDetermined by Titration with HCI.

( NaHCOS + HCI

HCOSConcentrationDecreasing )

Free OH- Occurs in this Range,Usually Only in Polluted Waters,

pH = 4.5 8.S 10.0 11. 0 12.0 lS.0

Figure 5. Relationship and det'9rmination of CO2, HCOS-, COS--, and OH- in natural waters.

Total hardness is primarily a meaSLU'e of the total divalent metallic and alkaline

earth elements in solution in the water. In most surface waters it measures calcium

and magnesium concentrations. The range of total hardness in waters from Coffee-

ville Lake varies from 20 to 38 ppm as CaC03, with magnesium hardness

accounting for about 30 percent of the total concentrations.

It should be noted that water hardness is a direct reflection of the geology of

the drainage area. Lake waters have an appreciable total hardness only when CO2

em'iched water flows over or through soluble limestone formations on its way to

the lake. Total hardness also has a direct bearing upon the total alkalinity of soft

water lakes.

In this section of the United States the amount of total chlorides generally incli

cates the degree of domestic and industrial pollution. In the West, however, total

chlorides may reflect the type of drainage area. A ma'''imum concentration of less

than 20 ppm total chlorides would be considered normal in waters of Coffeeville Lake.

Total sulfates may indicate the type of drainage area. A maximum concentra

tion of less than 50 ppm total sulfates would be considered normal in waters of

Coffeeville Lake.

Conductance of surface waters depends on the total concentration of soluble ions

since this parameter meaSLU'es how well a sLU'face water conducts an electrical cur

rent. Conductance is expressed as pmhos/cm3. It is useful in fisheries manage

ment in detecting changes in certain soluble elements in the water. In Coffeeville

Lake conductance ranged from 123 to 101 }illlhos/cm3 with a mean of 114. 5)lmhos/cm3

over a 2 year period,

28

3-B-6. Plant nutrients.

3-B-6-a. Nutrient enrichment in impoundments. The surface runoff

in a river basin is both the solvent and the transporting vehicle for more than 15

elements that are essential nutrients in the growth of aquatic plants and animals.

The concentration of these elements in remoff water and eventually in river water

depends not only upon the types of soil and agricultural operations that occur in the

drainage area, but also upon the amounts of domestic sewage and industrial effluent

that may be discharged therein.

Once the nutrients reach the impoundment, various things may happen. Some

of the nutrients in a lake will always be present in soluble form. These soluble

nutrients may originate either from re-solution of bottom muds or from waste and

decomposition of plants and animals. Another portion of the nutrients may be pre

cipitated as colloidal matter directly into the bottom muds for temporary or perman

ent storage. Yet another part of the input nutrient may be used in the growth and

reproduction of bacteria, flmgi, algae, or rooted aquatic plants. These plants may

be consumed by some animals, or the plants may die and deposit their nutrients in

the muds.

Animals eliminate most of the nutrients they consume as waste, retaining only

a small portion in their growth. The growth-retained portion of nutrients may be

removed from the local environment if the animal flies, walks, crawls, or is taken

bodily fro111 the impolmdment. If the animal remains in the impoundment, it eventu

ally dies. Then the nutrients retllrn to the bottom muds or become a food item for

another animal.

29

Also, a portion of the input nutrients pass out of the impolmdment into the tail

waters and are then classified as outlet nutrients. These outlet nutrients may OCClIT

in soluble forms, bacteria, fungi, algae, rooted plants, animals, other organic

materials, and soil colloids. All of these nutrients move downstream to combine

with additional runoff and eventually become the input nutrients for the next im

poundment. There the process is repeated and so on until the river flows into the

ocean.

What has been described above is an abbreviated nutrient cycle for an impound

ment. In order for man to use this cycle to his advantage it is necessary to know

both the quantity of each nutrient found in each of the niches descr ibed and the rate

of partial or permanent retention. With such information available it is possible

to determine the element or elements responsible for over-production of noxious

plants, isolate the source(s), and eventually correct the problem.

Since the nutrient cycle of an impoundment is intimately related to eutrophica

tion, and since a moderate degree of nutrient em'ichment is essential for fish pro

duction in impoundments, a tolerable eutrophication is beneficial. In those areas

where there are excessive amounts of nutrients, seasonal rooted aquatic plants may

be used as a possible nutrient-retention site during periods of hot weather and frost

then provides a mechanism for the slow release of nutrients when there is a higher

rate of stream flow.

Since elemental nutrients are essential to aquatic life, it is necessary to know

how they are distributed in the water, suspended matter (living and dead, organic

and inorganic), bottom soils, plants, and fish. Only with this knowledge is it possible

to fully evaluate an aquatic habitat.30

3-B-6-b. Macro-nutrients. All living things are composed of elements

that are arranged in different combinations and configurations to form matter. Those

elements which are most abundant in living tissues are called macro-nutrients or

major nutrients. Macro-nutrients include carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phos-

phorus, sulfur, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium. The concentrations

of some macro-nutrients in various aquatic components of Coffeeville Lake are given

in Table 2.

Using the mean flow data of the Tombigbee River at Demopolis Dam and the

outflow at Coffeeville Dam and taking the average total nitrogen and total phosphorus

concentrations in the water at each location, the total daily input and output of these

nutrients were calculated for Coffeeville Lake. These estimates for the SWllmers

of 1973-'74 are given below.

Daily loading Lbs/mi2 DrainageNutrient as total lbs. area

Nitrogen - input (1) 466,560 30.5

Nitrogen - output (2) 614,496 32.3

Phosphorus _ input (1) 1,728 .11

Phosphorus - output (2) 2,577 .14

(1) Based upon an inflowof21, 780 cfs and a drainage area of 15,300 square miles.

(2) Based upon an outflow of 26, 000 cfs and a drainage area of 19,000 square miles.

3-B-6-c. J\llicro-nutrients. In addition to the major nutrients men-

tioned above, all liVing things require minute quantities of other elements in order

31

Table 2. Average concentrations of macro-nutrients (elements) in filtered water,suspended matter, bottom soils, rooted plants, and fish from CoffeevilleLake.

Macro- Filtered Suspended Bottom Plants Fishnutrient water, ppm matter, ppm soil, ppm ppm ppm

Nitrogen 4.2

Phosphorus .038 .092 1,342 1,630 630

Potassium 2.21 .133 862 28,500 2,255

Magnesium 4.38 .141 1,335 4,080 383

CalciLUn 17.33 .0598 4,237 3,100 509

Sodium 11. 72 .045 1,242 20,800 1,062

32

to survive. Because only a very limited quantity of each element is required, they

are called micro-nutrients. Among the micro-nutrients are iron, manganese, copper,

zinc, molybdenum, vanadium, boron, chlorine, and cobalt. There are undoubtedly

several other elements which eventually will be added to the list, but at present

these are the only ones whose active role in liVing organisms is Imown. The micro

nutrient concentration fOlmd in the various components of Coffeeville Lake are given

in Table 3.

3-B-6-d. Nutrient SOlLrCes. All nutrients entering Coffeeville Lake

come from one of the following sources: the atmosphere, domestic sewage, animal

production refuse, animal and vegetable processing waste, fertilizer and chemical

manufacturing spillage, other industrial effluents ancl agricultural runoff. The discus

sion here will concentrate on the SOLU'ces of the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus

that enter this system.

In pond culture it has been demonstrated that water, like land, must be properly

fertilized to produce sustained high yields of fish. Likewise, large impOlmdments

must have a continuous supply of nutrients in order to produce food for fish. Un

fortlmately, large impoundments have unregulated nutrient supplies and in some

instances become so over-fertilized that they produce noxious plant growth. To date,

even though the supply of nitrogen and phosphorus in Coffeeville Lake has been ade

quate to produce a moderate phytoplankton growth, other factors have prevented such

a growth from developing.

Table 3. Averaged concentrations of micro-nutrients (elements) in filtered water,suspended matter, bottom soils, rooted plants, and fish from CoffeevilleLake.

Micro- Filtered Suspended Bottom Plants, Fish,nutrients water, ppm matter, ppm soil, ppm ppm ppm

Iron .172 1. 089 3,550 2,320 53.95

Manganese .016 .121 2,030 3,700 5.75

Copper .007 .0212 84.7 0 8.308

Zinc .037 91. 25 96 164.08

Cobalt .046 .022 16.9 12 .995

34

Dissolved carbon is. known to be a limiting factor in development of microscopic

plant growths. Runoff waters from the Cumberland Plateau soils are poor in carbon

while those from Valley and Ridges Province soils contain moderate quantities of

carbon. The main sources of dissolved carbon within the Warrior arm of Coffeeville

Lake are combined domestic and industrial wastes from the Birmingham and Tusca

loosa areas. In each of these areas, the varied sources of wastes are in various

stages of developing waste treatment facilities to meet the water quality requirements

of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Alabama Water Improvement Com-

mission.

ApprOXimately 19.4 percent of the Tombigbee River drainage area for Coffeeville

Lake lies below Demopolis Dam. There are two large contributors of organic pollu

tion within this area, Gulf State Paper Company and American Can Company.

Nutrient sources from the remainder of this portion of the Tombigbee drainage

area are primarily agricultmal in origin.

3-B-7. Toxic substances. For many years researchers have recognized

that a Ilumber of chemical compolll1ds, alone or in combination with other compolmds,

are toxic to fish at low cOllcentrations. For a long time it was impossible to identify

exact causative toxicants because of inadequate analytical techniques. In the past

decade, however, there have been some outstanding break-tlU'oughs in analytical

equipment and now it is possible to detect and identify most of the pollutants in water.

Tllis has permitted rapid strides to be made in the control of toxic substances.

35

Only three major groupings of toxicants are known to be present in the Tombig

bee River system. These three groups are pesticides, heavy metals, and other

industrial toxicants.

3-B-7-a. Pesticides. Pesticides, a product of modern organic chem

istly, were unknown prior to World War II. Since that time the efficacy of most of

the insecticides, bacteriacides, fungicides, and herbicides has created an enormous

market for tbese products. Unfortunately, some of the compounds are quite toxic

to fish, and others are very persistent in either their original or analog form. Tech

niques of application have been devised to minimize the risk of those pesticides which

are toxic to fish, and a few such compolmds have been banned from use. In the case

of persistent pesticides which acclffilluate in fish tissues, although their detrimental

effect upon fish production is questionable, many persons assume that such pesticides

consitute a hazard to human health. Consequently, there are now strict regulations

concernirg the use of pesticides, particularly in aquatic areas. Needless to say, many

insect vector and aquatic weed control practices on large impoundments have been

altered.

The amounts of pesticides detected in fish from Coffeeville Lake are listed in

Table 4. The reSidues from each species are compared with the overall average

for that species of fish in all Alabama streams (Table 5). Data on pesticide resi

dues in fish from public fishing lakes in the vicinity of Coffeeville Lake are given in

Table 6.

36

Table 4. Average concentrations of pesticide residues in fish collected from Coffeeville Lake, 1971. *

Concentrations in ppm wet weight of fishSpecies DDT PCB Dieldrin Endrin BRC Lindane Toxaphene

Bass .368 .455 .004 .003 ND ND

Carp .530 .750 .010 .003 ND ND

Shad .465 .490 .002 .001 ND ND

""--J

Catfish .222 .348 .003 .001 ND ND

* Data from Report on Pesticide Residue Content (Including PCB) of Fish, Water and sediment SamplesCollected in 1971 from Aquatic Sites in Alabama.

Table 5. Average concentrations (ppm wet weight) of pesticide residues invarious species of fish collected from the Tombigbee River comparedwith the overall average from species collected in all rivers inAlabama, 1971.'

Bass Bluegill Crappie Catfish Buffalo Carp Sucker Shad

DDT TO .533 .785 .276 .551 1. 078 .926 .698 1. 218-- --AL .923 .485 .526 .647 .623 1. 829 .209 2.24

Dieldrin TO .004 .011 .003 .004 .011 .006 .012 .007AL .007 .015 .009 .008 .008 .015 .006 .009

Endrin TO .003 .007 .001 .002 .006 .003 ND .004AL .003 .003 .002 .002 .004 .003 .003 .026

PCB TO .871 1.134 1. 2. 2 1. 553 1. 785 1.19 ND 1.105-- -- -- -- --AL 1. 645 1. 523 2.034 2.232 3.091 3.274 1. 653 5.51

BEC TO .028 .027 ND ND ND .045 ND NDAL .025 .022 ND .040 .019 .027 ND .028

Lindane TO ND ND ND ND ND ND ND NDAL .014 .011 ND .013 .03 .05 ND .034

'Data from Report on Pesticide Residue Content (Including PCB) of Fish, Water andSediment Samples Collected in 1971 from Aquatic Sites in Alabama.

TO - Samples from the Tombigbee RiverA L - Overall average of fish from all rivers in AlabamaND - Not detectable

38

Table 6. Average concentrations (ppm wet weight) of pesticide residues invarious s,)ecies of fish collected from public fishing lakes locatedin the Coffeeville Lake d,rainage area, compared with averages in speciesfrom all 23 public fishing lakes in Alabama, 1971. *

Bluegill Bass CatfishPesticide Site Lam. Mar. Lam. Mar. Lam. Mar.

DDT DL .071 .146 .263 .253 .100 NSAL .125 .294 .165

Dieldrin DL .002 .004 .001 .001 ND NSAL .003 .003 .004

PCB DL ND NS .75 NS ND NSAL .242 .528 ND

DL - Samples from public lakes in the Demopolis Lake drainage areaAL - Overall average from fish in all public fishing lakes in AlabamaNS - No sampleND - Not detectableLam. - Lamar County Public Fishing LakeMar. - Marion County Public Fishing Lake

* Data from Report on Pesticide Residue Content (Including PCB) of Fish, Waterand Sediment Samples Collected in 1971 from Aquatic Sites in Alabama.

39

3-B-7-b. HeaVY metaJs. There are a number of metallic elements

such as lead, zinc, mercury, chromium, cadmium, nickel, and copper that are

considered either essential or tolerable constituents of aquatic life when found in

limited quantities. In larger amounts, however, these metals may be either toxic

or acclUllulative in aquatic organisms. Unfortunately, OlU' Imowledge of the natural

occurrence of these elements in the water is limited, and so their true effects upon

the environment remain to be determined. Data on the amount of these elements

found in the various components of the Coffeeville Lake aquatic habitat are given

in Table 7.

3-B-7 -c. Industrial toxicants. Wastes from industrial operations con

tain numerous materials that may be toxic to many or all forms of aquatic life. Many

of the substances that were formerly disposed of as wastes are now being reclaimed

for reuse in industrial processes. Some llllusable wastes are also removed by treat

ment, but other toxicants such as cyanides and ammonia are quite difficult to remove

from effluents.

On the Tombigbee River the industrial wastes that have been most troublesome

are organic in nature and have contributed considerably to the BOD loading of the

receiving streams. Fortunately, practically all of the industrial plants in the area

now have or are in the process of installing adequate secondary treatments for their

waste materials.

40

Table 7. Averaged concentrations of heavy metal elements in filtered water,suspended matter, bottom soil, rooted plants, and fish from CoffeevilleLake.

