WILLIAM "BILL" DANNELLY RESERVOIR ALABAMA RIVER DESIGN MEMORAr>.'DUM THE MASTER PLAN APPENDIX D - FISH MANAGEMENT PLAN A publication prepared lUlder terms of a contract research project between the Corps of Engineers, Mobile District and the AgTicultural Experiment Station of Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama. The departments of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology and Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures were responsible for the research and development of this report. A uburn University staff members with major responsibilities for the research and development of this report were David R. Bayne, Carolyn Carr, Wm. Dumas Ill, J. D. Grogan, John M. Lawrence, David Rouse, Karen Snowden, Glenn Stanford, David Thrasher, Charles J. Turner, and J. Homer Blackstone as project leader. U. S. ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT, MOBILE CORPS OF ENGINEERS MOBILE, ALABAMA July 1974
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WILLIAM "BILL" DANNELLY RESERVOIR
ALABAMA RIVER
DESIGN MEMORAr>.'DUM
THE MASTER PLAN
APPENDIX D - FISH MANAGEMENT PLAN
A publication prepared lUlder terms of a contract researchproject between the Corps of Engineers, Mobile District and theAgTicultural Experiment Station of Auburn University, Auburn,Alabama. The departments of Agricultural Economics and RuralSociology and Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures were responsiblefor the research and development of this report.
Auburn University staff members with major responsibilitiesfor the research and development of this report were David R.Bayne, Carolyn Carr, Wm. Dumas Ill, J. D. Grogan, John M.Lawrence, David Rouse, Karen Snowden, Glenn Stanford, DavidThrasher, Charles J. Turner, and J. Homer Blackstone asproject leader.
U. S. ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT, MOBILECORPS OF ENGINEERS
1. Normal monthly and annual precipitation in inches, Alabama RiverBasin above Millers Ferry Dam.
2. Areas of standing timber on Dannelly Reservoir, located by rivermile (using the September, 1972, edition of Alabama River Navigation Charts).
3. Average concentrations of macro-nutrients (elements) in filteredwater, suspended matter, bottom soils, rooted plants, and fishfrom Dannelly Reservoir.
4. Average concentrations of micro-nutrients (elements) in filteredwater, suspended matter, bottom soils, rooted plants, and fishfrom Dannelly Reservoir.
5. Average concentrations of pesticide residues in fish collectedfrom Dannelly Reservoir, 1971.
6. Average concentrations (ppm, wet weight) of pesticide residues invarious species of fish collected form the Alabama River comparedwith the overall average from species collected in all rivers inAlabama, 1971.
7. Average concentrations of pesticide residues in fish collected fromthe Cahaba River at u. S. Highway 80, 1972.
8. Average concentrations (ppm, wet weight) of pesticide residues invarious species of fish collected from public fishing lake locatedin the Dannelly Reservoir drainage area, compared with averagesin species from all 23 public fishing lakes in Alabama, 1971.
9. A Vel' age concentrations of heavy metal elements in filteredwater, suspended matter, bottom soils, rooted plants, and fishfrom Dannelly Reservoir.
10. Coosa River waste sources.
11. Tallapoosa River waste sources.
12. Cahaba River waste sources.
vii
5
18
33
35
38
39
41
42
43
46
49
51
TABLES (cont'd.)
Table
13. Waste sources on the Alabama River above MillersFerry Lock and Dam.
14. List of phytoplankton genera collected from DannellyReservoir in 1973.
15. List of flowering aquatic weeds in the Alabama River,Summer, 1973.
53
60
63
16. Areas on Dannelly Reservoir infested with rooted aquatic weedslocated by river miles indicated in the September, 1972,edition of Alabama River Navigation Charts. 67
17. A check list of warm-water species believed to be present inthe Alabama River, separated into game, commercial,and miscellaneous groupings. 73
18. Macroinvertebrates collected from Dannelly Reservoir,Summer, 1972.
19. Fish parasites in the Alabama River.
20. Viral, bacterial, and fungal diseases of reservoir fish.
21. Fish population data collected by rotenone sampling of theAlabama River in the vicinity of Holley Ferry (August,1954).
22. Length (in inches) used to classify fish of different speciesas young, intermediate, or harvestable, and as forage,carnivorous, or other.
23. Total sights, in given time period, of various groups offish in the electrofishing field at selected sites onWilliam "Bill" Dannelly Reservoir in 1972.
83
86
93
102
105
107
24. Averaged sights-per-minute of various groups of fish ohtainedby electrofishing at selected sites on Dannelly Reservoir, '72-73. 110
25. Reproductive characteristics of variolls species of fresh-waterfish. 119
26. Maximum sizes of forage fishes largemouth bass of a given
inch-group can swallow~
viii123
FIGURES
Figure
1. Map of the Alabama-Coosa-Etowah River Basin.
2. Profile of tbe Alabama-Coosa-Etowah Rivers.
3. Oxygen content of water and its relation to fish.
4. Relationship of pH of reservoir waters to theirsuitability for fish production.
5. Relationship and determination of CO?, HC03 •C0
3--. and OH- in natural waters. -
6. Distribution of 1;1 factor for various sizes of fivegroups of fish collected from Dannelly Reservoir.
ix
Page
7
8
23
26 a
27
111
Fish Management Planfor
William "Bill" Dannelly Reservoir
1. Introduction.
I-A. Purpose. This report on the fishery management of Dannelly Reservoir
presents a plan to preserve all species of fish within the impoundment, to increase
the production of harvestable-size fish through the improvement of the aquatic
habitat, and to provide the most favorable lake conditions for public fishing.
I-B. Master plan. The fish management plan will be a part of the approved
Master Plan for the continued development and management of Dannelly Reservoir.
I-C. Fish management. Fish management (Appendix D) will be in accordance
with ER 1130-2-400, APP.A (May, 1971); ER 1120-2-400; ER 1120-2-401; AR-
420-74; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958 (PL 85-624) as amended; and
Federal Water Projects Recreation Act of 1965 (PL 89- 72).
I-D. Classification of the fishery. The fishes in Dannelly Reservoir have been
classified as warm-water sport, commercial, and miscellaneous species. They are
to be managed to provide the public with the maximum sustained yield of harvestable
sizes of sport and commercial species and to insure the continued existence of the
miscellaneous species.
2. Physical Characteristics of the Aquatic Habitat that Influence Fish Productionand Harvest.
2-A. General. Aquatic habitats are as numerous as the waters themselves.
Rising in mountains, hills, or plains, small streams meander through the country-
side uniting with one another to form larger streams and eventually a river. Each
change in size and shape forms a new habitat with a new set of environmental
conditions and a different assemblage of aquatic organisms. These new habitats,
however, are never independent of upstream influence. The same is true of man-
made impoundments on rivers. Morphometric features of the impoundment will, to
a great eA1:ent, determine the types of aquatic habitats, but environmental conditions
in the lake will largely depend on the quality and quantity of collecti ve waters from
the drainage area. The physical features of Dannelly Reservoir and its associated
drainage area are presented in this section of the report.
2-B. Drainage area.
2-B-l. Topography. The headwaters of the Alabama Ri vel' rise on the
southwestern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Northwest Georgia. These
mountains have elevations approaching 4,000 feet msl with well-defined narrow
valleys. As the tributaries flow out of the mountainous areas and combine they
form the Etowab and the Oostanaula Rivers. These rivers flow mostly through the
Valley and Ridge Soil Province. These ridges have elevations approaching 2,000
feet IDsl and the valleys are relati vely 'vide and fertile. This region is characterized
by closely intermixed limestone, dolomite, sandstone, and shale soils. 111e Etowah
and Oostanmlla Rivers unite at Rome, Georgia, to form the Coosa River, which
2
then flows through the Valley and Ridge Province to near Childersburg, Alabama.
Between Childersburg and its mouth, the Coosa River flows through the southern
tip of the Piedmont Soil Province.
The Tallapoosa Ri vel' tributary to the Alabama River rises in the Piedmont
Soil Province in Northwest Georgia and flows southwesterly through this formation
to its mouth just south of Wetumpka. This is a region of hills and valleys.
