EPA-908/4-78-006
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
ROCKY MOUNTAIN PRAIRIE REGION
REGION VIII
OFFICE OF ENERGY ACTIVITIES
AND
OFFICE OF BIOLOGICAL SERVICES
US. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE»DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
RESERVOIR ECOSYSTEMS AND
WESTERN COAL DEVELOPMENT
IN THE UPPER MISSOURI RIVER
JUNE, 1977
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EPA-908/4-78-006
June 1977
RESERVOIR ECOSYSTEMS AND WESTERN COAL
DEVELOPMENT IN THE UPPER MISSOURI RIVER
By
William R. Nelson, Dan B. Martin, Lance G. Beckman,
David W. Zimmer and Douglas J. Highland
North Central Reservoir Investigations
P.O. Box 139
Yankton, South Dakota 57078
and
P.O. Box 698
Pierre, South Dakota 57501
Contract No.: EPA - IAG-D6-F079
Project Officers:
Lee Ischinger
Western Energy and Land Use Team
Drake Creekside Building
2625 Redwing Road
Fort Collins, Colorado 80521
Denis Nelson
Environmental Protection Agency
1860 Lincoln Street
Denver, Colorado 80203
Prepared for
Office of Biological Services
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Department of the Interior
Washington, D.C. 20240
and
Region VIII
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Denver, Colorado 80203
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DISCLAIMER
This report has been reviewed by the Surveillance and Analysis
Division and Office of Energy Activities, Rocky Mountain-Prairie Region,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and approved for publication.
Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the
views and policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nor
does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute
endorsement or recommendation for use.
DISTRIBUTION
Document is available to the public through the National Technical
Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161.
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ABSTRACT
This report summarizes the results of a literature and field survey
conducted in 1976 to develop a data base for evaluating the impacts of
predicted energy developments in the Northern Great Plains on the aquatic
resources of Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea, the two uppermost of six main
stem Missouri River reservoirs. Various future developments are predicted
to deplete the average Missouri River flow at Sioux City, la. over 40% by
2000, and in drought years the flow would be completely allocated.
Although limited, the data available indicated that with proper design
and operating procedures, development of the region's coal resources can
occur without significantly affecting these reservoirs' ecosystem. In the
absence of adequate controls the localized impacts could be serious. Most
impacts can be mitigated, but the suitability and adequacy of alternatives
must be determined on a site/activity specific basis. Increased
contributions of heavy metals to these reservoirs should be avoided because
existing levels of metals in fish flesh approach or exceed federal standards.
Selection of the best method for disposing of solid and liquid wastes must
be determined for each individual site. Except for potential toxic and/or
metal contaminants, the impact of gaseous effluents will be negligible
because of the large dilution factor and high buffering capacity of the
water. Proper placement of water intake structures in reservoirs and
strongly discouraging their installation in tributary streams would minimize
impingement and entrainment of fish.
Although the impacts of individual developments should not be
underestimated, the cumulative effects from all water depletions and return
flows, primarily from irrigation, will have a greater impact on reservoir
biota than site-specific effects. Cumulative effects are discussed in
relation to water quality and the fishery of the reservoirs. Recommendations
to minimize site-specific impacts on a reservoir ecosystem and future
research needs are described.
This report was submitted in fulfillment of OBS-0-33-76 and EPA-USFWS
IAG-06-FO 79 by the North Central Reservoir Investigations under the joint
sponsorship of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency. Work was completed as of June 1977.
ii
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CONTENTS
Abstract ii
List of Figures iv
List of Tables v
Acknowledgments vii
Chapters
1. Executive Summary 1
2. Introduction 5
3. Main Stem Missouri River Reservoir System 6
4. Sampling Locations 10
5. Sampling Methods 12
6. Fort Peck Lake 13
7. Lake Sakakawea 24
8. Tributary Rivers 34
9. Comparison of Missouri River Reservoirs 36
10. Water Depletions and Land-Use Changes 44
11. Impact of Developments 48
12. Interim Environmental Recommendations 55
13. Future Research Needs 60
14. References 62
15. Appendices 66
111
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FIGURES
Number Page
1 Missouri River main stem reservoirs 7
2 Limnology and fishery sampling locations 11
3 Fort Peck reservoir temperature and dissolved oxygen
profiles for September (S), October (0), and
November (N), 1976 14
4 Lake Sakakawea temperature and dissolved oxygen profiles
for September (S), October (0), and November (N), 1976 . 25
5 Water levels in Fort Peck, Sakakawea, and Dane reservoirs
observed in 1976, at 1970 depletion levels (the
1898-1975 mean flow), and at ultimate projected
levels in 2000, the mean (1898-1975), high
(1898-1930; 1944-54; 1965-75), and low (1931-42)
flow years 53
6 Estimated total standing crop and harvest of sport (broken
line) and commercial (solid line) fishes over the
projected range of water levels in Fort Peck, Sakakawea,
and Oahe reservoirs 59
IV
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TABLES
Number Page
1 Physical characteristics of Missouri River main stem
reservoirs at the base of annual flood control 9
2 Mean chemical concentrations at three stations in Fort
Peck Lake in September, October, and November, 1976 15
3 Mean phytoplankton standing crops at three stations in
Fort Peck Lake in September, October, and November,
1976 17
4 Mean zooplankton standing crops (no/m3) at three stations
in Fort Peck Lake in September, October, and November,
1976 18
5 Larval fish abundance (no/1000 m3) at permanent sampling
stations in Fort Peck Lake during May and June, 1976 19
6 Larval fish abundance (no/1000 m3) at surveyed sampling
stations in Fort Peck Lake, June, 1976 21
7 Heavy metals concentration (ppm) in fish from Nelson
Creek Bay of Fort Peck Lake, September, 1976 23
8 Mean chemical concentrations at three stations in Lake
Sakakawea in September, October, and November, 1976 26
9 Mean phytoplankton standing crops at three stations in
Lake Sakakawea in September, October, and November,
1976 27
10 Mean zooplankton standing crops (no/m3) at three stations
in Lake Sakakawea in September, October, and November,
1976 29
11 Larval fish abundance (no/1000 m3) at permanent sampling
stations in Lake Sakakawea in May and June, 1976 30
12 Larval fish abundance (no/1000 m3) at surveyed sampling
stations in Lake Sakakawea, June, 1976 31
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TABLES (continued)
Number Page
13 Heavy metals concentration (ppm) in fish from Renner Bay,
Lake Sakakawea, September, 1976 33
14 Abundance of larval fishes (no/1000 m3) in tributary rivers
in May and June, 1976 35
15 Zooplankton species identified in samples collected from
Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea in September, October, and
November, 1976 38
16 Benthic invertebrates identified in samples collected
from Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea in November, 1976 39
17 Percent composition of larval fish catches from four
Missouri River reservoirs 40
18 Mean catch per experimental gill net lift of the
dominant sport and commercial species in main stem
Missouri River reservoirs 42
19 Mean catch per experimental gill net lift of the
dominant species in the lower, middle, and upper sections
of Lakes Oahe (0) and Sakakawea (S) . . '. 43
20 Prelected water withdrawal, depletion, and return flows
(km3) by service category from the Missouri River above
Sioux City, la. in 1980 and 2000 45
21 Physical characteristics of Lakes Fort Peck, Sakakawea,
and Oahe observed in 1976, at 1970 levels of depletion
the 1898-1975 mean, and at ultimate projected depletion
levels in 2000, the mean (1898-1975), high (1898-1930,
1944-54, 1955-75), and low (1931-1942) flow years 52
22 Predicted standing crop and harvest (kg/h) of sport and
commercial fish species in Lakes Fort Peck, Sakakawea,
and Oahe at projected levels of water depletion 58
vi
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The field and laboratory assistance of James Terrell, Duane Simmons, and
Jerome Myszka was extremely helpful. This report would never have been
completed without Betty Johnson patiently deciphering our penmanship and
editorial comments to type repeated drafts. We also appreciate the advice
and assistance in planning and conducting the field work of James Liebelt,
Montana Department of Fish and Game, and Emil Berard, North Dakota Department
of Fish and Game. Dr. Milt Lammering and Loys Parrish, Environmental
Protection Agency, coordinated the heavy metals analyses.
We are especially grateful for the many ideas, advice, and editorial
assistance of the remaining staff of North Central Reservoir Investigations
and our Project Officers, Lee Ischinger and Denis Nelson for their help and
patience with our many problems. However, we are solely responsible for the
interpretation and projections contained in this report, which are primarily
based on our experience and understanding of reservoir ecosystems.
vii
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CHAPTER 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The national need for increased energy production has focused attention
on the vast deposits of low sulfur coal available in the Northern Great
Plains. Various uses of these coal deposits have been suggested, including
mine-mouth steam-electric generating plants, coal gasification/liquefaction
facilities, and interregional coal exportation using rail or slurry
pipelines.
Water availability and cost will to a large degree control the type,
extent, and location of future resource development in the Northern Great
Plains. The largest and most dependable water source in the region is the
main stem Missouri River reservoirs. Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea are
closest to the coal resources and, with Lake Oahe, are the obvious source of
water for industrial development.
This reconnaissance level study summarizes the results of a one-year
literature and field survey designed to provide an overview of baseline
conditions, identify and define the various developments and their impacts,
identify mitigation measures, and delineate future research needs. Study
emphasis was placed on those areas where development has started or is
imminent, namely the Big Dry Arm of Fort Peck Lake in Montana and Dunn and
Mercer Counties bordering Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota. The limited data
collected from the upper two impoundments are compared with more
comprehensive data compiled over a period of several years on the lower four
reservoirs to determine the extent of physical, chemical, and biological
similarity between the respective systems. Limnology and water chemistry
studies consisted of monthly sampling in September, October, and November in
the Big Dry Arm of Fort Peck Lake and in the vicinity of Renner Bay, Lake
Sakakawea. Fishery studies consisted of a spawning and nursery area survey
conducted during May and June primarily in the Big Dry Arm of Fort Peck Lake
and the Little Missouri embayment of Lake Sakakawea. The tissue of a few
important fish species was analyzed for selected metals. The Big Dry Arm
was emphasized because of proposed coal gasification and mining activities
near Circle, Montana and the Little Missouri Arm and Renner Bay were selected
to evaluate potential effects of similar activities in Dunn and Mercer
Counties, North Dakota.
Limitations on the availability of historical limnological data on Lakes
Fort Peck and Sakakawea, combined with the short duration of sampling in 1976
requires that qualifications be placed on cited baseline data as well as the
comparisons between the respective reservoirs. However, based on extensive
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study of the lower four reservoirs, the information suggests that the
quantities of phyto- and zooplankton exhibit a high degree of similarity in
all six main stem reservoirs. The species composition of the phytoplankton
communities may differ somewhat between the upper two and the lower four
reservoirs. Blue-green algae seemed more abundant in Lakes Fort Peck and
Sakakawea. If this is the case, the upper two reservoirs may be more
susceptible to the deleterious effects of nutrient enrichment. Such
enrichment could arise as a result of increases in population and use of
fertilizers on irrigated cropland. The nitrogen-phosphorus ratio indicates
that primary productivity is phosphorus limited in the upper two reservoirs
as in the lower four reservoirs. Thus, the most productive areas in Missouri
River reservoirs are downstream of a phosphorus source, usually a tributary
river. Taxonomic studies of zooplankton and benthic invertebrates indicate
that all six reservoirs are probably similar.
The results of fish spawning and nursery area studies in Lakes Fort Peck
and Sakakawea were basically comparable with similar studies conducted on
Lakes Oahe and Francis Case. Number of species present, and abundance of
individual species, generally declined from the upper to lower reaches within
an embayment and from the upper to lower reaches within a reservoir. Larval
fishes were generally concentrated near the surface with few individuals
being captured at depths of 3 and 6 m. The tributary streams of Missouri
River reservoirs are apparently the sole spawning location of goldeye, white
sucker, paddlefish, sauger, and pallid and shovelnose sturgeons, as well as
a significant portion of the walleye stocks.
In Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea, the sport fishery is primarily for
walleye, and the commercial fishery is dependent upon buffalofishes, goldeye,
and carp. A reproducing population of lake trout has developed in Fort Peck
Lake; stocking of this species continues in Lakes Sakakawea and Oahe in an
effort to develop self-sustaining populations.
Lakes Sakakawea and Oahe are probably more comparable in their physical
and biological characteristics than are any other main stem reservoirs. Lake
Fort Peck appears to differ in many respects from the downstream reservoirs.
Fort Peck Lake has a differently shaped basin, lower discharge rates, very
slow water-exchange rates, cooler water temperatures, lower numbers of
cyprinid and centrarchid species, and higher numbers of salmonids than
downstream reservoirs.
The flesh of several adult fish species was analyzed for heavy metals.
Mercury concentrations in walleye, channel catfish, and 1 of 3 goldeye
collected in Fort Peck Lake exceeded Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
standards of 0.5 ppm. Levels of selenium and cadmium were also high enough
to warrant continued study. Concentrations of heavy metals in Lake Sakakawea
specimens were not as high, but mean mercury levels were near, or exceeded
the maximum permissable FDA standards.
The annual mean historical Missouri River flow at Sioux City, la. of
34.5 kmd (28 million a/f) was estimated to be depleted 8 km3 (6.5 million a/f)
by 1970 and projected to be depleted an additional 6.1 km3 (5 million a/f)
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by 2000. Addition of minimum downstream flow requirements and projected
coal-development depletions would allocate the entire Missouri River flow in
drought years. Irrigation was projected by 2000 as the single largest water
use (40%), source of return flows (53%), and affect more land (2.3 million
hectares) than any other type of development. Coal development was projected
to deplete 15% of the water, return about 2%, and affect about 93,000
hectares of land.
Coal strip mining and operation of conversion plants will produce wastes
that can be extremely harmful to the environment if not properly treated.
Fugitive dust and surface runoff from the mining operation and large
quantities of ash, evaporator residue, and sludge from raw water and sewage
treatment units will contain harmful chemicals. Waste waters will also
contain pollutants such as phenols, ammonia, and heavy metals whereas gaseous
effluents will contain S02, NOX, particulate material, and heavy metals.
Upon completion of a coal gasification/liquefaction plant, a thorough
monitoring program should be conducted to determine the quality and quantity
of effluents produced.
With proper design and operating procedures, development of coal
resources can occur without having a measurable effect on the water quality
and biota of these reservoirs. However, to minimize the environmental
impacts on a reservoir, the impact on the terrestrial ecology or ground water
may be increased. Therefore, each individual facility and its associated
activities must be examined and operational guidelines established, and
strictly enforced, that will preserve the most valuable or fragile components
of the ecosystem at that particular site.
Although limited, the available data delineated certain aspects of these
reservoirs' ecology that are particularly vulnerable to perturbations.
Increased loading of these reservoirs with heavy metals from any source must
be avoided because of existing concentrations in fish flesh. Levels of
mercury, selenium, and cadmium are presently high and further increases
could close the commercial fishery and severely Impact the sport fishery.
Coal conversion plants could be designed for zero discharge with solid wastes
buried in the mines and liquid wastes recovered, evaporated, or disposed of
in deep wells if the quality of the aquifers are not disturbed. Except for
potential toxic and/or metal contaminants, the impact of gaseous effluents
will be negligible because of the large dilution factor and high buffering
capacity of the water.
Installation of intake structures as close to the dams as possible and
below an elevation of 657 m.msl in Fort Peck Lake and 539 m.msl in Lake
Sakakawea would minimize entrainment and impingement of fish eggs and larvae.
Installation of intake structures in tributary streams should be strongly
discouraged since many reservoir species utilize these streams for spawning
and these streams are the primary source of nutrients.
Although the impacts of individual developments should not be
underestimated, the cumulative effects of water depletions and return flows,
primarily from irrigation, will have a greater impact than site-specific
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effects on a reservoir. Water elevations in Lakes Fort Peck, Sakakawea, and
Oahe, have been projected to average 10 m lower in 2000 than in 1976.
Depletions of this magnitude will alter the water management regimen of the
reservoirs which directly influences and controls the fishery resource.
Decreased depth may prevent the establishment of a thermocline, which would
not only alter the physical and chemical characteristics within a reservoir,
but also the water discharged and therefore the downstream reservoirs.
Water depletions would reduce tributary inflows and therefore the input of
nutrients to a reservoir, and degrade the spawning habitats of some species
of fish. Reduced water levels would also reduce the littoral area within
the reservoir, further reducing spawning and nursery areas. It is extremely
difficult to develop guidelines to minimize these impacts since they are
the cumulative effect of many individual developments and the effects will
be gradual and subtle, but inevitably they will degrade the aquatic
environment. The potential fishery harvest was predicted to decline 545,
1000, and 725 metric tons in Lakes Fort Peck, Sakakawea, and Oahe,
respectively, from 1976 to low-flow years and depletions projected for 2000.
Future studies recommended are: (1) analysis of the inorganic and
organic composition and toxicity of coal mine and conversion plant effluents
and the effects of their burial on the aquifers, (2) obtain adequate baseline
data on the limnology and fish populations of Fort Peck Lake, (3) determine
the contribution various tributary streams make as spawning and nursery areas
for reservoir fish, and (4) develop a water quality-primary production model
of individual reservoirs and the entire system based on chemical budgets.
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CHAPTER 2
INTRODUCTION
The national need for increased energy production has focused attention
on the vast deposits of surface minable coal available in the Northern Great
Plains. Various uses of these coal deposits have been suggested, including
mine-mouth electric generating plants, coal gasification/liquefaction plants,
and coal exportation to other regions of the country via rail or slurry
pipelines.
Development of the coal resources in this region will be greatly
influenced by the availability of water. The Northern Great Plains has a
semi-arid climate, and most of the streams and rivers in the region are fed
by snow melt from the Rock Mountains. The largest and most dependable source
of water for industrial development is the main stem Missouri River
reservoirs. Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea are close to the coal resources
and are frequently mentioned as sources of water for energy development.
This one-year study was designed to provide an overview of the effects of
energy development on the aquatic resources of Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea.
Specifically, the objectives of this report are to: (1) provide a
summary of present baseline limnological and fisheries information available
on Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea; (2) identify the various types of resource
development and their potential impacts on these reservoirs; (3) identify
areas of biological comparability between these two reservoirs and the
downstream four main stem reservoirs; (4) develop interim recommendations to
minimize environmental impacts of development; and (5) identify areas
requiring additional research. This report will focus on those areas where
development has started or is imminent, namely, the Big Dry Arm of Fort Peck
Lake in Montana and Dunn and Mercer counties bordering Lake Sakakawea in
North Dakota.