Metallic Filtered Suspended Bottom Plants, Fish,elements water, ppm matter, ppm Soil, ppm ppm ppm

Lead .008 .016 26.0 0 2.470

Mercury 00006 .045 .37

Chromium .015 .00075 159.87 0 1.008

Cadmium .0073 .0007 .75 0 .233

Nickel .057 .043 53.57 20 1.513

41

3 B-8. Sediment load. The sediment load transported by runoff waters

depends upon several factors in the watershed. These factors include slope of the

land, soil types, quantity and type of land cover, and amount of construction on the

watershed. In addition, the seasonal rate and duration of rainfall in the drainage

area influences the sediment load of rLIDoff waters.

The Upper Warrior River drainage area occupies a topographic region with

moderately steep hills and relatively narrow valleys, while the Tombigbee River

drainage area occupies a region of moderate hills and relatively wide valleys. The

soils within the Warrior Basin are moderately erodible, but due to the extensive

impoundment system on this basin a great part of the runoff sediment load is re

tained within this basin. The soils within the Tombigbee Basin are typical Upper

Coastal Plain Province derivatives that are also moderately erosive. Since these

soils are mainly clays, the silt loading of runoff waters is mainly of a colloidal

natm'e. Even though there are rather extensive impoundages on the Warrior River,

the colloidal loading of flood waters is not all retained within the basins. Thus,

flood waters entering Coffeeville Lake from Warrior drainage basin may be rather

turbid.

The Upper Tombigbee River drainage basin has upstream land characteristics

similar to those on the Warrior Basin, while downstream land features are typical of

those fOLIDd within the Black Belt Soil formation. There are no impoundments on this

River that would decrease its sediment load into Coffeeville Lake.

The average turbidity within Coffeeville Lake during SLUnlller of 1974 was 25 JTU's.

42

3-C. Pollution sources. The sources are generally identical to the nutrient

enrichment sources listed in Section 3-B-5-d. As a matter of record, the 1973

point sources of waste disposal on the Black Warrior - Upper Tombigbee - Lower

Tombigbee Rivers above Coffeeville Dam are given in Tables 8, 9, and 10. Where

available, the discharge rate and the status of the waste treatment facility at each

point source are included in the tables. Even though these treatment facilities have

been efficient in reducing the quantity of dissolved carbon released into the river,

large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus are still released in the treated effluent.

Waste treatment benefits fisheries management most by the reduction of disease

organisms, solid waste (biodegradable carbonaceous materials), and certain nitro

gen and phosphorus compounds in the water. Inadequacies of present-day treatment

facilities include the apparent inability to retain a greater fraction of the nitrogen

and phosphorus compounds in their sludge, and their present limited capacity for

handling storm sewer runoff. A large portion of the pesticide and some of the nitro

gen compounds detected in rivers adjacent to and below sewage outfalls probably

were contributed by storm sewer runoff.

43

Table 8.Black Warrior River waste sources

TreatmentLocation Population status Remarks

Empire Coke HHIT

Tuscaloosa 65,000 OK/OK

Kellerman Coal OK

Reichold Chemical HHIT

Warrior Asphalt OK

Central Foundry OK

Gulf States Paper IT

Northport 8,000 OK/OK

Hunt Oil Co. IT

B. F. Goodrich OK

Eutaw 3,000 SWOC/OK

Moundville 2,000 SWOC/OK

Greensboro 3,000 SWOC/OK

Fayette 5,000 SWOC/OK

Berry 1,000 SWOC/OK

Arab 2,000 OK/OK

Carbon Hill 1,000 HHPT/BOTH

Parrish 1,000 SWOC/OK

Vulcan Asphalt IT

Jasper 20,000 OK/SBEL

44

Black Warrior River waste sources (cont'd.)

Birmingham Hide and Tallow

Location

Sumiton

Cordova

Cullman

Daubert Chemical

Poultry By-Products

Valley Creek STP

Woodward Iron

McGraw-Edison (Fibre)

Hackney Corp.

Village Creek STP

u. S. Steel

Allied Chemical

Republic Steel

McGraw Edison (Power)

Stockham Valves

Army Aviation

Hayes International

Metalplate and Coatings

Birmingham Plating Works

Population

2,000

2,000

11,000

100,000

32,000

Treatmentstatus Remarks

SWOC/OK

SWOC/OK

SWOC/SBEL

OK

OK

HHPT/BOTH

IT

OK

OK

HHPT/BOTH

IT

IT

IT

OK

OK

OK

OK

IT

OK

IT

45


Location

American C. I. Pipe

S. E. Metals Co.

Five Mile STP

Alabama By-Products

Alabama By-Products

Vulcan Rivet and Bolt

U. S. Pipe and Foundry

James B. Clow Co.

John Hauser Co.

Dolcita Quarry

U. S. Pipe (Coal Washer)

U. S. Pipe (Flat Top Mine)

Roberts Galvanizing

Pan National Fence

Dixie Electrical Mfg.

Connector Products

Republic Steel

Turkey Creek STP

Spring Valley Farms

Blountsville

Population

15,000

2,000

1,000

46

Treatment§tatus

IT

OK

HHPT/BOTH

OK

IT

OK

IT

UK

IT

OK

OK

OK

IT

IT

IT

IT

IT

OK/OK

HHIT

HHPT/BOTH

Remarks


Location

Abbott Farms

Oneonta

Population

4,000

47

Treatmentstatus

IT

SWOC/EL5

Remarks

Table 9.Upper Tombigbee River waste sources


Haleyville 2,000 OKIOK

Winfield 3,000 SWOC/OK

Guin 2,000 SWOC/OK

Hollywood Vasarette OK

Hamilton 2,000 SWOC/OK

Vernon 2,000 PS/BOTH

Sulligent 1,000 HHNT/BOTH

Brown Wood Pres. OK

Huyck Felt IT

Gorda 2,000 SWOC/OK

Carrollton 1,000 SWOC/OK

Aliceville 2,000 SWOC/OK

Reform 3,000 HHPT/BOTH

48

Table 10.Lower Tombigbee Waste sources


Livingston 4,000 SWOCIOK

Sumter Plywood OK

York 3,000 SWOCIOK

Cumberland Gulf UK

Jackson 4,000 SWOCIOK

Allied Paper IT

Grove Hill 3,000 PS/BOTH

American Can IT

Demopolis 6,000 SWOCIOK

Linden 2,000 aKiaK

Gulf States IT

Chatom 1,000 SWOCIOK

Olin Corp.

Alabama Electric Co-op. OK

Geigy Chemical IT

49

TREATMENT CLASSIFICATIONS

For Municipal Dischargers:

HHIS - Health Hazard with Individual Treahnent Systems

HHNT - Health Hazard with No Treatment (Raw Discharge)

HHPT - Health Hazard with Primary Treahnent

PS - Primary System

SWOC - Biological (or equivalent) Treatment without Chlorination

OK - Minimum of Biological Treatment (or equivalent)

For Industrial Dischargers:

HHNT - Health Hazard with No Treatment (Raw Discharge)

HHIT - Health Hazard with Inadequate Treatment

IT - Inadequate Treatment

OK - Adequate Treatment

LOADING CLASSIFICATIONS

Municipal Dischargers Only:

SHEL - Significant Hydranlic Efficiency Loss

SBEL - Significant Biological Efficiency Loss

Both - Both of the above Conditions Exist

EL2 - Efficiency Loss (Either Type) Expected Within 2 years

EL5 - Efficiency Loss (Either Type) expected Within 5 years

OK - No Overload Anticipated for 5 years

49 - A

4. Aquatic Plants in the Impoundment.

4-A. Aquatic plant - definition. The term "aquatic plant," as used in this

Plan, refers to a multitude of plant species (including some bacteria and fungi)

whose entire life cycle is passed within an aquatic environment.

Practically all aquatic plants may be desirable at one time or another in a par

ticular habitat. However, when they become too dense or interfere with other uses

of the water, they become a nuisance.

4-B. Factors affecting aquatic plant growth. Bodies of water are like land

areas in that some type of vegetation \vill occupy any suitable habitat. Likewise,

the more abundant the nutrient supply, the more dense the vegetation, other envi

ronmental factors being favorable. AII nutrients essential for plant growth are yet

to be determined. Some of the elements known to be important are nitrogen (N),

phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn),

iron (Fe), silicon (Si) for diatoms, sulfur (S) as sulfates, o'q'gen (02), and carbon

(e) as carbonates. In many habitats an abundance of nitrogen and phosphorus pro

motes vegetative production if other conditions for growth are favorable. Most

algae require some simple organic compounds, such as amino acids and vitamins,

and many trace elements, such as zinc and copper.

It must be remembered that factors other than plant nutrients also are operative

in the establishment and maintenance of aquatic plant growths. For the process of

photosynthesis to occur, there must be sufficient light reaching the critical point in

50

the habitat. If turbidity from muds, dyes, other materials, or even phytoplankton

is too great, plants at lower depths cannot grow. However, certain plants, if esta

blished in an area, can trap large amounts of intermittent silt and other materials,

and clear the waters for downstream uses.

Another factor that might be operative in preventing aquatic plant growth would

be the lack of free C02 and bicarbonate ions in a particular aquatic environment.

Certainly an area in which the pH is high, 9.5 or above, or low, below 5.5, produc

tivity would not reach high levels due to a lack of sufficient bicarbonates.

Temperature also is an important factor in determining the amount of growth.

For each species there is an optimum range in which the greatest growth occurs.

Wave action on large eXllanses of water may also be a factor in regulating all

types of aquatic plant growths. This appears contradictory to the concept that

winds cause mixing of surface and bottom waters, thereby renewing plant nutrients

in the euphotic zone. However, in certain lakes and reservoirs, wind induced waves

and currents mechanically agitate bottom materials and waters to an extent that

interferes with the production of phytoplankton and rooted aquatic plants.

4-C. Aquatic plant groups and associated habitat problems. The plants that

occupy an aquatic habitat may be divided into bacteria, fungi, algae, and rooted or

floating flowering plants. In the paragraphs which follow there is a brief summary

of the characteristics of each plant gronp and the problems the plants may create.

51

4-C-1. Bacteria. Members of the group of sheath-formers are the pri

mary bacterial nuisance in rivers, lakes and ponds. A notable problem associated

with this group occurs in areas subjected to organic enrichment. Bacteria, espe

cially of the genus Sphaerotilus, are prevalent in areas receiving raw domestic

sewage or improperly stabilized paper pulp effluents containing a small amount of

simple sugars. The bacterial growths interfere with fishing by fouling lines, clog

ging nets, and generally creating unsightly conditions in an infested area. Their

metabolic demands while living and their decomposition after death also cause the

bacteria to impose a high BOD load on the stream, which can severely deplete dis

solved ohygen. Furthermore, it has been reported that large populations of Sphaero

tilus render the habitat noxious to animals and thus actively exclude desirable fish

and invertebrates.

There are no known growths of Sphaerotilus in Coffeeville Lake.

4-C-2. Fungi. No information.

4-C-3. ~. The freshwater algae are quite diverse in shape, color,

size and habitat. In fact, describing all the species of algae would be as compre

hensive as writing about all the land plants, including fungi, mosses, ferns, and

seed plants.

Algae may be free-floating (planktonic) or attached to the substrate (benthic or

epiphytic types). They may be macroscopic or microscopic and are single-celled,

colonial, or filamentous. When present in sufficient numbers, these plants impart

52

color to the water, varying from gTeen to yellow to red to black. They may also

congTegate at or near the water surface and form a scum or waterb loom.

Algae form the first link in the aquatic chain which converts inorganic consti

tuents in the water into organic matter. During the daylight hours algae photosyn

thesize, thus removing carbon diol\ide from the water and producing ol\ygen. Algae

also produce carbon dioxide by their continual respiration. The amount of Ol\ygen

produced by algae during active photosynthesis is generally in excess of the amount

of carbon dioxide released by respiration.

Limited concentTations of algae are not troublesome in surface waters, but an

overabundance of various species is undesirable for many water uses. A relati vely

abundant gTowth of phytoplankton in waters 3 or more feet deep shades the bottom

muds enough to prevent germination of seeds and halt the gTowth of practically all

rooted sumbersed and emersed aquatics. This removes an important source of

food for ducks and other waterfowl.

Some gTeen algae, blue-gTeen algae, and diatoms produce odors and scums that

make water less desirable for swimming. Also, people who are allergic to many

species of algae are affected if the algae become very numerous iu waters used for

swimming.

Dense gTowths of such phytoplankton and filamentous algae may limit photosyn

tlletic activity to a surface layer only a few inches deep. Under certain conditons

the populations of algae may die and their decomposition will deplete dissolved

oxygen in the entire body of water.

53

A number of algal species reportedly cause gastric disturbances in humans

who consume the infested water. Under certain conditions, several of the blue

green algae produce toxic organic substances that kill fish, birds, and domestic

animals. The genera that contain species which may produce toxins are Anabaena,

Anacystis, Aphanizomenon, Coelosphaerium, Gloeotrichia, Nodularia, and Nostoc.

Species of the g~reen algae, ChI orella, have also caused toxicosis.

Many forms of phytoplankton and filamentous algae clog sand filters in water

treatment plants, produce undesirahle tastes and odors in drinking water, and

secrete oily substance that interfere with manufacturing processes and domestic

water use. Certain algae cause foaming of water during heating, corrosion of

metals, or clogging of screens, filters, and piping. Algae may also coat cooling

towers and condensers, causing these units to become ineffecti ve.

Filamentous algae in ponds, lakes, and reservoirs may deplete the nutrient

supply of the unicellular algae which are more commonly eaten by fish or fish-food

organisms. Dense growths of filamentous algae may also reduce total fish produc

tion and seriously interfere with harvesting the fish by hook and line, seining, or

draining. Under certain conditions, these growths on pond and lake bottoms be

come so dense they eliminate fish spawning areas and possibly interfere with the

production of invertebrate fish food. However, the amount of cover provided by

such large growths of filamentous algae can contribute to enormous population in

creases, resulting in large numbers of small stunted fish. A list of various genera

of algae collected from Coffeeville Lake is gi ven in Table 11.

54

Table 11. List of phytoplankton genera collected from Coffeeville Lake in 1974.

ChlorophytaActinastrumChlamydomonasDictyosphaeriumScenedesmus8elenastrum

EuglenophytaPhacusTrachelomonas

ChrysophytaAsterionellaUnidentified diatoms

CyanophytaSpirulina

55

4-C-4. Flowering plants. This group includes submersed, emersed,

floating, and marginal plants. These aquatics may be rooted in the soil or they

may have roots which float at or near the water surface.

Submersed plants are those which produce most or all of their vegetation be

neath the water surface. These plants often have an underwater leaf form totally

different from the floating or emersed leaf form. The flowers usually grow on an

aerial stalk. The abundance of these weeds depends upon the depth and turbidity of

the water and also upon the type of bottom. In clear water 8 to 10 feet is the maxi

mum depth of their habitat, since they must receive enough light for photosynthesis

when they are seedlings. Most of these submersed aquatics appear capable of ab

sorbing nutrients and herbicides through either their roots or their vegetative growth.

Emersed plants are rooted in bottom muds, but produce most of their vegetation

at or above the water surface. Some species have leaves that are flat and float enti

rely upon the surface of the water. Other species have saucer-shaped or irregular

leaves which do not float entirely upon the water surface.