The Alabama River is formed by the union of the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers
some 6 miles southwest of Wetumpka, Alabama. For the entire reach of Jones
Bluff Lake the Alabama River flows through the Loam Hills Region of the Coastal
Plain Province. These rolling plains have hills which may reach elevations of 400
feet msl.
From Jones Bluff Dam to Millers Ferry Dam, a distance of 105 river miles,
the Alabama River flows through the Black Belt soil region. In this area heavy
colloidal clay surface soils are underlain mostly by Selma Chalk. The topography
is rolling with a maximum elevation of 200 feet msl.
2-B-2. Area. The total drainage area above the Millers Ferry Lock and
Dam is 20,700 square miles.
2-B-3. Land Usage. Prior to World War II the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa
River drainage had a relatively large rural population that engaged in extensive
row-crop farming. Some of this farming occurred on marginal hilly lands. This
caused extensi ve gully erosion in the Piedmont Province, which resulted in annual
sediment loads as gTeat as 200 tons per square mile. Lands in both the Valley and
3
Ridge and Coastal Plain Provinces were generally less subject to gully erosion and
the annual sediment load was only some 10 to 20 percent of that for the Piedmont.
During and following World War II the decline in rural population allowed the
land to revert to forest or be converted into pastures. By 1970 the cover on this
drainage area was approximately 55 percent forest and 35 percent pasture and crop
lands. The remaining 10 percent was occupied by residential, business, industrial,
transportation, and hydroelectric facilities. This river development and change
in land use has drastically reduced the sediment load on most upstream portions of
the river system. Gravel dredging in the Coosa River below Wetumpka, Alabama,
and erosion in Bouldin Dam canal during periods of heavy generation are two notable
exceptions to the low sediment loading in the upper reach of the Alabama River.
Land usage immediately adjacent to Dannelly Reservoir consists mainly of forest
and pasture farming operations plus municipal, industrial, and transportation
developments.
2-B-4. Rainfall Patterns. The Alabama River drainage area is in a
region of fairly heavy rainfall. There is seasonal variation, with about 41 percent
of the precipitation occurring during the wet period (January through April) and only
about 17 percent occurring during the dry period (September through November).
The highest annual rainfall recorded in the basin was 104.03 inches at flat Top,
Georgia, in 1949 and the lowest was 22.0 inches at Primrose Farm, Alabama, in
1954. The normal monthly and annual precipitation throughout the basin above
Millers Ferry Lock and Dam is shown in Table 1.
4
Table 1. Normal monthly and annual precipitation in inches, Alabama River Basinabove Millers Ferry Dam. *
Alabama River Entire Basinabove above
Millers Ferry Dam Millers Ferry Dam
January 4.6 5.2
February 5.0 5.4
March 6.2 6.2
April 5.1 4.9
May 3.7 3.8
June 4.0 4.1
July 5.4 5.2
August 4.5 4.3
September 3.4 3.4
October 2.4 2.6
November 3.3 3.7
December 5.1 5.1
Annual 52.7 53.9
*Based on 1967 normals published by the Weather Bureau.
5
Flood-producing storms may occur over the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa basin
at any time during the year, but they are more frequent in winter and early spring.
Major winter storms are usually of the frontal type and summer storms are of the
convectional type.
2-B-5o Runoff Rates. Due to abundant rainfall throughout the drainage
area and to narrowness of the basin (110 miles maximum width), the Alabama
River has been subject to extensive flooding. For example, a flood stage of 62.7
feet with a discharge of 322,000 cfs was recorded at Montgomery on April 1, 1886.
Since the construction of dams on the Etowah, Coosa, and Tallapoosa Rivers the
maximum flood of record at Montgomery was 60.65 feet on February 27, 1961,
with a discharge of 283,000 cfs. The minimum discharge at this point was 2,180
cfs on November 24, 1941. The average discharge of the Alabama River at Mont
gomery is 23, 290 cfs and the annual runoff for this drainage area is approximately
21 inches. The average discharge for Millers Ferry Dam is 30,275 cfs.
2-B-6. stream Regulation. The Alabama River drainage area and stream
profile are shown in Figures 1 and 2. The northernmost headwaters of tllis system
are the Etowah and Oostanaula Rivers and their tributaries which rise in the Blue
Ridge Mountains of Northwest Georgia. Near Cartersville, Georgia, the Etowah
River is impounded by Allatoona Dam, forming Allatoona Lake with a surface area
of 11, 860 acres and a maximum depth approaching 150 feet. This impoundment
is designed to prOVide flood control for 1,110 square nliles of the Etowah River
drainage area. Unfortunately, due to the depth of the lake and the location of the
6
I,
,,,
.,
,
,I
/
,,-"'"' - - -,,
-,.'
50mile~
,,
,,,/
25:::ztL.
-, '-..
"ENNESM~ --,~-
~. GEORGIA "
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--,...-~-,, :
)" ,.--CL~~?
'60 0,,-,
_r~-_'~---~
y,,,,,,
RIVERS
":,,,,,:
,,
,,,,•,
ALABAMA - COOSA - ETOWAH
.,,,,
Figure L Map of the Alabama - Coosa - Etowah River Basin.
Figure 2. Profile of the Alabama - Coosa - Etowah Rivers.
8
penstock openings, the water released during the late swnmer and fall season
generally has too little oxygen for fish production.
The Oostanaula River is formed by the union of the Conasauga and Coosawattee
Rivers near Calhoun, Georgia. The Conasauga is a free-flowing stream draining
some 682 square miles in Georgia and TeJmessee, while the Coosawattee is to be
impounded by Carter Dam near Carters, Georgia. The dam will provide flood
control for about 530 square miles of the Coosawattee drainage area.
The Etowah and Oostanaula Rivers flow together at Rome, Georgia, to form
the Coosa Rivero The combined drainage area at the confluence is approximately
3,930 square miles. The average flow of the Coosa River at Rome is 6,408 cfs.
At Coosa River mile 226 near Leesburg, Alabama, is the site of Alabama
Power Company's Weiss Dam. Weiss Lake, which has a surface area of 30,200
acres at elevation 564 feet msl, was flooded in 1961. The drainage area above
the dam contains 5,273 square miles. This project is used for both flood control
and hydropower.
Alabama Power Company's Neely-Henry Dam is located at Coosa River mile
147.6 near Ragland, Alabama. The lake, which has a sill'face area of 11,200 acres
at elevation 508 feet msl, was flooded in 1966. The drainage area above this dam
is 6,610 square mileso
The site of Alabama Power Company's Logan-Martin Dam is downstream at
river mile 98.2 near Vincent. The lake, formed in 1964, has a surface area of
18,219 acres at elevation 465 feet ms!. The drainage area above this dam is
approximately 7, 700 square miles.
9
Lay Dam is located further downstream at river mile 51.3 near Clanton. Lay
Lake, which was raised in 1968, has a surface area of 12, 000 acres at elevation
396 feet ms1. The drainage area above this dam is approximately 9,087 square
miles.
The next structure downstream is Mitchell Dam at Coosa River mile 37.5
near Verbena. Lake Mitchell has a surface area of 5, 850 acres at elevation 312
feet ms1. The drainage area above the dam contains 9,827 square miles.
Jordan Dam, another Alabama Power Company project, is located at Coosa
River mile 18.4 near Wetumpka. The lake has a surface area of 5,500 acres at
elevation 252 feet msl. The drainage area above Jordan Dam contains 10,165
sqnare miles.
The Coosa and the Tallapoosa Rivers flow together some 18 miles below Jordan
Dam to form the Alabama River. The Tallapoosa River drainage lies immediately
to the southeast of the Coosa River basin. While the headwaters of the Tallapoosa
drain mountainous terrain, the hills are not as high nor as steep as those of the
Blue Ridge Mountains. Despite this fact, the runoff rate from this drainage area
is still high.