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CHAPTER 3
MAIN STEM MISSOURI RIVER RESERVOIR SYSTEM
The Missouri River main stem reservoir system consists of six
impoundments (Fig. 1) constructed and operated by the U. S. Army Corps of
Engineers (CE) for flood control, irrigation, navigation, and hydroelectric
power. In addition, the reservoirs provide recreation, and fish and wildlife
benefits to the region.
Water in the reservoirs is accumulated from five subbasins within the
Upper Missouri Basin (Fig. 1). The area (1000 km2) and mean annual flow
(km3) contributed by each subbasin were as follows:
Subbasin Area Flow
Upper Missouri 35.7 8.971
Yellowstone 27.2 10.850
Western Dakota 29.8 3.000
Eastern Dakota 22.5 3.989
Platte-Niobrara 38.4 0.099
These subbasins contributed a mean annual flow at Sioux City, la. of about
27 km3 (22 million a/f) at the 1970 level of water depletion.
The minimum, maximum, and mean (1898-1972) annual flow (km3) at each
main stem dam at the 1970 level of water depletion was as follows:
Dam Minimum Maximum Mean
Fort Peck 2.646 13.003 8.431
Garrison 9.769 32.181 20.902
Oahe 11.098 40.084 22.841
Big Bend 11.116 40.675 22.905
Fort Randall 11.406 41.994 23.572
Gavins Point 12.254 43.621 25.146
Minimum annual flows at each dam are about one-third to one-half the mean
flows, and the maximum flows are nearly double the mean flows. The Upper
Missouri and Yellowstone subbasins provide about 87% of the mean annual flow
at Oahe Dam and about 80% of the flow at Gavins Point Dam.
The Missouri River reservoirs system has a total water storage capacity
of 92.02 km3 at the top of exclusive flood control pool (CE)J. Storage
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MISSOURI RIVER
MAIN STEM RESERVOIRS
FIGURE
LAKE SAKAKAWEA
GARRISON DAM
UPPER CMISSORI
RIVER ISUBBASIN
NO. DAK
YELLOWSTONE RIVER
SUBBASIN
MONTANA
WYOMING
LAKE OAHE
EASTERN DAKOTA
SUBBASIN
OAHE DAM
I WESTERN CWKOTA
SUBBASIN
LAKE SHARI
BIG BEND DAM
LAKE FRANCIS CASE
FORT RANDALL DAM
LEWIS AND CLARK
LAKE
GAVINS POINT DAM
PLATTE-NIOBRARA
SUBBASIN
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volumes (km3) of the main stem reservoirs at various elevations were as
follows:
Base of Base of Top of
annual exclusive exclusive
Reservoir flood control flood control flood control
Fort Peck 18.75 22.08 23.31
Sakakawea 22.70 28.00 29.85
Oahe 23.68 27.63 28.99
Sharpe 2.10 2.22 2.34
Francis Case 4.07 5.67 6.91
Lewis and Clark 0.49 0.62 0.62
Total 71.79 86.22 92.02
The upper three reservoirs have the largest storage volumes and are operated
primarily for flood control and to supply long-term water for hydroelectric
power.
Water storage, distribution, and downstream releases in the system are
regulated on an annual cycle associated with seasonal inflows and the
various water needs. For purposes of flood control, the reservoirs are
scheduled to be near, or below, their base of annual flood control on
1 March. Most of the annual inflow occurs during the spring and summer
months increasing the system's storage to a maximum. Downstream flow needs
are highest during the navigation season thereby decreasing the storage
during late summer and fall. Discharges decrease from the lower reservoirs
during the winter and increase at Fort Peck and Garrison Dams to provide
additional electric power.
Morphometric characteristics of the Missouri River main stem reservoirs
have been described and reviewed by Benson and CowellZ, and Benson3»4
(Table 1). The upper three reservoirs have large surface areas, depths,
and low water exchange rates in contrast with the lower reservoirs.
Operational procedures result in mean annual water level fluctuation ranging
from 0.6 m at Lake Sharpe to 6.9 m at Lake Francis Case.
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TABLE 1. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MISSOURI RIVER MAIN STEM
RESERVOIRS AT THE BASE OF ANNUAL FLOOD CONTROL
Reservoir
Characteristic
Fort Saka- Francis Lewis &
Peck kawea Oahe Sharpe Case Clark
Elevation* (m) 680.9
Surface area (km2) 858
Average width (km) 4.0
Length (km) 216
Mean depth (m) 21.8
Average annual water 3.0
level fluctuation
(m)
Water exchange rate 2.1
560.1 490.0 432.9
1,275 1,268 231
4.4 3.4 1.8
286 372 129
17.8 18.7 9.1
3.0 3.8 0.6
1.0
1.1 0.1
411.5 367.1
320 105
1.9 2.6
172 40
12.7 4.7
6.9 1.1
0.5 0.03
* Above mean sea level.
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CHAPTER 4
SAMPLING LOCATIONS
Sampling stations were established in relation to probable future
industrial developments on the Big Dry Arm of Fort Peck Lake and in the
vicinity of Renner Bay in Lake Sakakawea (Fig. 2). Limnology stations on the
Big Dry Arm of Fort Peck Lake were located in Nelson Creek Bay, Sandy Arroyo
Bay, and at a mid-reservoir site off Sandy Arroyo Bay. Larval fish were
sampled in the extreme upper end of the Big Dry Arm (in the vicinity of Big
Timber Creek), and in the embayments formed by Nelson, Rock, and Spring
creeks. The Lake Sakakawea limnology stations were located in Renner and
Beaver bays, and at a mid-reservoir site off Renner Bay. Larval fish were
sampled in the upper end of the Little Missouri Arm (about 7 km downstream
from Corral Creek), in Bear and Hans creek embayments, and in an un-named
bay about 8 km downstream from the mouth of the Little Missouri Arm (where
Highway 8 intersects the reservoir).
Larval fish were also sampled at a number of "survey" stations during
June to determine if abundance at the permanent sampling sites was
representative of the entire reservoir. In Fort Peck Lake, embayments formed
by the Mussel shell River, Swan, Sutherland, and Hell creeks were sampled. In
Lake Sakakawea, the Van Hook Arm, Tobacco Garden area, and Renner and Beaver
bays were surveyed; Renner Bay was also sampled at the beginning and end
of the study.
The significance of tributaries as spawning and nursery areas was
estimated by sampling the Missouri River in the vicinity of Wolf Point and
Fort Union and the Yellowstone, Poplar, and Redwater rivers at their
confluence with the Missouri River. The Little Missouri River was sampled
near its confluence with Lake Sakakawea.
10
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LAKE FORT PECK
LIMNOLOGY AND FISHERY SAMPLING LOCATIONS
Larval Fish Study
Permanent
Survey
Limnological Study
LAKE SAKAKAWEA
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CHAPTER 5
SAMPLING METHODS
LIMNOLOGY
Each station was sampled once during September, October, and November,
1976. A sample of surface and bottom water was taken with a 3 1 plastic
Van Dorn water bottle for chemical analysis, estimation of phytoplankton
standing crop, and chlorophyll analysis. Two zooplankton samples were taken
with a Clarke-Bumpus sampler; one from the surface to mid-depth, and the
other from mid-depth to bottom. Temperature, conductivity, and dissolved
oxygen profiles were taken with a Hydrolab Model 6D in-situ water quality
analyzer at 1 m intervals from surface to bottom. Samples of bottom sediment
were taken in September for chemical analysis and in November for a taxonomic
listing of benthic invertebrates.
All chemical analysis of water was performed in accordance with methods
outlined by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)5. Chlorophyll
and carotenoid pigments were analyzed by the methods of Strickland and
Parsons6. The 430/665 ratio was used as an indicator of diversity in the
phytoplankton community and to indicate the maturity of the algae community
as it relates to succession (Margalef)7. Low values indicate less diversity
and high values indicate a more diverse or mature species assemblage. The
ratio indicates the optical absorbance of a 90% acetone extract of pigments
from a natural phytoplankton community at the two respective wave lengths
of light — 430 nm and 665 nm.
FISH
Larval fish were sampled weekly at each permanent station during May
and June 1976. A 0.5-m plankton net was used at the surface and a Clarke-
Bumpus plankton sampler was used at depths of 3 m and 6 m. Both samplers
had #00 (760 u) mesh nets. Paired tows were made at the upper and lower end
of each embayment station with the 0.5-m nets. The Clarke-Bumpus samplers
were used only at the mouth of each embayment. All samples were collected
by towing the nets at a constant speed for 10 minutes. Paired 10-min
samples were taken at the tributary river stations with 0.5-m plankton nets.
Meters were mounted in the samplers and water volumes filtered were determined
for each sample. Field samples were preserved in S% formalin with "phloxine
B" stain added to aid in separating fish larvae and eggs from detritus.
Adult fish were collected for heavy metals analysis in September with gill
nets and were immediately frozen and sent to the Denver C
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CHAPTER 6
FORT PECK LAKE
LIMNOLOGY
Temperature profiles taken during the 1976 larval fish sampling showed
that a thermocline had developed at the mid-reservoir station in the Big Dry
Arm by 7 June. Apparently high winds dissipated the thermocline by 17 June.
The thermocline did not reform by 6 July (the end of the larval fish
sampling) but was present when limnological sampling began in September
(Fig. 3). A series of bathythermograph readings taken by North Central
Reservoir Investigations personnel in August 1972 indicated thermal
stratification in the vicinity of the Big Dry Arm. It seems safe to assume
that the Big Dry Arm stratifies during the summer months, but that this
condition may be periodically interrupted by high winds.
Dissolved oxygen concentrations were uniform from surface to bottom at
all stations during the 1976 sampling (Fig. 3). The August 1972 sampling
near the mouth of the Big Dry Arm indicated reduced oxygen levels (4-5 ppm)
near the bottom. It seems reasonable to expect that during the height of
summer stratification dissolved oxygen would be lowered in the hypolimnion;
the extent of the oxygen deficit is unknown.
Results of the water chemistry analysis are summarized in Table 2, and
presented in detail in Appendices A and B. All of the analyses fell within
the expected range of conditions for individual parameters. Chemical
conditions were similar between the three sampling areas and, because of fall
overturn, no vertical differences were apparent.
13
-------
TEMP(°C) 8 DO (mg/l)
5 10 15
20
TEMP|°C)a DO
2
"g
I 4
QL 6
LU
o
8
10
f
N
4
1 e
^- 6
T
te
uj
0
10
12
14
16
C
i I
i i
< \
\ \
i i
I i
N
) S 0 5
NELSON CREEK BAY
TEMP(°C)a DO(mg/|)
5 10 15
; i ,•"
>
\ \
\ \
I j
[ \
! i
! i
I !
s! !
1 / ; \
NOON
SANDY ARROYO BAY
LEGEND
DISSOLVED OXYGEN (mg/D-
TEMPERATURE (°C)
/
\
y
2
4
6
8
in
12
14
16
18
20
t
1
)
S
S
— 20
E
^•^
I 22
a 24
26
28
30
32
34
36
38
40
42
44
/
|
1
1
i
i
i
L
>• II
! ii
^ii
f
!
i
i!
ii
i i
ii
i;
i!
i i
i!
I •
i !
; 1
1 i
''i '
•
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i
i
1 ;
• \
' 1
i
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i ;
! 1
S
/
f
(
)
/
\
)
(
's
j
• N 1 IMI
1 i
! 1
S 0
S — SEPTEMBER MID - RESERVOIR
U—UO ObtR TEMPERATURE 8 DISSOLVED OXYGEN PROFILES
N — NOVEMBER FIGURE 3 FOR FORT PECK RES. — SEPTEMBER ,
OCTOBER , a NOVEMBER 1976.
14
-------
TABLE 2. MEAN CHEMICAL CONCENTRATIONS AT THREE STATIONS IN FORT
PECK LAKE IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND NOVEMBER, 1976
Station
Nel son
Parameter Creek Bay
PH
Total alkalinity (mg/1 CaC03)
Chloride (mg/1)
Sulfate (mg/1)
Silica (mg/1)
Nitrate (mg N/l)
Kjeldahl nitrogen (mg N/l)
Specific conductance (micromhos)
Total organic carbon (mg/1)
Total phosphorus (mg/nr*)
Total cations (meg/1)
Calcium (mg/1)
Magnesium (mg/1)
Sodium (mg/1)
Potassium (mg/1)
Turbidity (J.T.U.)
8.1
159.5
7.2
203.3
8.2
0.09
0.36
622.3
3.7
16.8
7.31
63.0
16.2
63.0
3.7
9.4
Sandy
Arroyo Bay
8.2
153.2
7.3
176.7
8.8
0.07
0.32
567.8
3.3
12.3
6.74
62.7
17.8
47.5
3.0
6.1
Mid-
reservoir
8.0
152.5
7.5
180.0
9.0
0.10
0.32
559.8
4.3
11.2
6.69
65.7
17.5
43.7
2.8
2.1
15
-------
Chemical composition of the sediments were as follows:
Location Replicate Total Organic Nitrogen
phosphorus matter
(ppm) (%) CO
Nelson Creek Bay A 496 8.41 .07
B 480 8.20 .07
Sandy Arroyo Bay A 560 7.82 .07
B 467 6.93 .07
Mid-reservoir A 509 2.15 .03
B 485 4.00 .06
Dam A 775 9.04 .14
B 736 9.04 .14
C 687 8.82 .12
Organic matter ranged from 2 to 9% and total phosphorus ranged from 450 to
880 ppm. Nitrogen was most variable, ranging from 0.03% to 0.14%. No other
data were available on sediment chemistry in Fort Peck Lake for comparisons.
Phytoplankton standing crops, as evidenced by levels of chlorophyll
concentration, were rather uniformly distributed with respect to the sampling
areas (Table 3 and Appendix C). A possible exception occurred in Sandy
Arroyo Bay where a localized "bloom" was detected, particularly in November.
Pennate diatoms were the most abundant phytoplankters; they constituted
nearly two-thirds of the total cell numbers. Flagellates were the next most
abundant group.
Cyclops was the most abundant zooplankter, followed by Diaptomus and
Daphnia (Table 4 and Appendix C). Although zooplankton abundance appeared to
be higher in Sandy Arroyo Bay than at the other stations, the data were too
limited to draw definite conclusions.
LARVAL FISHES
Twelve taxa of larval fishes were captured in the Big Dry Arm of Fort
Peck Lake (Table 5 and Appendices D and E). Of the larvae caught, 80% were
from the upper two stations (Big Timber and Nelson creeks), or nearly four-
fold more fish than at the lower two areas (Rock and Spring creeks). The
abundance of all but 2 species declined from the upper to lower reaches of
the Big Dry Arm.
Yellow perch and freshwater drum accounted for 95% of the total larval
catch. Perch was the most abundant species caught at all sampling areas of
the Big Dry Arm, ranging from 42% of the total catch at Big Timber Creek to
90% or more at the three lower stations. Drum accounted for 39% of the total
catch at Big Timber Creek. Few fish were caught during the first sampling
series (early May); catches generally peaked about mid-June.
16
-------
TABLE 3. MEAN PHYTOPLANKTON STANDING CROPS AT THREE STATIONS IN
FORT PECK LAKE IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND NOVEMBER, 1976
Station
Parameter
Nelson Sandy
Creek Bay Arroyo Bay Mid-reservoir
Chlorophyll (mg/m3)
Carotenoids (m.spu/m^)
Chlor-Carot (ratio)
430-665 (ratio)
Pennate diatoms (no/ml)
Centrate diatoms (no/ml)
Flagellate (no/ml)
Immotile (no/ml)
Blue green (no/ml)
2.01
1.46
1.4
2.5
73.9
19.0
33.3
12.2
22.6
6.08
3.93
1.5
2.5
360.1
48.6
117.2
2.4
13.2
2.90
1.71
1.5
2.0
224.6
30.2
67.4
3.8
7.4
17
-------
TABLE 4. MEAN ZOOPLANKTON STANDING CROPS (no/m3) AT THREE
STATIONS IN FORT PECK LAKE IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER,
AND NOVEMBER, 1976
Parameter
Station
Nelson
Creek Bay
Sandy
Arroyo Bay
Mid-
reservoir
Cyclops
Diaptomus
Daphm'a
Diaphanosoma
Naupl11
Other
3698.8
1705.0
2142.7
935.0
4987.7
3.7
5523.2
2912.0
1714.0
460.7
3754.5
63.8
849.3
774.0
473.7
75.0
1321.5
14.8
18
-------
TABLE 5. LARVAL FISH ABUNDANCE (no/1000 m3) AT PERMANENT SAMPLING
STATIONS IN FORT PECK LAKE IN MAY AND JUNE, 1976
Taxa
Yellow perch
Freshwater drum
Ictlobus sp.
Notropis sp.
Carp
Cyprim'ds
Catostomids
Gol deye
Burbot
Pomoxis sp.
White sucker
Wai 1 eye
Total
Upper Big
Dry Arm
54.0
93.0
36.6
1.6
8.5
3.4
1.3
0.7
199.1
Nel son
Creek
234.6
0.9
4.2
2.6
3.3
0.5
0.4
246.5
Embayment
Rock
Creek
34.0
4.2
12.3
1.1
1.0
52.6
Spring All
Creek areas*
64.5 107.0
58.5
22.4
4.6
3.5
3.3
2.1
1.3
1.0
1.3 1.3
0.7
0.4
65.8 206.1
Weighted mean catch from areas where taxa present.
19
-------
All larval fishes caught in the Big Dry Arm were caught at the surface
except for 1 carp collected at a depth of 6 m in Rock Creek. Eighty percent
of all larval fishes caught were from the upper rather than lower stations
of embayments.
Yellow perch composed 88% of the catch at surveyed stations, the same
as in the permanent Big Dry Arm stations (Table 6). The major difference was
Lepomis sp. which were absent from Big Dry Arm catches, but which accounted
for 10% of the total survey catch, and were the most abundant fishes caught
at the Mussel shell River and Swan Creek embayments. Perch was the most
abundant species at Sutherland and Hell Creek embayments. The catch of a
walleye at the Mussel shell River embayment was unexpected because walleyes
have only been reported as spawning in the Big Dry Arm. Also, walleye would
be expected to be large enough to avoid the gear when the survey occurred on
9 June.
ADULT FISHES
Investigations of the adult fish stocks in Fort Peck Lake were initiated
with a creel census in 1948 (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Missouri River
Basin Studies)8 and a test netting survey in 1949 (Pheniciep. The creel
census, conducted from 1948 to 1950, estimated that about 17,400 fishermen
annually harvested about 49,600 fish weighing 13,000 kg (28,800 Ibs).
Yellow perch, goldeye, and sauger constituted over 90% of the catch of 0.14
kg/ha (0.12 Ib/a). Few walleyes were present in the sport fisherman's catch
in 1948 and were absent the next year in gill net catches. Perch and goldeye
composed about 90% of the 2,550 fish captured in 1949 in 27 experimental
gill net lifts. Sauger comprised 4% of the total, with 9 species and 3
genera comprising the remaining 6%.