Marginal plants are probably the most widely distributed of the rooted aquatic

plants and are quite varied in size, shape, and habitat. Many species can grow

both in moist soils and in water up to 2 feet deep. Other species grow only in moist

soils or only in a water habitat.

Floating plants have t11.1e roots and leaves, but instead of being anchored in the

soil they float about on the water surface. 111e plants are buoyant due to modifications

of the petiole and the leaf, including the covering of the leaf surface. Most species

have well-developed root systems which collect nutrients from the water.

56

Species designated as weeds are not necessarily such in all places and at all

times. For example, many submersed and emersed plants that normally interfere

with water recreation are considered desirable food sources in waterfowl refuges.

Rooted plants with floating leaves (e. g., waterlilies and watershield) and those

plants which float upon the surface (e. g., waterhyacinth, parrotfeather, alligator

weed, and duckweeds) are considered highly objectionable by many water users.

However, in clear water areas where artificial or natural fertilization is moderate,

removal of these surface-shading plants permits sunlight to penetrate to the bottom

muds and thus submersed plants may soon occupy these waters. These submersed

plants geuerally are considered more objectionable than the original surface-covering

plants.

Most emersed and marginal plants and a few sumbersed plants plus filamentous

algae provide a suitable habitat for the development of anopheline and other pest

mosquitoes. They also furnish a hiding place for snal<es and are an excellent habitat

for damselflies and some aquatic beetles.

Like filamentous algae, flowering plants consume llutrients that cou Id otherwise

by used by phytoplankton. Thus, an overabundance of rooted plants may reduce

total fish production in an infested body of water and interfere with harvesting the

fish. There is also evidence that rank growths of submersed, emersed, or floating

weeds may deplete the dissol ved oxygen supply in shallow waters. This causes fish

to move into more open and better quality water, if such water is available. Ex

tensive growths of weeds can, however, provide so much cover that the fish popu-

57

lation increases enormously, resulting in overcrowding and stunting. A listing of

the potentially noxious flowering aquatic plants in Coffeeville Lake is given in

Table 12.

4-D. Aquatic plant populations of Coffeeville Lake and methods for their control.

The majority of the shoreline on the mainstream portion of Coffeeville Lake consists

of shifting sands that are moved with each rising water. On the lower tributary

streams and flooded swamps, there are extensive marginal stands of alligatorweed,

with lesser stands of Leersia, American lotus, lizardtail, and Sagittaria. Stands of

cutgrass are currently limited, but as the banks become stabilized, the growth of

this plant is anticipated to expand. Cattails are very scarce and their spread is

not anticipated to be great in the future unless the banks become very stable.

The stands of alligatorweed were all inhabited by the Argentine flea beetle, but

the degree of control evident in June, 1974, was variable. The factors responsible

for the slow beetle damage could have been high waters and cool nights. It is anti

cipated that as the summer progresses that the beetle population will expand and

largely control the growths of alligatorweed.

58

Table 12. List of the noxious flowering aquatic plants in Coffeeville Lake.

Typha sp.Sagittaria sp.Leersia sp.Zizaniopsis miliaceaSaururus cernuusAlternanthera philoxeriodesNelmnbo lutea

59

cattailsarrowheadcutgrassGiant cutgrassLizardtailAlligatorweedAmerican lotus (yellow lotus)

5. Description of the Fishery.

Prior to, and tlu'oughout the time this impoundment has existed very limited

studies have been conducted to determine the species of fish present, the abundance

of each species in the total population, the condition of individuals of each species,

the availability of fish-food organisms, and the prevalence of disease and parasite

infestations. The available information on each of these aspects of the Coffeeville

Lake fishery is summarized in this section. Most of the information presented in

this report was gathered in 1974. Limited pre-impolmdment data on the stretch of

stream included in this lake are available for comparative purposes.

5-A. Warmwater species of fish in Coffeeville Lake. The earliest studies of

the fishes in the Tombigbee River system were conducted in the 1870's. Since that

time several ichthyologists have collected in this area and have added to the total

list of species that have existed in this stretch of the river. These findings were

summarized in 1968 by Smith-Vaniz, and a check list of known and doubtful species

that currently exist was prepared. The warmwater species comprising this list

were divided into three groups; sport, commercial, and miscellaneous as presented

in Table 13.

The separation of the species of fish in the Tombigbee River into sport, commer

cial, and miscellaneous categories is not wholly justifiable in the overall ecology

of any particular aquatic habitat. The sport fish consists of those species generally

sought by the various types of hook and line fishermen. Thus, in a true sense the

catfish should be included in this group because many bank fishermen would prefer

60

Table 13. A check list of warmwater fish species believed to be present in CoffeevilleLake, separated into Game, Commercial, and Other groupings. *

Game Species

Redfin pickerel

Chain pickerel

White bass

Yellow bass

Striped bas s

Rock bass

Flier

Warmouth

Green sunfish

Orangespotted sunfish (intro.)

Bluegill

Dollar sunfish

Longear sunfish

Red-ear sunfish

Spotted sunfish

Spotted bass

Largemouth bass

White crappie

Black crappie

Sauger

61

Esox americanus

Morone chrysops

Morone mississippiensis

Morone saxatilis

Ambloplites rupestris

Centrarchus macropterus

Chaenobryttus gulosus

Lepomis cyanellus

Lepomis humilis

Lepomis macrochirus

Lepomis Inarginatus

Lepomis megalotis

Lepomis microlophus

Lepomis punctatus

Micropterus punetulatus

Micropterus salmoides

Pomoxis annularis

Pomoxis nigromaculatus

Stizostedion vitreum

Commercial Species

Paddlefish

American eel

Carp (introduced)

Quillback

Highfin carpsucker

Blue sucker

Creek chubsucker

Lake chubsucker

Sharpfin chubsucker

Alabama hogsucker

Smallmouth buffalo

Spotted sucker

River redhorse

Blacktail redhorse

Blue catfish

Black bullhead

Yellow bullhead

Brown bullhead

Channel catfish

Flathead catfish

Freshwater drum

striped mullet

Table 13, cont'd.

Polyodon spathula

Anguilla rostrata

Cyprinus carpio

Carpiodes cyprinus

Carpiodes velifer

Cycleptus elongatus

Erimyzon oblongus

Erimyzon sucetta

Erimyzon tenuis

Hypentelium etowanum

Ictiobus bllballls

Minytrema melanops

Moxostoma carinatulU

Moxostoma poecilurum

Ictalurus fllrcatus

Ictallurus rnelas

IctalLurus natalis

IctalLurus nebulosus

Ictalurus punctatus

Pylodictus olivaris

Aplodinotus grunniens

Mugil cephalus

62

Table 13, cont'd.

Miscellaneous Species

Chestnut lamprey

Southern brook lamprey

Least brook lamprey

Shovelnose sturgeon

Spotted gar

Longnose gar

Alligator gar

Bowfin

Alabama shad

Skipjack herring

Largescale menhaden

Gizzard shad

Threadfin shad

Bay anchovy

Mooneye

Stoneroller

Silverjaw minnow

Cypress minnow

Silvery minnow

Speckled chub

63

lchthyomyzon castaneus

Ichthyomyzon gagei

Lampetra aepyptera

Scaphirhynchus platorynchus

Lepisosteus oculatus

Lepisosteus osseus

Lepisosteus spatula

Amia calva

Alosa alabamae

Alosa chrysochloris

Brevoortia patronus

Dorosoma cepedianum

Dorosoma petenense

Anchoa mitchilli

Hiodon tergisus

Campostoma anomalum

Ericymba buccata

Hybognathus hay i

Hybognathus nuchalis

Hybopsis aestivalie

Miscellaneous Species, cont'd.

Bigeye chub

Silver chub

Bluehead chub

Golden shiner

Rough shiner

Pretty shiner

Ironcolor shiner

Striped shiner

Fluvial shiner

Pugnose minnow

Sailfin shiner

Taillight shiner

Cherryfin shiner

Silverband shiner

Flagfin shiner

Silverstripe shiner

Weed shiner

Blacktail shiner

Mimic shiner

Bluenose shiner

Sandloving shiner

Table 13, cont'd.

Hybopsis amblops

Hvbopsis storeriana

Nocomis leptocephalus

Notemigonus crysoleucas

Notropis baileyi

Notropis bellus

Notropis chalybaeus

Notropis chrysocephalus

Notropis edwarc1raneyi

Notropis emiliae

Notropis hypselopterus

Notropis maculatus

Notropis roseipinnis

Notropis shumardi

Notropis signipinnis

Notropis stilbius

Notropis texanus

Notropis venustlls

Notropis voillcelllls

Notropis welaka

Notropis sp. cf. longirostris

64

Table 13, cont'd.


BlLmtnose minnow

Bullhead minnow

Creek chub

Black madtom

Tadpole madtom

Speckled madtom

Freckled madtom

Pirate perch

Atlantic needlefish

Starhead topminnow

Blackspotted topminnow

Mosquitofish

Brook silverside

Banded scuipin

Banded pygmy sunfish

Crystal darter

Naked sand darter

Scaly sand darter

Bluntnose darter

Swamp darter

65

Pimephales notatus

Pimephales vigi lax

Semotilus atromaculatus

Notm"llS flmebris

NoturllS gyrinlls

Noturus leptacanthus

NOtllrllS nocturnlls

Aphredoderus sayanlls

Strongylura marina

FtUldlllus notti

Fundulus olivaceus

Gambusia affinis

Labidesthes sicculllS

Cottus carolinae

Elassoma zonatllln

Ammocrypta asprella

Ammocrypta beani

Ammocrypta vivax

Etheostoma chlorosomllm

Etheostoma fllsiforme

Table 13, cont'd.


Harlequin darter

Johnny darter

Goldstripe darter

Cypress darter

Rock darter

Speclded darter

Gulf darter

Redfin darter

Blackwater darter

Logperch

Blackside darter

Blackbanded darter

River darter

stargazing darter

Etheostoma histrio

Etheostoma nigrum

Etheostoma parvipinne

Etheostoma proeliare

Etheostoma rupestre

Etheostoma stigmaeum

Etheostoma swaini

Etheostoma whipplei

Etheostoma zoniferum

Etheostoma (ffiocentra) sp.

Perchk'! caprodes

Percina maculata

Percina nigrofasc ia ta

Percina shmnardi

Percina uranidea

*Data from William F. Smith-Vaniz, Freshwater Fishes of Alabama (1968);and Dr. John S. Ramsey, Auburn University Department of Fisheries andAllied Aquacultures.

66

these species over most others in the river. Likewise, the commercial group

includes those species generally sought by commercial fishermen. These are

those species that are allowed (by law) to be openly sold in commerce. This is

an understandable regulation since these are the most abundant species of edible

fishes in most rivers. The name of the third group, miscellaneous, implies that

this group of species are of no value since they are not consunled by humans. In

many sportsmen's minds this means that these species are wholly detrimental to

sport and commercial fish production in rivers and large impoundments. This is

an erroneous conclusion for each of these species has a role in maintaining a "bal-

ance of nature" in the particular habitat where they exist. Certainly the feeding

habits of many of these species of non-game and non-commercial species must be

e;..'tremely beneficial in the break down of many organic materials which enter and

tend to accumulate in surface waters. Their conversion of this waste into food for

the more desirable game and commercial species of fish is one major aim of reser

voir fisheries management.

In concluding the discus sion of this grouping of species of fishes from the Tom

bigbee River, let it be made clear that no information exists which would indicate

that anyone of these species should be eliminated. Under certain conditions the

expansion of the population of one or more species may diminish the production of

more desirable species within the impoundment. It is the purpose of fisheries

management to prevent or correct such unfavorable conditions when they develop.

5-B. Cold water species of fish in Coffeeville Lake. None.

67

5-C. The downstream species from Coffeeville Dam. According to the best

information available today, the same species of warmwater fish exist in the tail

water that exist in Coffeeville Lake.

5-D. Rare and endangered species. The Department of Conservation and

Natural Resources has prepared a list of all those species of fish that might be

considered rare or endangered in the surface waters of Alabama. Prior to the

construction of Coffeeville, Demopolis, and Warrior Dams the salt-water striped

bass, Morone saxatilis, migrated up this stream. Whether or not it spawned in

this stream is unknown. Since the closure of these Dams there has been no up

stream migration and no recorded spawning by any impounded striped bass on this

drainage basin.

5-E. Fish-food organisms. In 1974 a limited biological survey was made of

the Tombigbee River Basin between Coffeeville and Demopolis Dams by personnel of

Auburn University's Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures. The information

presented in tlils Plan was obtained from hand-picked samples collected at various

points on the Lake.

During the collection of samples biologists noted hatches of adult mayflies.

The presence of these insects indicated that this aquatic habitat was suitable for the

production of fish-food organisms.

A listing of the macroinvertebrate forms collected from Coffeeville Lake in 1974

are presented in Table 14.

68

Table 14. Macroinvertebrates from weed samples taken from Coffeeville Lake.

CrustaceaAmphipoda

~yalella azteca

InsectaHemiptera

AbeclusPlea

TrichopteraOecetis (2 spp. )Agravlea

DipteraPolypedilumTribelos

69

While a diversity of organisms was obtained during' this study, and it was gen

erally concluded that they indicated that these river waters were suitable media for

their reproduction and development, the quantitative data did not indicate their pre

sence in any great ablmdance. It appears that the liquid portion of the habitat was

very satisfactory for the development of macroinvertebrates, but the configuration

of the stream channel was generally too deep and shifting of the sandy banks was

too extensive for this development to occur.

As pointed out previously, Coffeeville Lake is a moderately deep run-of-the

river impoundment, and is largely unsuitable for bottom organism production. On

the other hand it does produce a fair population of phytoplankton and must depend

upon this as its primary source of fish-food organisms.

5-F. History of parasite and disease incidents in fish populations. For the

years that Coffeeville Lake has been impounded there have been incidents of fish

mortality when all water quality parameters have been ideal for fishes to grow and

reproduce. One major cause of warm weather fish kills has been a bacterial infection

caused by the group called Aeromonas. Generally this type of infection is recog

nized by the large, red, boil-like lesions on the body of the fish.

Two factors, operative in the springtime, tend to incite the spread of both para

site and disease infections. One factor is a rising water temperature, that provides

the optimunl parasite and disease development range (65 to 750 F). A second

factor is that this temperature range is the same that stimulates fish spawning

and many species of sunfishes and basses are congregated and sweeping nests. Thus

70

there is crowding of fish into a restricted area, and these fish are aggressive and

strongly defend their nesting territory. This results in much physical contact and

fighting among many individuals and provides ideal condition for spread of infections.

Another factor is that the fishes condition is generally at its lowest ebb during this

early spring period making the fish more susceptible to diseases and parasite

attacks.

Current trends in fish disease and parasite infections in lakes of the South

eastern United states indicate that infections are generally more prevalent during

warmer months, but may occur in varying degrees throughout the year. Also, it

has been noted that under certain conditions the spread of infections may intens ify

over a period of several years.

These are numerous bacteria plus viruses and parasites that have been isolated

and identified from fish collected throughout the Mobile River basin. These listings

are presenta:! in Tahles 15 and 16.