Alabama Power Company's Martin Dam is at Tallapoosa River mile 62 near
Dadeville. Lake Martin, which was flooded in 1926, has an area of 40, 000 acres
at elevation 490 feet ms1. The drainage area above the dam contains 3,000 square
miles.
10
Yates Dam is some 9 miles downstream at river mile 53. This impoundment,
which is a pondage area, has a surface area of 2, 000 acres at elevation 344 feet
msl. The drainage area above the dam is 3,250 square miles.
Thnrlow Dam is located at Tallapoosa River mile 50. This is the second
pondage imponndment below Martin Dam and has a surface area of 574 acres at
elevation 288.8 feet msl. The drainage area above this dam is 3,300 square miles.
At Alabama River mile 245.4 is Jones Bluff Lock and Dam. This uppermost
Corps of Engineers' impoundment on the Alabama River has a surface area of
12,300 acres at elevation 125 feet msl. The drainage area above Jones Bluff Dam
is 16,300 square miles.
2-C. Impoundment. The physical characteristics of an inundated basin have
a considerable influence on the production of fish in the subsequent impoundmeut.
The physical features of Dannelly Reservoir which influence the production and
harvest of fish are described below.
2-C-1. Morphometry. Dannelly Reservoir is primarily a rlIn-of-the
river impoundment that overflowed the first and second flood plains for a few miles
above the dam. Throughout this reach of the river the banks are 40 to 60 feet high.
The river wonld be considered moderately meandering throughout the entire length
of the lake.
In the 105 miles between Jones Bluff Lock and Dam and Millers Ferry Lock
and Dam there are numerous flooded tributaries, some of which are listed on the
next page.
11
Mulberry CreekCahaba RiverBig Swamp Creek (Dallas COlUlty)Gees CreekBogue Chitto CreekChilahatchee CreekFoster CreekMill Creek
Big Swamp Creek (Lowndes COlUlty)Soapstone CreekSixmile CreekBig Cedar CreekWhiteoak CreekRlUll CreekPine Barren Creek
2-C-2. Altitude. The elevation of Dannelly Reservoir at maximllll1 power
pool is 80 feet msl. The elevation of the plains surrounding the lake varies from
arolUld 100 to 300 feet msl.
2-C-3. Area. The maximum power pool (80 feet msl) surface area of
Dannelly Reservoir is 17,200 acres. At the drawdown elevation of 79 feet msl the
surface area is 16,300 acres. The reservoir at maximum power pool includes 7,200
acres in the old river channel, 950 acres in creek channels, and about 9,000 acres
in first and second river flood plains.
2-C-4. Mean depth. The mean depth of Dannelly Reservoir at maximum
power pool elevation is 19.3 feet.
2-C-5. Maximulll depth. At the deepest point above Millers Ferry Lock
and Dam the water is approximately 60 feet deep.
2-C-6. Productive-depth zone. Within any body of water a certain area
supports most of the aquatic life that is present. Several limiting factors determine
the lower depth of this productive zone in a lake. One factor is the point in depth
at which the total quantity of surface light is reduced by 99 percent. Another factor
12
is that point in depth at which the dissolved o>tygen concentration in the water
is less than 1 ppm. Since these limits vary as a resnlt of other lake conditions,
the 15-foot depth will be considered the approximate bottom of the prodnctive zone.
In a riverine environment, the producti ve zone is generally quite variable
depending upon the rate of flow and the sediment loading. In fact, current evidence
on Dannelly Reservoir would indicate that the basic fish food item wonld be phyto-
plankton in the mainstream (upper three fourths of impoundment) area, while
macroinvertebrates would only be a major food source in the inundated flood
plain areas in the lower fourth of the impoundment.
2-C-7. Volumes of the euphotic strata. The volumes of the various
euphotic strata, which comprise the primary productive areas of lake waters,
determine the quantities of nutrients that may be efficiently converted into
phytoplankton.
The volumes of the 5-, 10- and 15-foot stratum in William "Bill"Dannelly
Reservoir are given below.
80 to 75 feet msl75 to 70 feet msl70 to 65 feet msl
75,000 acre-feet53,000 acre-feet42,000 acre-feet
2-C-8. Length of shoreline. The prodnctive zone of a lake as well as
its accessibility to bank fishermen, is related to the length of its shoreline. This
length is also used in the calculation of shore development. The shoreline for
Dannelly Reservoir is 516 miles long and the shore development for the lake is 28.1.
(which is the relationship of actual shoreline distance to the circumference of a
circle whose area is equivalent to that of the lake.)
13
2-C-9. Eulittoral zone. The eulittor.al zone is that bottom area be-
tween the high- and low-water levels. The anticipated waterlevel fluctuation for
Dannelly Reservoir is I-foot, which includes approximately 900 acres. This
fluctuation, or a portion there of, occurs daily when hydroelectric facilities are
operative. The water level fluctuations throughout the 105 mile length of the
reservoir are variable. At the upper end, the daily fluctuations may be greater
than I-foot depending upon the normal river runoff and how much generation has
occurred at Bouldin and Thurlow Dams. All of the areas that are subjected to
almost daily wetting and drying cannot be considered as satisfactory habitat for
the production of fish food organisms. The area at elevation 80, 75, 70, and 65
are given below.
80 feet msl75 feet msl70 feet msl65 feet msl
17,200 acres12,205 acres
9,542 acres7,954 acres
2-C-lO. Inflow. The average daily flow into Dannelly Reservoir at
Jones Bluff Lock and Dam is 24,670 cfs. The 10-year 7-day minimum flow at
Jones Bluff Dam is estimated to be as low as 5,500 cfs.
2-C-ll. Ontflow. The mean regulated flow at Millers Ferry Lock and
Dam is approximately 30,275 cfs. The 10-year 7-day minimum flow at Mi11ers
Ferry Dam is estimated to be as low as 6,400 cfs.
2-C-12. Retention time. Based upon an average discharge of 30, 000 cfs,
the water exchange rate would be 65 times per year. The average complete ex-
14
change time is approximately 5.6 days. At minimum low flow the estimated
complete exchange time would be 26 days.
2-C-13. Internal flow currents. Impoundments on large streams are
subject to various types of internal currents. During' the cold months the im
pounded waters are usually fairly homogeneous as to temperature, dissolved
oxygen, and amounts of suspended matter. This homogeneity is due to the com
plete circulation of the waters. During warm months the waters may stratify
thermally and density currents may exist in the lower depths. Normally, there
are no density currents in surface waters; instead these waters are subject to
wind and convection currents.
Based upon limited information no true density currents exist for any extended
period in Dannelly Reservoir. Dissolved o}'ygen depletion in deeper waters in
Dannelly Reservoir would be for short durations except under extended adverse
weather conditions.
2-C-14. Penstock depth. The depth at which the penstock openings are
located determines the quality of tailwaters released during power generation.
During stratification of lake waters, if these openings are below the level in which
dissolved ohygen is present, then the tailwaters will be deficient in dissolved
oh)'gen and high in C02, H2S, and BOD (biological oxygen demand).
The powerhouse on Millers Ferry Dam is not located 011 the mainstream, but
on the east side of the river some 0.4 mile below the dam. The powerhouse
15
diversion canal is only about 15 feet deep, thus the water entering the penstocks
is surface waters and should be of fairly good quality regardless of the depth of
penstock openings. The penstock openings on the Millers Ferry powerhouse
extend from elevation 16-feet to 54-feet ms!.
Even with the particular surface water intake system described above, it
was claimed that during the first summer this Reservoir existed that its tailwaters
were low in dissolved oxygen concentration. The probability that such a condition
should exist very frequently seems highly improbable.
2-C-15. Water-level fluctuations. The water level in Dannelly Reservoir
is maintained near SO-feet msl throughout the year. During a period of genera
tion the water level in the extreme lower end of the Reservoir may recede to near
elevation 79 feet ms 1. However, when generation ceases the water level rapidly
returns to SO feet ms!. During flooding the waters may overflow the dam elimi
nating any blockage of free fish migration in the stream. Sufficient flooding to
allow free migration of fish might be expected about every 10 years. On October
4, 1973,the drawdown on this lake approached 2 feet which exposed approximately
2,000 acres. This drawdown was the result of excessive generation by Millers
Ferry powerhouse and a low upstream inflow.