An important commercial fishery operates on Fort Peck Lake. In 17
years from 1957-73, Liebelt^O reported the annual catch ranged from about
8,300 kg (18,300 Ib) to 320,000 kg (704,000 Ib) and averaged about 153,000 kg
(337,000 Ib). Therefore, the catch ranged from about 0.1 to 4.0 kg/ha and
averaged about 2 kg/ha. The catches have been dominated by bigmouth and
small mouth buffalos (75%) and goldeye (21%).
Trap-netting at numerous sites throughout the Big Dry Arm from 1974
through 1976 indicated that the upper end of the Big Dry Arm was a major
walleye spawning area (Liebelt)'0. This area of the Big Dry Arm exhibits
few characteristics of typical walleye spawning habitat. The waters were
turbid, with thick layers of bottom sediments, and no gravel or rubble
apparent.
Intensive fish stocking of warm and cold-water species has continued on
Fort Peck Lake since 1938 (Appendix F). Northern pike and walleye accounted
for nearly 70% of the total number of warmwater species stocked. Cold-water
species introduced in earlier years were lake trout, Kokanee salmon, and
brown trout and recently rainbow trout and coho salmon.
During the 1950's, about 400,000 one-inch and 7,000 three-inch lake
trout were released. A significant lake trout population has developed from
20
-------
TABLE 6. LARVAL FISH ABUNDANCE (no/1000 m3) AT SURVEYED SAMPLING
STATIONS IN FORT PECK LAKE, JUNE 1976
Embayment
Mussel shell
Taxa River
Yellow perch
Freshwater drum
Walleye
Lepomis sp.
Ictiobus sp.
Catastomids
Total
11.9
21.2
3.0
49.2
2.6
87.9
Swan Sutherland Hell All
Creek Creek Creek areas*
2.3
2.5
52.1
5.0
61.9
534.9 379.1 263.2
10.2
3.0
3.7 43.7
5.0
2.6
534.9 382.8 327.7
* Weighted mean catch from areas where taxa present.
21
-------
these introductions (personal communication, Dr. James Liebelt). During
November 1976, gill nets set near Fort Peck Dam caught 46 sexually mature
lake trout. The 41 males caught were ripe, 3 females were spent, and 2
females had loose eggs in the body cavity. The males ranged in weight from
0.9 - 5 kg (2.0 - 11.0 Ib) and averaged 3.1 kg (6.9 Ib), whereas the females
ranged in weight from 2.6 - 4.3 kg (5.8 - 9.4 Ib) and averaged 3.4 kg
(7.4 Ib).
Concentrations of heavy metals were determined from fish flesh of
several major species collected from Nelson Creek (Table 7). Mercury
concentrations in excess of U. S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA)
standards (0.5 ppm) were present in walleye, channel catfish, and goldeye;
carp had acceptable mercury levels. Selenium concentrations and the presence
of cadmium are also heavy metals of potential concern.
22
-------
TABLE 7. HEAVY METALS CONCENTRATIONS (ppm) IN FISH FROM NELSON CREEK
BAY, FORT PECK LAKE, SEPTEMBER 1976
Species
Parameter
Arsenic
Cadmi urn
Chromium
Copper
Lithium
Molybdenum
Nickel
Lead
Selenium
Vanadium
Zinc
Mercury
Wai
<0.25
<0.25
<1.0
1.0
<0.5
<0.5
<1.0
<0.25
0.7
<0.5
17.9
1.7
leye
<0.
<0.
<1.
0.
-------
CHAPTER 7
LAKE SAKAKAWEA
LIMNOLOGY
Temperature profiles obtained at Renner Bay during the larval fish
sampling showed that a thermocline had formed by mid-June, but when
limnological sampling began in mid-September, fall overturn was occurring
(Fig. 4). Dissolved oxygen concentrations at this time were fairly uniform
from surface to bottom. It seems reasonable to assume that Lake Sakakawea
does stratify in the Renner Bay area and that oxygen is depleted to some
extent in the hypolimnion. Additional profiles of temperature and dissolved
oxygen are needed in order to determine the intensity and duration of summer
stratification.
Results of Lake Sakakawea water chemistry analyses are summarized in
Table 8 and presented in detail in Appendices G and H. Generally, there was
little difference between Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea. No important
spatial differences were noted among the three stations in Sakakawea and,
because of the fall overturn, no real vertical differences were observed.
Sediment chemistry at three locations in Lake Sakakawea were as follows;
Location Replicate Total Organic Nitrogen
phosphorus matter
(ppm) (%) (%)
Renner Bay A 653 5.34 .10
B 628 5.61 .10
Beaver Bay A 731 6.71 .16
B 689 6.80 .15
Mid-reservoir A 783 7.93 .11
B 783 7.41 .11
Concentrations of phosphorus (600-800 ppm) were less variable in the Lake
Sakakawea sediment samples than those in Fort Peck Lake. Organic matter
ranged from 5.3 to 8.0% and nitrogen was between 0.10 and 0.16%.
Average concentrations of chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments (Table 9)
were not appreciably different from those found in Fort Peck Lake. Appendix
I shows that there were no apparent differences among the three stations nor
were there differences with respect to depth. In Lake Sakakawea, flagellates
were the most abundant phytoplankton group followed by pennate diatoms.
24
-------
TEMP(C)& DOfmg/l)
5 10 15
20
TEMP(C)8 DO(mg/0
5 10 15
ZO
2
4
6
8
10
i
•
i
'|6
18
20
22
24
26
28
1
i
/ i
i
i
\
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
1
Oi
N S
N
D
1
1
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
'
M !
5
RENNER BAY
TEMP(C)S DO(mg/l)
5 10 15
20
2
4
6
8
10
12
i
i
i
x
/
\
1
soc
1
i
i
i
i
i
i
) i
»
•1 i
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
J
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
36
38
i
S'\
i
i
i
i
0'
n
s
0
40 MID — RESERVOIR
LEGEND
DISSOLVED OXYGEN (mg/l)
TEMPERATURE (°C)
S-SEPTEMBER
0—OCTOBER
N —NOVEMBER
BEAVER BAY
FIGURE 4 TEMPERATURE 8 DISSOLVED OXYGEN PROFILES FOR LAKE SAKAKAWEA —
SEPTEMBER,OCTOBER, 8 NOVEMBER 1976.
25
-------
TABLE 8. MEAN CHEMICAL CONCENTRATIONS AT THREE STATIONS IN LAKE
SAKAKAWEA IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND NOVEMBER, 1976
Station
Parameter Renner Bay
PH
Total alkalinity (mg/1 CaC03)
Chloride (mg/1)
Sulfate (mg/1)
Silica (mg/1)
Nitrate (mg/1)
Kjeldahl nitrogen (mg N/l)
Specific conductance (micromhos)
Total organic carbon (mg/1)
Total phosphorus (mg/m3)
Total cations (meg/1)
Calcium (mg/1)
Magnesium (mg/1)
Sodium (mg/1)
Potassium (mg/1)
Turbidity (J.T.U.)
8.0
147.2
8.2
175.0
8.2
0.13
0.40
555.5
10.2
14.7
6.51
55.5
15.7
54.3
3.0
3.6
Beaver Bay
8.1
144.5
8.2
182.5
8.2
0.13
0.36
544.0
8.8
7.0
6.24
53.2
12.8
56.5
3.0
6.3
Mid-reservoir
8.0
145.8
8.5
185.0
8.0
0.13
0.42
561.8
9.8
9.0
6.46
54.5
15.8
54.5
3.0
5.9
26
-------
TABLE 9. MEAN PHYTOPLANKTON STANDING CROPS AT THREE STATIONS IN
LAKE SAKAKAWEA IN SEPTEMBER. OCTOBER. AND NOVEMBER. 1976
Station
Parameter Renner Bay Beaver Bay Mid-reservoir
Chlorophyll (mg/m3) 2.98 4.18 2.11
Carotenolds (m.spu/m3) 1.82 2.83 1.08
Chlor-Carot (ratio) 1.6 1.5 2.8
430-665 ratio 2.4 2.5 2.5
Pennate diatoms (no/ml) 77.7 106.6 29.2
Centrate diatoms (no/ml) 22.9 28.8 43.0
Flagellate (no/ml) 139.2 123.1 207.3
Immotile (no/ml) 11.8 2.5 9.8
Blue green (no/ml) 30.9 31.4 18.3
27
-------
Cyclops and Diaptomus were about equally abundant in the zooplankton
samples followed by slightly fewer numbers of Daphnia (Table 10).
Zooplankters were generally more abundant in the upper half of the water
column (Appendix I).
LARVAL FISHES
Yellow perch and freshwater drum dominated the larval fish catch in the
Little Missouri Arm of Lake Sakakawea, accounting for over 90% of the total
catch (Table 11 and Appendix J). Abundance and number of species were
highest at the upper end of the Little Missouri Arm. Larval fish abundance
was lower but the number of species represented was greater at Hans Creek
Bay, than at Bear Creek or Highway 8 bays.
All larval fishes caught in the Little Missouri Arm of Lake Sakakawea
were taken at the surface. Nearly 75% of the total catch was from the upper
rather than the mouth station of embayments. Perch was the most abundant
fish at the lower three stations in the Little Missouri Arm and accounted
for about 85% to 96% of the catches. At the upper end of the Little Missouri
Arm, drum accounted for nearly 70% of the total catch and perch only 20%.
Only 1 larva was caught during the first sampling series in early May;
catches peaked during mid-June.
Yellow perch was the most abundant species at the survey stations of
Lake Sakakawea (Table 12). Perch accounted for 96% of the total catch in
the June survey and 76% of the total catch at the permanent stations. Drum
was the second most abundant species taken in the June survey and at the
permanent stations.
The largest number of species sampled was in the upper reach of Lake
Sakakawea (Tobacco Garden Bay) and the fewest in the lower reservoir (Renner
and Beaver Creek bays). The only larval fishes caught other than at the
surface were 1 perch taken from 6 m at Renner Bay, and 5 drum from 6 m at
Tobacco Garden Bay.
ADULT FISHES
Fish sampling has been conducted annually since 1956 on Lake Sakakawea
by the North Dakota Department of Game and Fish. Standard gears and methods
were used at seventeen test netting sites with deletion of individual sites
dependent upon annual water levels. Because of the consistency of the
methods used, the changes in abundance, distribution, and growth rates of
the dominant species as the reservoir aged are documented. Information on
the sport fish harvest is lacking, but records are available on the
commercial fish harvest.
Goldeye dominated the catch of 25 species taken in experimental gill
nets during the last 5 years of netting (1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1974).
Yellow perch was the second most abundant species during the first four of
these years with walleye replacing perch the fifth year (Hilll', Ragan'2,
Raganl3, Berard14*'5). These species, together with carp, sauger, channel
28
-------
TABLE 10. MEAN ZOOPLANKTON STANDING CROPS (no/m3) AT THREE STATIONS
IN LAKE SAKAKAWEA IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND NOVEMBER, 1976
Station
Parameter Renner Bay Beaver Bay Mid-reservoir
Cyclops 1368.5 3322.8 1232.2
Diaptomus 1531.2 2739.8 1000.5
Daphnia 1114.8 1980.2 1023.8
Diaphanosoma 41.0 169.2 45.8
Nauplii 1903.2 2098.0 1277.5
Other 1.0 86.3 0.5
29
-------
TABLE 11. LARVAL FISH ABUNDANCE (no/1000 m3) AT PERMANENT SAMPLING
STATIONS IN LAKE SAKAKAWEA IN MAY AND JUNE, 1976
Taxa
Freshwater drum
Yellow perch
Goldeye
Hybognathus sp.
Etheostoma sp.
White bass
Burbot
White sucker
Notropis sp.
Carp
Rainbow smelt
Walleye
Total
Upper Little
Missouri Arm
347.6
55.1
27.7
16.4
6.4
4.6
3.2
3.2
1.2
465.4
Hans
Creek
5.5
79.5
19.6
3.0
0.8
0.8
109.2
Embayment
Bear Highway
Creek 8
332.0 144.4
17.5 5.2
1.9 3.6
0.8
0.8 2.0
1.7
353.0 156.9
All
areas*
174.0
158.3
27.7
16.4
14.9
4.6
2.9
3.2
3.0
1.1
1.3
1.1
408.5
* Weighted mean catch from areas where taxa present.
30
-------
TABLE 12. LARVAL FISH ABUNDANCE (no/1000 m3) AT SURVEYED SAMPLING
STATIONS IN LAKE SAKAKAWEA, JUNE 1976
Taxa
Yellow perch
Rainbow smelt
White bass
Goldeye
Freshwater drum
White sucker
Pomoxis sp.
Notropis sp.
Cyprinids
Catastomlds
Total
Embayment
Tobacco Van Hook Beaver Renner
Garden Arm Creek Bay
8.9 23.1 257.8 207.2
3.8 1.6
8.0
4.8
23.9
5.9
3.0
6.8
5.9
3.0
63.4 29.9 261.6 208.8
All
areas*
182.6
2.6
8.0
4.8
23.9
5.9
3.0
6.8
5.9
3.0
246.5
* Weighted mean catch from areas where taxa present.
31
-------
catfish, and white sucker, were the only species that averaged over 1 fish
per gill net lift during any year.
In vertical distribution studies conducted during 1975, experimental
gill nets were set from the surface to a depth of 45.7 m (150 ft)(Berard)'6.
Of 186 fish caught representing 7 species, 97% were caught in depths less
than 15.2 m (50 ft). Goldeye dominated catches at all depths and accounted
for 93% of the total.
Commercial fishing on Lake Sakakawea began in 1970 with seines, hoop
nets, and gill nets. The catch has ranged from about 45,000 kg (98,600 Ib)
in 1973 (Berard)17 to 333,000 kg (733,000 Ib) in 1974 (Berard)15 and averaged
about 150,000 kg (330,000 Ib) or 1 kg/ha. Buffalofishes dominated the catch
each year; carp harvested from Lake Audubon, a sub-impoundment, were also an
important species. Goldeye are not an important commercial species in Lake
Sakakawea because of their small size.
Cold-water species were released in Lake Sakakawea from 1965 through
1976 (Appendix K). Adult rainbow smelt and lake whitefish were planted in
1971 and 1974, respectively, to establish a forage base for salmonid species.
Both species reproduced successfully, and rainbow smelt are now present in
all downstream reservoirs. Nearly 400,000 rainbow trout were stocked in 1965
and 1966 and over 700,000 coho salmon in 4 years since 1970. About 225,000
lake trout were released from 1973 through 1975. In 1976, over 37,000
Chinook salmon were introduced. The success of these salmonid stockings are
presently unknown.
Average mercury concentration equalled or exceeded FDA standards in
the flesh of walleye, goldeye, and carp (Table 13). Other heavy metal
concentrations found were similar to those of fishes in Fort Peck Lake
except for high nickel concentration in 1 walleye; this was presumed to be a
contaminated sample.
32
-------
TABLE 13. HEAVY METALS CONCENTRATIONS (ppm) IN FISH FROM RENNER BAY,
LAKE SAKAKAWEA, SEPTEMBER 1976
Species
Parameter
Arsenic
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Lithium
Molybdenum
Nickel
Lead
Selenium
Vanadium
Zinc
Mercury
Gol
<0.25
<0.25
<1.0
0.5
<0.5
<0.5
<1.0
<0.25
<0.5
<0.5
7.0
0.4
deye
<0.25
<0.25
<1.0
0.6
<0.5
<0.5
<1.0
<0.25
0.6
<10.5
4.6
2.4
Walleye
<0.25
<0.25
0.0
0.4
<0.5
<0.5
<1.0
<0.25
0.6
<0.5
14.5
0.3
<0.25
<0.25
<1.0
0.7
<0.5
^.0.5
4.4*
<0.25
-------
CHAPTER 8
TRIBUTARY RIVERS
The most abundant fishes in the major tributaries were the cyprinids
which accounted for 88% of the total catch (Table 14 and Appendix L).
Larval fish abundance was lowest in the Yellowstone River and in the
Missouri River at Wolf Point and highest in the Little Missouri River.
Although the abundance of larval fishes was low in the Yellowstone River,
goldeye eggs were numerous (214.4/1000 m3) and second only to catches in the
Little Missouri River (481.2/1000 m3). It was apparent that tributaries such
as the Poplar and Redwater rivers were an important source of larval fishes
in the Missouri River between Wolf Point and Fort Union (Table 14).
Except for one walleye taken in the Yellowstone River on 18 May, no
larval fishes were caught in the Missouri or Yellowstone rivers during the
first three weeks of sampling (5, 11, and 18 May). Catches during early May
in the shallower and warmer Redwater and Poplar rivers contained the largest
numbers of walleye collected during the study. Since walleye eggs had
hatched by 5 May in the Redwater and Poplar rivers, sampling should have been
initiated earlier to ensure adequate assessment of the entire season's hatch.
34
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TABLE 14. ABUNDANCE OF LARVAL FISHES (no/1000 m3) IN TRIBUTARY RIVERS IN
MAY AND JUNE, 1976
River
Missouri
Taxa * *
Cyprinids
Goldeye
White sucker
Carp 3.0 196.9
Longnose dace
Catostomids
jctiobus sp. 8.1 6.1
Burbot 6.1
Channel cat
Yellow perch
Walleye 3.0
Total 11.1 212.1
Poplar Redwater
45.0 0.9
81.4 8.3
29.2
14.8
21.2 0.6
4.4
3.7 5.3
199.7 15.1
Yel low- uttie MI i
stone Missouri areas*
5285.2 1108.7
368.4 368.4
47.8
10.5 44.1
14.8
11.3 9.3
7.6
6.1
5.5 5.5
4.4
1.4 3.9
6.9 5675.4 1620.6
* Wolf Point.
$ Fort Union.
# Weighted mean catch from all areas where taxa present.
35
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CHAPTER 9
COMPARISON OF MISSOURI RIVER RESERVOIRS
It would be impossible to accurately characterize the aquatic ecosystems
of Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea or to compare them in detail with the four
downstream reservoirs on the basis of available literature or from the
results of the 1976 sampling. However, it is possible to draw some general
conclusions on the similarities and differences between these two uppermost
reservoirs and the more extensively studied downstream four reservoirs.
LIMNOLOGY
General thermal characteristics of all the main stem reservoirs can be
ascertained from the literature. Benson3 reviewed temperature data collected
by the CE in Lakes Fort Peck, Sakakawea, and Francis Case. Distinct
stratification occurs in Lakes Fort Peck, Sakakawea, and Oahe (Selgeby and
Jones)!8 in the summer, while the lower three reservoirs only rarely stratify
in deeper areas during extended periods of calm weather (Benson3, Radai9).