Needless to say, the loss of mostly harvestable-sized fish to disease and para

site infections is undesirable, nevertheless it indicates that considerably more

harvestable-sized fish were present in the lake than are being harvested by the

fishermen. To date no satisfactory treatment has been devised that could be used

to combat the spreading of disease and parasite infections among the fish population

in Coffeeville Lake.

5-G. History of fish kills. During the 17 years that Coffeeville Lake has been

impounded there was one major fish kill below the outfall of Gulf state Paper

71

Table 15. Fish parasites in the Mobile River Basin *

r. Amiidae CestodaHaplobothriumProteocephalus

AcanthocephalaNeoechinorhynchus

II. Anguillidae

III. Catostomidae

CrustaceaErgasilus

FungiSaprolegnia

ProtozoaGlossatellaMyxobilusMyxosoma

TrematodaAnoncohaptorAplodiscusDaetylogyrusGyrodaclylusMyzotremaOctomacrumPellucidhaptorPseudomurraytremaTriganodistomum

CestodaBiacetabulumIsoblaridacrisMonobothriumProteocephalus

NematodaCapillariaPhilometraSpinitectus

72

III. (cont'd.)

IV. Centrarchidae

Table 15 (cont'd.)

AcanthocephalaAcanthocephalusNeoechinorhynchusPilum

LeechPiscicolariaPlacobdella

CrustaceaArgulusErgasilus

FungiSaprolegnia

ProtozoaEpistylisMyxobilatll sTrichodinaMyxosomaGlossatellaMyxidium

TrematodaActinocleidllsAnchoradiscusClavlInculusCrepidostomumCryptogonimusGyrodaetylusLyrodiscusNeascllsPhyllodistomumPisciamphistomaPosthodiplostomumUrocleidusCleiclodiscusUveliferLeuceruthenlsClinostomum

73

IV. (cont'd.)

v. Clupeidae

Table 15 (cont'd.)

CestodaBotllr iocephalu sHaplobothriumProteocephalus

NematodaCamallanusCapillariaContracaecumHedrurisPhilometraSpinitectusSpiroxys

AcanthocephalaAcanthocephalusEocollisLeptorhynchoidesNeoechinorhynchusPilumPomphyrhynchus

LeechCystobranchusIllinobdellaPisciolaria

CrustaceaErgasilusActheresLernea

MolluscaGlochidium

ProtozoaIchthyophthiriusPlistophoraTrichodinaScyphidia

74

V. (cont'd.)

VI. Cyprinidae

Table 15 (cont'd.)

TrematodaPseudoanthocotyloidesMazocraoides

CestodaBothriocephalus

NematodaCapillariaHedruris

AcanthocephalaGracilisentisTanaorhamphus

CrustaceaErgasilus

ProtozoaEpistylisGlossatellaIchthyophthiriusMyxobilatusMyxosomaTrichodinaScyphidia

TrematodaAlloglossidiumCrepidostomumDactylogyrusGyrodactylusNeascusPosthodiplostomumPseudacolpenteron

CestodaAtractoIytocestusBiacetabulumKhawiaPenarchigetesProteoecephalus

75

VI. (cont'd.)

VII. Esocidae

VIII. Ictaluridae

Table 15 (cont'd.)

NematodaRhabdochona

LeechPlacobdella

CrustaceaArgulusErgasilusLernaea

MolluscaGlochidia

TrematodaCrepidostomum

CestodaProteocephalus

NematodaHeclrurisPhil ornetraRhabdochona

AcanthocephalaNeoechinorhynchusPilum

CrustaceaErgasilusLernaea

FungiSaprolegnia

ProtozoaChiloclonCostiaGlossatellaHenneguyaIchthyophthirius

76

VIII. (cont'd.)

IX. Lepisosteidae

Table 15 (cont'd.)

Protozoa (cont'd.)ScyphidiaTrichodinaTrichophrya

TrematodaAlloglossidiumCleidodiscusClinostol11umGyrodactylusPhyllodistol11umPosthodiplostol11um

CestodaCorrallobothrium

NematodaContracaecul11RaphidascarisSpinitectus

AcanthocephalaNeoechinorhynchus

LeechCystobranchus

CrustaceaAchtheresArgulusErgasilusLernaea

TrematodaDidymozeidae

CestodaProteocephalus

NematodaHedruris

77

IX. (cont'd.)

X. Polyodontidae -

XI. Sciaenidae

Table 15 (cont'd.)

CrustaceaArgulusErgasilus

TrematodaDiclybotbrium

CestodaMarsipometra

NematodaCamallanus

CrustaceaErgasilus

TrematodaCrepidostomumAlloglossidium

NematodaContracaecumCystidicola

CrustaceaErgasilusLernaea

MolluscaGlochidia

* Based largely on class collections; slides in possession of Dr. Wilmer A. Rogers,Auburn University Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures.

78

Table 16. Viral, bacterial and fungal diseases of r'Olservoir fish *

Catostomidae

Viruses - None

BacteriaAerolllollas liquefaciens (Syn. :.A. hydrophila, A. pUllctata)Pseudomonas fluorescensChondrococcus colunU1aris

FungiSaprolegniaAchlya

Centrarchidae

VirusesLymphocystis

BacteriaAeromonas liguefaciens (Syn, : A. hydrophila, A. pUllctata)Pseudolnonas flourescensChondrococcus columnaris

FungiSaprolegniaAchlyaBranchiomyces

Clupeidae

Viruses - None

BacteriaAeromonas liquefaciens (Syn. ::!h hydrophila, A. punctata).Pseudonlonas flouresceilliChondrococcus columnaris


Table 16 (Cont'd).

Cyprinidae

Viruses - None

BacteriaAeromonas ligllefaciens (Syn. :A. hydrophila, A. punctata)Pseudomonas flllorescensChondrococcllS columnaris


Esocidae

Viruses - None

BacteriaAeromonas liqllefaciens (Syn. : A. hydrophila, A. punctata)Pseudomonas flllorescensChondrococcus coillmnaris

FungiSaprolegniaAchlyaBrachiomyces

Ictaluridae

VirusesChannel catfish virus (has not been found in reservoirs)

BacteriaAeromonas liquefaciens (Syn. : A. hydrophila, !2.. ~unctata)

Pseudomonas flllorescensChondrococcus collllnnaris


* Information from Dr. John A. Plumb, Auburn University Department of Fisheriesand Allied Aquacultures.

80

Company in 1958. Following that kill this mill installed additional waste treatment

facilities that improved the quality of its effluent to meet current water quality

standards for the state of Alabama. This has resulted generally in fair water

quality downstream to the vicinity of Marathon Southern Corporation (mile 172).

However, under some adverse conditions, Marathon Southern Corporation has

has to instigate additional effluent treatment to prevent their discharge from de

grading the Tombigbee River to a level less than the water quality standards set

by the Alabama Water Improvement Commission.

While the current condition is satisfactory for fish sm"vival and growth, an

effert should be made to improve the general water quality throughout the upper

two-thirds of Coffeeville Lake.

5-H. Establishment of Coffeeville Lake fishery including flooding schedule.

The orig'in of the freshwater fishery in Coffeeville Lake was the fish populatiOll

inhabiting the Tombigbee River and its tributaries between Demopolis Dam and the

site of Coffeeville Dam at the time Coffeeville Dam was closed. As the lake began

to flood the banks and tributary flood plains, it provided an enriched habitat for

the expanded production of fish and fish-food organisms. This additional food

supply resulted in an increased reproductive and growth rate for most species of

fish. This fish population continued to expand throughout the filling period and for

some time after the reservoir reached elevation 32.5 feet ms1.

81

5-1. History of species composition, relative abundance, and condition within

each species including methods used to obtain fish samples. One of the major

problems that has confronted fisheries biologists has been the lack of techniques to

accurately estimate the population of fish that exist in large impoundments. To date,

the estimates that are available in various publications and in biologists' files are

open to criticism, but no one can say that they are unreliable. In large ponds and

small lakes it is usually possible to get an accurate COlillt of the population by

draining the water from the basin, collecting all of the fish, and separating, measuring,

counting, and weighing each species present. While this destroys the fish population

it does allow an accurate count and weight of the fish present at the moment they

were collected. In large impoUl1dments on a river this technique is impossible

and tillwarranted for many reasons.

5 - I-1. Methods of sampling fish populations. In the search for techniques

that would prOVide reliable estimates of the fish population in a large impotilldment,

a munber of methods for collecting fish samples have been employed, Some of the

more commonly used methods are seining, netting (gill, trammel, and hoop),

trapping aJaskets and boxes), trawling (a relatively new technique for freshwaters),

poisoning (rotenone and antimyacin), and electrofishing, Coupled with the use of

each of these methods, some investigators have collected, marked, released, and

then recaptUl'ed fish in an attempt to estimate the standing crop of fish in an area

by establishing ratios between marked and unmarked fish captured by one of these

sampling methods,

82

5-1-1-a. Rotenone sampling. The most popular technique employed

in recent years has been area sampling by use of rotenone. This method employs

the use of a block net, which sholild have a mesh no larger than 3/8 - inch, be of

sufficient depth to reach from the surface to the lowest point on the bottom around

the perimeter of the sample area, and e of sufficient length to completely sLU'round

or block an area of 2 or more acres, This net is very carefully set arolmd the

sampl.e area several hours prior to the aetual appl.lcation of the rotenone. It is

common practice to set the block net at night since there is less disturbance of

fishes within the area and possibly more fish are in the shallow water areas during

darlmess, Care must be taken in setting the net to have the lead-line in contact with

the bottom at all points arOlmg the sample area. It is also helpful to leave this net

in place for at least a day after rotenoning or lmtil the bloated fish are all recovered

to prevent their floating all over the lake.

To determine the quantity of rotenone required to collect fish, the volume of

water within the block net is determined. The quantity of rotenone to apply is at

least sufficient to give a concentration of 0,05 ppm rotenone for the entire volLune

of water within the area. After the quantity of rotenone needed is measured it is mL'{ed

with several volumes of water, and the mb.ture is pumped down a perforated hose to

produce a lmiform concentration from surface to bottom throughout the sample area.

The usual application pattern is to block all four sides with a wall of rotenone and

then make diagonal crosses from corner to corner.

Sufficient potassium permanganate (2 pounds of KMn04 for each pound of 5

percent rotenone compound used) should be on hand to start neutralizing the rote-

83

none in waters outside the block net a few minutes after the fish begin to surface

in the sample area. Care should be taken to apply the KMn04 a sufficient distance

from the net to prevent undue chemical damage to the rope and webbing.

For best results in recovering fish, sampling with rotenone should be done

when the water temperatlU'e within the area to be sampled is no lower than 75

degrees. The higher the water temperature when rotenone is applied the faster

fish will react, also those fish which sink to the bottom when killed will bloat and

float much quicker allowing greater total recovery as well as more accurate weights

and measurements.

It is also imperative that an adequate crew equipped with sufficient boats, nets,

and containers be on hand when sampling starts, and that the crew remains available

for the second day pickup. A11 pickup crewmen should be made aware to pick up all

fish seen whatever species or size it might be.

In addition to the water operation of this population sampling, there must be

an adequate sorting, measuring, and weighing crew equipped with accurate measuring

boards or sorting tables, with sufficient inch-group containers for holding sorted

fish, and accurate scales for weighing the various inch-groups of each species.

Accurate identification of species, and accurate records of numbers and weights of

each inch-group of each species must be stressed.

If this method is used to sample a fish population, and great care is taken to

collect all fish from within the net area, and to record accurately all weights and

numbers of each inch-group of each species, then a reliable estimate of the fish

population within this type habitat in the reservoir may be obtained.

84

When selecting sites for rotenone sampling of fish populations it is important

that the specific areas chosen be representative of as large an area of comparable

habitat in the lake as possible. Rotenone sampling can be effective in water depths

to 20 feet, but at greater depths the dispersion of toxicants is very difficult. Also

it must be remembered that the block net must reach from the surface to the bottom

of the sample area. This restricts the depth of water also within the selected area.

Likewise, stumps and snags must be minimal to allow setting of the block net and

also to allow free movement of fish collecting crews throughout the sample area.

5-1-1-b. Electrofishing. Electrofishing devices are currently

being used in sampling techniques that count or collect game, forage, or rough

species of fish in shallow water areas of rivers and impoundments. If such equip

ment is properly operated, and the biologists are careful in their capture and data

taking techniques, this fish sampling method results in practically no mortality to

the fish populatIon. This makes electrofishing advantageous over the rotenone

method so far as public relations are concerned.

The electrofishing gear consists of a 110 volt, 60 cycle AC generator with at

least 3,000 watt output, a control panel with variable AC or DC voltage outputs, a

heavy duty 2-pole foot-operated switch, and an electrode system that can be arranged

in various configurations to produce the desired electrical field. The specific

electrode configuration used to sample the fish populations in Corps lakes is a rect

angle, i. e. a terminal electrode was located on the outermost end of each of the

2 booms some 12 feet in front of the boat and another electrode was located on each

85

of these booms some 6 feet behind the outermost ones. The width between the tips

of the booms was approximately 10 feet.

This electrofislung equipment was mounted on a wide beam, square bow, 16

foot alumimun boat powered by a 25 h. p. outboard motor. The bow section of this

boat was covered with a square deck and fitted with a 3-foot high guard rail. When

operating, the electrodes were adjusted to be suspended about 5 feet into the water.

With the power supply operating the unit was adjusted to produce a load of approxi

mately 800 watts within the electrode field.

Two types of sampling of the fish population were accomplished by this electro

fishing operation. The biologist on the bow of the boat was equipped with a dip net

wlule the boat operator was eqUipped with a tape recorder. As the fish surfaced

in the electrical field they were identified, counted, and recorded on tape. Selected

sizes of all species that were affected by the electrical current were collected for

age-growth determinations, and condition of the ovaries was examined in samples

collected during spawning season.

5-1-2. Fish population studies (Rotenone). There were three pre-impound

mentand one post-impoundment (through 1973) rotenone samples collected from the

Coffeeville Lake area. The pre-impoundment data were collected above old Lock 1

in 1955-57. This information is presented in Table 17. It is included in this plan to

give some idea of the fish population that originally existed in this stretch of the

Tombigbee River.