2-C-16. Uncleared flooded areas. An effort was made to clear all standing
timber within the waterline throughout most of the Reservoir. However, a few
stands of timber were left uncut and consequently after flooding died. These
16
uncleared areas are mainly confined to upper ends or shallow areas within the
flood plains of the river as well as in some tributary streams.
The location of these stands of uncleared trees, which are presently serving
as fish attractants, are gi ven in Table 2. It might be pointed out that these trees
had largely pruned themselves by summer of 1973.
2-C-17. Meteorological influence. Weather conditions have a major
influence on the water quality as well as water exchange rate in Dannelly Reservoir.
Due to the rapid exchange rate of this reservoir there is little likelihood that the
waters in this reservoir would stratify except under extreme minimum flow condi
tions when the total exchange time might be as great as 30 days.
I-leavy, extended rainfall upon any portion of the drainage area of Dannelly
Reservoir will produce excessive flow and some degree of increased turbidity.
Localized flooding upon the Cahaba River will definitely increase the turbidity in
Alabama River waters below the mouth of Cahaba River. The flow rate within the
Reservoir determines how far and how intense this side stream turbidity may be.
If excessive turbidity occurs in the early spring it could be detrimental to the
successful spawning of some game fishes.
17
Table 2. Areas of standing timber on Dannelly Reservoir, located by river !I1ile(using the September, 1972, edition of Alabama River Navigation Charts).
River Side of Embayment Area, acresmile River
134-135 East X 12-15
135-136 East 35
136-137 West X 80East 75
137-138 East X 50West X 3
138-139 West X 1
139-140 East 5
140-141 East 50
151-152 East X 1
152-153 East X 45
153-154 East X 45
154-155 East X 80
156-157 East 500
158-159 East 2
141-142 East X 80
142-143 East X 5West 30
143-144 East X 35West 25
18
Table 2Cont 'd .
River Side of Embayment Area, acresmile River
144-145 West X 25
149-150 West 40
175 East X 5
169-171 East & West X 30
178.6 West X 6
180.3 West X 5
180.7 East X 1
184 East X 2West X 3
186.9 East X 70
187.3 West X 3
194.2 West X 5
19
3. Water Quality in Relation to Fish Production
3-A. General. The quality of impounded river waters largely determines
the quality and quantity of aquatic life in the lake. The water quality of a river
is, in turn, the product of its watershed. The river receives leached, washed
off, and c1nmped contributions from agricultural, industrial, and urban use of
the drainage area.
3-B. Water quality constituents. Since water is the medium in which aquatic
plants and animals spend most or all of their existence, water conditions must be
optimum for survival, growth, and reproduction of aquatic life. Those water
quality parameters that are most important to aquatic life include temperature,
dissolved oxygen, pH, carbon dioxide and alkalinity, chemical type (hardness and
so forth), plant nutrients, toxic substances, and sediment load. Each of these
water quality parameters is discussed below.
3-B-l. Temperature. The water temperature in a lake determines the
type of aquatic life that it can support. In the Southeast, water temperatures
range from about 45 0 to 90+ 0 F six inches below the surface. Generally, weather
conditions control surface water temperatures, but the activities of man can some
times alter the temperature of water. Some obvious examples of the latter case
are the construction of deep-water impoundments, the winter storage of cold waters,
and the release of heated water from industrial cooling systems.
20
3-B-l-a. Temperature stratification in a lake. In all bodies of water
there is a tendency for the entire volume to be homogeneous in temperature during
the winter period. However, as the air temperature rises in the spring the surface
water temperature of a lake also increases. Then as summer approaches, there
is an increasing temperature differential between the surface and the bottom waters
of a lake. The magnitude of this difference depends upon altitude of the lake, the
depth of water, and the quantity and quality of inflowing and outflowing waters.
In lakes of sufficient depth the summer thermal pattern starts at the surface
layer or epilimnon, where surface temperatures approach or may exceed mid-day
air temperatures. Descending in depth, the water temperature decreases until it
approaches stratification and may form a thermocline. This is a region in which
the water temperature decreases 10 C for every meter of increasing depth.
In William"Bill" Dannelly Reservoir the epilimnon begins to warm-up in
March and by June may have attained its maximum temperature for the summer.
The water temperature may slightly decrease with depth, but the thermal strati
fication never approaches a thermocline. Any unstable thermal situation in this
lake can be disrupted by a heavy summer thunderstorm, by excessive discharges
from upstream impoundments, and by prolonged high winds.
3-B-1-b. Temperature conditions in tailwaters. As mentioned previously,
the powerhouse on Millers Ferry Dam is situated on the East bank of the river some
0.4 mile below the dam. An earthen embankment or mound eJdends from the power
house upstream along the East bank of the river to a point approximately 0.2 mile
above the dam. This wing-wall structure serves as a diverter of the sh'eam flow into
21
a large, shallow (water depth less than 15 feet) embayment along the East side
of the river channel which is the source of water for the turbines. Thus, a major
portion of the water passing through the powerhouse is drawn from the epilimnon
region of the reservoir. In winter months the tailwater temperature is equal to the
reservoir average while in summer months the tailwater temperature may be one to
five degrees less than reservoir surface water temperatures.
3-B-2. Dissolved oxygen. Surface waters must contain an adequate
supply of dissolved o>;ygen in order to support aquatic life. Ranges of dissolved
oxygen concentrations in relation to freshwater fish production are shown in
Figure 3.
Factors which affect the quantity of dissolved oxygen in water include temp
erature, presence of oxidizable materials, respiration requirements of aquatic
plants and animals, and the abundance of phytoplankton. The oxygen-absorbing
capacity of water decreases as the water temperature rises. However, the amount
of oxidizable organic and inorganic material in the water determines the degree
of saturation that will be maintained.
Although water can absorb oxygen from the atmosphere, such absorption is
limited to the surface layers of lakes. Since a lake needs dissolved o>"}'gen more
dnring the warm weather period when absorption is lower, a more efficient oxygen
source is required. Such a source is provided by microscopic aquatic plants called
phytoplankton. This biological process is so efficient that waters supporting
moderate-sized phytoplankton populations can become supersaturated with oxygen.
22
Panel Fish
"~ Usable range for pond fish ~
Lethalpoint forpondfish
Small blucgills m~lY
su rvive if ,.CO is low. )
2 J/ "I
Nco
I,
2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 ;>
l' l'Ij)csira~leDanger point ra11ge iorfor stream Istre:lmfish ifish ;>
1.00.1 0.2 0.3ppmdissolved o>,:ygen _
Stre2.m Fish
Figure 3. Oxygen cuntcnt of water and i~s relation to fish.
An over abundance of phytoplankton can be detrimental to the overall oxygen
situation in a lake. Dense growths reduce the depth to which sunlight can pene
trate, which in turn restricts the amount of photosynthesis. Thus, m"}'gen pro
duction occurs near the water surface, while the o"'ygen demand below this
layer is increased by dead plants settling toward the bottom. Also, the dark
period respiration of this dense plant population may utilize most of the previously
produced excess dissolved oxygen. The supersaturation of surface waters resulting
from excess o),.ygen production is not necessarily beneficial to a lake, since much
of this supersaturation is lost to the atmosphere if the area is subject to wind-
wave action.
Dense populations of phytoplankton in lake waters are also undesirable since
such populations are subject to die-offs. Such die-offs not only terminate oxygen
production in the water, but also create a severe o),.ygen demand. This generally
results in complete o),.ygen depletion in the lake and the consequent suffocation of
aquatic life in the lake habitat.
In Dannelly Reservoir there are sufficient plant nutrients present to support
a moderate growth of phytoplankton, but other conditions have prevented this
situation from existing most of the time. There are sufficient growths of phyto
plankton, however, to keep the dissolved oxygen concentrations in surface waters
at 80 percent or more of saLuration during most of the year.