Summer surface water temperatures are about 5° C lower at Fort Peck Lake than
at Lewis and Clark Lake. All reservoirs in the system develop ice cover in
winter.
Although the Missouri River was historically known for its high
turbidity, construction of the reservoirs greatly reduced turbidity in the
system (Neel et_al_.)20. Turbidity is a problem in areas where shoreline
erosion or tributary inputs influence fish embryo mortality (Hassler)21.
Quantities of phytoplankton in Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea are similar
to those in the downstream reservoirs. Past work has shown that variation
within a given reservoir is often greater than the variation among reservoirs.
We believe that high and low areas of phytoplankton standing crops and
primary production exist in Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea. In general,
productivity decreases from the upper to lower reaches in Missouri River
reservoirs except for localized increases where tributary streams enter. The
amount of chlorophyll in the surface water and calculated rates of production
on an area! basis appear comparable in Lakes Fort Peck, Sakakawea, Oahe,
and Francis Case.
We have shown in the downstream four reservoirs that phytoplankton
standing crop and primary production are regulated by available phosphorus
(Martin and Novotny22, Martin23). This explains why the most productive
areas are immediately downstream of a phosphorus source, usually a tributary
stream. Total phosphorus concentrations averaged 13 mg/m3 in Fort Peck Lake,
36
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and 11 mg/m3 in Lake Sakakawea; these values are comparable to those in the
downstream reservoirs. Total nitrogen averaged 416 mg/m3 in Fort Peck Lake
and 526 mg/m3 in Lake Sakakawea. The resulting N:P ratios of 32 and 48
for Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea, respectively, would indicate that the
phytoplankton community in these reservoirs is phosphorus limited.
The species composition of the phytoplankton community is one area where
some differences among reservoirs may exist. Blue-green algae are scarce in
off-shore areas in the lower reservoirs but were regularly found in Lakes
Fort Peck and Sakakawea. The chlorophyllrcarrotenoid ratio averaged 1.9 and
1.6 in Lakes Sakakawea and Fort Peck, respectively, whereas the average is
less than 1.0 in the downstream reservoirs. The 430/665 absorbency ratio
appeared lower in Lakes Sakakawea and Fort Peck than in the other four
reservoirs. These characterises, while difficult to interpret individually,
collectively indicate a different taxonomic assemblage in Lakes Fort Peck and
Sakakawea.
Zooplankton standing crops appear comparable among the six main stem
reservoirs. All species encountered have been found in the lower four
reservoirs with the exception of Diaptomus tyrrelll, which has not previously
been reported (Table 15).
Qualitative sampling of benthic invertebrates (Table 16) indicated that
the taxonomic assemblage present in Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea were
similar to what one would expect 1n Lakes Oahe or Francis Case. The benthic
fauna was dominated by chironomids in the near shore areas and by chironomids
and oligochaetes in the deeper water.
LARVAL FISHES
The species of larval fishes collected in Lakes Sakakawea and Fort Peck
in 1976 was comparable to those obtained 1n similar studies conducted on
Lakes Oahe and Francis Case in 1974 and 1975 (Table 17). The number of taxa
collected ranged from 11 in Lake Francis Case to 13 in Lakes Oahe and
Sakakawea. Perch was usually the most abundant species; catches ranged from
25% of the two year total in Lake Oahe to nearly 90% in Lake Fort Peck.
Abundance of a species and the number of species present generally
declined from the upper to the lower embayments and from the upper end to the
mouth within an embayment. Two exceptions to this generality were perch and
Notropis sp. which commonly increased in abundance from the upper to lower
embayment stations. This distribution was believed related to a decrease in
turbidity. Larval fish were rarely collected below the surface.
Catches of larval fishes from streams tributary to Lakes Oahe and
Sakakawea were primarily Ictiobus sp., goldeye, carp, and cyprinids. These
tributaries appear to be the sole spawning location for species such as
goldeye and white sucker and the major location for walleye spawning.
Although pallid and shovel nose sturgeons and paddlefish were not collected,
the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers provide their only potential spawning
habitat.
37
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TABLE 15. ZOOPLANKTON SPECIES IDENTIFIED IN SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM
LAKES FORT PECK AND SAKAKAWEA IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND
NOVEMBER, 1976
Taxa
Cyclops bicuspidatus thomasi
Mesocyclops edax
Macrocyclops albidus
Paracyclops fimbriatus
Diaptomus siciloides
D. forbesi
D. ashlandi
D. sicllis
D. tyrrelli
ID. clavipes
Daphm'a pulex
D. galeata mendotae
D. schodleri
D. retrocurva
Diaphanosoma leuchtenbergianum
Leydigia quadrangular is
Leptodora kindtii
Bosmina longirostrls
Fort Peck
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
S
X
X
X
Sakakawea
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
38
-------
TABLE 16. BENTHIC INVERTEBRATES IDENTIFIED IN SAMPLES COLLECTED
FROM LAKES FORT PECK AND SAKAKAWEA IN NOVEMBER. 1976
Taxa Fort Peck Sakakawea
Ch1ronom1dae
Chaetocladius sp. X
Cryptochironomus sp. X X
Chlronomus sp.X X
DicrotendTpes modestus X X
Dicrotendlpes neomodestus X
Harnishia sp. X
Procladiiis (Procladius) sp. X X
Procladius" (Psilotanypus) sp. X X
Pseudochlrongmus fulvlventrfs X X
Tanypus stellatus X
Ceratopogonidae
Bezzia complex X
Oligochaeta
nyodrilus SP. X X
Llinnodrnus sp. X X
Trichoptera
Polycentropus sp. #1 X
Polycentropus sp. #2 X
Corixidae
Immature X
Amphipod
Hyalella azteca X
39
-------
TABLE 17. PERCENT COMPOSITION OF LARVAL FISH CATCHES FROM FOUR
MISSOURI RIVER RESERVOIRS
Reservoir
Fort Peck Sakakawea
Oahe
Taxa
1976
1976
1974 1975
Burbot
Ictiobus sp.
Carp
Walleye
Gizzard shad
Bluegill
Largemouth bass
Etheostoma sp.
2
1
*
*
*
*
38
2
12
5
*
Francis Case
1974 1975
Yellow perch
White bass
Goldeye
Freshwater drum
PnmnyiQ en.
89
*
6
*
80
*
1
14
*
47
7
4
1
15
65
2
*
*
99 16
*
*
*
*
*
80
4
*
Emerald shiner
Hybognathus sp.
Notropis sp. 1
Rainbow smelt
White sucker *
Catostomids *
Lepomi s sp. 2
*
* * *
* * *
* *
*
* Less than 0.05%.
40
-------
ADULT FISHES
Comparison of gill net catches (Table 18 and Appendix M) between Lake
Sakakawea and the lower four reservoirs shows that Lakes Sakakawaa, Oahe,
and Francis Case have similar fish populations. Channel catfish are most
abundant in Lake Francis Case, walleye in Lake Oahe, and yellow perch and
goldeye in Lake Sakakawea. However, walleye is the dominant sport species
in these three reservoirs and goldeye the dominant commercial species.
No comparable netting data are available for Lake Fort Peck. However,
the composition of the fish population of Lake Fort Peck appears to differ
in some aspects from that of the lower five reservoirs (Appendix D). Fewer
cyprinid and centrarchid species are present, and salmonid species have been
more successful in Lake Fort Peck.
The distribution of species within Lakes Oahe and Sakakawea illustrates
the habitat preferences of the common species (Table 19). Species adapted
to higher turbidity and currents, such as river carpsucker, shorthead
redhorse, sauger, and drum were most abundant in the headwaters of the two
reservoirs, and their abundance decreased downstream. Northern pike and
carp were also more abundant in the headwater areas, but this was attributed
to more extensive spawning habitat. The higher abundance of goldeye in the
middle and lower sections of Lake Sakakawea compared with Lake Oahe was
apparently related to the Little Missouri Arm which provides excellent
spawning and nursery habitat. Yellow perch and white sucker of Lake
Sakakawea were the only species found to be most abundant in the lower
section of either reservoir. Salmonid species have not yet become
established, but they would be expected to inhabit the lower reaches of
these reservoirs as lake trout apparently do in Fort Peck Lake.
With the information available, it appears that Lakes Sakakawea and Oahe
are more comparable in their physical and biological characteristics than are
any other main stem reservoirs, and information could be transferred between
them. Unfortunately, the least amount of information is available on Fort
Peck Lake which appears to differ in many characteristics from the other
reservoirs. Fort Peck Lake has a differently shaped basin, lower discharge
rate, very slow water exchange rate, cooler water temperatures, minimal
number of fish species, and more abundant salmonids than in downstream
impoundments.
41
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TABLE 18. MEAN CATCH PER EXPERIMENTAL GILL NET LIFT
SPORT AND COMMERCIAL SPECIES IN MAIN STEM
RESERVOIRS*
OF THE DOMINANT
MISSOURI RIVER
Reservoir
Lewis and
Species Clark
Sport
Northern pike
Channel catfish
White bass
Yellow perch
Sauger
Walleye
Sub- total
Commercial
Gol deye
Carp
River carpsucker
Small mouth buffalo
Bigmouth buffalo
Freshwater drum
Sub- total
Miscellaneous
Total
*
3.4
0.5
0.3
4.1
1.5
9.8
0.6
2.2
3.3
0.3
0.4
4.9
11.7
3.0
24.5
Francis
Case
0.1
5.9
0.7
2.7
1.2
9.4
19.8
10.5
4.1
5.4
0.4
0.3
1.2
21.9
3.3
45.0
Sharpe
0.3
5.0
0.1
2.7
2.0
18.5
28.5
1.1
7.2
3.1
0.2
0.8
0.5
13.0
7.0
48.6
Oahe
0.9
2.6
1.7
0.9
1.1
13.2
20.5
15.8
2.4
2.0
0.1
0.6
0.6
21.6
3.4
45.5
Saka-
kawea
0.5
2.5
7.8
2.4
4.2
17.4
29.0
2.9
0.3
0.1
*
0.7
33.0
2.4
52.8
* For a complete species listing and data sources see Appendix M.
* Less than 0.05 fish per lift.
42
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TABLE 19. MEAN CATCH PER EXPERIMENTAL GILL NET LIFT OF THE DOMINANT
SPECIES IN THE LOWER, MIDDLE, AND UPPER SECTIONS OF LAKES
OAHE (0) AND SAKAKAWEA (S) (percent In parentheses)
Species
Goldeye
Northern pike
Carp
River carpsucker
White sucker
Shorthead redhorse
Channel catfish
Yellow perch
Sauger
Walleye
Freshwater drum
Total
Reservoir
0
S
0
S
0
S
0
S
0
S
0
S
0
S
0
S
0
S
0
S
0
S
0
S
Lower*
9.8 (17)
23.9 (28)
0.6 (20)
0.4 (27)
0.6 (7)
2.2 (25)
0.6 (9)
* (3)
3.4 (68)
0.1 (1)
0.3 (30)
1.1 (14)
0.9 (12)
0.7 (22)
11.5 (50)
0.1 (2)
1.9 (25)
7.4 (17)
4.2 (33)
0.1 (5)
0.1 (5)
22.7 (15)
49.3 (32)
Middle*
15.2 (27)
41.5 (49)
0.9 (30)
0.3 (23)
3.4 (40)
3.4 (39)
2.3 (37)
0.1 (16)
0.1 (55)
1.1 (23)
1.1 (27)
0.2 (23)
4.4 (61)
3.0 (41)
1.5 (50)
9.9 (43)
1.9 (42)
1.9 (26)
21.8 (51)
3.8 (30)
0.8 (37)
0.7 (34)
58.0 (38)
66.5 (43)
Upper*
30.4 (54)
19.3 (23)
1.5 (50)
0.7 (50)
4.6 (54)
3.1 (36)
3.3 (54)
0.7 (81)
0.1 (45)
0.5 (10)
3.0 (72)
0.5 (48)
1.9 (25)
3.5 (48)
0.8 (28)
1.6 (7)
2.5 (56)
3.6 (49)
13.3 (31)
4.7 (37)
1.2 (58)
1.3 (61)
71.8 (47)
40.2 (26)
* Section in Lake Oahe located below Whitlocks Crossing and in Lake
Sakakawea below confluence of Little Missouri Arm and main stem.
t Section in Lake Oahe between North and South Dakota state line and
Whitlocks Crossing and in Lake Sakakawea in and between Van Hook
and Little Missouri arms.
# Section in Lake Oahe includes North Dakota portion and in Lake
Sakakawea includes portion upstream of Van Hook arm.
* Less than 0.05.
43
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CHAPTER 10
WATER DEPLETIONS AND LAND-USE CHANGES
The historical mean annual discharge of the Missouri River at Sioux
City, la. was 34.5 km3 (28 million a/f), and total depletions by 1970 were
estimated to be about 8 km3 (6.5 million a/f)(Missouri River Basin
Comprehensive Framework Study [MRBCFS])24. Water depletions are projected
to increase considerably by 1980 and nearly double by 2000 (Table 20).
Although these projections may, in time, prove in error, they are the latest
published estimates, and were assumed to be accurate.
IRRIGATION
Irrigation currently is, and will continue to be, the single greatest
water use and source of return water to the Missouri River (Table 20). By
2000, irrigation and water exported for irrigation is projected to account
for nearly 40% of the 15.2 km3 (12.3 million a/f) total depletion above
Sioux City, la. An estimated 1.5 million hectares (2.7 million acres) were
irrigated in 1970 (MRBCFS)^4. Total land area under irrigation is projected
to increase 311,800 hectares (767,000 acres) by 1980 and 800,000 hectares
(2 million acres) by 2000.
The type of irrigation will shift from large publicly funded projects,
such as the Garrison and Oahe units (included under export category in Table
20 since water will leave reservoir system) now under construction, to
individual farmers and ranchers constructing their own private systems.
Currently, the number of private units observed operating, and the number of
permits issued by the CE varies greatly. The best estimate of the number of
units operating and permits pending in 1976 was:
Location Operating Pending
Fort Peck Reservoir 4 3
Fort Peck to Garrison Dam 28 8
Garrison to Oahe Dam 49 27
Oahe to Big Bend Dam 17 11
Big Bend to Fort Randall Dam 36 21
Fort Randall to Gavins Point Dam 9 4
Total 143 74
The increased interest in irrigation is illustrated by the fact that the
number of permits now pending is about one-half the number of units operating.
Of additional importance is the amount of water requested in each permit.
44
-------
TABLE 20. PROJECTED WATER WITHDRAWAL, DEPLETION, AND RETURN FLOWS (km3) BY
SERVICE CATEGORY FROM THE MISSOURI RIVER ABOVE SIOUX CITY, IOWA
IN 1980 AND 2000*
Service Withdrawal
Irrigation
Exports
Thermal power
Evaporation
Municipal & Domestic
Wetlands, F&W
Livestock
Land conservation
Coal development*
Forest mgmt.
Precipitation mgmt.
Total
2.78
0.51
1.09
0.32
0.67
0.11
0.08
0.05
0.16
-0.07
-0.13
5.56
1980
Depletion
1.37
0.51
0.04
0.32
0.43
0.11
0.08
0.05
0.16
-0.07
-0.13
2.87
Return Withdrawal
1.41 6.47
1.40
1.05 2.32
0.61
0.24 1.01
0.19
0.17
0.16
1.13
-0.23
-0.43
2.69 12.80
2000
Depletion
3.43
1.40
0.13
0.61
0.64
0.19
0.17
0.16
1.05
-0.23
-0.43
7.12
Return
3.04
2.18
0.37
0.08
5.68
* Source: MRBCFS24.
4= Source: NGPRP25 - Medium water use at CDP-III. Only depletions were
listed for 1980 so withdrawals were assumed to equal depletion.
45
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In the past these requests have amounted to 1.2 x lO^mS (1,000 a/f) or less
per year but seven pending requests in 1976-77 in South Dakota exceed
12.2 x 106m3 (10,000 a/f).
COAL DEVELOPMENT
The development of coal resources in the northern Great Plains is
difficult to predict. The factors that will determine how quickly and
intensively coal is exploited are economics and governmental regulations.
According to the Northern Great Plains Resources Program (NGPRP)25, 47
million metric tons (52 million tons) of coal were mined from the region in
1975. Depending on future incentives, this will increase to between 82 and
145 million metric tons (91 and 160 million tons) by 1980 and from 131 to
886 million metric tons (144 to 977 million tons) by 2000. Projected land
areas to be disturbed by coal development range from 3 to 8 thousand hectares
(8 to 20 thousand acres) in 1980 and from 42 to 161 thousand hectares (103
to 397 thousand acres) by 2000. The large range in these projections is an
indication of the uncertainity associated with the rate of coal development.
The use of the coal that is to be removed from projected strip mines
in the Northern Great Plains is also uncertain and subject to debate. The
production of substitute natural gas (SNG) is one alternative that has
received attention. With intensive coal development, 7 SNG facilities
would be operating by 1980 and 41 by 2000. With minimal development, there
would be no SNG plants operating by 2000.
The American Natural Gas (ANG) Company has applied for 0.02
(17,000 a/f) of water from Renner Bay, Lake Sakakawea for operating a
coal-gasification plant to produce 7 million m3/day (250 million ftVday)
of SNG. This plant, presently scheduled for completion in 1981, is the
first for which a specific site has been selected and the construction and
operation described (Woodward-Clyde Consultants)26. Dreyer Brother, Inc.
of Billings, Montana has been actively engaged in the preliminaries of
obtaining a permit for siting a coal conversion facility (Circle West) in the
vicinity of the Big Dry Arm on Fort Peck reservoir. Although no formal
application has been filed or specific site selected, their stated intentions
are for one or more of the following:
(1) The manufacture of up to 2,700 metric tons/day (3,000 tons/day) of
ammonia, requiring up to 8,200 metric tons/day (9,000 tons/day) of
lignite and up to 0.01 krWyr (9,000 a/f/yr) of water.
(2) The manufacture of up to 4,500 metric tons/day (5,000 tons/day) of
methanol -methyl fuel, requiring up to 9,000 metric tons/day
(10,000 tons/day) of lignite and up to 0.01 km3/yr (8,000 a/f/yr)
of water.
(3) The manufacture of up to 30,000 barrels/day of synthetic diesel
fuel oil, requiring up to 15,000 metric tons/day (16,500 tons/day)
of lignite and up to 0.02 knwyr (15,000 a/f/yr) of water.
In addition to the conversion facility these proposals also entail operation
and construction of strip mines, water intake structures, and construction
of roads, railroads, and pipelines.
