Stamford Reservoir - 2018 Survey Report

Prepared by Michael D. Homer Jr. and Natalie Goldstrohm
Inland Fisheries Division - Abilene District

This is the authors' summary from a 29-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Stamford Reservoir were surveyed in fall 2015 by daytime electrofishing, tandem hoop netting in 2017 and 2018, as well as nighttime electrofishing, trap netting, and low-frequency electrofishing in 2018. This report summarizes the results of the surveys and contains a management plan for the reservoir based on those findings.

Reservoir Description

Stamford Reservoir is a 5,124-acre impoundment of Paint Creek, a tributary of the Clear Fork of the Brazos River Basin approximately 10 miles southeast of Haskell, TX. The reservoir is used for municipal and industrial water supply for the City of Stamford, flood control, and recreation. Longterm drought from 2012-2015 caused the water level to decline to approximately 17.0 ft. below conservation pool level. Water level fluctuated between 1.0 ft. above and about 4.0 ft. below from spring 2015 to summer 2017. Water level declined to about 5.5 ft. below conservation pool by early fall 2018, but heavy rainfall in the fall of 2018 flooded the reservoir to about 5 ft. above conservation pool. By spring 2019, water level was about 2.0 ft. over conservation pool.

Management History

Sport fish include Largemouth Bass, White Crappie, Blue Catfish, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, and White Bass. All species have been managed with the statewide fishing regulations. Golden alga is found in the reservoir and caused the first documented toxic bloom in March 2015 which resulted in a moderate lake-wide fish kill. In 2016, Blue Catfish were stocked to restore the fishery. In 2015-2017, and in 2019, stockings of Florida Largemouth Bass fingerlings were attempted to restore the fishery.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Gizzard Shad, Bluegill, Longear Sunfish, and Inland Silversides were the predominant prey species. Sizes and relative abundance of prey species observed were optimal for sport fishes.
• Catfishes: The 2018 low-frequency electrofishing survey yielded an adequate sample of Blue Catfish to evaluate size structure; fish ranged from 5 to 20 inches. Presence of 20-inch fish provided promise that some individuals may have survived the golden alga kill. Channel Catfish catch in the 2018 tandem hoop net survey was low and comprised of mostly sub-stock length fish. Channel Catfish were not re-stocked following the drought and golden alga kill, and their existing population was likely remnant and/or comprised of fish that may have washed into the reservoir from the watershed.
• Largemouth Bass: Exploratory sampling in 2015 yielded a catch of mostly sub-stock fish. Sampling for Largemouth Bass during fall 2018 was halted because of equipment issues, and the entire survey could not be completed. Fish collected were mostly sub-legal length and were likely from the recovery stockings. Florida Largemouth Bass allele frequencies were high in the samples taken in 2015 and 2018.
• White Crappie: The White Crappie sample was mostly fish of sub-stock length, indicative of adequate reproduction. Body conditions of White Crappie were optimal. Target sample size for age and growth to legal length estimation was not achieved, but those fish sampled had a mean age of 1.9 years.

Management Strategies

Blue Catfish will be monitored by low-frequency electrofishing in spring 2022. Prey species and Largemouth Bass will be sampled by standard electrofishing in fall 2020 and 2022. Additional daytime sampling may be conducted in fall 2020 to evaluate feasibility for future monitoring. White Crappie will be monitored by trap netting during fall 2022. Biennial stockings of Florida Largemouth Bass and Blue Catfish fingerlings will be requested for supplemental stockings to boost recruitment. Boater access and fisheries habitat enhancements will be pursued. Golden alga samples and toxicity analyses will be conducted during the cold seasons.

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-221-M-5 Inland Fisheries Division Monitoring and Management Program