3-B-2-a. Dissolved oxygen stratification in lake. The dissolved oxygen
concentrations in Dannelly Reservoir are usually homogeneous during those same
24
cold weather periods when water temperatures are uniform at all depths. As the
surface waters begin to warm up, the dissolved oxygen saturation level decreases.
In addition, organic and inorganic o:ddation processes begin to speed up and fish
and other aquatic life become more active. All of these factors increase the demand
for oxygen.
In the 20-mile stretch of river below Jones Bluff Lock and Dam, there is exten
sive turbulence that assures good oxidation of the Jones Bluff tailwaters. For the
nmd: 60 miles there is a moderate flow that diminishes downstream as the river
begins to overflow the lower flood plain. Thus, the dissolved oxygen concentration
in this portion of Dannelly Reservoir is fairly uniform from surface to bottom at all
times during the year. Under e:--1:reme low flow conditions there may be some de
crease in dissolved o:--'Ygen with water depth in this lower portion of the reservoir.
This could result in a dissolved oxygen depletion in bottom waters, however, such
a situation has not occurred to date.
3-B-2-b. Dissolved oxygen conditions in tailwaters. The waters re
leased by Millers Ferry Powerhouse and Dam are generally at 75 percent or greater
saturation with dissolved oxygen. Such a condition assures that the tailwaters of
this dam contain the minimum dissolved o:--'Ygen concentration of 4 ppm for a majority
of the time in hot weather.
3-B-3. E!!. The pH of surface waters is a measure of whether the water
has an acid or basic reaction. In most natural surface waters, pH reflects the
quantity of free carbon dioxide present. Such waters generally fall in the pH
25
range Df 6. 0 tD 9.5, which is the range tDlerated by freshwater fish (Figure 4).
NDrmally, surface waters fluctuate sDmewhere between these tWD extremes every
24 hDurs as a result Df phDtDsynthetic activity. Aquatic plants use the C02 and
sunlight to prDduce 02 and carbDhydrates during the day, thus raising the pH tDward
9.5. At night these plants respire, releasing C02 and depressing the pH tDward 6. O.
SDme surface waters, such as mine drainage wastes, may accumulate acid
that has leached frDm the expDsed sDil. Others may cDntain acidic Dr basic wastes
frDm industrial DperatiDns.
The pH Df the waters in Dannelly ReservDir fall within the range Df 6.0 tD 9.5.
3-B-4. CarbDn diDxide and alkalinity. MDst natural waters are buffered
by a carbDn diDxide-bicarbDnate-alkalinity system. The relatiDnships Df C02, HC03-,
C03--, and aIr in natural waters are shDwn in Figure 5.
CarbDn diDxide is a natural cDmpDnent Df all surface waters. It may enter the
water frDm the atmDsphere but Dnly when the partial pressure Df carbDn diDxide in
the water is less than in the atmDsphere. CarbDn diDxide can alsD be prDduced in
waters thrDugh biDIDgical DxidatiDn Df Drganic materials. In such cases, if the
phDtDsynthetic activity is limited, the excess carbDn diDxide will escape tD the
atmDsphere. Thus, surface waters are cDntinually absDrbing Dr giving up carbDn
diDxide tD maintain an equilibrium with the atmDsphere.
The alkalinity Df natural waters is due tD the presence Df salts of weak acids.
Bicarbonates represent the major form of alkalinity since they are formed in
considerable amounts by the activity of carbon diDxide upDn basic materials in the
26
ACIDDEATHPOINT
A u<ALlNI:DEATHPOINT
'"cr>OJ < '. ~ -<= >..,. -
TOXI C TO LOW D ESIRl\8LE RANGE LOW TO)(IC TO
FISH PRODUCTION FOR PRODUCTION FISH
?=< FISH PRODUCTION7 NO
REPRODUCTIONlj IIV b ',' Y l-
I I , ,3 .0( 5 6 7 8 9 10 II 12
FIGURE 4. RELATIONSHIP OF pH OF RESERVOIR WATERS TO THEIR SUITABIliTY
FOR FISH PRODUCTION
Bicarbonate Alkalinity ~/
"
Total Alkalinity~ 7-
( Carbonate and OR Alkalinity '"
Range of Occurrence of COSAmount Detcrmined by Titratiou with RCI.
'"-'lNaRCOs < Na2C03 + RCl
'JI
CO2
Range of Occurrence of RC03-. AmountDetermined by Titration with BCl.
( NaHC03 + HCl
BC03Concentration
'\)I Decreasing 7- '!/
Free OH- Occurs in this Range,Usually Only in Polluted Waters.
pH = 4.5 8.3 10.0 n.o 12.0 13.0
Figure 5. Relationship and determination of CO2, RC03-, C03--. and OH- in natural waters.
soils. Under certain conditions natural waters may contain considerable amounts
of carbonate and hydroxide alkalinity. This situation often exists in waters supporting
a moderate to heavy growth of phytoplankton. These algae remove free and combined
carbon dioxide to such an extent that a pH of 9.0 to 10.0 often exists.
3-B-5. Chemical type. The total hardness, total chloride, and total sulfate
content of surface water indicate its chemical type, particularly where the source
of these ions is attributable to the soil formations in tbe drainage area. Conductance
measurements are also included under this heading since they may be used to detect
changes that may occur in the relative abundance of the above-mentioned ions.
Total hardness is primarily a measure of the total elivalent metallic and alkaline
earth elements in solution in the water. In most surface waters it measures calcium
and magnesium concentrations. The range of total hardness in waters from Dannelly
Reservoir was from 22.5 to 62.0 ppm as CaC03, with magnesium hardness account
ing for about 20 percent of the total concentrations.
It should be noted that water hardness is a direct reflection of the geology of the
drainage area. Lake waters have an appreciable total hardness only when C02
enriched waters flow over or throug'h soluble limestone formations on its way to the
lake. Total hardness also has a direct bearing upon the total alkalinity of soft water
lakes.
In this section of the United States the amount of total chlorides generally indi
cates the degree of domestic and industrial pollution. In the West, however, total
chlorides may reflect the type of drainage area. A maximum concentration of less
28
than 20 ppm total chlorides wou ld be considered normal in waters of Dannelly
Reservoir.
Total sulfates may indicate the type of drainage area. A maximum concentration
of less than 20 ppm total sulfates would be considered normal in waters of Dannelly
Reservoir.
Conductance of surface waters depends on the total concentration of soluble ions
since this parameter measures how well a surface water conducts an electrical
current. Conductance is expressed as }lmhos/cm3. It is useful in fisheries manage
ment in detecting changes in certain soluble elements in the water. In Dannelly
Reservoir conductance ranged from 67 to 100 )lmhos/cm3 with a mean of 75 pmhos/cm3
over a 2 year period.
3-B-6. Plant nutrients.
3-B-6-a. Nutrient enrichment in impoundments. The surface nmoff
in a river basin is both the solvent and the transporting vehicle for more than 15
elements that are essential nutrients in the gTowth of aquatic plants and animals.
The concentration of these elements in runoff water and eventually in river water
depends not only upon the types of soil and agTicultural operations that occur in the
drainage area, but also upon the amounts of domestic sewage and industrial effluent
that may be discharged therein.
29
Once the nutrients reach the impoundment, various things may happen. Some
of the nutrients in a lake will always be present in soluble form. These soluble
nutrients may originate either from re-solution of bottom muds or from waste
and decomposition of plants and animals. Another portion of the nutrients may
be precipitated as colloidal matter directly into the bottom muds for temporary
or permanent storage. Yet another part of the input nutrient may be used in the
growth and reproduction of bacteria, fungi, algae, or rooted aquatic plants. These
plants may be consumed by some animal, or the plant may die and deposit their
nutrients in the muds.