46
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THERMAL POWER
Water for thermal electric power production is projected to become the
second largest cause of water withdrawal. The projections in Table 20 were
made prior to the 1972 Federal Water Pollution Control Act and may result
in a change from once through, to evaporative, cooling. Therefore, these
projections may overestimate water withdrawn and underestimate water consumed.
Of the 35 coal-fired electric power plants listed by the Federal Power
Commission to be constructed in the four subbasins by 1990, from 8-12 may
be expected to utilize water withdrawn directly from the main stem Missouri
River, with the remainder sited on tributary rivers (MRBCFS)24.
MUNICIPAL, RURAL, DOMESTIC, AND INDUSTRIAL USES OF WATER
Water for these purposes was estimated to be the third largest service
category in 1980, but the development of coal resources would utilize more
water by 2000 (Table 20). Return waters from municipal sewage and industrial
plants would be the third largest source of return water. Information
regarding specific locations for these withdrawals was not available, but
apparently the majority of increased water use will occur from expanding
existing plants rather than constructing new plants.
EVAPORATION
The largest source of water depletion through 1970 was evaporation
from the main stem reservoirs. Since few sites remain for reservoir
construction, future increases in water loss from this source were projected
to be low. However, the projected annual loss of water from this source in
2000 would be about 3 km3. Remaining water depletions are minor, comprising
less than 7% of the total loss, and are not sources of return water.
DEPLETION LOCATION
The Yellowstone and Eastern Dakota subbasins have been projected to be
the primary locations for water withdrawals (MRBCFS)24. Depletions from the
Eastern Dakota subbasin will be extensive through the Garrison diversion
unit to Canada. Projected depletions from the Western Dakota subbasin will
be smaller than from the other subbasins but because availability was less,
over 30% of the average annual flow available in 1970 would be depleted
in 2000.
47
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CHAPTER 11
IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENTS
The impacts of energy and agricultural development on Lakes Fort Peck
and Sakakawea involve the site-specific effects of individual projects as
well as the combined effects of multiple developments. Water intake
structures, waste products, population increases, changes in land use, and
water depletions all pose potential problems for the water quality and
fisheries in main stem reservoirs.
WATER INTAKE STRUCTURES
Entrapment or impingement of eggs and larval fishes is the primary
deleterious effect of water intakes. The impact of a particular intake is
dependent upon its location, design and the amount of water withdrawn.
Although tributary streams and the shoreline and embayment areas of a
reservoir are often the most desirable sites for locating water intake
structures because of ease of access and minimal installation costs, these
areas are also the primary spawning and nursery grounds for a number of
reservoir fishes. Water intake structures must be located in deep water
areas of the reservoirs to minimize entrapment of fish eggs and larvae.
Intake structures for irrigation development have the greatest potential
impact because of the large number of intakes, water volume, and the common
practice of placing the temporary intakes in readily accessible streams or
littoral areas of the reservoir.
Intake structures located in tributary streams would have a greater
impact on reservoir fisheries than those located in the reservoir. Species
which spawn in the reservoir environment generally spawn at numerous
locations, so the eggs and larvae are not concentrated. Reservoir species
which spawn in rivers may be dependent on recruitment from very few areas.
The paddlefish and sturgeon populations of Lake Fort Peck may spawn
exclusively in the main stem of the Missouri River, and their Lake Sakakawea
populations may spawn exclusively in the Yellowstone River. Goldeye
populations may also be restricted to these rivers for spawning plus the
Mussel shell River in Lake Fort Peck and the Little Missouri River in Lake
Sakakawea. The eggs and/or larvae of these species are usually transported
by the current to the reservoir. This results in a concentration of larvae
at the mouths of tributary streams. The location of an intake structure
near the mouth of a tributary stream could result in excessive losses of
eggs and larvae.
48
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It is difficult to perceive any deleterious limnological effects of
water intake structures. Zooplankton and benthic invertebrates will be
entrained and lost from the specific area. However, if intake structures
are designed and located so as to minimize damage to fish stocks, it will
follow that the loss of fish food organisms would be minimized.
WASTE PRODUCTS
The construction and operation of coal strip mines and conversion plants
generate solid, liquid, and gaseous effluents that can be harmful to aquatic
environments. Because of changing technology and the newness of the various
coal conversion processes, relatively little is known about the chemical
content of the effluents that will result from coal development in the
Northern Great Plains.
Solid wastes produced from coal strip mining include the overburden
removed to reach the lignite seams and fugitive dust from blasting, hauling,
and crushing the lignite. The conversion processes generate large quantities
of ash and evaporator residue and sludge from the use of scrubbers and
catalysts in the conversion process. These solids could enter aquatic
environments by being carried by surface water runoff or winds. Within
streams or reservoirs the deposition of these sediments could introduce
toxic materials, degrade localized areas of fish spawning habitat, and
increase heavy metals concentration throughout the receiving ecosystem.
Waste waters are potentially hazardous to water quality and the
fisheries of Missouri River reservoirs. Rubin and McMichael27 compiled a
list of known water pollutants arising from coal conversion processes. Some
of these wastes, particularly ammonia and phenols, may present problems if
the effluent does not receive adequate treatment (Handler and Under)28.
In addition to their toxic properties, phenolic wastes affect the taste of
fish at levels which do not have adverse physiological effects.
The major impact of coal strip mining on the limnology of the Tongue
River reservoir in Montana was the alteration of groundwater (Garrison e_t
aj_)29. The mine discharge water primarily originated as groundwater but the
principal aquifers of the region were the top two coal seams. When the coal
was mined, the normal flow of groundwater to the reservoir was interrupted,
and the surrounding groundwater drained into the mine since it was lower
than the reservoir and river. Eventually this water entered the reservoir
after passing through a settling pond. The concentrations of nitrogen in the
mine water increased greatly due to the use of ammonium-nitrate explosives
in the mining operations. Other chemical changes in mine water included
increases in Ca, HCOo, Mg, Na, and SO^j; heavy metals and organic pollutant
analyses were evidently not included in the study. Acid mine drainage
problems were minimal because of the high buffering capacity of the receiving
water and because of the low sulfur content of the coal. In spite of the
measurable changes that occurred in the mine water, no effects of discharging
this water into the reservoir could be ascertained because of dilution.
49
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In a different approach to determine the effects of mine waste waters
on aquatic life, Olson e_t al_30 employed a bioassay technique utilizing both
algae and bacteria as test organisms. There were no cases of heavy metal
toxicity nor any indication of trace element deficiency in these waters.
The results only showed algae were phosphorus limited. Testing continues
using microorganisms to test coal leachates for the presence of additional
toxic material.
Atmospheric emissions from coal conversion plants are primarily S02»
ML. and particulate materials. In some regions of Canada, United States,
and northern Europe, SOo has been precipitated from the atmosphere by
rainfall in such high concentrations that they have acidified lake water to
the extent fish life cannot survive. However, the extremely large dilution
factor and high buffering capacity of Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea make it
unlikely that any measurable effects would be detected from the projected
number of conversion plants.
Solid, liquid, and gaseous effluents from coal strip mining and coal
conversion processes will all contain heavy metals. Analysis of fish flesh
indicated that mercury levels already exceed FDA standards in fish from
Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea; selenium and cadmium are also present at
significant levels. Any increase of these heavy metals in fish flesh from
developing the coal resources could cause the closure of the commercial
fisheries and necessitate warning sport fishermen not to consume their catch.
POPULATION INCREASE
The population increase projected to accompany coal development in the
region (N6PRP)25 js expected to increase the quantity of municipal sewage
effluents discharged in the basin. This population increase will also place
additional demand on the main stem reservoirs for recreation. Steps should
be taken to insure that municipal sewage treatment facilities are expanded to
provide adequate waste treatment.
LAND-USE CHANGES
Energy developments and irrigation involve changes in land-use patterns
which, in turn, will alter the water volume, sediment, nutrient, and chemical
yields of tributary watersheds. Limnological changes in Missouri River
reservoirs will result from changes in the quality and quantity of tributary
inflows and the cycling of chemical constituents within the reservoirs. The
change from dry land to irrigated farming will increase the quantities of
fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides applied to the land which will
eventually reach the Missouri River reservoirs. Proposed strip mining and
coal conversion plants may involve altering the aquifers and drainage pattern
and burial of process wastes at the mine site. The ash and sludge will
contain considerable quantities of heavy metals, including mercury, lead,
copper, and zinc (Bureau of Reclamation)^. The effects of mine site
disposal of these substances are difficult to ascertain, since the rates of
leaching and drainage patterns are unknown. Although the effects of a single
strip mine, coal conversion plant, or irrigated field will be insignificant
50
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because of the large dilution factor, the cumulative effect of all these
land-use changes will eventually degrade the water quality and fisheries
within all the Missouri River impoundments.
CUMULATIVE WATER DEPLETION
The effect of water depletions in the various subbasins will be additive
as one progresses downstream. Projected average annual cumulative river flow
depletions (km3) at each main stem dam without coal development would be:
Dam 1980 2000
Fort Peck 0.345 0.868
Garrison 1.885 4.064
Oahe 2.465 5.610
Big Bend 2.471 5.618
Ft. Randall 2.554 5.724
Gavins Point 2.742 6.225
Application of the above depletion estimates to average annual flows
available after 1970 reveals that 11% of the water available in 1970 would
be depleted in 1980 and 25% by 2000. In years of minimum flows these
percentages would double; about 50% of the water presently available at
Sioux City, la., would be consumed by 2000. Municipal water supplies below
Sioux City, la., presently require a minimum flow of 5.3 km3 (4.3 mill ion a/f)
(CE Main Stem Reservoir Regulation Studies [MSRRS])32. Addition of these
minimum flow requirements and projected coal depletions by 2000 to the above
depletions results in nearly complete allocation of Missouri River water
at Sioux City, la., in low-flow years. Downstream flows could be maintained
in low-flow years through the use of water stored in the main stem
impoundments.
Inflows to the main stem reservoir system were above average from
1965-76. The water levels, surface area, water stored, and water released
in 1976 were considerably above the levels to be expected from the long
term (1898-1975) average annual inflow at the 1970 level of depletion or
the ultimate depletion levels projected for 2000 (MSRRS)32. With increased
depletions, water levels, surface area, etc. all decrease (Table 21 and
pig. 5). In general, because of the shape of the basins, for any given
decline in elevation, the surface area will decrease the least in Lake Fort
peck and the most in Lake Oahe.
The projected increases in water depletions will have a profound effect
On the reservoir ecosystems. Reduced tributary inflows will cause a decline
in what is presently the major source of nutrients to the system (Martin and
Novotny22; Martin23). Decreased water depth may very well prevent the
establishment of thermoclines. This would not only alter the physical and
chemical characteristics within a reservoir, but the tailwaters and
downstream reservoirs would be altered by the change in quality of the water
released.
51
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TABLE 21. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LAKES FORT PECK, SAKAKAWEA, AND
OAHE OBSERVED IN 1976, AT 1970 LEVELS OF DEPLETION THE 1898-
1975 MEAN, AND AT ULTIMATE PROJECTED DEPLETION LEVELS IN
2000, THE MEAN (1898-1975), HIGH (1898-1930, 1944-54,
1955-75), AND LOW (1931-42) FLOW YEARS*
Characteristic
Elevation (m.msl)
Area (hectares)
Storage
Inflows
(km3)
(km3)
Releases (km3)
1976
Observed
684.42
95
21
12
12
Exchange rate (days)
,985
.552
.515
.808
614
1898-1975
Mean
678.81
79,625
17
7
7
.177
.727
.721
812
Mean
Fort
Peck
675.58
71
14
6
6
,890
.046
.564
.570
780
2000
High
679.21
80,595
16
7
7
.310
.302
.299
816
Low
664.48
48,
7.
3.
3.
560
422
627
871
700
Sakakawea
Elevation (m.msl)
Area (hectares)
Storage
Inflows
Releases
Exchange
(km3)
(km3)
(km3)
rate (days)
562.04
138
24
27
26
,915
.788
.131
.613
340
558.32
118
20
19
19
,140
.802
.920
.915
381
555.43
105
16
14
14
,825
.051
.048
.098
416
558.51
118
18
15
15
,910
.707
.931
.975
427
546.22
67,
8.
7.
7.
190
411
688
823
392
Pane
Elevation (m.msl)
Area (hectares)
Storage
Inflows
Releases
Exchange
(M
(km3)
(km3)
rate (days)
489.60
123
22
28
27,
,930
.860
.250
.496
303
486.77
109
20
21
21
,595
.322
.865
.857
339
480.70
84
13
14
14
,200
.388
.492
.529
336
483.96
98
15
16
16
,335
.664
.905
.829
340
471
52,
7.
6.
7.
.71
810
301
788
038
379
Source:
52
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FIGURE «5
nuune J
WATER LEVELS IN FORT PECK, SAKAKAWEA, AND OAHE RESERVOIRS
OBSERVED IN 1975, AT 1970 DEPLETION LEVELS (THE 1898-1975
^^
1
E
I
UJ
UJ
MEAN
MEAN
LOW
680
676
672
668
664
-
-
r •
-
-
562r»« •
r
558 *^_ __
554
550
546
486
~ wv
482
478
474
— =.
r*""*
i
_
—
-
5*»<
«
^* iiA *
_4^
_
-
_
470 t 1 "~ 1
JAN
iQ7n
FLOW), AND AT ULTIMATE PROJECTED LEVELS IN 2000, THE
(1898-1975), HIGH (1898-1930; 1944-54; 1965-75), AND
(1931-1942) FLOW YEARS.
-; "—- • — — -
— ™«™— i^-^*-^"
"-* _
.
-
FORT PECK ^*
^ V 0 A
,•••••* _^ **••••§
*^ | 1,
^"*^^***^Q » •••*
"^ • -^ *^^0
^•— -•-•^1
--*x "^^
.-^''"*-""~ ^
SAKAKAWEA ^
^^ "^-^^
^®— •^.e^"^-
• — • "I
-
OAHE
II I 1 1 I 1 I i I
2230
2210
2190
2170
1840
m
m
§
1820 ^
o
z
3
1800 S.
1780
1600
1580
1560
I54O
MAR MAY JULY SEPT MOV
— ^_ 1 O7C A A A A
HIGH
2000
-•—•— LOW
53
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Water depletions will also impact the reservoir fishery by altering the
quantity and quality of spawning habitat. Reduced stream flows would affect
species such as goldeye, sauger, paddlefish, and sturgeons by: (1) impeding
migration of adults to spawning grounds; (2) retarding transport of eggs and
larvae to the reservoir; (3) increasing water temperature; (4) decreasing
oxygen content of water; and (5) altering the substrate by decreasing the
bottom scouring action of the current and increasing silt deposition.
Primary effect on reservoir habitat would be the reduction in the amount of
littoral area available for spawning and alteration of the substrate since
the finer sediments which have been deposited in the deeper water would
become the shoreline.
54
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CHAPTER 12
INTERIM ENVIRONMENTAL RECOMMENDATIONS
With the information presently available, general guidelines can be
recommended to minimize and mitigate the environmental impacts of future
developments on Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea. However, to minimize the
environmental impacts on these reservoirs, the impacts on the terrestrial
ecology and/or ground water may be increased. Therefore, each individual
facility and its associated activities must be examined and operational
guidelines established, and strictly enforced, to ensure that valuable or
fragile components of the ecosystem are preserved.
Entrainment of egg and larval fish by improperly sited and operated
water intake structures could have a significant impact on reservoir fish
populations. Guidelines are already used by the FWS (Appendix N) to evaluate
permits for irrigation intakes located in Missouri River impoundments. These
guidelines encourage locating the intake in the main reservoir rather than in
an embayment, at a minimum depth of 6 m (20 ft), and screening the intake
with a mesh of 6 mm (0.25 inches); intake water velocities less than 0.15 m/s
(0.5 f/s) are recommended to protect larval fishes (Atomic Energy
Commission33; pugh, Monan, and Smith34; Houde35). Unfortunately, data are
not adequate to establish guidelines for locating irrigation intakes in
tributary rivers, but they should be screened (6 mm) and have an intake
velocity of less than 0.15 m/s.
The guidelines for irrigation intakes are applicable to permanent
structures required by industrial and municipal users. Future predicted
levels restrict locating permanent intake structures at elevations above
663 m.msl (2175 f.msl) in Lake Fort Peck and 545 m.msl (1787.5 f.msl) in
Lake Sakakawea (MSRRS)32. Requiring permanent intake structures to be
located an additional 6 m deeper would equilize requirements for all water
users. Locating intake structures at the depths required for an
uninterrupted water flow ensures that they will usually be constructed in
the main reservoir rather than in an embayment. Screen size and water
velocity at intakes should be the same as required for irrigation intakes.
jn general, the potential for entrainment from an intake is reduced the
deeper, and the closer it is placed to the dam. When feasible, water should
always be obtained from a reservoir rather than a tributary river.
Although sample size and location were restricted, the concentrations
in fish flesh of mercury, selenium, and cadmium revealed high background
levels. The available data indicates that increased loading of these
reservoirs with heavy metals from any source must be avoided. Further
55
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increases of heavy metals In fish flesh could cause closure of the commercial
fishery and severely impact the sport fishery because fish would be unsafe
for human consumption.
Deleterious effects of municipal and industrial return flows will be
minimized if state and federal water quality standards are met. Overloading
of municipal sewage treatment facilities from population influxes associated
with energy development will require prompt planning and construction of
additional treatment capacity. Care should be taken to contain toxic wastes
associated with coal mining and conversion processes, minimize sedimentation,
and maintain the hydrologic regimen of tributary streams in the region.
Pollution control and abatement facilities for the coal mines and the coal
conversion plants must be designed to handle potential pollutants from
three sources.
1. Solid Waste - Solid wastes include: (a) ash from gasifiers, evaporator
residue, and fly ash from steam boilers, (b) inorganic sludge and silt
from raw water treatment, (c) sludge from sewage treatment unit, and
(d) refuse. Disposal of these wastes in the mine is the most logical
solution depending upon the location of aquifers and the interchange
between ground and surface water. Retention dams should be constructed
on drainages being strip-mined to contain surface water runoff and
sediments. Overburden piles, lignite storage piles, haul roads, etc.
should be treated to minimize fugitive dust.
2. Waste Water - No waste from the coal gasification plants should be
discharged into surface waters. Industrial water must be recovered for
reuse within the plant, discharged as vapor, or, depending upon the
aquifers, disposed of in deep wells. Effluent from sanitary waste
treatment facilities should be used inside the plant for ash handling
and other processes. Slowdown from the process water cooling towers
should be used within the plant or evaporated. On site storage
facilities should be provided for all liquid byproducts. In addition,
adequate precautions such as diking around storage tanks, should be
taken in order to prevent any discharge of these materials into surface
waters. Heated effluents should be discharged from thermal electric
plants in the form of vapor or dissipated by cooling ponds.
