Buffalo Creek Reservoir - 2020 Survey Report

Prepared by Robert Mauk
Inland Fisheries Division
Wichita Falls District

This is the authors' summary from a 26-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Buffalo Creek Reservoir were surveyed in 2019 and 2020 using electrofishing, 2018 and 2020 using trap netting, and in 2021 using gill netting. Historical data are presented with the 2018-2021 data for comparison. This report summarizes the results of the surveys and contains a management plan based on those findings.

Reservoir Description

Buffalo Creek Reservoir is a 1,577-acre impoundment located on the North Fork of Buffalo Creek in the Red River Basin approximately 20 miles west of Wichita Falls. At full pool, its shoreline is characterized as natural with some rocks. Buffalo Creek would be characterized as turbid. The reservoir was essentially dry in early 2015 and filled up after heavy precipitation that year. A reservoir wide White Crappie mortality event occurred in June of 2018.

Management History

Important sport fish include Largemouth Bass, White Crappie, and Channel Catfish. Buffalo Creek has always been managed with statewide regulations. Florida Largemouth Bass were stocked in 2016, 2017 and 2019. Bluegill and Channel Catfish were stocked in 2016 and Channel Catfish had an additional stocking in 2018

Fish Community

• Prey species: Gizzard Shad and Bluegill were present in high abundance. It was the highest electrofishing catch rate for Bluegill and third highest for Gizzard Shad with all being of a size easily consumed by predators.
• Catfishes: No Blue or Flathead Catfish were sampled, nor have they been restocked since the reservoir refilled. Channel Catfish fingerlings were stocked in 2016 and nine-inch Channel Catfish were stocked in 2018. The population is doing well with abundance being above the historical average. Good numbers of legal-length catfish are available to anglers and they have excellent body condition.
• Largemouth Bass: Florida strain Largemouth Bass were stocked in 2016 but few were sampled in the fall. Another stocking occurred in 2017 and again in 2019 after a springtime bass only electrofishing survey resulted in the capture of only six legal length bass. The 2020 survey found bass to be more numerous with a balanced population size structure. All bass exhibited healthy body condition that improved with size.
• Crappie: White and Black Crappie were present in the 2020 trap net survey. Black Crappie were first observed in 2015 after the reservoir refilled. They probably originated from small ponds within the watershed that over-flowed allowing them to escape and take up residence in the reservoir. By 2018, they were well established in the reservoir and are still present to this day, though not as prevalent as in 2018. White Crappie have rebounded nicely after a reservoir wide mortality event occurred in 2018 that involved only White Crappie. In 2020, abundance has rebounded with decent numbers of crappie existing in the reservoir.

Management Strategies

• Request stockings of Blue and Flathead Catfish.
• Request a stocking of northern strain Largemouth Bass as they may be better suited to the reservoir conditions thus improving the bass populations.
• Monitor fish populations using electrofishing in 2022 and 2024, trap nets in 2024, and gill nets in 2025, and.
• Examine age and growth to the legal length limit for Largemouth Bass as well as the population genetics in 2024.

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-221-M-2 Inland Fisheries Division Monitoring and Management Program