Animals eliminate most vf the nutrients they consume as 'vaste, retaining only
a small portion in their growth. The growth-retained portion of nutrients may be
removed from the local environment if the animal flies, walks, crawls, or is
taken bodily from the impoundment. If the animal remains in the impoundment,
it eventually dies. 'TI,en the nutrients return to the bottom muds or become a
food item for another animal.
Also, a portion of the input nutrients pass out of the impoundment into the
tailwaters and are then classified as outlet nutrients. These outlet nutrients may
occur in soluble forms, bacteria, fungi, algae, rooted plants, animals, other
organic materials, and soil colloids. All of these nutrients move downstream to
combine with additional runoff and eventually become the input nutrients for the
next impoundment. There the process is repeated and so on until the river flows
into the ocean.
30
What has been described above is an abbreviated nuh'ient cycle for an im
poundment. In order for man to use this cycle to his advantage it is necessary
to lmow both the quantity of each nutrient found in each of the niches described
and the rate of partial or permanent retention. With such information available
it is possible to determine the element or elements responsible for over pro
duction of noxious plants, isolate the source(s), and eventually correct the problem.
Since the nutrient cycle of an imponndment is intimately related to eutrophi
cation, and since a moderate degree of nutrient enrichment is essential for fish pro
duction in impoundments, a tolerable eutrophication is beneficial. In those
areas where there are excessive amounts of nutrients, seasonal rooted aquatic
plants may be used as a possible nutrient-retention site during periods of hot
weather and frost then provide a mechanism for the slow release of nuh'ients when
there is a higher rate of stream flow.
Since elemental nutrients are essential to aquatic life, it is necessary to know
how they are distributed in the water, suspended matter (living and dead, organic
and inorganic), bottom soils, plants, and fish. Only with this Imowledge is it
possible to fully evaluate an aquatic habitat.
3-B-6-b. Macro-nutrients. All living things are composed of elements
that are arranged in different combinations and configurations to form matter. Those
elements which are most abundant in liVing tissues are called macro-nutrients or
major nutrients. Macro-nutrients include carbon, hydrogen, o'[ygen, nitrogen,
31
phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium. The concentra-
tions of some macro-nutrients in various aquatic components of Dannelly Reservoir
are given in Table 3.
Using the mean flow data of the Alabama River at Jones Bluff Dam and at
Millers Ferry Dam and taking the average total nitrogen and total phosphorus
concentrations in the water at both locations, the total daily input and output of
these nutrients were calculated for Dannelly Reservoir. These estimates for the
summer of 1973 are given below.
Nutrient
Nitrogen-input (1)
Nitrogen-output (2)
Phosphorus-input (1)
Phosphorus-output (2)
Daily loadingas total lbs.
33,360
55,680
9,980
6,300
Lbs/mi2 drainagearea
2.05
2.69
.61
.30
(1) Based upon an inflow of 25,000 cfs and a drainage area of 16,300 square miles.
(2) Based upon an outflow of 30,275 cfs and a drainage area of 20,700 square miles.
The daily input loading from domestic sewage was estimated to be 7, 827
pounds of nitrogen and 1,953 pounds of phosphorus. In addition about 3,880 pounds
of phosphorus was contributed by detergents. The estimated standing crop of
nitrogen and phosphorus in Dannelly Reservoir was 15.1 and 2.9 pounds per acre
respectively.
32
Table 3. Average concentrations of macro-nutrients (elements) in filteredwater, suspended nntter, bottom soils, "rooted plants, and fishfrom Dannelly Reservoir.
3-B-6-c. Micro-nutrients. In addition to the major nutrients mentioned
above, all living things require minute quantities of other elements in order to survive.
Because only a very limited quantity of each element is required, they are called
micro-nutrients. Among the micro-nutrients are iron, manganese, copper, zinc,
molybdenum, vanadium, boron, chlorine, and cobalt. There are undoubtedly several
other elements which eventually will be added to the list, but at present these are the
only ones whose active role in living organisms is known. The micro-nutrient con
centration found in the various components of Dannelly Reservoir are given in Table 4.
3-B-6-d. Nutrient sources. All nutrients entering Dannelly Reservoir
come from one of the follmving sources: the atmosphere, domestic sewage, animal
production refuse, animal and vegetable processing waste, fertilizer and chemical
manufacturing spillage, other industrial effluents, and agricultural runoff. The
discussion here will concentrate on the sources of the carhon, nitrogen, and phos
phorus that enter this system.
In pond culture it has been demonstrated that water, like land, must be properly
fertilized to produce sustained high yields of fish. Likewise, large impoundments
must have a continuous supply of nutrients in order to produce food for fish. Un
fortunately, large impoundments have unregulated nutrient supplies and in some
instances become so over-fertilized that they proc1uce noxious plant growth. To
date, even though the supply of nitrogen and phosphorus in Dannelly Reservoir has
been adequate to produce a moderate phytoplankton growth, other factors have
prevented such a growth from developing.
34
Table 4. Average concentrations of micro-nutrients (elements) in filteredwater, suspended matter, bottom sOil, rooted ~ants, and fishfrom Dannelly Reservoir.
Dissolved carbon is known to be a limiting factor in development of micro
scopic plant growths. Runoff waters from the Piedmont Province soils are poor
in carbon, while those from Valley and Ridges Province soils contain moderate
quantities of carbon. The two main sources of dissolved carbon within Dannelly
Reservoir are the industrial wastes from Harnmermill Paper Company and the
combined domestic and industrial waste from Selma. Each of these sources have
installed secondary or equivalent waste treatment systems that currently meet the
water quality requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Alabama
Water Improvement Commission.
Approximately 22 percent of the drainage area for Dannelly Reservoir lies
below Jones Bluff Dam. The greatest contributor to this portion of the drainage
area is the Cahaba Ri ver. Specific sources of nutrients within this area include
some row-crop plus livestock farming, one paper mill, several small towns plus
Selma and Craig Air Force Base, sand and gravel dredging both in the riverbed
and on the flood plains. The eruption of a coal-washing retainer pond on the upper
watershed of the Cahaba River during a period of high water flow indicated that
industrial pollutants can move rapidly down the Cahaba River and then contaminate
Dannelly Reservoir between Cahaba and the State Park area.
3-B-7. Toxic substances. For many years researchers have recognized
that a number of chemical compounds, alone or in combination with other compounds,
are toxic to fish at low concentrations. For a long time it was impossibIe to identify
exact causative toxicants because of inadequate analytical techniques. In the past
36
decade, however, there have been some outstanding break-throughs in analytical
equipment and now it is possible to detect and identify most of the pollutants in
water. This has permitted rapid strides to be made in the control of toxic substances.
Only three major groupings of toxicants are known to be present in the Alabama
Ri vel' system. These three gToupS are pesticides, heavy metals, and other industrial
toxicants.
3-B-7-a. Pesticides. Pesticides, a product of modern organic
chemistry, were unknown prior to World War II. Since that time the efficacy of
most of the insecticides, bacteriacides, fungicides, and herbicides has created
an enormous market for these products. Unfortunately, some of the compounds
are quite to},ic to fish, and others are very persistent in either their original or
analog form. Techniques of application have been devised to minimize the risk of
those pesticides which are toxic to fish, and a few such compounds have been banned
from use. In the case of persistent pesticides which accumulate in fish tissues,
although their detrimental effect upon fish production is questionable, many persons
assume that such pesticides constitute a hazard to human health. Consequently,
there are now strict regulations concerning the use of pesticides, particularly in
aquatic areas. Needless to say, many insect vector and aquatic weed control prac
tices on large impoundments have been altered.
The amounts of pesticides detected in fish from Dannelly Reservoir are listed
in Table 5. The residnes from each species are compared with the overall average
for that species of fish in all Alabama streams (Table 6). Data on pesticide residnes
37
Table 5. Average concentrations of l:esticide residues in fish collected from Dannelly Reservoir, 1971. *
-----_.-Concentration in ppm wet weight of fish
Species DDT PCB Dieldrin Endrin BRC Lindane Toxaphene
Bass .930 2.133 .005 .003 ND ND
w00 Carp .800 2.700 .023 ND ND ND
Shad 1. 200 5.400 .004 ND ND ND
Catfish 1. 105 2.80 .010 .003
* Data from Report on Pesticide Residue Content (Including PCB) of Fish, Water and Sediment SamplesCollected in 197 I from Aquatic Sites in Alabama.