These river population data were summarized by methods proposed by Swingle

(1950) to describe the relationships and dynamics of balanced and unbalanced fish

86

Table 17. Fish population data collected by rotenone sampling in Coffeeville Lake in 1955-1957.

i\bovc Lock J Below loci, ~ 1 Above I.ock 2 2 .\!lo\'e Lock 2 Rooster Bridge Hoosler Ol'iclg-c

8/2/5fi 8/1/57 8/'2/57 8/2/57 7/20/56 8/5/65

Spcclus \\'t. Ib5. E AT Wt. Ibs. l ;\'1' W1. Ib.... l :\1' \\'t. Ibs. E t\T \\'t. ItJs. E :\r \\'t, Ius. E AT

L:u'g"()ll1outh bass 0.' 0.2 100 D.!>2 0.5 80

~))otlod bass 0.5 0,2 7J." .1. !J 1,0 !ja.9 5.% J.!) %.5 G.G 1,3 6j. !) O. 75 0.2 5:l 0.02 0.0 0.0

While bass 1.9 0•• 100

salt",a10l' striped bass 1.6 0.5 100

Walleye 1.0 o.a 50

WhHe crappIe 0.2 0.01 100

Blnc\. crappie 4.46 o.n 62.8 2. :I 0.5 0.6 - 2.04 1.1 \,0

Southet'll rockbllss 0.04 0.0 n.D

00Wal'rnoulh 0.0'2 0.0 0.0 o.oa 0.0 il. 0

"'" Spolled sunfish 0.05 0.0 0.0

Ol'angcspollCd sunfish 0.01 0.0 0.0

Longclll'sllUfish .68 0.1 0.0 0.22 O. I 0.0 0.0:1 0.0 0.0 0,08 0.2 0 0,4·\ 0.2 0.0

BlueJ.:"11i .26 .0. 0.0 11.·1 2,2 43.0 3.25 1.0 70.8 .J. 8 1.1 62.:- H.G 1.7 "' 2.13 1.2 7k

!ted-oar D.l(j .03 0.0 O.G O. I 0 D.G:; D. :1 07

Arncric:'tll eel - l. 85 O.G 79.5 \.0 o 'J !J2 0.5G 0.1 0

IJ:lddlcflsh JO.!! :l.!i 99. I

Dlue catfish !)g.8 :13. :l 80.0 236.8 ·\G.2 75.3 58.9 18.n (iJ. 5 13·1. 0 30.9 82.0 2:12.7 59. I 99 [i~.{j7 29.2 '"Chanllel calfish 51.0 J 7.2 ·1:3, 0 ·16.9 !J.2 78..\ 2~.8 9. (j :J3.G ,18. I 11.1 47. 8 25. ·11:1 (j.5 -18 54.7'] 30. :l '"Flalhead calfish .1. 3 J. ,I 97.7 :H.2 (j.7 9:1.0 46. S IS.O 9:1.4 28.0 G.·I 8G. 7 2:).12 5.8 100 0.27 0.2 0.0

l\1:ldlOll1s U. :;'1 0.0 0.0 T 0.0 0.0 0.02 0.0 0.0

illoollCYC L5 0.5 0.0 0.18 O. I 0.0

Alab~lrnn ~hntl - D.UG 0.0 0.0

Table 17, cont'd.

l\bove Lock I Uclo\\' Lock 2 "I Above Lock 2 ~~ I\bo\'o Lock 2 Hooster Sridg:c ll.oos1cI' Urld~c

B/2/fiG S/1/57 8/2/57 8!:<V57 7/20/56 a/5/(;5Species wt, Ius. I': kl' Wt. lb,'1. E AT Wt. Ib,<;. F. AT Wt. Ibs. e '\T \Vt. Ius. e 1\'1' Wt. Ius. E: AT

SI,ipjnck herring G.7 2.3 !l0.9 0.78 0.2 64.1 1.2 0.4 90.0 0.15 0.0 0.0 0.7 o -, 100

Thl'cadfin shad 1.8 o.n 0.0 0,27 0.1 0.0 I. 12 O•.J 8. ~j 0.7 0.1 0.0 0.0-1 0.0 100

Glzznt'd shad 10.7 a. G 100 I.G D.:! 98.1 I U. 97 5. -, 85.9 17. :1 -\. 0 1).1." J2.9 :.l.a 100 2.7 1.5 0.0

BaY:llIchovy 0.02 0.0 0.0

fl'cshwatcr drum GG.S 22.5 7:1.8 158.4 :;0.9 8G.O 1:12. !J '12. G 81. -I 185.9 42.8 89.·\ 7:1. ~ll 18.7 00 55.'1 :10.7 80

Small1110uth buffalo 23.2 7.8 100 Ii, ;] \,2 100 II. !I :J.O II J. 07 D.G Ion

Qulllbnc]( 0.8 ." 100 2.2 0.5 0.0

I-li);;hfln carp sucker 2·1.-1 8.2 GO. (j I.O!) 0.:1 100 5. <I :\.1 100

Longnosc gar 0.0-' O. I 0.0

00 Spotted gar 0.5 O. :1 0.000

I\Ll:mlic needleush T 0.0 0.0 0.07 0.0 0.0 0.89 0.2 0.0 0.19 1.1 0.0

i\Ioscluitofish T 0.0 0.0 T 0.0 0.0

Fundulus sp. T 0.0 0.0 0.01 0.0 0.0

Banded PYb'lny sun(jsh T 0.0 0.0

Plrale pClL'ch - T 0.0 0.0 - T 0.0 0.0

Oat'lers (Perc! Il3 sp. ) 0.01 0.0 0.0 T 0.0 0.0 T 0.0 0.0

Shlne!"s (Notropis sp.) 1.6 0.0 0.0 4. !) 1.0 0.0 U.:W 0.1 0.0 2.07 O. (j 0.0 O.li5 0.2 0.0 0.33 0.2 0.0

Chubs (Hvbopsis sp.) 0.8 0.0 0.0 T 0.0 0.0 T 0.0 0.0 0.05 0.0 n.o 0.82 o ' n.o o. JG O. I 0.0

l'imoph:l1os sp. 0.02 0.0 0.0 0.1:\ 0.0 0.0 .03 0.0 0.0 .02 0.0 0.0 0.:.3 0.0 0.0 0.07 0.0 0.0

SilVel"Y minnow 0.02 0.0 0.0 .02 0.0 0.0 T 0.0 0.0

Unidentified minnoll's T 0.0 0.0

TOT,\ L

Ilarveslable fish 0.::; Ibsllnrvcstable fish 0.25 IbsS:11l1plc includes all "Carpiodes sp."

populations. A brief summary describing the meaning of terms used in this metho

dology of data evaluation are given below.

Balanced populations are defined as "those capable of producing satisfactory

annual crops of harvestable fish. They were characterized by haVing (1) a definite

range in ratio of the weights of forage and piscivorous species, (2) a narrow range

in the ratios of weights of small forage fishes to the weights of piscivorous groups,

and (3) more than 33 percent of the total population weight in the form of fishes of

harvestable size".

The "c" class is composed of species that feed principally upon other fish

and cannot attain normal adult life without such food. The" F" class is composed

of all other species present in the population that feed principally upon plants,

plankton, insects, and other small aquatic invertebrates.

The "c" value is the weight in pounds of "C" class species and the "F" value

is the weight in pounds of the "F" class species. The ranges in F/c ratios in

balanced fish populations was from 1. 4 to 10. O. Populations with FIc ratios

from 1. 4 to 2.0 were overcrowded with "c" species. Balanced populations with

F/c raticE below 3 were inefficient due to the overcrowding of "C" species. Tllis

condition was found to reduce the total weight of the population.

The F/c ratio was a relatively stable value (in ponds), remaining almost

constant despite variations in rates of fishing for" F" and "C" species. This ratio

is useful in comparing and determining the condition of fish populations.

The "Y" value in a population is the total weight in pounds of all fishes in the

"F" class which are small enough to be readily gulped by the average-size adult

89

in the "C" class. The Y/C ratio is an expression of the food available to the "C"

class. The most desirable populations were in the range Y/C ~ 1. 0 to 3.0.

The "AT" value is the percentage of total weight of a population composed of

fish of a harvestable size. In balanced ponds the range was from 33 to 90. The

most desirable populations had values between AT ~ 60 to 85.

The "E" value of a species is the percentage of weight of a population composed

of that species.

The "1"" class and also "1"" species were subdivided into groups of "large," i. e.

fishes of harvestable size; "intermediate," those too large to be eaten by the "C"

species and too small for harvest; and "small," the fishes small enough to be eaten

by the average-sized individual in the "large" group of "C" species in the population.

The "A 1"" value is the percentage of the total weight of the "1"" class composed

of large fish. The "IF" and "SF" values are percentages of the total weight of the

"1"" class composed respectively of the "intermediate" and "small" fishes.

An "A 1"" ~ 35 appeared to be the minimum value found in desirable populations

and apparently expressed the maximum allowable depletion of the adult "1"" species if

satisfactory production is to be maintained. The most desirable populations were in

the range "A F" ~ 60 to 80. Satisfactory populations occurred in the "SF" value range

from 15 to 40.

The "A 1"", "IF'" and "SF" values were fOlmd to be dynamic values shifting with

changes due to harvest, predation and natural mortality.

Pond studies indicated that harvest of adult" 1"" species increased the pounds of

"C" species per acre and that failure to harvest the former group resulted in a de

crease in the pounds of "C" species in the population.

90

Separation of various species into the various classes specified in the population

analyses outlined above are g"iven in Tahle 18.

5-1-3. Fish population studies (Electrofishing) 1974. The data obtained

by electrofishing in Coffeeville Lake during the summer of 1974 are summarized as the

numbers of each species of fish sighted-per-minute of shocking (Tables 19 and 20), and

as the relative condition (Kn) of the various species of fish collected (Figures 6 and 7).

In 1955-57 (see Table 17), catfish made up approximately 57 percent of the total

weight of fish sampled, with freshwater drum accOlUlting for another 32 percent, bass,

bream and crappie amounting to 3 percent, and threadfin and gizzard shad accounting

for 3 percent. The presence of such a low poundage of shad within this population in

dicates that slack water did not exist within the area sampled.

The information in Tables 19 and 20 on the electrofishing surveys in Coffeeville

Lake during 1974 reflects the fish population of the water habItats that were created

by Coffeeville Lock and Dam. These data indicated that the inundated tributaries

support the major population of game fish in Coffeeville Lake.

It is evident that these two sampling techniques, which were carried out at differ

ent times and places, sampled two distinctly different fish habitats. From information

which is currently available it can be concluded that a major portion of the original

fish population may still exist in this 96.5-mile stretch of the Tombigbee River.

5-1-4. Comparisons of relative conditions (Kn). It has been suggested that

average length-weight relationships of major species of freshwater fishes be prepared

for large geographic regions, and that these averages be used as a base

91

Table 18 . Lengths (in inches) used to classify fish of different species as young, intermediate, orharvestable, and as forage, carnivorous or other. *

Interme- Harvest- Carniv-Young diate able Forage orous Other

Species Fish Fish Fish Fish Fish Fish

Paddlefish 0-12" 13-31" > 32" 0-12" - > 12"Spotted gar 0- 8" 9-19" l! 20" - All SizesLongnose gar 0-12" 13-19" ::? 20" - A11 SizesShortnose gar 0- 8" 9-19" ~ 20" - All SizesGizzard shad 1- 5" - <? 6" 0- 8" - > 8"Mooneyc 1- 6" 7-11" <? 12" 0- 8" > 8"

co Goldfish 1- 6" 7-10" <?.11" 0- 8" - > 8 11

'" Carp 1- 8" 9-12" <? 13" 0- 8" - > 8"Carpsuckers 1- 8" 9-12" ::>. 13" 0- 8" - > SitNorthern hog sucker 1- 7" 8-10" <? II" 0- 8" - > 8"Smallmouth buffalo 1- 8" 9-12" ~ 13" 0- 8" - > 8"Bigmouth buffalo 1- 8" 9-12" ~ 13" 0- 8" - > 8"Black bu [falo 1- 8" 9-12" ~ 13" 0- 8" - > 8"Shorthead reclhorse 1- 7" 8-10" <?11" 0- 8" - > 8 11

River reclhorse 1- 7" 8-10" ?11" 0- 8" - > 8"Golden redhorse 1- 7" 8-10" ~ 11" 0- 8" - > 8"Blue catfish 1- 5" 6- 9" ?10" 0-10" > 10"Channel catfish 1- 5" 6- 9" ?10" 0-10" > 10"Flath ead catfish 1- 5" 6-11" ? 12" 0-10" > 10"White bass 1- 6" 7- 8" ~ 9" 0- 6" > 6"

Table 18, (Cont1d).

Interme- Harvest- Carniv-Young diate able Forage araus Other

Species Fish Fish Fish Fish Fish Fish

Warmouth 1- 3" 4- 5" > 6" 0- 5" > 5"Bluegill 1- 3" 4- 5" 2'.. 6 1t 0- 5" > 5"Spotted bass 1- 4" 5- 8" ~ 9" 0- 4" > 4 11

Largemouth bass 1- 4" 5- 9" ~10" 0- 4" > 4 11

White crappie 1- 3" 4- 7" > 8" 0- 6" > 6"Black crappie 1- 3" 4- 7" ;:: 8" 0- 6" > 6"Saugcr 1- 8" 9-11" ~12" 0- 6" > 6"Freshwater drum 1- 5" 6- 8" :;;::, 9 t1 0- 6" - > 6"Miscellaneous All All

'"Small Fish Sizes - - Sizes

""

* From "An Evaluation of Cove Sampling of Fish Populations in Douglas Heservoir, Tennessee"in Reservoir Fishery Resources Symposium, 1967.

Table 19. Results of electrofishing at selected sites on Coffeeville Lake, 1974.

Total Sights of various Average sights-per-minute

Group groups of fish of various groups of fish

Bass 31 .34

White crappie 9 .10

Bluegill 13 .14

Redear 11 .12

Sunfish 2 .02

Pickerel 1 .01

Warmouth 2 .02

Blacktail redhorse 2 .02

Carp 1 .01

Carpsucker 4 .04

Spotted sucker 1 .01

Freshwater drum 1 .01

Golden shiner 1 .01

Fundulus 4 .04

Gizzard shad 20 .22

Total 103 1.11

94

Table 20. Results of electrofishing at selected sites on the Tombigbee River belowCoffeeville Dam.

Total sigbts of various Average sights-per-minuteGroup groups of fish of various groups of fis h

Bass 2 .022

Bluegill 10 .111

Crappie 1 .011

Channel catfish 5 .055

Flathead catfish 2 .022

Mullet 4 .044

Shiner 4 .044

Carpsucker 4 .044

Longnose gar 3 .033

Freshwater drum 2 .022

Carp 1 .011

Bowfin 1 .011

NeedlEfish 1 .011

Shad 21 .233

Total 61 .677

95

" I.. • I ----------.----. --T- - - , r -- I

1.5

1.4

1.3

1.2

1.1

~ 1.0

.9

.8

.7

.6

.5

Largemouth bass

I

I

I

I

I,L

I

II

I

Bream

II

White crappie

20 25 30 35 40 45 10 15 20 25 10 15 20 25

Total Length (mm x 10)

Figure 6. Distributionof Kn factor for various sizes of three groups of fish collected from Coffeeville Lake in 1974.

Kn1.6

1.5

1.4

1.3

1.2

~1.1

-0

1.0

.9

. 8

.7

.6

.5

Bass Bream Catfish-

I II I-I I-

- I I-

I I I I II II I I-

- I I .- I-

I I, , , ,

30 35 40 45 5 10 15 20 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50Total Length (mm x 10)

Figure 7. Distribution of Kn factor for various sizes of three groups of fish collected from the 'fombigbee Riverat Jackson, Alabama in 1974.

for the determination of the relative condition factor Kn. Such a set of average length

weight relationships for many species of fishes from rivers, lakes, and reservoirs

in Alabama are available (W. E. Swingle and E. W. Shell, 1971), and these averages

were used to determine the Kn values of all major species of fishes collected from

Coffeeville Lake. The data for 1974 are presented in chart form in Figure 7. In

these data, a Kn value less than 1. 0 indicates poor condition, a value of 1. 0 indicates

average condition, and a value greater than 1. 0 indicates good condition.