3. Gaseous Effluent - Except for potential toxic and/or heavy metal
contaminants, the impact of gaseous effluents will be negligible
because of the large dilution factor and high buffering capacity of
these reservoirs. However, stringent controls may be required to
protect the terrestrial ecology near industrial sites.
The proposed design and operation of the AN6 conversion plant appears
adequate to handle the above effluents. However, upon completion of this
facility a thorough monitoring program should be conducted to ensure the
plant adheres to stated operational procedures and to determine if any
unforeseen deleterious environmental impacts occur.
The long-term cumulative water depletion in the system poses
environmental problems which are difficult to minimize. The environmental
impact statement by the Bureau of Reclamation31 on the sale of 1.2 km3
(1 million a/f) of water from the Missouri River reservoirs was the first
attempt to examine the effects of water depletion on the entire system.
56
-------
Unfortunately, only a fraction of the total projected depletions were
included, and the treatment of the biological effects was incomplete.
However, it is only through this type of analysis that guidelines will be
established to protect the recreational and fishery resources of these
reservoirs.
One method of estimating the effects of cumulative water depletions is
to predict the potential standing crop and harvest of sport and commercial
fishes at various water elevations. Physical, chemical, and climatic factors
can be used to estimate the standing crops and harvest of fish in reservoirs
(Jenkins36, Jenkins and Mora1s37). Holding the chemical (IDS) and climatic
(length of growing season) factors constant, and changing the physical
factors (water level fluctuation, mean depth, water exchange rate, and
surface area) in relation to projected water elevation, changes the
predicted standing crop and harvest of fishes. With reduced elevations, the
standing crop and harvest of sport fishes per unit area would change very
little, but the standing crop and harvest of commercial species would
increase substantially (Table 22). The change in total standing crop and
production which would occur at various depletion levels was estimated by
multiplying the biomass per unit area by the surface area of the reservoir.
The relationship between water level elevation and total weight of standing
crop and production was linear (Fig. 6). Solving the equations for any
series of water levels gives the expected change in standing crops and
production. Estimated total standing crops would decline from present
levels about 6,400, 10,000 and 10,400 metric tons (14, 22, and 23 million
pounds) in Lakes Fort Peck, Sakakawea, and Oahe, respectively, in low-flow
years at the 2000 level of depletion. Total potential harvest would decline
545, 1000, and 725 metric tons (1.2, 212, and 1.6 million pounds) in Lakes
port Peck, Sakakawea, and Oahe, respectively, under the above inflow
conditions.
In summary, we believe that with proper design, operating procedures,
and enforcement of these requirements, development of coal resources can be
accomplished with minimal impact on the water quality and fishery resources
Of Missouri River reservoirs although the impact on terrestrial ecology or
ground water could be severe. Location of coal conversion plants on
tributary rivers should be discouraged since the reduced stream flows would
decrease the input of nutrients into the reservoirs, reduce the quantity and
quality of spawning habitat for many important reservoir fish species, and
allow for less dilution of any effluents. Water Intakes can be sited and
operated in a reservoir with little, if any, entrainment or impingement of
the egg and larval stages of fishes. Coal strip mines and conversion plants
can be operated in a manner that precludes the release of liquid and solid
effluents into the reservoirs. Gaseous emissions should not have a
measurable effect on the reservoirs' water quality because of the large
dilution factor and high buffering capacity of the water. The projected
ease of irrigation, which not only depletes the most water but returns
most effluents (fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and sediments), will
the greatest Impact on Missouri River reservoirs.
57
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TABLE 22. PREDICTED STANDING CROPS AND POTENTIAL HARVEST (kg/h) OF
SPORT AND COMMERCIAL FISH SPECIES IN FORT PECK, SAKAKAWEA
AND OAHE RESERVOIRS AT PROJECTED LEVELS OF WATER DEPLETIONS
Category
1976 1898-1975
Observed Mean Mean
2000
High
Low
Fort Peck
78,
156,
Standing crop
Sport* 78.0
Commercial
Total*
Harvest
Sport* 3.0
Commercial44' 11.1
Total 14.1
78.0
88.1
166.0
3.1
10.8
13.9
76,
90.
Standing crop
Sport 76.3
Commercial 86.7
Total 163.0 166.8
Harvest
Sport 2.9 3.0
Commercial 13.2 13.0
Total 16.1 16.0
77.7
92.7
170.4
3.1
11.3
14.5
Sakakawea
75.0
103.1
178.1
3.1
13.8
16.9
Oahe
77.8
91.8
169.6
3.1
11.0
14.1
75,
101.
176,
3.0
13.8
16.8
76.5
105.0
181.5
3.5
13.1
16.6
72.8
115.5
188.2
3.5
15.4
18.8
Standing crop
Sport
Commercial
Total
Harvest
Sport
Commercial
Total
74.8
88.0
162.8
4.0
7.3
11.3
76.8
87.6
164.3
4.1
7.1
11.2
75.6
97.9
173.4
4.5
7.6
12.1
75.7
97.6
173.3
4.3
7.6
11.9
74.2
110.5
184.7
4.9
8.0
12.9
* Log (sport fish standing crop) = 1.7183 + 0.3583 log (TDS/mean depth
- 0.2585 [log (TDS/mean depth)]2.
t- Total standing crop = -108.2 + 70.32 log (growing season) + 55.48
log (flushing rate) + 20.7 log (water level fluctuation) + 77.61
log (TDS/mean depth) + 24.1 [log (TDS/mean depth)]*.
# Log (sport fish harvest) = -0.8104 - 0.2266 log (area) + 0.209
log (TDS) + 1.1432 log (growing season) - 0.2713 log (reservoir age).
•w-Log (commercial fish harvest) = 6.4819 - 0.492 (mean depth) -
0.231 log (water level fluctuation) - 0.204 log (flushing rate)
-2.453 log (growing season) + 0.482 log (reservoir age).
58
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2240
ELEVATION (ft. msl)
2210 2180 1830 1810 17901600 1580 1560
O
o
1,800
|,400
1,000
600
200
(2,000
§ 10,000
O
&
8,000
6,000
4,000
III! Ill
y= -13,530 +2l36x
y=-3,735+5.89x
FORT PECK
,y= -75,620+l22x
•••••••••
1 — I • I
y= -26,425+50.4x
• II • I • • • •
y=-5,540+KX6x
=-12,3004-27.02 x
y=-5,985+-!3.28x.
SAKAKAWEA
y=-l42f500+276x
OAHE
\
\
y= -127,810 +284x.
ys-l9lt300+360x
36
28
9
20 3
O
O
12 §
28
24
20
5
o
16 -
12
8
O
O
v
ut
680
FIGURE 6
672 664 558 550 488 480
ELEVATION (m.msl)
472
ESTIMATED TOTAL STANDING CROP AND HARVEST OF SPORT (broken line) AND
COMMERCIAL (solid line) FISHES OVER THE PROJECTED RANGE OF WATER
LEVELS IN FORT PECK, SAKAKAWEA, AND OAHE RESERVOIRS.
59
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CHAPTER 13
FUTURE RESEARCH NEEDS
Data gathered in 1976 provides a cursory descriptive background of
current biological conditions in Lakes Fort Peck and Sakakawea and the
industrial and agricultural developments which may impact these reservoirs.
The most critical data gaps encountered were concerned with the chemical
constituents of effluents from coal conversion plants and baseline data on
Fort Peck Lake and the use of tributary streams for spawning by reservoir
fishes. The feasibility of developing a water quality-primary production
model for the entire Missouri River reservoir system to evaluate increased
nutrient inflow from increased population, agricultural, and energy
development is also described.
The chemical constituents in solid, liquid, and gaseous effluents from
coal-gasification plants and the fate of mine-site disposal of solid and
liquid wastes must be known to establish guidelines for the management of
heavy metals and toxic chemicals in tributary streams and the reservoir
system. Additional information on the possible introduction of organic and
inorganic pollutants into the aquatic ecosystems via surface or ground water
discharge is needed. Future management of environmental contaminants will
be balanced between the required levels of waste treatment at each site and
the total number of energy conversion facilities built in an area. This
problem could remain unresolved until coal-gasification plants are operating
in the area and their effluents analyzed and volumes determined.
Before the impacts of future developments on Fort Peck Lake can be
accurately evaluated, more extensive baseline data are required. The
limnological characteristics of the entire reservoir should be described
with the emphasis placed on physical and chemical parameters. The abundance,
distribution, and growth rates of the dominant fish species and their
spawning and nursery areas should be described. Special emphasis should be
placed on describing the life history of lake trout since this species is
particularly vulnerable to alteration in the existing habitat. Analysis of
fish flesh for mercury, selenium, and cadmium should be expanded to better
describe the background levels in economically important species such as
walleye and goldeye.
Future water depletions from tributary streams will severely impact
reservoir species that spawn in the tributaries. Studies should be designed
to determine the relative contribution individual tributary streams make as
spawning and nursery areas for reservoir fishes and the flow requirement of
individual species. This project should be concentrated on the Yellowstone
60
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and Missouri Rivers above Lake Sakakawea and the Mussel shell and Missouri
Rivers above Fort Peck Lake. The extent of larval fish entralnment from
presently operating intakes located in both streams and reservoirs should be
assessed and engineering designs developed to establish installation
requirements, particularly in the tributary streams.
Increases in population projected to accompany energy development of
the upper Missouri River Basin will increase the quantities of phosphorus
discharged into the main stem reservoirs. Limnological studies should
concentrate on sampling chlorophyll, total phosphorus, and water clarity in
main stem reservoirs. Combining this information with water chemistry data
monitored on tributary inflows could lead to development of a water quality-
primary production model for the entire Missouri River reservoir system.
We believe such a model could be operational within three years. The model
would be based upon watershed inputs and would be invaluable for predicting
and assessing the effects of a given input on the water quality and primary
productivity of an individual reservoir as well as downstream reservoirs.
61
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CHAPTER 14
REFERENCES
1. U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. Annual operating plan, 1976-77,
Missouri River main stem reservoirs. Reservoir Control Center. Omaha,
Nebraska. 61 pp. (1976).
2. Benson, N. 6., and B. C. Cowell. The environment and plankton density
in Missouri River reservoirs. Reservoir Fishery Resources Symposium.
South. Div., Am. Fish. Soc. pp. 358-373. (1967).
3. Benson, N. G. Review of fisheries studies on Missouri River main stem
reservoirs. U. S. FishWildl. Serv., Res. Rep. 71. 61 pp. (1968).
4. . Evaluating the effects of discharge rates, water levels,
and peaking on fish populations in Missouri River main stem impoundments.
In W. C. Ackermann, G. F. White, and E. B. Worthington (ed.) Man-made
Takes: Their problems and environmental effects. Geophys. Monogr.
Ser., Vol. 17. pp. 683-689. (1973).
5. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. Manual of methods for chemical
analysis of water and wastes. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory, Cincinnati, Ohio.
(1974).
6. Strickland, J. D. H., and T. R. Parsons. A practical handbook of
seawater analysis. Bulletin 167 (Second edition) Fish. Res. Board Can.
310 pp. (1972)
7. Margalef, R. Perspectives in ecological theory. Chicago, U. of Chicago
Press. 11 pp. (1968).
8. Anonymous. A three-year fishery investigations on Fort Peck reservoir,
Montana, 1948-50. U. S. Fish Wild!. Serv., Missouri River Basin
Studies. 49 pp. (mimeo.) (1952).
9. Phenicie, C. K. The Fort Peck reservoir fishing survey. Mont. Fish
and Game Comm. Bull. 3. 19 pp. (mimeo.) (1950).
10. Liebelt, J. E. The development of commercial fishing management
practices in large impoundments. Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv. Proj. No.
1-88-D. 18 pp. (mimeo.) (1976).
62
-------
11. Hill, W. J. Management surveys of the Missouri River and its main stem
reservoirs in North Dakota. Dingell-Johnson Proj. F-2-R-16. 44 pp.
(mimeo.) (1969).
12. Ragan, J. E. Management surveys of the Missouri River and its main stem
reservoirs in North Dakota. Dingell-Johnson Proj. F-2-R-17. 35 pp.
(mimeo.) (1970).
13. . Fishery investigations of the Missouri River and its main
stem reservoirs in North Dakota. Dingell-Johnson Proj. F-2-R-18. 35 pp.
(mimeo.) (1970).
14. Berard, E. Management surveys of the Missouri River and its main stem
reservoirs in North Dakota. Dingell-Johnson Proj. F-2-R-20. 33 pp.
(mimeo.) (1973).
15. . Management surveys of the Missouri River and its main stem
reservoirs in North Dakota. Dingell-Johnson Proj. F-2-R-22. 35 pp.
(mimeo.) (1975).
16. . Ecological investigations of the Missouri main stem
reservoirs in North Dakota. Dingell-Johnson Proj. F-2-R-23. 35 pp.
(mimeo.) (1976).
17. • Management surveys of the Missouri River and its main stem
reservoirs in North Dakota. Dingell-Johnson Proj. F-2-R-21. 33 pp.
(mimeo.) (1974).
18. Selgeby, J. H., and W. E. Jones. Physical and chemical characteristics
of Lake Oahe, 1968-69. U. S. Fish Wildl. Serv., Tech. Pap. 72. 18 pp.
(1974).
19. Rada, R. G. Distribution and abundance of zooplankton and phytoplankton
in Big Bend and Oahe reservoirs of the Missouri River. M.A. thesis,
Univ. of S. Dak. 90 pp. (1970).
20. Neel, J. K., H. P. Nicholson, and A. Hirsch. Main stem reservoir
effects on water quality in the central Missouri River 1952-1957.
U. S. Public Health Serv., Region VI, Water Supply and Pollution Control,
Kansas City, Mo. 112 pp. (mimeo.) (1963).
2i. Hassler, T. J. Environmental influences on early development and year-
class strength of northern pike in Lakes Oahe and Sharpe, S. Dakota.
Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 99(2):369-375, April 1970.
22. Martin, D. B. and J. F. Novotny. Spatial variation in phytoplankton
production in four Missouri River reservoirs. In press. Freshwater
Biology.
23. Martin, D. B. Nutrient limitation of summer phytoplankton growth in two
Missouri River (main stem) reservoirs. Ecology 56:199-205. (1975).
63
-------
24. Missouri Basin Inter-Agency Committee. The Missouri River Basin
Comprehensive Framework Study. Vol. 1-7. Washington, D.C.
25. Northern Great Plains Resources Program. Effects of coal development
in the Northern Great Plains, Denver, Colorado. 165 pp. (1975).
26. Woodward-Clyde Consultants. Environmental Impact Report. North Dakota
gasification project for ANG coal gasification Company. (1975).
27. Rubin, E. S., and F. C. McMichael. Impact of regulations on coal
conversion plants. Environ. Sci. Techn. 9:112-117, February 1975.
28. Handler, P., and C. H. Linder. Water quality criteria 1972.
EPA-R3-0333. Washington, D.C. (1973).
29. Garrison, P. 0., S. C. Whalen, and R. W. Gregory. The effect of coal
strip mining on the limnology of the Tongue River reservoir, Montana.
In: Proceedings of the Symposium on terrestrial and aquatic ecological
studies of the Northwest, Eastern Washington State College Press,
Cheney, Washington, pp. 253-266. (1977).
30. Olson, G., S. Turbak, and G. McFeters. Bioassays related to the effects
of coal strip mining and energy conversion on the aquatic microflora.
In: Proceedings of the Symposium on terrestrial and aquatic ecological
studies of the Northwest, Eastern Washington State College Press,
Cheney, Washington, pp. 277-283. (1977).
31. U. S. Bureau of Reclamation. Upper Missouri Region. Water for energy.
Missouri River reservoirs. Draft Environmental Statement. DES 76-38.
(1976).
32. U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. Main stem reservoir regulation studies.
Series 12-75. Omaha, Nebraska. 25 pp. (1976).
33. AEC (Atomic Energy Commission). Final environmental statement on
operation of Indian Point Nuclear Generating Plant, Unit No. 2.
Consolidated Edison Co. of New York, Inc. Docket No. 50-247. (1972).
34. Pugh, J. R., G. E. Monan, and J. R. Smith. Effect of water velocity on
the fish-guiding efficiency of an electrical guiding system. U. S.
Fish Wild!. Serv. Fish. Bull. 68:307-324. (1971).
35. Houde, E. D. Sustained swimming ability of larvae of walleye
(Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens).
J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 26(6):1647-1659. (1969).
36. Jenkins, R. M. The influence of some environmental factors on standing
crop and harvest of fishes in U. S. reservoirs. In: Reservoir Fishery
Resources Symposium. South. Div., Am. Fish. Soc., pp. 298-321. (1967).
64
-------
37. Jenkins, R. M., and D. I. Morals. Reservoir sport fishing effort and
harvest in relation to environmental variables. In: G. E. Hall (ed.)
Reservoir fisheries and limnology. Am. Fish. Soc., Spec. Publ. No. 8,
pp. 371-384. (1971).
65
-------
CHAPTER 15
APPENDICES
Appendix Page
A Water chemistry analysis for locations sampled at
the surface (S) and bottom (B) in Fort Peck Lake
in September, October, and November, 1976 .......... 68
B Heavy metals concentration (ppb) in water samples
collected at the surface (S) and bottom (B) in
Fort Peck Lake, 16 September, 1976 ............. 69
C Phytoplankton and zooplankton standing crops for
locations sampled at the surface (S) and bottom (B)
in Fort Peck Lake in September, October, and
November, 1976 ........... ............ 70
D Species composition and relative abundance of
fishes in Missouri River reservoirs in the early
1970's (A = abundant; C = common; A = rare) ......... 72
E Total sampling effort (1000 m3), total catch, and
catch of individual taxa at each sampling station
in Fort Peck Lake in May and June, 1976 ........... 74
F Cold water fishes introduced into Fort Peck
reservoir .......................... 78
G Water chemistry analysis for locations sampled at
the surface (S) and bottom (B) in Lake Sakakawea
in September, October, and November, 1976 .......... 79
Heavy metals concentrations (ppb) in water samples
collected at the surface (S) and bottom (B) in
Lake Sakakawea in September, October, and November,
1976 ............................ 80
Phytoplankton and zooplankton standing crops for
locations sampled at the surface (S) and bottom (B)
in Lake Sakakawea in September, October, and
November, 1976 ....................... 81
66
-------
APPENDICES (continued)
Appendix Page
J Sampling effort (1000 m3), total catch, and catch of
individual taxa at each sampling station in Lake
Sakakawea in May and June, 1976 82
K Cold water fishes introduced into Lake Sakakawea 86
L Total sampling effort (1000 m3) and number of
larval fish caught in the major tributary rivers
in May and June, 1976 87
M Catch of adult fishes per experimental gill net
lift in Lakes Lewis and Clark, Francis Case, Sharpe,
Oahe, and Sakakawea 88
Criteria adopted by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife
Service for reviewing applications to construct
irrigation water intakes in the Missouri River 89
67
-------
APPENDIX A. WATER CHEMISTRY FOR LOCATIONS SAMPLED AT THE SURFACE (S) AND
BOTTOM (B) IN FORT PECK LAKE IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND
NOVEMBER, 1976
Nelson Creek Bay
Parameter Depth
PH
r
Total alkalinity
(mg/1 CaC03)
Chloride
(mg/1)
Sulfate
(mg/D
Silica
(mg/1 )
Nitrate
(mg N/l)
Kjeldahl nitrogen
(mg N/l)
Specific conduct-
ance (microrrtios)
Total organic
carbon (mg/1)
Total phosphorus
(mg/m3)
Total cations
(meg/1 )
Calcium
(mg/1)
Magnesium
(mg/1)
Sodium
(mg/1 )
Potassium
(mg/1)
Turbidity
(J.T.U.)