Table 6. A verage concentrations (ppm wet weight) of pesticide residues invarious species of fish collected from the A labama River comparedwith the overall average from species collected in all rivers inAlabama, 1971. *
*Data from Report on Pesticide Residue Content (Including PCB) of Fish, Water and Sediment Samples Collected in 1971 from Aquatic Sites in Alabama.
AR - Samples from the Alabama River
AL - Overall average of fish from all rivers in Alabama
NS - No sample
ND - Not detectable
39
in fish from Cahaba River are given in Table 7 and those from public fishing lakes
in the vicinity of Dannelly Reservoir are given in Table 8.
3-B-7-b. I-Ieavy metals. There are a number of metallic elements
such as lead, zinc, mercury, chromium, cadmium, nickel, and copper that are
considered either essential or tolerable constituents of aquatic life when found in
limited quantities. In larger amounts, however, these metals may be either toxic
or accumulati ve in aquatic organisms. Unfortunately, our knowledge of the natural
occurrence of these elements in the water is limited, and so their true effects upon
the environment remain to be determined. Data on the amount of these elements
found in the various componeuts of the Dannelly Reservoir aquatic habitat are given
in Table 9.
3-B-7-c. Industrial toxicants. Wastes from industrial operations con
tain numerous materials that may be tOJdc to many or all forms of aquatic life. Many
of the substances that were formerly disposed of as wastes are now being reclaimed
for reuse in industrial processes. Some unusable wastes are also removed by treat
ment, but other toxicants such as cyanides and ammonia are quite difficult to remove
from effluents.
On the Alabama River the industrial wastes that have been most troublesome
are organic in nature and have contributed considerably to the B. O. D. loading of the
receiving streams. Fortunately, practically all of the industrial plants in the area
now have or are in the process of installing adequate secondary treatments for their
waste materials.
40
Table 7. Average Concentrations of pesticide residues in fish collected from the Cahaba Ri vel' atu. S. Highway 80, 1971. *
Concentration in ppm wet weight of fishSpecies DDT PCB Dieldrin Endrin BRC Lindane Toxaphene
...,... Bass
Carp
Shad
.400
.288
1. 845
1. 050
.562
1. 425
.004
.007
.003
.001
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
ND
* Data from Report on Pesticide Residue Content (Including PCB) of Fish, Water and Sediment SamplesCollected in 1971 from Aquatic Sites in Alabama.
Table 8. Average concentrations (ppm wet weight) of pesticide residues invarious species of fish collected from Public Fishing Lakes locatedin lhe Dannelly Reservoir Drainage Area, compared with averagesin species from all 23 public fishing 1akes in Alabama, 1971. *
Bluegill BassPesticide Site Dal. Dal.
DDT DR .119 .215---AL .125 .294
Dieldrin DR .001 .001---AL .003 .003
Endrin DR .004 .001---AL .002 .001
DR - Samples from public lakes in the Dannelly Reservoir Drainage AreaAL - Overall average from fish in all public fishing lakes in AlabamaDal. - Dallas County Public Fishing Lake
* Data from Report on Pesticide Residue Content (Including PCB) of Fish, Waterand Sediment Samples Collected in 1971 from Aquatic Sites in Alabama.
42
Table 9. Average concentrations of heavy netal e'lements in filteredwater, suspended matter, bottom soils, rooted plants, and fish
3-B-8. Sediment load. The sediment load transported by runoff waters
depends upon several factors in the watershed. These factors include slope of the
land, soil types, quantity and type of land cover, and amount of constnlCtion on the
watershed. In addition, the seasonal rate and duration of rainfall in the drainage
area influences the sediment load of runoff waters.
The Coosa River drainage area occupies a topogTaphic region with moderate
hills and relatively wide valleys, while the Tallapoosa River drainage area occupies
a region of moderate to steep ridges and narrow valleys. The soils within the Coosa
basin are moderately erodible, but due to the e>.1:ensive impoundment system on
this basin much of the runoff sediment load is retained within this basin. The soils
within the Tallapoosa basin are typical Piedmont Province deri vatives that are
highly erosive. Since these soils are mainly clays, the silt loading of runoff waters
is mainly of a colloidal nature. Even though there are rather extensi ve impoundages
on both river, the colloidal loading of floodiug waters is not all retained within the
basins. Thus, flood waters entering Dannelly Reservoir through Jones Bluff Dam
may be rather turbid.
The Cahaba Ri vel' drainage basin has upstream land characteristics similar to
those on the Tallapoosa basin, while downstream land features are typical of those
found within the Coosa basin. There are no impoundments on this River that would
decrease its sediment load into the Alabama Rivel'.
The average turbidity within Dannelly Reservoir during summer of 1972-'73
was 10. JTU's.
44
3-C. Pollution sources. The sources are generally identical to the nutrient
enrichment sources listed in Section 3-B-5-d. As a matter of record, the 1973
point sources of waste disposal on the Coosa - Tallapoosa - Cahaba - Alabama
Rivers above Millers Ferry Dam are given in Tables 10,11, 12 and 13. Where
available, the discharge rate and the status of the waste treatment facility at
each point source are included in the tables. Even though these treatment facilities
have been efficient in reducing the quantity of dissolved carbon released into the
river, large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus are still released in the treated
effluent.
Waste treatment benefits fisheries management most by the reduction of disease
organisms, solid waste (biodegradable carbonaceous materials), and certain nitro
gen and phosphorus compounds in the water. Inadequacies of present-day treatment
facilities include the apparent inability to retain a greater fraction of the nitrogen
and phosphorus compounds in their sludge, and their present limited capacity for
handling storm sewer runoff. A large portion of the pesticide and some of the
nitrogen compounds detected in rivers adjacent to and below sewage outfalls probably
were contributed by storm sewer runoff.
45
Table 10
Coosa River waste sources*
Sewered pop. TreatmentLocation status Remarks
Cedar Blnff 1,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Centre 3,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Piedmont 4,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Black Brothel's Sand & Gravel
Goodyear Tire & Rubber OK Rubber
Republic Steel
Gadsden (W) 38,000 OK/OK Municipal
DeMuth Steel Products
Fort Payne 25,000 OK/OK Municipal
Big Wills Poultry IT Meat
Collinsville 1,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Attalla 8,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Rainbow City 1,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Spring Valley Foods OK Meat
Gadsden (E) 14,000 OK/OK Municipal
Glencoe 3,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Springville 1,000 HHPT/Both Municipal
Ashville 1,000 HHPT/Both Municipal
Jacksonville 13,000 OK/OK Municipal
Blue Mountain 2,000 SWOC/Both Municipal
46
Table 10
Coosa River waste sources, cont'd. *
Sewered pop. TreatmentLocation (to nearest 1,000) status Remarks
Fort McClellan UK OK/OK Municipal
Pell City (E) 3,000 HHPT/Both Municipal
A vondale Mills OK Textile
Anniston 45,000 OK/SHEL Municipal
Donoho Clay Recycling
Monsanto Chemical IT Chemicals
Anniston Ordinance Depot
National Gypsum IT
Talladega (NE) 2,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Smith Meat Co. OK Meat
Pell City (W) 1,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Alabama Plating
Kimberly-Clarke IT Paper
Talladega (C) 2,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Talladega (NW) 12,000 OK/OK Municipal
SYlacauga (2 plants) 2,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Alabama Industries HI-IIT
Sylacauga (S) 19,000 OK/EL5 Municipal
Avondale Mills HHIT TeA1:iles
Bon Air 1,000 HI-INT/Both Municipal
47
Table 10
Coosa River waste Sources, cont'd. *
Sewered pop. TreatmentLocation (to nearest 1,000) Status Remarks
Childersburg (2 plants) 4,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Lambrick Materials
Wilsonville 1,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Georgia Marble
Moretti-Harrah Marble
Thompson-Weinman Marble
Hackney Corp. OK
National Standard HHIT
Columbiana 2,000 SWOC/EL5 Municipal
Calera 3,000 SWOC/Both Municipal
Keystone Metal Moulding OK
Clanton 5,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Wade & Vance Sand & Gravel
Goodwater 1,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
Alabama Granite
Wetumpka (2 plants) 4,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
* lnformation from the Alabama Water Improvement Commission Program Submissionin Accordance with Section 106 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (Draft; April, 1973).