The Kn data for Coffeeville Lake are limited, but are believed to be unbiased

representative (electrofishing) samples of the species present in this lake. The

data inlicate that the general condition of the game fish sampled ranges from poor to

average within each species. In the case of basses, whose main diet is smaller fish,

there was a tendency toward equal distribution of individuals in poor to good condition

regardless of their total length. Crappie, on the other hand, were all less than

average condition. In the bream (sunfishes), whose chief diet is immature aquatic

insects and other macroinvertebrate forms, there was a tendency toward more indi

viduals in poor condition than in average or good condition.

As pointed out earlier in this plan, Coffeeville Lake is considered a run-of-the

river impoundment, and as such has a limited shallow water area that is conducive to

the production of the types of food that bream will consume. Thus, the limited num

bers of bream sighted and captured is a reflection of the lack of suitable habitat to

produce their food supply. The largemouth and spotted basses and crappie depend

upon smaller fishes for their diet, and in Coffeeville Lake their main food supply is

gizzard and threadfin shad.

98

Again, it is stressed that this is a limited quantity of data, but they were col

lected from some of the more productive stretches of the lake. A notable omission

in these electrofishing data is the lack of information on commercial fish species.

5-J. Fishing pressure. No reliable estimates are available on the number of

fishermen, or the nmnbers of fish that were caught, for Coffeeville Lake. Since

such information is normally obtained by creel census studies, the proposal for

obtaining such information on Coffeeville Lake will be presented in that discussion.

5-K. Creel census data. A creel census is in reality a method of bookkeeping

designed to determine the nmnbers and pounds of various species of fish harvested

by various methods and the effort (time and manpower) to obtain this harvest. The

survey can be more sophisticated and determine the age and sex of fishermen, the

point of origin of the fishermen, and other facts if so desired. Inherent in the de

sign of the census is the fact that daily and day-of-week fishing preSSLU'e, as well

as monthly fishing pressure, can be readily eA1;racted from the data. However,

the most important information is to secure as accurate and complete record as

possible of the nunlbers and weights of each species of fish harvested from the

entire body of water and the time required to attain this harvest.

On a reservoir the size and shape of Coffeeville Lake, and with so many private

entrances, it becomes an almost impossible task to devise a reliable creel census

plan. If such a plan could be devised, the cost would be excessive based upon the

total area of this lake. While the catch per fisherman trip and the total fishing

99

pressure as well as the total catch for Coffeeville Lake would be desirable, it is not

recommended for immediate implementation as a part of this Management Plan.

100

6. MANAGEMENT OF THE FISHERY.

The management plan presented in this section is one that, for the cost involved,

has the greatest potential for increasing fishing success in Coffeeville Lake. It must

be emphasized that if post-operational evaluation indicates a particular part of the

plan does not provide the desired increase in fish production, this phase should be

discontinued and a different approach devised. AIso, in those cases where no eco

nomical management plan can be devised, it will be recommended that the operational

procedure remain at its present status.

6-A. Reservoir fishery biology. This section is a brief review of some basic

biological processes of a reservoir fishery that were considered in evaluating the

fishery condition in Coffeeville Lake, and in the preparation of the Management Plan

that will follow. The two principal problems involved in fish production are (1) the

production of an abundant supply of fish food, and (2) the management of the fishery

for a high sustained yield of harvestable sized fish.

An analysis of any reservoir fish population is a complex problem involving an

understanding of the habitat, the food supply, the biology of each species of fish, the

relaticnships that result from all of these species living together, and the impact of

removal upon a sustained harvestable population.

Information on the types of habitats, and the potentials for fish-food production

have already been discussed in previous sections of this plan. In summary, it can

be stated that a large portion of the bottom in Coffeeville Lake is too deep to be

utilized for macroinvertebrate (fish-food organ·sms) production. In too large a

portion of its Sh'l low water (less than 8 feet deep) area the exposed bottom material

101

is silt that shifts with current and wave action. On the other hand, the inflow of

nutrients is more than adequate, but water movement is too e,,1:ensive to permit

the development of heavy densities of phytoplankton in this lake. There was no

evidence, from any recent studies, that water quality was inadequate to support

an abundance of all forms of aquatic life.

Since Coffeeville Lake is located upon a large stream that receives a great deal

of organic as well as inorganic waste products, a diversity of food sources is avail

able which requires fishes of different feeding habits to fully utilize these resources.

The species listed in Table 13 indicates that an adequate diversity of feeder types

exists in tllis lake and tailwaters. The presence of such scavengers as gars, carp,

catfish, and bowfins indicates the probability of a decreased rate of development of

eutrophic conditions in this lake. Present eutrophic conditions are much less than

would occur if these scavenger species were not present. Likewise, the presence

of a moderate number of planktonivorous shads indicates adequate utilization of

plankton and the production of an abundant forage group to support the population of

carnivorous basses, crappies, and catfishes. It has already been pointed out that

the inadequacy of suitable bottom conditions in this lake has decreased the macro

invertebrate production that has resulted in a relatively small standing crop of all

sunfishes.

6-A-1. Factors affecting fish reproduction. The continued existence of

all fish species in Coffeeville Lake depends upon their ability to spawn in this habitat.

There are many factors that affect the reproductive success of reservoir fishes.

Some of these factors are discussed below.

102

6-A-l-a. Adequacy of spawning area. The type of spawner, i. e.

nest builder or random, will determine whether or not adequate spawning areas

exist in the habitat. In the case of nest builders, spawning sites are located on

firm bottom materials consisting of gravel, clay, or silt. Sandy bottom areas are

largely unsuited for spawning since these may be shifting bottom areas. Nest

builders also have a preference of water depth in which to locate their nest. This

depth generally ranges from less than 1 foot to approximately 10 feet. Random

spawners require shallow water areas where an abundance of egg-attachment

materials (brush, grasses, and weeds) exist.

6-A-l-b. Water fluctuation. Drawdowns during spawning may destroy

a few or all nests or eggs of random spawners. Rising water prior to spawning can

dilute the repressive factor and induce basses, carp and buffalo to produce heavier

spawns.

6-A-l-c. Water temperature. The 6-inch water depth temperatures

at which various species spawn are shown in Table 21. The spawning success of

early spawners such as crappies and basses may be adversely affected by unusual

water temperature fluctuations.

6-A-l-d. Silt-laden waters. Waters heavily laden with silt are Ull

favorable for spawning of sunfishes and basses. Sunfishes in general are more

tolerant to silt than are basses, while bullhead catfish apparently suffer no ill

effects from silt. Random spawners, such as shads, carp, pickerel, and buffalo,

103

Table 21, Reproductive characteristics of various species of fresh-water fish.

Min. Sp3\\'lling No. Spawn Fry Min. HatchingSpecies Txpe Spawner Size, in. T\'pc Egg Per Year Schooling Temperature. ~.

Largemouth bass nest builder , sinkingsingular arihcsh'e + 70

Smallmouth bass neat builder 8-10 sinking 1 + 70adhesive

White bass nest builder 10 sinking + 5'adhesive

Eastern pickerel random 15 seml-buoynnt 1 55-GO

Sauger random 12 adhesive 43

Black crappie colony or single 7 sinking 68nest wilder adhesive

White crappie colony or single 7 sinking 68ncsl builder adhesive

Bluegill colony 3 sinking 2-3 80neal builder adhesive

Redenr colony 3 sinking 3 75ncst bu ilder adhesh'c

Redbreast colony 3 sinking 2-3 71nest builder adhesive

Round flier nest builder 3 heav1' 60-65adhesh'c

Warmouth nest builder 3 adhesive 80

GrCL'll sunfish colony 3 adhesivo 3 68-70

Ilest builder

Longcnr colony 3 adhesive 2 71-73nest builder

Channel catfish nest builder 10.5 heavy 74adhesive

Speckled bullhead nest builder 9 adhesive + 80

Golden shiner random 5 adhesivo 3 + 68

Dufralo random 15 sinking 60

Gizzard shad rnndom 5 adhcEivo 3 + G8

Threadfio shad random 3 adllcsive 3 + 70

104

whose eggs may be attached to twigs, leaves of grasses, etc., are less susceptible

to silt damage than are the bottom spawners. An often overlooked but potential

siltation hazard is produced by wind-driven currents that cause suspension of shal

low water silts and clays.

6-A-1-e. Repressive factor. This is a self-inflicted type of birth

control first observed in goldfish, carp, and buffalo populations. Basses and

sunfishes are thought to secrete a repressive factor which limits the extent of their

own reproduction.

6-A-1-f. Size of brood fish. There is a size below which each species

of fish will not spawn. The minimum sizes of spawning fish of various species are

given in Table 21. Sunfishes that are growing rapidly may spawn at a smaller size

than slower growing individuals.

6-A-1-g. Food availability during period of eg'g formation. Availability

of food during the period of egg formation and maturation within the female fish

will influence the number of young fish produced per female. Thus, heavy repro

duction of a species indicates rapid growth of brood fish; light reproduction, slow

growth; and no reproduction, no growth or even loss of weight by brood fish.

Some species such as sunfishes and shads can mature eggs within a few weeks

and spawn two or more times during a summer. Other species such as basses,

pickerels, carp, catfishes, and buffalo require several months for egg formation.

105

Thus, in these latter species reproductive success is influenced by conditions that

existed during- fall, winter, and early spring-.

6-A-l-h. Crowding. Since crowding- results in less food per individ

ual, it results in smaller sized brood fish and slower g-rowth. Crowding may result

from too many individuals of the same species and/or of competing species. The

result of overcrowding- is reduced or no reproduction.

6-A-l-i. Egg-eating habit. Under conditions of crowding, sunfishes

have been fOlmd to eat eggs of their own and other species. ""hen confined to sun

fishes and competing and undesirable species, this may be considered a beneficial

type of birth control. However, when it is extended and includes the eating of bass

eggs, it is extremely detrimental for it causes unbalanced populations.

6-A-l-j. Reproductive success of prey upon which predators feed

after reaching fingerling stage. Since some predatory species require fish as prey

to produce normal growth, it is necessary that successful prey species reproduction

has occurred.

6-A-l-k. strength of predation upon young predator species. The

young predatory species are not exempt from the same predation that exists for the

yOlmg of other species. Among bass, the greatest predation probably occurs when

large individuals of a school start feeding on their own brothers and sisters or on

the yOlmg from a neighboring nest. Since young bass largely eliminate their own

nest mates, the operation of bass nursery ponds on reservoirs is of dubious value.

106

6-A-2. Predator - prey relationships. The rate and efficiency of predation

within a fish population are dependent upon a number of biological and physical fac

tors. Notable among the biological factors are the schooling habits of the various

fish species. Largemouth bass fry, for example, are vulnerable to all larger bass

and crappie. Since fry move about in a large school for several days after leaving

the nest they are easy prey and most bass fry are eaten by larger fish before the

school breaks up.

Carp eggs, fry, and fingerlings appear to be e,,"tremely vulnerable to bass pre

dation. This species cannot be classified as a true schooling species, but the fry

and young fingerlings seem to congregate into groups which make them easy prey

for predators. Small shad also congregate into schools arolmd which predators

generally lurk.

When most sunfish fry leave the nest they disperse more or less at random into

shallow water areas. A chief factor in the survival of large numbers of these species

is the quantity of available cover in which these small fish can hide from predators.

Filamentous algae and rooted aquatic weeds, if present in sufficient quantities in

shallow edges, provide excellent hiding places for many small fishes. Thus, weed

control is an essential factor in establishing a healthy predator-prey relationship in

a reservoir".

The predatory species ("C" class) have been described as those piscivors

which consume any fish they can capture that is small enough to be swallowed at a

gulp. This suggests that a relationship exists between the size of the predator

and its prey. By research it was established that the mouth width measurement

107

of the predator species is equivalent to the mfL'{imum depth of body measurement

of the forage species that it can swallow. Since mouth width and mfL'{imum depth

of body are related to total length of body, this relationship is generally expres sed

as the total length of e forage species a bass of a given total length can swallow,

and is given in Table 22. This chart indicates that largemouth bass can start on a

fish diet at a very early age.

These relationships on mouth width of predators to depth of body of forage

species have been established for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted basses, and

eastern pickerel as predators, and for bluegills, red-ear, goldfish, golden shiner,

and gizzard shad as forage species. If is believed that the same type relationship

exists between mouth widths of crappies and catfishes and sizes of forage fish they

can gulp, but to date these have not been determined.

The presence of an adequate number of predators (piscivorous species) within

a fish population is essential if the forage species are to be thinned to the extent that

a sustained maximum harvestable crop of fish is to be produced. The chief predators

for reservoirs in this area include the basses, the larger catfish, the pickerel, and

to a limited extent the crappies. UnfortLmately, out knowledge of the activities of the

larger catfishes is much more limited than it is for the other three species. Since

the species dynamics of any reservoir fish population is dependent upon the predator

prey (Fie ratio) relationship, a discussion presented by SWingle and Swingle, (1967)

concerning problems encolmtered with largemouth bass and crappie predation is

summarized below.

108

Table 22. Ma-'l:imum sizes of forage fishes largemouth bass of a given inch-group can swallow.

Bass Total length of forage fish

Total Length Green Golden Gizz",-rd Thread finInch- Bass Bluegill Redeal' sunfish shiner Goldfish s11ad ShadGroup mm 111111 m111 111m 111m mm mm 111m mm

1 38 24.2 64 34 36 26 36 45 40 39 283 89 44 40 32 41 52 45 45 364 114 54 45 37 46 60 50 52 435 140 68 52 46 54 72 58 62 566 165 82 58 54 61 82 65 72 697 191 96 65 62 69 93 72 81 79

.... 8 216 120 73 72 78 106 81 93 910

9 241'"' 132 81 81 87 119 89 104 10210 267 145 89 91 94 132 98 115 11711 292 158 97 100 104 145 106 126 13012 318 169 104 108 113 156 114 136 14013 343 183 113 119 122 170 124 149 15514 368 196 121 129 131 183 133 160 17015 394 229 129 139 141 197 142 17216 419 249 145 159 159 224 159 19517 445 263 157 173 172 243 172 21218 470 278 169 188 186 262 185 23019 495 292 185 202 199 281 198 24620 521 298 193 - 212 301 - 26321 546 342 208 - 229 - - 28422 572 355 223 - - - - 30523 597 369 - - - - - 327

Largemouth bass are efficient predators upon small fishes and are the most

highly prized of the sport fishes taken from reservoirs throughout the South. This

species spawns in shallow water in the spring and the young fry migrate into shallow

water and feed upon zooplankton, for which they must compete with all other small

fish in the same enviromnent. From the size of I-inch on, they may feed upon mix

htres of zooplankton, insects, and small fish depending upon their relative availability.