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
Sept
8.2
8.2
156
157
7.0
7.0
200
200
8.4
8.1
.10
.11
.52
.53
558
601
4
1
59
10
6.86
7.14
60
56
12
14
64
71
4
4
4.2
7.2
Oct
8.1
8.1
161
160
7.0
7.0
200
210
8.4
8.1
.05
.05
.45
.24
638
647
2
1
3
3
7.36
7.45
62
62
20
20
58
60
4
4
21.0
5.6
Nov
8.1
8.1
162
161
7.5
7.5
200
210
8.4
8.1
.11
.10
.22
.20
642
648
6
8
25
1
6.92
8.12
64
74
11
20
63
62
3
3
2.2
16.0
Sandy
Sept
8.2
8.2
151
152
7.5
7.0
180
180
8.8
8.8
.06
.08
.62
.41
522
527
1
2
14
10
6.31
6.32
56
61
17
14
47
47
3
3
0.7
6.9
Arroyo Bay
Oct Nov
8.2
8.2
155
155
7.5
7.5
180
180
8.8
8.8
.07
.06
.37
.22
587
588
3
1
10
2
6.42
6.43
59
61
17
17
46
44
3
3
2.2
22.0
8.1
8.1
153
153
7.5
7.0
160
180
8.8
8.8
.06
.07
.08
.21
590
593
6
7
10
28
7.34
7.61
62
77
21
21
56
45
3
3
1.6
3.4
Mid-reservoir
Sept
8.2
7.8
155
149
7.5
7.0
180
180
8.8
9.3
.10
.08
.64
.42
521
485
14
1
10
26
6.37
6.32
62
61
14
14
47
47
3
3
0.4
3.0
Oct
7.9
8.1
152
153
7.5
7.5
180
180
9.3
8.8
.08
.08
.32
.25
592
589
1
1
3
4
6.67
6.81
64
66
18
19
44
43
3
3
1.5
3.2
Nov
8.1
8.2
152
154
8.0
7.5
180
180
8.8
8.8
.15
.10
.13
.15
584
588
4
5
10
14
6.57
7.41
63
78
21
19
38
43
2
3
2.4
2.1
68
-------
APPENDIX B. HEAVY METALS CONCENTRATIONS (ppb) IN WATER SAMPLES COLLECTED AT
THE SURFACE (S) AND BOTTOM (B) IN FORT PECK LAKE IN SEPTEMBER,
OCTOBER, AND NOVEMBER, 1976
Nelson Creek Bay
Parameter
Aluminum
Arsenic
Cadmium
Copper
Iron
Lead
Manganese
Mercury
Molybdenum
Selenium
Zinc
Depth
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
Sept
300
350
6
8
<5
<5
-------
APPENDIX C. PHYTOPLANKTON AND ZOOPLANKTON STANDING CROPS FOR LOCATIONS SAMPLED AT THE SURFACE
AND BOTTOM (B) IN FORT PECK LAKE IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND NOVEMBER, 1976
Parameter Depth
Chlorophyll
(mg/m3)
Carotene ids
(m-spu/m3)
Chlor-Carot
(ratio)
430-665
(ratio)
Pennate diatoms
(no/ml )
Centrate diatoms
(no/ml )
Flagellate
(no/ml )
Immotile
(no/ml )
Blue green
(no/ml )
Cycl ops
(no/m3)
Diaptomus
(no/m3)
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
Nelson Creek Bay
Sept
2.89
2.87
2.13
2.32
1.4
1.2
2.6
3.1
173.0
14.5
20.6
3.9
85.9
8,866
2,452
1,471
134
Oct
2.18
1.62
1.44
.76
1.5
2.1
2.2
2.2
24.3
36.1
21.6
47.1
45.2
6.1
16.5
43.5
2,727
4,022
2,000
2,284
Nov
1.13
1.36
.99
1.14
1.1
1.2
2.4
2.7
117.6
92.6
2.0
8.1
144.5
6.1
7.1
35.1
14.5
1,932
2,194
2,170
2,171
Sandy Arroyo Bay
Sept
3.67
2.42
3.19
1.60
1.2
1.5
2.8
2.6
210.0
14.7
18.4
18.4
3.9
2.9
27.5
36.1
9,599
1,922
1,974
240
Oct
6.15
4.59
4.26
3.34
1.4
1.4
2.4
2.5
262.6
109.3
49.6
29.0
58.6
59.7
3,235
1,612
4,470
1,664
Nov
10.34
9.33
5.72
5.49
1.8
1.7
2.4
2.5
599.8
599.8
105.7
70.5
271.8
306.6
14.5
15.5
12,808
3,963
5,932
3,192
Mid-reservoir
Sept
4.00
0.46
3.19
1.3
2.5
97.8
6.1
1.0
2.0
1,008
184
770
58
Oct
2.44
2.87
1.14
1,22
2.1
2.4
2,3
2.0
320.7
276.6
19.4
38.8
101.0
142.3
16.5
5.1
27.8
14.5
777
1,288
834
946
Nov
3.74
3.87
2.36
2.36
1.6
1.6
2.6
2.5
235.2
417.2
83.4
33.7
123,2
36.8
1,020
819
1,026
1,010
(continued)
-------
IVPPEND1X C Continued)
Parameter
Daphnia
(TuT/m3)
Diaphanosoma
(no/rn^)
Nauplii ^
(no/m3)
Other
(no/m3)
Depth
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
Nelson Creek Bay
Sept
4,250
231
3,038
106
5,682
4,346
10
Oct
1,841
2,830
1,136
1,284
4,795
3,955
12
Nov
2,136
1,568
23
23
5,954
5,194
Sandy Arroyo Bay
Sept
2,292
208
1,130
94
1,244
1,115
10
202
Oct
2,430
1,212
664
382
6,453
5,129
6
165
Nov
2,154
1,988
370
124
4,938
3,648
Mid-reservofr
Sept
1,102
48
116
2
456
34
2
Oct
675
477
86
102
2,130
2,029
4
Nov
276
264
68
76
1,898
1,382
83
-------
APPENDIX D. SPECIES COMPOSITION AND RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF FISHES IN MISSOURI RIVER RESERVOIRS IN THE
EARLY 1970's (A = abundant; C = common; R = rare)
Lewis andLakeLakeLakeLakeLake
Clark Lake Francis Sharpe Oahe Saka- Fort
Case kawea Peck
Common name
Scientific name
TM
ro
Pallid sturgeon
Shovel nose sturgeon
Paddlefish
Shortnose gar
Gizzard shad
Goldeye
Lake whitefish
Coho salmon
Kokanee salmon
Chinook salmon
Bonneville cisco
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
Lake trout
Rainbow smelt
Northern pike
Carp
Brassy minnow
Silvery minnow
Plains minnow
Flathead chub
Silver chub
Golden shiner
Emerald shiner
Spottail shiner
Red shiner
Sand shiner
Topeka shiner
Northern redbelly dace
Bluntnose minnow
Fathead minnow
Blacknose dace
Scaphirhynchus albus
S_. platorynchus
Polyodon spathula
Lepisosteus platostomus
Dorosoma cepedianum
Hiodon alosoides
Coregonus clupeaformis*
Oncorhynchus kisutch* * #
0. nerka* #
CL tshawytscha*
Prosopium gemmiferum*
Salmo gairdneri* * #
S. trutta* * #
Salvelinus namaycush*
Osmerus mordax*
Esox lucius
srinus carpio
* #
£
he
Hybognathus hankinsoni
HL nuchal is
H. placitus
ffybopsis gracilis
HL storeriana
Notemigonus crysoleucas
Notropis atherinoides
N^. hudsom'us* •*
N^. lutrensis
N^. stramineus
N. topeka
Fhoxinus eos
Pimephales notatus
P. promelas
l^hinichthys atratulu?
R
C
C
C
C
C
R
A
A
R
C
R
C
C
C
C
A
R
C
R
R
C
R
R
^continued)
R
A
R
R
C
C
R
R
R
C
R
R
R
A
R
C
R
R
R
A
C
R
R
C
R
R
C
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
A
R
C
R
R
R
A
C
R
R
C
R
R
R
C
R
A
C
R
R
R
R
R
A
C
A
R
C
R
R
R
C
R
C
C
R
A
R
R
C
R
C
C
A
R
C
C
C
R
C
-------
Common name
Scientific name
Lewis and Lake Lake Lake Lake Lake
Clark Lake Francis Sharpe Oahe Saka- Fort
Case kawea Peck
Longnose dace
Creek chub
River carpsucker
White sucker
Blue sucker
Smallmouth buffalo
Bigmouth buffalo
Shorthead redhorse
Blue catfish
Black bullhead
Channel catfish
Stonecat
Flathead catfish
Burbot
co Brook stickleback
White bass
Green sunfish
Orangespotted sunfish
Bluegill
Smallmouth bass
Largemouth bass
White crappie
Black crappie
Iowa darter
Johnny darter
Yellow perch
Sauger
Wai 1 eye
Freshwater drum
R. cataractae
Semotilus atromaculatus
Carpiodes' carpio A
Catpstomus commersoni R
Cycleptu s~elongatu sR
Ictiobus bubal us C
I. cyprinellusA
Moxostoma macro!epidotum C
Ictalurus' furcatus R
I. me!as R
T. punctatus A
Noturus flavus R
Pylodictis olivaris C
Lota Iota R
Culaea inconstans
Morone cfirysops-H- A
Lepomi s~cyane 11 u s R
L. humilTSR
L_. macrochirus R
Micropterus dolomieui*
M. sat mottle's R
Pomoxis annularis C
P. nigromaculatus C
Etheqstoma exile
£. mgrum R
Perca flavescens C
Stizostedion canadense A
S. vitreum vitreum C
A~plodinotus grunniens A
R
A
R
R
C
C
R
R
R
A
R
R
R
C
R
R
R
R
C
C
R
A
C
A
C
R
A
C
R
C
A
C
R
R
A
R
R
R
R
C
R
R
R
R
C
C
R
A
C
A
C
R
A
C
R
A
A
C
R
A
R
R
R
R
C
R
R
R
R
C
C
R
R
A
C
A
C
R
A
C
R
C
C
C
R
A
R
C
R
C
R
R
R
C
C
R
R
A
C
A
A
A
C
R
C
A
C
C
C
R
A
R
C
C
R
A
A
A
A
* Introduced in Lake Satcalcawea.
* Introduced in Lake Oahe.
# Introduced in Fort Peck reservoir.
•H-Introduced in Lewis and Clark Lake.
-------
APPENDIX E.
TOTAL SAMPLING EFFORT (1000 m3), TOTAL CATCH, AND CATCH OF INDIVIDUAL TAXA AT EACH
SAMPLING STATION IN FORT PECK LAKE IN MAY AND JUNE, 1976 (SAMPLING EFFORT EXPENDED
AFTER INITIAL CATCH OF EACH TAXA IN PARENTHESES)
Embayment
Depth
Surface
Upper
Mouth
3 m
6 m
Total
Surface
Upper
Mouth
6 m
Total
Surface
Upper
Mouth
Total
Upper
Big Dry
Arm
Nel son
Creek
Rock
Creek
Spring
Creek
Mussel -
shell
River
Total effort (tows in
3.484
(9)
3.484
(9)
451
451
188
(3.484)
188
(3.484)
3.887
(10)
3.948
00)
0.123
(10)
0.134
00)
8.092
(40)
1324
261
1585
1312
(3.505)
257
(3.184)
1569
(6.689)
3.866
(10)
3.912
(10)
0.131
(9)
0.121
(9)
8.030
(38)
71
166
1
238
49
(3.492)
165
(2.802)
214
(6.294)
3.736
00)
3.797
(10)
0.114
(9)
0.127
(8)
7.774
(37)
196
120
316
196
(2.606)
120
(2.294)
316
(4.900)
Swan
Creek
Hell
Creek
parentheses)
0.388 0.400
(1) 0)
0.283 0.444
0) (1)
0.671 0.844
(2) (2)
Total catch
11 22
39 26
50 48
Yellow perch
5
(0.388)
3
(0.283)
8
(0.671)
1
(0.444)
1
(0.444)
0.270
0)
0.437
(1)
0.027
0)
0.025
0)
0.759
(4)
216
53
269
215
(0.270)
53
(0.437)
268
(0.707)
Suther-
land
Creek Total
0.321
(1)
0.426
0)
0.026
0)
0.027
0)
0.800
(4)
329
70
399
329
(0.321)
70
(0,426)
399
(0.747)
16.532
(43)
13,247
(34)
0.421
(30)
0.434
(29)
30.454
036)
2620
735
1
3356
2294
(14.066)
669
(9.870)
2963
(23.936)
(continued)
-------
U1
Depth
Surface
Upper
Mouth
Total
Surface
Upper
Mouth
Total
Surface
Upper
Surface
Upper
Mouth
6 m
Total
Upper
Big Dry
Arm
(1
(1
(1
(1
(1
(1
(1
178
.914)
178
.914)
3
.914)
3
.914)
1
.528)
13
.528)
13
.528)
(1
(1
(0
(0
(1
(1
(1
Nel son
Creek
1
.146)
1
.146)
2
.772)
3
.406)
5
.178)
3
.146)
3
.146)
Emhayment
Rock Spring Mussel- Swan Hell
Creek Creek shell Creek Creek
River
Freshwater drum
1
(0.400)
6
(0.283)
6 1
(0.283) (0.400)
Notropls sp.
0
(0.813)
10
(0.813)
White sucker
Carp
2
(0.813)
1
(1.958)
1
(0.051)
4
(2.822)
Suther-
land
Creek Total
(3
(0
(3
(3
(0
(3
(1
C3
(1
CO
C5
180
.460)
6
.283)
186
.743)
15
,499)
3
.406)
18
,905)
1
,528)
18
,487)
1
.958)
1
.051)
20
.496)
(continued)
-------
APPENDIX E (continued)
Depth
Surface
Upper
Surface
Upper
Mouth
Total
Surface
Upper
Surface
Upper
Surface
Mouth
Surface
Upper
Mouth
Total
Upper
Big Dry
Arm
56
(1.528)
8
(2.365)
8
(2.365)
1
(0.757)
. . .
Nelson
Creek
(1.192)
1
(1.959)
1
(1.959)
5
(1.520)
1
(2.731)
1
(2.731)
Embayment
Rock Spring Mussel- Swan Hell
Creek Creek shell Creek Creek
River
Ictiobus sp.
5 2
(0.400)
Catostomids
1
(0.388)
1
(0.388)
Cyprinids
Go! deye
Pomoxis sp.
1
(0.755)
Walleye
\
(0.388)
1
(0.283)
2
(0.671)
(continued)
Suther-
land
Creek Total
63
(3.120)
9
(2.753)
1
(1.959)
10
(4.712)
5
(1.520)
1
(0.757)
1
(0.755)
2
(3.119)
1
(0.283)
3
(3.402)
-------
Depth
Surface
Upper
Surface
Upper
Mouth
Total
Upper Nelson Rock.
Big Dry Creek Creek
Arm
4
(3.866)
Emhayment
Spring Mussel -
Creek snel 1
River
Burbot
Lepomis sp.
4
(0.388)
29
(0.283)
33
(0.671)
Swan
Creek
19
(0.400)
25
(0.444)
44
(0.844)
Hell
Creek
1
(0.270)
1
(0.270)
Suther-
land
Creek Total
4
(3.866)
24
(1.058)
54
(0.727)
78
(1.785)
-------
APPENDIX F. COLD-WATER FISHES INTRODUCED INTO FORT PECK LAKE
Year
1942
1943
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1969
1970
1972
1973
Co ho
salmon
141,240
178,000
174,132
71,400
Kokanee
salmon
55,000
52,400
52,000
56,000
57,000
52,000
63,360
Rainbow Brown
trout trout
635,000
105,000
40,000
4,200 6,240
8,400 1,682
5,440
228,311
Lake
trout
24,000
137,287
7,000
153,318
94,000
Total 564,772 387,760 986,351 47,922 415,605
78
-------
APPENDIX G. WATER CHEMISTRY ANALYSIS FOR LOCATIONS SAMPLED AT THE SURFACE
(S) AND BOTTOM (B) IN LAKE SAKAKAWEA IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER,
AND NOVEMBER, 1976
Renner Bay
Parameter
pH
Total alkalinity
(Mg/1 CaC03)
Chloride
(mg/1 )
Sul fate
(mg/1 )
Silica
(mg/1 )
Nitrate
(mg N/l)
Kjeldahl nitrogen
(mg N/l)
Specific conductance
(micromhos
Total organic carbon
(mg/1 )
Total phosphorus
(mg/m3)
Total cations
(meg/1 )
Calcium
(mg/1 )
Magnesium
(mg/1 )
Sodium
(mg/1 )
potassium
(mg/1 )
Turbidity
(J.T.U.)
