Hords Creek Reservoir - 2013 Survey Report
Prepared by Natalie Amoroso and Michael Homer Jr.
Inland Fisheries Division
District 1-B, Abilene, Texas
This is the authors' summary from a 21-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.
Fish populations in Hords Creek Reservoir were surveyed in fall 2013 using electrofishing and trap netting and in spring 2014 using gill netting. Historical data are presented with the 2013-2014 data for comparison. This report summarizes the results of the surveys and contains a management plan for the reservoir based on those findings.
Hords Creek Reservoir is a 510-acre impoundment constructed in 1948 on Hords Creek. It is located in Coleman County approximately 55 miles south of Abilene and is controlled by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Primary water uses included flood control and recreation. The reservoir has a history of large water level fluctuations. Water level reached conservation pool (CP) elevation in 2007, but has declined since summer 2007 to 19 feet below CP in May 2014. Habitat consisted of riprap, flooded terrestrial vegetation, and aquatic and semi-aquatic vegetation. Boater access consisted of one usable ramp with several others out of the water and unusable. Bank fishing access was good, and there were three handicap-accessible fishing piers.
Important sport fish include Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, and crappie. The management plan from 2010 survey report recommended electrofishing biennially to monitor trends in relative abundance and size structure for Largemouth Bass and forage fish. The most recent stocking was Florida Largemouth Bass in 2006. Angler harvest of all sport fishes has been regulated according to statewide size and bag limits.
The 2013 vegetation survey indicated that the majority of the lake had no vegetation and was classified as no vegetation. The most prevalent vegetation encountered during the survey was flooded terrestrial vegetation. During July 2013, water level increased 2.5 feet and increased the amount of flooded terrestrial vegetation present in the reservoir.
- Prey species: Forage was abundant and consisted primarily of Gizzard Shad and Bluegill. Green Sunfish, Warmouth, Orangespotted Sunfish, Longear Sunfish, and Redear Sunfish were also available as prey. Prey species were of sizes that were available to most sport fish.
- Catfish: TChannel and Flathead catfishes were present in the reservoir. Relative abundance of Channel Catfish increased from 2010 to 2014 with many over the legal size limit (≥12 inch). Few Flathead Catfish were collected and were all legal-sized (≥18 inch) fish.
- Largemouth bass: Largemouth Bass relative abundance and number of large fish decreased from 2009 to 2013. Body condition of Largemouth Bass has slightly increased over the survey period.
- Crappies: White and Black crappies were present in the reservoir; White Crappie were more abundant in the survey. White Crappie were most abundant at three inches in length, and the numbers of harvestable size White Crappie was low but consistent among sample periods.
- Survey Largemouth Bass and forage fish populations in 2015 and 2017. Conduct trap netting, gill netting, and electrofishing surveys in 2017-2018 to obtain relative abundance, size structure, and body condition data.
- Access and vegetation surveys will be conducted in 2017-2018.
- Deploy and evaluate artificial habitat structures to improve fish habitat and potentially boost angler catch rates of game fishes.
- Conduct volunteer creel card surveys to determine angler effort, catch, and harvest of sport fishes.
- Work with USACE on possible boat ramp extension projects on ramps that may be out of the water during lower water conditions.
- Inform the public of the threat of invasive species and their impacts.
Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-221-M-4 Inland Fisheries Division Monitoring and Management Program