Examination of rotenone samples indicate that growth of largemouth bass was

relatively slow during its first summer, and that there may be from 0 to more than

100 individuals per acre in various impoundments. Since these small bass remain

largely in marginal waters it is the relative abundance of small fishes in these areas

that regulates their growth and affects survival. Small gizzard shad are seldom

found ablmdantly in these areas making the bass principally dependent upon fry and

small fingerlings of mi1l1lows and the periodically spawning sunfishes during their

first growing season. By the time they are sufficiently large to migrate toward

deeper waters, few gizzard shad-of-the-year are small enough to serve them as

food. Those sltrviving" over-winter are able to feed upon newly hatched shad by

following schools over pelagic areas only at the expense of exposing themselves to

greater dangers of predation by large predators. If the shad species is gizzard shad

by mid-summer to late summer again few are small enough to serve as food for the

I-year bass. In both ponds and large reservoirs, the presence of gizzard shad as the

principal forage fish results in two groups of bass: (1) the young O-to-II-year groups

which must grow slowly, with correspondingly high losses from predation and other

types of natural mortality; and (2) the rapidly-growing bass which have become large

110

enough to follow schools of shad over pelagic areas. These latter bass have mouth

widths large enough to allow them to feed year-round upon larger shad.

Unforttmately, no adequate detailed studies have been made in impoundments

upon the food-chains of small bass and factors affecting their growth and survival

to larger inch-groups. Until more is Imown of the importance of many of the sup

posedly minor species to bass growth and survival, it is impossible to develop plans

for improving conditions and removing one of the bottlenecks in converting a reason-

able percentage of the shad crop into bass.

The two species of crappies appear to present similar problems in ponds and

large reservoirs. Their principal characteristic is the cyclic nature of their

abundance. A strong year-class recurs periodically, at intervals of every 3 to 5

years. Age groups I and II of a strong year-class are typically crowded and slow

gJ.'owill\·. During this period, few young-of-the-year crappies survive, or there

may be no reproduction. This is not because of the size of the crappie, as even

well-fed 2-ounce crappie are capable of spawning, but is due to crowding within

the species. Crowding may prevent egg formation or the fry-eating habits may

prevent survival of a year-class.

As the strong year-class passes from I to III or IV, gradual reduction in mUll

bel'S from fishing and natural mortality results in gradual increase in size, and

heavy reproduction again occurs.

Investigations in ponds have indicated that tendencies to periodic overcrowding

were due to the fact that crappie normally spawn earlier (680 F) than, or approxi-

111

mately at the same time as largemouth bass, which typically spawn at 70 0 F. Young

crappie after hatching, spend a few days or weeks in shallow waters and then mi

grate into deeper waters. Early spawning by crappie and migration into deep waters

combine to make young-of-the-year bass poor predators upon O-age crappie. In

bluegill-bass-crappie ponds, it is the many age class I bass that are the principal

predators upon O-class crappies. These basses are the gauntlet through which the

O-age crappies must successfully pass to establish a strong I age-class. Conse

quently, it was found in ponds that despite heavy crappie reproduction, a cyclic

pattern of crappie ablmdance did not occur in populations in years where strong

I age-class bass occurred.

strong I age-class of crappie developed the subsequent year after there was

heavy reproduction by crappie during a year when few or no I age-class bass were

present. Larger bass apparently preferred larger sized fishes and allowed survival

of too many small crappie. Once the strong I age-class of crappie developed,

numbers of yOllllg-of-the-year bass declined, probably because of predation by

crappie on bass fry. In state-owned public fishing lakes, once this cycle started,

it was repeated within 4 to 5 years. It was always evident from seining samples

taken in June when another cycle was starting. This was evidenced by averages of

10 to 30 or more crappie fingerlings per 15-foot seine haul, with no age I bass

taken by the 50-foot seine and very few caught by the fishermen.

In balanced populations, it is of interest that low numbers of age I bass follow

principally years with abnormally high milllbers of age I bass. Seining records on

112

experimental ponds have demonstrated that in such years older bass reproduced,

but age I bass allowed very few or none to survive beyond the schooling stage.

Unforttmately, the rotenone samples taken in large impoundments were useless

in studying this yOlmg' bass-crappie problem. Most rotenone samples were taken

from July to September and by this time practically all sizes of crappie had migrated

to deeper waters. If rotenone samples were taken also during the spawning period

of crappie, while most were in shallow water, a more useful census would result.

Possibly periodic seining during spring to mid-sunmler would provide a census of

the O-class and its survival. Trapping, creel census, and relative condition data

can yield information on frequency and length of cycles. Crappies are not undesirable

species in either ponds or large reservoirs; biologists just do not yet have techni

que s for their management .

6-B. R~sume'of factors affecting fish production in reservoirs.

1. The latitude and altitude of both the drainage area and the

reservoir determine the temperature of the lake water and

the species of fish it may support.

2. The shape, size, and geographic location of its drainage

area determine in large part the quantity of waters flowing

into a reservoir.

3. The type of soil, and its management, on the drainage area

determines the sediment load borne by inflowing waters.

- ~ 113

4. The types of soils and agTicultural practices employed on the

watershed determine the natural nutrient concentrations in

inflowing waters.

5. The quantities of domestic and industrial effluents released

into tributaries to the reservoir augment the flow of nutrients

into the reservoir environment.

6. The inflow - storage - output ratios of nutrients in a reservoir

determine the trophic levels that are mainta ined.

7. The storage of nutrients in bottom soils of reservoirs is

dependent upon water depth, flooding, and level of release

of discharge waters.

8. The conversion of nutrients into phytoplankton will retard

development of macrophytes in shallow water areas of reser

voirs, whereas the conversion of nutrients into macrophytes

will inhibit the development of phytoplankton in a reservoir.

9. The presence of macrophytes will act as precipitators of silt

resulting in more rapid clearing of water, but this process

may result in elimination of shallow marginal areas in the

reservoir.

10. The maximum food production in a reservoir is attained when

a moderate quantity of the available nutrients are converted

into phytoplankton. Conversion of nutrients into large amOlmts

of phytoplankton produce unfavorable habitat conditions.

114

11. The type of bottom in the euphotic zone of a reservoir may

determine in large measure the percentage of phytoplankton

converted into macroinvertebrates that serve as food for fish.

12. The presence of other substrate materials, such as brush and

rooted aquatic plants, increase attachment sites for macro in

vertebrate production.

13. To efficiently utilize all forms of food available within a reser

voir, the population of fish must include species whose feeding

habits are adapted to utilize these varied food sources.

14. The population of fish within the reservoir is composed of those

species present within the impOlUlded portion of the stream at

the time the dam was closed. If other species are considered

desirable or necessary in the reservoir fish population they

should have been stocked when the dam was closed and allowed

to expand with the native fish.

15. There must be an adequacy of spawning areas in the reservoir

to provide for annual recruitment to the fish population.

16. A predator-prey relationship must be established and main

tained that is capable of reducing the total numbers of fishes to

a level of maximum sustained harvestable-sized sport and com

mercial species.

115

17. An excessive quantity of macrophytes can provide too much

protection for small fishes from predators and result in an

over-crowded and stlmted fish population.

18. There must be an adequate annual harvest by fishermen to

remove a high percentage of the harvestable-sized sport and

commercial species. This will permit adequate reproduction

and the maximum rate of growth among; the recruitments to

the population.

19. An abundance of large, trophy-sized bass or other species

taxes the available food supply and results in a decreased

total standing crop and fewer harvestable sized fish.

20. Inadequate removal of harvestable-sized fish results in an

abundance of older individuals that are more susceptible to

parasite and disease attacks.

21. Parasite and disease infections are higher among species with

schooling habits. Also, incidences of infection are greater

during spawning periods when many individuals are crowded

into smaller areas than at other periods of the year and anti

body production is at its lowest leveL

6-C. Information VB. action. It is evident from the preceeding discussions

that all prior data gathered on Coffeeville Lake may be classified as information,

and practically no use has been made of this information for either the promotion

116

or management of the fishery for a greater sustained yield of harvestable sized

fishes.

The time has long since passed for utilization of the available information on

water quality, aquatic weed control, and fish population data that applies to Coffee

ville Lake, and to collect the needed data to completely evaluate and manage this

fishery.

The most pressing need for information at present is a reliable estimate of the

quantities (numbers and weights) of both sport and commercial species of fishes

harvested by fishermen from this lake. This information can only be obtained by

an organized creel census conducted for a sufficient period (at least 2 years) to

provide reliable information. It is suggested that when such a creel censLls is

conducted that it be in accordance with the procedLUoes described by the Southern

Division of American Fisheries Society.

6-C-1. Public relations. This phase of the Fishery Management Plan

might be considered as the equivalent of customer service in a large corporation.

Its purpose is to provide fishermen with such information as the kinds and habits of

fish inhabiting Coffeeville Lake; the most successful method to employ to catch

these fish; the (current) areas where fishing for various species has been most

sLlccessful; bottom contoLUo maps to indicate depth to fish; and weekly dissolved

oxygen concentration and temperature profiles for the lake.

Tills information on fishery biology is an integral part of the training of any

fisheries biologist. The dissemination of this information to civic groups, conser-

117

vation and wildlife groups, and school children could be most helpful to the public

to better understand problems of fish production as well as in their harvest of fish.

These presentations could be timely and include fishing teclmiques for those species

currently being harvested.

The information on current "hot fishing holes" could be disseminated weekly

along with water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration data. This type

information could be displayed on bottom contour maps along with the best depth at

which to place the bait.

6-C-2. Fishing access. The various points of access for boat fishermen

on Coffeeville Lake are presently adequate to allow most areas to be within a 20 to

30 minute run from a concrete ramp. In a limited number of places one may have

to drive many miles and cross the lake to reach an access point. It is felt that the

present number of points for boat fishermen are sufficient for present fishing pres

sure. A few ramps need to be widened to premit two vehicles to be launching or

retrieving boats at the same time to better accommodate the occasional large crowds.

Bank fishermen, on the other hand, have had no special facility consideration

to date. They have simply had to be content witb existing bank conditions regardless

of their proximity to favorable fishing grolmds. it is suggested that this aspect of

reservoir fishing could be improved in limited area by construction of fishing piers

or dikes into favorable shallow water areas. Such structures might lend themselves

as barriers that would permit the fertilization or baiting of embayments for special

groups such as handicapped or lmderprivileged children.

118

In the tailwater areas immediately below Coffeeville Dam the construction of a

fishing walkway on the west bank would permit a greater number of people a safer

access to this fast water fishing area. Such a walkway could be usod in that area

which is currently closed to boat fishing by a chained buoy line. This is a minor

cost item that could greatly increase tailwater fishing access from a relatively

safe platform.

6-C-3. Fishing intensity. It was stated in the introduction that the pri

mary purpose of tllis fishery management plan was to prOVide the greatest sustained

yield of harvestable sized fish based upon its basic fertility. Attaining this yield

requires a sustained fishing preSSLU"e particularly dLU"ing those periods when certain

species are in the shallow water areas or are on their beds. The publicity of this

information is one approach to acquiring intense fishing pressure. However, to

sustain this fishing pressure requires that a majority of these fishermen catch fish.

6-C-4. Creel limits. It is contended that the present high creel limits are

a factcr that determines the relative fishing success of a majority of fishermen. It

is well known that the consistent fisherman knows where and when to fish, and when

he locates a bed or area where fish have congregated that he will remove one or more

full limits on several consecutive days. This procedure does remove large numbers

of fish, but it does not prOVide catches for the vast majority of fishermen. A lowering

of limits would tend to promote a greater spread of catches to more fishermen. Tllis

should result in a greater stimulus to a wider fishing clientele which should be the

philosophy for any public waters that are operated from general public funds.

119

The harvest of adequate numbers of commercial species, especially the cat

fishes and carp, from Coffeeville Lake has been rather sporadic and in a large sense

restricted. Unfortunately, no data are available on harvest of either commercial

or game species to indicate how adequately the present fish crop is being utilized,

but it is suspected that less than 50 percent of the annual crop of all catchable groups

is being harvested. Since it requires approximately as much food to maintain a

pound of fish as is required to produce a pound of fish, the harvest of commercial

species should be encouraged to release some of the pressure upon the food supply

of game species. By proper selection of fishing gear, the probability of catching

game fish by commercial techniques is considerably lessened. However, if our

assumptions on game fish harvest are reliable, then the removal of a limited num

ber of game species by commercial gear could only result in an improvement of

the entire fish population.

6-C-5. Evaluation of fishery management changes. The operation of a

concurrent creel census on game and commercial fishing would be the only way

to accurately evaluate most of these proposed changes in regulations as regards

their influence upon the total fish harvest of Coffeeville Lake. However, as pointed

out earlie.' in this Plan, current implementation of a creel census on Coffeeville Lake

is not recommended since it would be very costly to operate.

6-C-6. Fishing tournaments and rodeos. Another factor in adequately

harvesting the game fish population of this lake to sustain a maximum harvestable

crop is the operation of bass tournaments and fishing rodeos. As mentioned pre-

120

viously it requires about the same amolmt of fish food to maintain a pound of fish

as it takes to produce a pound of fish. For example, it requires about 4 pounds of

fish to produce a pound of bass within one year. It will require an additional 4

pOlUlds of fish to maintain this one pOlUld of bass through its second year of life,

plus 4 more pOlUlds of fish if it gains another pound in weight. Thus by the time

a fish is 2 years old and weighs 2 pounds he will hawe consumed 12 pounds of fish

(enough food to have grown three one-pound bass in one year). If a bass lives to be

6 years old and weighs 6 pOlmds at the end of that period, it will have consumed

more than 80 POlUlds of fish during that period (enough to have produced 20 one

pound bass during these six years).

Fisheries management technology has not advanced to such a stage that it can

provide means to produce these greater numbers of smaller bass in preference to

the one larger fish in larger impoundments, and it is not known that if such a tech

nique were available if it would result in a balanced fish population in such impound

ments. These facts were pointed out to indicate that the removal of trophy-sized

basses by tournaments and rodeos can have a beneficial effect upon a reservoir's

overall fish population in the release of pressure upon the available food supply.

This results in a brief stimulation of growth among basses and possibly crappies.

In any impoundment inhabited by gizzard shad, it is necessary that the popula

tion of basses consists of individuals of all sizes from yOlU1g-of-the-year to old

grandads. As mentioned earlier, larger basses seemingly prefer near maximLUll

sized forage fishes that they are capable of swallowing; thus these "lunker-sized"

basses are a necessity to control the numbers of gizzard shad and other forage fishes.

121

Their occasional removal only allows a slig-htly smaller bass a more abundant food

supply and an oportunity to reach the "lunker" category. Tournaments and rodeos

have thus far only encouraged the growing-up of smaller basses. 1f tournament

activity is too extensive (in size and frequency) it could eventually result in a gra

dual decrease in sizes of larger basses, but it is doubtful that this point has been

approached in thls lake. Thus, from the fish manager's standpoint, a limited nllln

ber of moderate-sized tournaments and rodeos would be considered a desirable

means of harvesting a segment of the fish population that is taxing- the available food

supply.

122

7. Coordination with Other Agencies

The establislunent of a fishery habitat by the impoundment of Coffeeville Lake

created a problem of managing this public resource.. By custom, it has been assumed

that the fishes living in this body of water belong to the state until they are caught

and removed at which time they become the property of the fishermen. States have

been resistant to assume the management of these federally financed projects on

the grounds that no State revenues are derived from such installations whereas pri

vate utilities do pay taxes on their impoundment holdings. There is no likelihood that

this attitude wi II change in the immediate future. States do ins ist however, that the

fishery created by these federal impoundments is still their responsibility. This

Plan assures the State of the continued role as principal participant iu the manage

ment of fisheries within its jurisdiction.