Depth
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
Sept
8.0
8.1
147
147
8.5
9.0
180
180
7.8
7.5
.13
.12
.51
.49
5.9
522
34
4
10
24
6.39
6.33
56
54
13
13
56
57
3
3
1.6
2.5
Oct
8.1
8.1
148
146
7.5
8.0
180
180
8.1
8.1
.11
.12
.44
.46
596
586
1
3
4
9
6.49
6.32
55
55
16
15
54
52
3
3
3.5
6.5
Nov
8.0
7.8
152
143
8,0
8.0
170
160
8.8
8.8
.16
.15
.29
.20
569
541
13
6
14
27
6.95
6.56
60
53
19
18
53
54
3
3
3.2
4.1
Beaver Bay
Sept Oct
8.1
8.1
149
140
8.5
8.5
180
180
8.1
7.8
.16
.12
.59
.44
498
513
5
26
10
10
6.28
6.34
49
51
15
15
58
57
3
3
1.9
7.9
8.1
8.1
145
144
8.0
8.0
180
190
8.4
8.4
.12
.12
.23
.19
581
584
2
2
3
5
6.24
6.12
58
55
10
11
56
55
3
3
5.6
9.7
Mid-reservoir
Sept
8.0
8,0
146
146
8.5
9,0
180
180
7.5
7.8
.15
.16
.62
.55
536
536
1
36
10
10
6,64
6.31
53
52
17
14
58
57
3
3
1.6
7.1
Oct
8.0
7.9
146
145
8.5
8,0
190
190
8.1
8.4
.10
.12
.29
.22
588
587
1
1
5
11
6.50
6,41
57
56
16
16
52
51
3
3
4.0
11.0
79
-------
APPENDIX H. HEAVY METALS CONCENTRATION (ppb) IN WATER SAMPLES COLLECTED
AT THE SURFACE (S) AND BOTTOM (B) IN LAKE SAKAKAWEA IN
SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND NOVEMBER, 1976
Renner Bay
Parameter
Aluminum
Arsenic
Cadmium
Copper
Iron
Lead
Manganese
Mercury
Molybdenum
Selenium
Zinc
Depth
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
Sept
150
100
6
14
<5
<5
45
<5
40
120
<£5
<5
^5
5
<0.2
<0.2
<10
<10
<5
<5
5
<5
Oct
200
325
<5
<5
<5
6
<5
<5
120
290
<5
<5
10
10
<0.2
<:0.2
<5
<5
<5
<5
20
20
Nov
200
150
<5
<5
<5
<5
<5
^5
120
60
^5
<5
10
10
<0.2
0.25
•£5
<5
<5
<5
25
35
Beaver Bay
Sept
100
550
6
6
< 5
<5
<5
<5
70
520
<5
<5
<5
10
<0.2
<0.2
<10
<10
<5
<5
5
<5
Oct
250
450
<5
<5
8
8
<5
<5
200
490
<^5
<5
5
15
0.3
0.2
< 5
<5
^
<5
15
60
Mid-reservoir
Sept
<100
300
10
6
<5
<5
<5
<5
50
340
5
<5
<5
10
<0.2
0.2
10
<10
^5
<5
10
10
Oct
100
375
<5
<5
6
8
<5
<5
120
420
<5
<5
5
15
<0.2
<0.2
<5
^5
<5
<5
15
20
80
-------
APPENDIX I. PHYTOPLANKTON AND ZOOPLANKTON STANDING CROPS FOR LOCATIONS
SAMPLED AT THE SURFACE (S) AND BOTTOM (B) IN LAKE SAKAKAWEA
IN SEPTEMBER. OCTOBER. AND NOVEMBER. 1976
Renner Bay
Parameter
Chlorophyll
(mg/m3)
Carotenoids
(m-spu/m3)
Chlor-Carot
(ratio)
430-665
(ratio)
Pennate diatoms
(no/ml )
Centrate diatoms
(no/ml )
Flagellate
(no/ml )
Immotile
(no/ml )
Blue green
(no/ml )
Cyclops
(no/nr)
piaptomus
•"" (no/m3)
Daphnia
(m>/m3)
niaphanosgma
" (no/m3)
Nauplii
(no/nr)
Other
(no/m3)
Depth
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
S
B
Sept
2.32
2.16
1.75
1.06
1.3
2.0
2.8
2.3
14.5
64,2
14.5
58.1
1.0
32.9
65.8
26.8
1,931
559
3,955
778
3,424
757
139
28
1,472
875
--
Oct
3.51
3.24
2.13
2.13
1.6
1.5
2.3
2.8
7.1
161.1
48.4
5.9
213.2
84,6
--
63.6
14.5
1,188
910
1,170
932
876
500
19
12
1,918
1,770
—
Nov
3.26
3.38
1.90
1.98
1.7
1.7
2.2
2.2
83.6
135.5
63.9
4.9
282.3
196.3
21.6
16.5
14.5
1,862
1,761
1,283
1,069
616
516
26
22
3,330
2,054
6
Beaver Bay
Sept
3.36
3.02
2.43
2.20
1.4
1.4
2.9
2.6
128.8
228.7
35.1
16.5
107.7
1.0
2.9
69.9
20.6
1,656
1,419
1,628
919
3,264
703
176
102
1,446
986
14
94
Oct
5.01
5.35
3.34
3.34
1.5
1.6
2.4
2.2
34.9
33.9
36.8
36.8
101.0
283.7
6.1
14.5
20.7
6,210
4,006
5,094
3,318
2,352
1,602
257
142
2,872
3,088
237
Mid-reservoir
Sept
1.86
2.41
1.29
1.90
1.4
1.3
2.9
2.9
68.0
26.8
12.3
346.9
92.0
14.5
31.9
6.1
1,900
1,557
1,912
1,044
2,408
792
98
33
1,253
922
2
Oct
2.55
1.62
0.84
0.30
3.0
5.4
2.0
2.1
6.1
42.9
34.9
98.1
273.9
116.5
12.3
12.3
14.5
20.6
948
524
722
324
797
98
46
6
1,967
968
—
81
-------
APPENDIX J.
00
ro
TOTAL SAMPLING EFFORT 0,000 m3), TOTAL CATCH, AND CATCH OF INDIVIDUAL TAXA AT EACH
SAMPLING STATION IN LAKE SAKAKAWEA IN MAY AND JUNE, 1976 (SAMPLING EFFORT EXPENDED
AFTER INITIAL CATCH OF EACH TAXA IN PARENTHESES)
Depth
Surface
Upper
Mouth
3 m
m
Total
Surface
Upper
Mouth
3 m
6 m
Total
Surface
1 1__ _._
Upper
Mouth
6 m
Total
Upper
Little
Missouri
3.758
(10)
3.758
00)
801
801
l **rt
158
(2.869)
158
(2.869)
Hans
Creek
3.189
00)
3.113
00)
0.122
(7)
0.100
(6)
6.524
(33)
226
260
486
184
(2.830)
233
(2.418)
417
(5.248)
Bear
Creek
Embayment
Highway Renner Van Hook Tobacco
8 Bay Arm Garden
Total effort
3.216
00)
3.174
00)
0.109
(7)
0.100
C7)
6.599
(34)
1,072
431
1,503
1,033
(2.209)
409
(2.135)
1,442
(4.344)
2.542
(8)
2.508
(8)
0.108
(7)
0.121
(7)
5.279
(30)
339
146
485
319
(1.609)
139
(1.562)
458
(3.171)
Beaver
Creek
Total
(paired tows in parentheses)
0.980
(3)
0.931
(3)
0.047
(2)
0.046
(2)
2.004
00)
Total catch
178
72
1
251
Yellow perch
177
(0.625) (0
72
(0.577) (0
1
(0.023)
250
(1.225) (0
0.295
0)
0.355
0)
0.026
0)
0.022
0)
0.698
(4)
15
2
17
13
.295)
2
.355)
15
.650)
0.338
0)
0.289
0)
0.024
0)
0,024
0)
0.675
(4)
18
14
5
37
3
(0.338)
3
(0.338)
1.227
(4)
0.526
(2)
0.047
(2)
0.047
(2)
1.847
00)
407
47
454
407
(1.227)
45
(0.526)
452
(1.753)
15.545
(47)
10.896
(35)
0.483
(27)
0.460
(26)
27.384
035)
3,056
972
0
6
4,034
2,294
(12.002)
900
(7.573)
1
(0.023)
3,195
(19.598)
(continued)
-------
00
u»
Depth
Surface
Upper
Mouth
6 m
Total
Surface
Upper
Mouth
Total
Surface
Upper
Mouth
Total
Surface
Upper
Mouth
Upper
Little
Missouri
522
(1.588)
522
(1.588)
3
(0.651)
3
(0.651)
2
(0.312)
2
(0.312)
27
(0.973)
Hans
Creek
4
(0.978)
5
(0.658)
9
(1.636)
36
(1.582)
20
(1.278)
56
(2.860)
Embayment
Bear Highway Renner Van Hook Tobacco
Creek 8 Bay Arm Garden
Freshwater drum
3
(0.338)
12
(0.289)
5
(0.024)
20
(0.651)
White bass
4
(0.338)
1
(0.289)
5
(0.627)
Etheostoma sp.
38 7
(1.603) (0.982)
17 3
(1.536) (0.958)
55 10
(3.139) (1.940)
Goldeye
2
(0.338)
1
(0.289)
Beaver
Creek Total
559
(2.904)
17
(0.947)
5
(0.024)
581
(3.875)
7
(0.989)
1
(0.289)
8
(1 .278)
83
(4.479)
40
(3.772)
123
(8.251)
29
(1.311)
1
(0.289)
(continued)
-------
APPENDIX J (continued)
Depth
Total
Surface
Upper
Mouth
Total
Surface
Upper
Mouth
Total
Surface
Upper
Mouth
Total
Surface
Upper
Upper
Little
Missouri
27
(0.973)
1
(0.312)
1
(0.312)
3
(2.524)
3
(2.524)
1
(0.312)
Hans
Creek
1
(1.278)
1
(1.278)
2
(2.509)
2
(2.509)
Bear
Creek
1
(1.266)
1
(1.266)
1
(1.266)
1
(1.266)
Highway
8
1
(0.596)
1
(0.596)
2
(0.982)
2
(0.982)
Embayment
Renner Van Hook Tobacco Beaver
Bay Arm Garden Creek
3
(0.627)
Carp
Wai 1 eye
Rainbow smelt
1
(0.625)
2
(0.526)
1 2
(0.625) (0.526)
White sucker
2
(0.338)
Total
30
(1,600)
1
(0.312)
2
(2.544)
3
(2,856)
5
(5.033)
1
(0.596)
6
(5.629)
3
(1.607)
3
(1.792)
6
(3.399)
3
(0,650)
(continued)
-------
00
en
Upper
Little Hans
Depth Missouri Creek
Surface
Upper
Mouth 1
(0.329)
Total 1
(0.329)
Surface
Upper 16
(0.973)
Surface
Upper
Mouth
Total
Surface
Upper
Surface
Upper
Surface
Upper
Embayment
Bear Highway Renner Van Hook Tobacco
Creek 8 Bay Arm Garden
Notropjs sp.
2
(0.295)
2
(0.295)
Hybognathus sp.
Burbot
3 7
(1.614) (1.249)
2
(1.261)
3 9
(1.614) (2.510)
Pomoxis sp.
1
(0.338)
Cyprinids
2
(0.338)
Catastomids
1
(0.338
Beaver
Creek Total
2
(0.295)
1
(0.329)
3
(0.624)
16
(0.973)
10
(2.863)
2
(1.261)
12
(4.124)
1
(0.338)
2
(0.338)
1
(0.338)
-------
APPENDIX K. COLD WATER FISHES INTRODUCED INTO LAKE SAKAKAWEA
Year
1965
1966
1970
1971
1973
1974
1975
1976
Total
Lake Coho
white-fish salmon
100,125
228,742
500 203,515
188,387
500 720,769
Chinook
salmon
37,306
37,306
Ra i nbow
trout
180,135
209,442
389,577
Lake
trout
76,119
63,000
86,750
225,869
Rainbow
smelt
4,800
4,800
86
-------
CO
APPENDIX L. TOTAL SAMPLING EFFORT (1000 nT) AND NUMBER OF LARVAL FISH CAUGHT IN THE MAJOR
TRIBUTARY RIVERS IN MAY AND JUNE, 1976
Missouri
Wo IT Point
Taxa
Yellow perch
Goldeye
Carp 3(0.991)
Wai 1 eye
Channel catfish
White sucker
Burbot
Longnose dace
Cyprinids
Catostomids
Ictiobus sp. 8(0.991)
Total catch 11
Total effort* 1.370(9)
River
Ft. Union
89(0.452)
1(0.329)
2(0.329)
2(0.329)
94
0.836(101
Poplar
River
5(1.134)
37(1.265)
8(2.138)
103(1.265)
4(0.270)
51(1.134)
24(1.134)
232
2.138(10)
Redwater Yellowstone Little Total
River River Missouri
River
10(1.880)
9(1.079)
1(1.079)
1(1.645)
22
1.880(10)
5(1.134)
105(0.285) 105(0.285)
3(0.285) 132(2.993)
1(0.715) 20(5.070)
1(0.181) 1(0.181)
112(2.344)
2(0.329)
4(0.270
3039(0.575) 3091(2.788
4(0.355) 29(3.134
10(1.320)
2 3157 3518*
0.894(10) 0.533(10) 7.651(59)
Number of paired tows in parentheses of 1000 m3.
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APPENDIX M. CATCH OF ADULT FISHES PER EXPERIMENTAL GILL NET LIFT IN
LAKES LEWIS AND CLARK, FRANCIS CASE, SHARPE, OAHE, AND
SAKAKAWEA
Species
Pallid sturgeon
Shovel nose sturgeon
Paddlefish
Shortnose gar
Gizzard shad
Goldeye
Bonneville cisco
Rainbow trout
Kokanee salmon
Coho salmon
Rainbow smelt
Northern pike
Carp
Golden shiner
Blue sucker
Bigmouth buffalo
Small mouth buffalo
River carpsucker
Shorthead redhorse
White sucker
Black bullhead
Channel catfish
Blue catfish
Stonecat
Flathead catfish
Burbot
White bass
Bluegill
White crappie
Black crappie
Yellow perch
Sauger
Walleye
Freshwater drum
Total
Effort (lifts)
Lewis and Lake
Clark Francis^
Lake * Case *
**
•He
•He
0.2
1.9
0.6
•He
2.2
•He
0.4
0.3
3.3
0.7
3.4
•He
0.5
0.6
**
0.3
4.1
1.5
4.9
24.5
452
4*
2.3
•He
0.4
Mr
10.5
0.1
4.1
•He
0.3
0.4
5.4
•He
0.1
5.9
Mr
•He
0.7
Mr
0.1
**
2.7
1.2
9.4
1.2
45.0
356
Lake
Sharpe *
0.1
4.0
•He
•He
0.4
1.1
•He
•He
•He
•He
0.3
7.2
0.4
0.8
0.2
3.1
1.4
0.1
0.3
5.0
Mr
Mr
Mr
0.1
Mr
0.1
Mr
2.7
2.0
18.5
0.5
48.6
386
Lake „
Oahe*
4*
1.7
Mr
Mr
15.8
Mr
Mr
•He
0.9
2.4
0.3
•He
0.6
0.1
2.0
1.3
0.1
Mr
2.6
Mr
M-
Mr
1.7
Mr
0.2
0.1
0.9
1.1
13.3
0.6
45.5
242
Lake
Saka-
kawea *
•He
Mr
Mr
29.0
M-
Mr
M-
Mr
0.5
2.9
Mr
**•
Mr
,0.1
0.3
0.4
1.6
0.2
2.5
Mr
Mr
0.1 /
7.8
2.4
4.2
0.7
52.8
452
* Wai burg, 1976.
* Unpublished data, NCRI.
# Unpublished data, NCRI and S. D. Game, Fish and Parks Dept.
•H-Hill 1969, Ragen 1970 and 1972, Berard 1973 and 1975.
**Less than 0.05 fish per lift.
7* Black and white crappies combined.
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APPENDIX N. CRITERIA ADOPTED BY THE U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE FOR
REVIEWING APPLICATION TO CONSTRUCT IRRIGATION MATER INTAKES
IN THE MISSOURI RIVER
1. The Service's primary concern in irrigation intake structures is the
resultant biological damage from pumping water in shallow embayments
and backwaters. Therefore, siting the intakes in or near the main
body of the reservoirs or free-flowing channels generally will be
encouraged except areas which provide fish spawning, rearing, and
feeding habitats, and areas important to waterfowl and other
wildlife including endangered or threatened species of fish and
wildlife.
2. In instances where sites in embayments of storage reservoirs are
selected, the following criteria should be considered. Each spring
when the intakes are installed, they should be placed at least 20
feet below the water level existing at that time. Installation at
this depth usually would be sufficient to minimize fish losses during
periods of spring and summer short-term drawdowns. Intake sitings
in embayments where the above criteria cannot be met will be
discouraged.
3. Intake sitings in backwaters of flow-through reservoirs and free-
flowing channels also will be discouraged.
4. In shallow embayment areas, innovative devices that prevent the
removal of young fish and their food supply will be considered as
an alternative to pumping long distances to deeper water.
5. All water intakes should be screened. Screens with openings not to
exceed 0.25 inches generally should be used. Special cases may
require louvres, microscreens, bypasses, or other devices. A screen
with opening of 0.25 inches at the recommended depth of the intakes
will serve as a warning device, thus preventing most small fish from
being drawn into the intakes.
6. Intakes should be designed so that the intake approach velocity
cannot exceed 0.5 feet per second immediately in front of the screens.
In some cases involving clupeid and cyprinid fishes, a lower intake
velocity should be required.
7. Whenever diesel or gasol ing-powered pump engines are used, a berm
should be constructed around the fuel tank. The volume of the
enclosure should exceed that of the fuel tank.
89
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TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
(Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing)
1. REPORT NO.
EPA-908/4-78-006
3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION NO.
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
Reservoir Ecosystems and Western Coal
Development in the upper Missouri River
5. REPORT DATE
June 1977
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
7. AUTHOR(S)
William R. Nelson, Dan B. Martin, Lance G. Beckman
David W. Zimmer, and Douglas J. Highland
I. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
North central Reservoir Investigations,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 698
Pierre, South Dakota 57501
10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
U.S. Environemntal Protection Agency
Region VIII
1860 Lincoln Street
Denver, Colorado. 80295
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Final
14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
Co-sponsor: Western Energy and land use team, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Fort Collins Colorado.
16. ABSTRACT
The North Central Reservoir Investigations (NCRI) group reviewed pertinent
literature and conducted a one-year reconnaissance level aquatic study of potential
energy impact areas of Fort Peck Reservoir in Montana and Lake Sakakawea in North
Dakota.
Effects of energy development on the ecological conditions in the area can be
projected from this ecological overview. Evaluated in this study were limnology,
water chemistry and fisheries of the two Missouri River impoundments.
7.
KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
DESCRIPTORS
b.IDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS
c. COS AT I Field/Group
Coal mining, energy conversion,
environmental impact studies,
limnology, water quality, fish, natural
resource management.
North Dakota,
Montana, Missouri
River, Fort Peck
Reservoir, Lake
Sakakawea
8. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
Release unlimited
19. SECURITY CLASS (This Report)
unclassified
21. NO. OF PAGES
90
20. SECURITY CLASS (Thispage)
unclassified
22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (Rev. 4-77) PREVIOUS EDITION is OBSOLETE
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