7-A. Personnel and funding. In light of the above sltuation, it must be assumed

that the Corps of Engineers has a responsibility to the public, who financed these

projects, to provide the financial means for their management. The procedures for

solving all management problems are details beyond the scope of this Plan. However,

it is felt that the Plan can include some suggested methods for their initial enactment.

The Corps of Engineers should employ a skeleton staff of professional fisheries

management personnel to act as liaison between themselves and the State fisheries

biologists. These Biologists should be provided with adequate li.lllding· for each

reservoir under their jurisdiction to provide for collection of essential data and

conduction of public relation and other managerial aspects of each reservoir's fishery.

123

Warrior Lake, Holt Lake, Demopolis Lake, Coffeeville Lake, and Okatibbee

Lake could all share a fisheries biologist who would coordinate the fisheries mana

gement activities of the Corps of Engineers and the state of Alabama. Various parts

of the fisheries program then could be contracted to the Fisheries Divisions of the

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, to state universities

or conducted in-house. Such an arrangement should be designed to encourage state

participation in the plan, and in-house implemention would be used as a last resort.

The role of state universities in this management plan would be restricted to re

search activities in relation to specific biological or management problems.

The fisheries biologist should be adequately trained in fisheries biology and

management and have an M. S. degree. The suggested rating would be a G. S. 9 or

11 in order to attract qualified persons. The flIDding provided by the Corps of Engi

neers for implementation and continuing the management plan of vVarrior Lake could

be based upon fisherman usage estimates, and could be as high as $0.05 per fisher

man visit. This figure would provide adequate monies to conduct a good creel census

and to start some of the other activities set forth in this plan if the Corps and state

biologists deem a creel census is needed.

7-B. Cost-benefit projections. It is impossible to place a value upon the

benefit derived by an individual for one fisherman visit to Coffeeville Lake. Cer

tainly the value would be several times the $0.05 cost per fisherman visit indicated

above. In addition, for each fisherman visit, it is estimated that he placed into the

local economy (spent) well in excess of $1. 00 to make this visit. Thus, the cost

benefit ratio could conceivably range from 1: 25 to more than 1: 1, 000.

124

7-C. Equipment for biologist. The fishery management biologist must be

provided with certain specialized equipment if he is to be efficient and effective in

providing technical assistance that will result in a higher sustained yield of fish on

the stringer. The following items are basic to this biologist being self-sufficient

over the wide territory that he must keep under continuous surveillancl".

L Pickup truck equipped with a lockable body cover.

2. 16' fiberglass boat (Boston Whaler type).

3. 65 or 85 h. p. outboard motor with at least an 18 gallon gas tank.

4. Heavy duty boat trailer.

5. Corps communication radios in both truck and boat.

6. state communication radio in truck.

7. Water sampling equipment to include:

a. Dissolved oxygen-temperature meter with at least 50-foot lead or

probe.

b. Water sampling bottle capable of collecting water sample at any depth.

c. Ice chest with quart size Nalgene plastic sample bottles.

d. Secchi disc.

8. Fish sampling equipment including

a. 25' x 4' one-fourth inch mesh seine.

b. Dip net with one-fourth inch mesh bag.

c. Ice chest with plastic sample bags.

9. 35 mm camera.

a. Color film for slides

b. Black and white film for news releases.

125

7-D. Job description - Fisheries Management Biologist. The qualifications

and duties listed below are minimum requirements for a Corps of Engineers Fisheries

Management Biologist.

Degree: M. S. in Fisheries Management.

Training to include:

1. Warm-water fisheries biology.

2. Management of large impoundment warm-water fisheries.

3. Fish disease and parasites.

4. Water quality in relation to fish production.

5. Aquatic plant identification and control.

6. Fish identification.

7. Statistics.

8. Public speaking.

9. Journalism.

Duties:

1. Thorough knowledge of the fishery habitats within each Lake for

which he is responsible.

2. Knowledge of the sm'rounding drainage area, especially the sources

of domestic, industrial, and agricultural pollution.

3. Knowledge of current sport fishing success on each lake including

most productive areas. Share information with public through news

releases, radio, T. V. and Lake bulletins.

4. Knowledge of commercial fishing on each lake including number of

fishermen, type of gear used, and kinds and amounts of fish harvested.

126

5. Maintain surveillance for fish kills and determine cause(s). Report to

appropriate state agency.

6. Current knowledge (at all times) of water quality conditions throughout

each lake. Share information with public through news releases, radio,

T. V., and posted information on lake.

7. Maintain surveillance on aquatic plant (including phytoplankton) popu-

lations and determine when and where control measures should be

employed.

8. Cooperate with state fisheries biologists on all above-mentioned duties

so that both may better inform the public about the fishery within each

lake.

9. Promote fishing interest through news releases, public appearances

at clubs and civic groups, and by personal contacts on lakes.

10. Identify, help develop, coordinate and participate (to be informed) in

any contractural management or research plan that may be in effect on

each lake.

11. Actively participate in local, state, and regional fisheries organizations

to inform and be informed on current management practices.

12. Coordinate and encourage participation of each Resource Manager and

other Corps personnel on each lake project in collecting and dis semi-

nating information relative to that lake's fishery.

Note - This biologist could be most effective if he did not have citation authority. Inthis way he can contact persons with valuable information, but who are noncommunicative with law enforcement personnel.

127

7-E. Budget. The personnel required to implement this Fisheries Management

Plan consists of a District Fisheries Biologist and a Project Fisheries Biologist.

This Project Fisheries Biologist would be shared by Coffeeville Lake (20 percent),

Demopolis Lake (30 percent), Warrior Lake (20 percent), Holt Lake (20 percent),

and Okatibbee Lake (10 percent).

follows:

The work basis for Coffeeville Lake will be as

Project Fisheries Biologist, GS-9, 20 percent, 52 days

Estimated annual cost is as follows:

a. Personnel

Fisheries Biologist (GS-9) ($13, 791 + 32%) x .20

Contingencies (15 percent)

Supervision and Administration (15 percent)

b. Equipment ($12,500 x .04*)

c. Operating expenses

Subtotal

d. Management Practices

Fishing piers, creel census, weed control,population studies, etc.

Total Cost (268,000 x $0.0613 per user day)

Total Benefits (268,000 x $1. 00 per user day)

*Equipment costs prorated over 5 year period.

$ 3,641

546

546

500

1,200

6,433

10,000

16,433

268,000

**Due to limited use by fishermen the cost per fisherman visitis greater than amount suggested in body of Plan.

128

8. Research Needs for River and Impoundment Management.

Improved techniques for evaluating the present and future fish populations in

rivers and impoundments are urgently needed by State and Federal regulatory

agencies and by industries that are required to biologically monitor the effects of

their wastes. Equally important, we need to utilize, at the optimum level, the

productive capacity of our natural surface waters.

Title: Improvement and Evaluation of Fish Sampling Techniques for Use on Rivers

and Impoundments.

Situation: One of the major problems confronting management of fisheries in rivers

and impolmdments is the inadequacy of available techniques to sample all facets

of the resident fish population. This is a distinct handicap to fisheries biologists

who are attempting to improve sport and commercial fish production. Equally

important is the fact that it is virtually impossible for biologists to evaluate

either detrimental or beneficial effects of waste or heated-water effluents upon

fim production in rivers and impoundments.

Objective:

1. To devise a sampling system that provides total recovery of the standing

crop of fishes in a given area.

2. To develop new sampling techniques that will permit the attainment of the

first objective.

129

3. To evaluate the efficiency of individual sampling techniques to estimate a

portion or all of the standing crop under various types of habitats.

Title: Factors Affecting Food Chain Development in Rivers and Impoundments.

Situation: The availability of food is the chief factor involved in fish production in

rivers and impoundments. Since the majority of fish foods are produced within

an aquatic environment, their degree of abundance is not nearly so obvious as

it is with terrestrial forms. In addition, the characteristics of the aquatic

habitats are not so obvious as they generally are on land. Most life history

studies of aquatic forms have been conducted singly and little effort has been

devoted to integrated food chain production studies. Thus, the various factors

which may have the greatest influence upon the food chain for various species

of game and commercial fish are little known or understood. Only through a

better understanding of food chain relationships can fish production in many

waters be managed or improved.

Objective:

1. To devise sampling techniques capable of collecting representative forms

of all major food groups for fresh water fishes.

2. To more fully understand the general life-cycle of each group of organisms

that are components of the food chain for fish.

3. To identify the physical and chemical factors that are beneficial and harm

fUl to all component organisms in the food chain.

130

4. Evaluate the gain or loss in efficiency of conversion for food chains of

varying complexity.

Title: Optimum Nutrient Loading for Maximum Fish Production in Rivers and

Impoundments.

Situation: Plant nutrients, mainly N, P, and C, are generally the limiting factors

in the production of adequate food to attain the maximum natural production of

fish in rivers and impoundments. Several other chemical and physical factors

seemingly influence the quantity of plant nutrient necessary for optimum fish

production in a given aquatic habitat. Experience in farm fish ponds has shown

that the combination of factors are almost as variable as the number of ponds

that have been studied, but there appeared to be average values for the compo

nents of the combinations that tend to optimize fish production. It is believed

that similar sets of combinations exist to optimize fish production in rivers

and impOlmdments.

Objective:

L Correlate rate of nutrient flow with the standing ()rop of fish in rivers and

impoundments.

2. Compare fish production in impoundments resulting from agricultural and

non-agricultural nutrient sources.

Title: Optimum Harvest Rate for Various Trophic Levels in Rivers and Impolmdments.

131

Situation: It has been shown in pond research that individuals comprising a fish

population do not grow unless a sufficient UlU1mer of the larger individuals

are harvested and the pressure on the food supply relieved to allow smaller

individuals to attain harvestable size. This rate of harvest was found to be

proportional to the available food supply. In rivers and impolmdments the

rates of harvest of sport and commercial species are generally unknown. The

same can be stated concerning the trophic levels of these same environments.

The LU'gent need is to accumulate sufficient information to correlate optimum

harvest rates with nutrient input of the various streams and impoundments

throughout the Southeast.

Objective:

1. To determine the optimum rate of harvest of fish from rivers and impolmd

ments with different rates of nutrient flow.

132

9. Synopsis

CoffEeville Lake, with a surface area of 8,500 acres, a length of 96. 5 miles

on the Tombigbee River, an average depth of 23 feet, and a drainage area of

19,000 square miles, is a run-of-the-river navigation impoundment which at normal

pool elevation of 32.5 feet msl was retained largely within the banks of the river

and tributary stream channels. The Lake is subject to excessive flood waters one

or more times each winter and spring. The major flooding often results from the

unregulated Tombigbee watershed. The degree of turbidity associated with these

flood waters is dependent upon the severity of the flood producing storms.

The quality of inflowing waters into Coffeeville Lake at Demopolis Dam have

recovered sufficiently from upstream pollution to meet Alabama's standards so

far as dissolved oxygen concentrations are concerned. The extreme variations in

flow tint have previously been experienced at Demopolis Dam are partially alleviated

by stream flow regulation affected by Lewis Smith Dam. FLU·ther regulation will

be possible once the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway structures on the Upper Tom

bigbee River are completed.

At Tombigbee River mile 205.2, the Gulf state Paper Company plant has, in the

past, released excessive paper making wastes into the river. This has resulted in

one or more rather extensive fish kills. Tllis waste is currently collected, held,

and treated to such an extent that it meets Alabama's water quality requirements.

Further downsh'eam, at river mile 171. 8, American Can Company operates

a.paper mill that currently releases adequately treated waste into the river. Prior

133

problems with this waste and fish lulls has been partially caused by poor quality

water coming from Gulf States upstream. It is still desirable that each of these

mills give more adequate treatment to their effluents to eliminate these sources

as potential fish-kill agents.

Due to the steep and continuously agitated (by barge wakes and stream flow)

sandy banks along the river chmmel, there is no growth of marginal aquatic plants,

except in immdated tributary areas. The most prevalent plant in these tributary

embayments is alligatorweed. Its spread is not anticipated to expand since a good

population of Argentine flea beetles is present to exert biological control. Other

less noxious aquatic weeds present in these embayments include lizard tail,

Sagittaria, American lotus, giant cutgrass, and cattails. There is little likeli

hood that submersed weeds will ever become established in these areas since these

waters stay turbid much of the winter and spring each year.

The fish population in Coffeeville Lake consists of those species present in

the Tombigbee River at the time Coffeeville Lock and Dam was closed. Since its

closure the floodwaters have overflowed the dam sufficiently to allow fish free

passage up- and down-stream.

From observations and discussions with persons Imowledgeable of sport fishing

activity on Coffeeville Lake, it can only be assumed that fishing pressure is only

moderate on this Lake. The accessibility, for boat fishermen, appears adequate in

the productive sport fishing areas. The bank fishermen have had no special facilities

provided for their use. It is recommended that fishing pier s or earthen embanl<ments

be constructed at favorable locations to accommodate this segment of the fishing

population.

134

Limited commercial fishing is still practiced on the river proper, but the com

position of this catch is unknown.

Data on availability of sport fish indicate that moderate populations utilize the

inundated embayments in the lower reach of the lake. The bass, which depend

upon shad and small sunfish as food are in fair condition. Crappie were generally

in poor condition. This occurred because their food, which i<; small shad, is limited.

The majority of the Lake bottom, except in flooded embayments, is lillsuited

(because of shifting sand:;) for fish-food organism production. Thus the sunfishes

were few in mLmbers and we::e from poor to fair in condition. This condition

status of the fish population in Coffeevill,e Lake is a direct result of a poor physical

habitat fOJ" fish-food production.

The Fisheries Section of the Alabama Deaprtment of Conservation and Natl.~r'll

Resources ClLrrently has no manag'ement plan in effect on tllis impoundment. They

do check bass reproduction on the lake each year. The employment of a fisheries

biologist (to be shared jointly between Coffeeville, Demopolis, Warrior, Holt,

and Okatibbee Lakes) by the Corps of Engineers would provide a liason between the

Corps and the State. Any future management of this fishery would be jointly

approved by biologists from each agency. The actLtal fisheries management

would be conducted by the State, and the Corps would provide contractural funds

for their fair share of any program that was initiated.

135

References Cited

Swingle, H. S. 1950. Relationships and dynamics of balanced and unbalanced

fish populations. Auburn Univ. Agri. Expt. Sta. Bull. 274. 74 pp.

Swingle, H. S. 1953. Fish populations in Alabama rivers and impoundments.

Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 83 :47 -57.

Swingle, H. S., and W. E. SWingle. 1968. Problems in dynamics of fish

populations in reservoirs. Reservoir Fish. Resources sym.

11. 229-243.

Swingle, W. E., and Eo W. Shell. 1971. Tables for computing relative conditions

of some common freshwater fishes. Auburn Univ. Agri. Expt. Sta.

Circular 183. 55 pp.

136

This Plan has been submitted to the Fisheries

Di vision, Alabama Department of Conservation and

Natural Resources for review and comments. After review,

ali comments from the State of Alabama were favorable

and agreed with the management needs for this Lake

as set forth in this Plan. Particn iar interest was ex-

pressed by the State on the establishment of fishing piers.

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