48
Table 11
Tallapoosa River waste sources'
Sewered flJp. TreatmentLocation (to nearest 1,000) status Remarks
* Information from the Alabama Water Inlprovement Commission Program Submissionin Accordance with Section 106 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (Draft; April, 1973).
50
Table 12. (cont'd).
Cahaba River waste sources, cont'd. *
Location
Martin Marietta Cement
Montevallo
Southern Stone
Sewerecl pop.(to nearest 1,000)
4,000
Treatmentstatus
OK/OK
Remarks
Municipal
Black Diamond Coal, Blocton #9
Fox Lumber
Centreville
Brent
Belcher Lumber
Olin Belcher Lumber
Marion (NE)
Marion (SE)
1,000
1,000
1,000
4,000
OK
SWOC/EL2
SWOC/OK
HHIT
HRIT
SWOC/OK
SWOC/Both
Municipal
Municipal
Municipal
Municipal
* Information from the Alabama Water Improvement Commission Program Submissionin Accordance with Section 106 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (Draft; April, 1973)
52
Table 13
Waste sources on the Alabama River above Millers Ferry Lock and Dam*
Sewered pop. TreatmentLocation (to nearest 1,000) status Remarks
Radcliff Materials
Montgomery
Econchate STP 60,000 OK/OK Municipal
Towassa STP 15,000 OK/OK Municipal
Catoma STP 55,000 OK/SBEL Municipal
Gurney Mfg. HHNT
Prattville 22,000 OK/Both Municipal
Union Camp OK Paper
Pierce Sand and Gravel
Dan River Mills OK Textile
Thorsby 1,000 PS/Both Municipal
Dallas Sand and Gravel
Hammermill Paper IT Paper
Vitalic Battery UK
Cloverleaf Dairy HHIT
Selma 33,000 OK/OK Municipal
Marion (W) 3,000 SWOC/OK Municipal
* Information from the Alabama Water Improvement Co=ission Program Submissionin Accordance with Section 106 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (Draft; April, 1973)
53
TREA TMENT CLASSIFICA TIONS
For Municipal Dischargers:
HHIS - Health Hazard with Individual Treatment Systems
HHNT - Health Hazard with No Treatment (Raw discharge)
HHPT - Health Hazard with Primary Treatment
PS - Primary System
SWOC - Biological (or equivalent) Treatment without Chlorination
OK - Minimum of Biological Treatment (or equivalent)
For Industrial Dischargers:
HHNT - Health Hazard with No Treatment (Raw Discharge)
HI-lIT - Health Hazard with Inadequate Treatment
IT - Inadequate Treatment
OK - Adequate Treatment
LOADING CLASSIFICATIONS
Municipal Dischargers Only:
SHEL - Significant Hydraulic Efficiency Loss
SBEL - Significant Biological Efficiency Loss
Both - Both of the above Conditions Exist
EL2 - Efficiency Loss (Either Type) EA']Jected Within 2 years
EL5 - Efficiency Loss (Either Type) EA1Jected Within 5 years
OK - No Overload Anticipated for 5 years
54
4. Aquatic Plants in the Impoundment.
4-A. Aquatic plant - definition. The term "aquatic plant," as used in this
Plan, refers to a multi tude of plant species (including some bacteria and fungi)
whose entire life cycle is passed within an aquatic environment.
Practically all aquatic plants may be desirable at one time or another in a
particular habitat. However, when they become too dense or interfere with other
uses of the water, they become a nuisance.
4-B. Factors affecting aquatic plant growth. Bodies of water are like land
areas in that some type of vegetation will occupy any suitable habitat. Likewise,
the more abundant the nutrient supply, the more dense the vegetation, other envi
ronmental factors being favorable. All nutrients essential for plant growth are
yet to be determined. Some of the elements lmown to be important are nitrogen (N),
and (3) more than 33 percent of the total population weight in the form of fishes of
harvestable size".
The "e" class is composed of species that feed principally upon other fish
and cannot attain normal adult life without such food. The" F" class is composed
of all other species present in the population that feed principally upon plants,
planh1:on, insects, and other small aquatic invertehrates.
The "C" value is the weight in pounds of "c" class species and the" F" value
is the weight in pounds of the "F" class species. The range in Flc ratios in
balanced fish populations was from 1. 4 to 10. O. Populations with F/C ratios from
1. 4 to 2. a were overcrowded with "c" species. Balanced populations with FIC
ratios below 3 were inefficient due to the overcrowding of "c" species. This
condition was found to reduce the total weight of the population.
The FIC ratio was a relatively stable value, remaining almost constant de
spite variations in rate of fishing for" F" and "c" species. This ratio is useful
in comparing and determining the condition of fish populations.
The "Y" value in a population is the total weight in pounds of all fishes in the
"F" class which are small enough to be readily gulped by the average-size adult
in the "c" class. The YIc ratio is an expression of the food available to the "c"
class. The most desirable populations were in the range YIc ~ 1. a to 3. O.
The "AT" value is the percentage of total weight of a population composed of
fish of a harvestable size. In balanced ponds the range was from 33 to 90. The
most desirable populations had values between AT~ 60 to 85.
103
The "E" value of a species is the percentage of weight of a population composed
of that species.
The "F" class and also "F" species were subdivided into groups of "large",
1. e. fishes of harvestable size; "intermediate", 1. e. those too large to be eaten
by the "C" species and too small for harvest; and "small", 1. e. the fishes small
enough to be eaten by the average-sized individual in the large group of "C"
species in the population.
The "AF' value is the percentage of the total weight of the "F" class composed
of large fish. The "IF" and "SF" values are percentages of the total weight of the
"F" class composed respectively of the "intermediate" and "small fishes".
An "A F" = 35 appeared to be the minimum value found in desirable populations
and apparently expressed the maximum allowable depletion of the adult" F" species
if satisfactory production is to be maintained. The most desirable populations
were in the ran"e "A "= 60 to 80.o F
valu e range 15 to 40.
Satisfactory populations occurred in the "SF"
The "A F" "IF" and "SF" values were found to be dynamic values shiftingj' .,
with changes due to harvest, predation and natural mortality.
Pond studies indicated that harvest of adult "F" species increased the pounds of
"C" species per acre and that failure to harvest the former group resulted in a
decrease in the pounds of "C" species in the population.
Separation of various species into the various classes specifiecl in the popula-
tion analysis outlined above are given in Table 22 .
104
Table 22. Lengths (in inches) used to classify fish of different species as YOlmg,Intermediate, or Harvestable, and as Forage, Carnivorous, or Other. *
11l1errllC- ll:tn-e.·;i- C':Hnj\"-Youllg di:1tc aljlc F\1r:tgc 'JfOUS Or her
*From "An Evaluation of Cove Sampling of Fish Populations in Douglas Reservoir,Tennessee" in Reservoir Fishery Resources Symposium, 1967.
105
5-1-3. Fish population studies (electrofishing 1972-'73). The data
obtained by electrofishing in Dannelly Reservoir during the summers of 1972 and
1973 are summarized as the total number of each species of fish seen and the
number sighted per minute (Tables 23 and 24), and as the relative condition (KnJ
of the various species of fish collected and measured (Figure 6). Sampling sites
on this reservoir were restricted due to a lack of operational access areas dur
ing these sampling periods.
The data presented in Table 21 on the composition of the fish population of
the Alabama River in mid 1950's indicates that catfish made up approximately
52 percent of the total weight of the fish sampled, and that freshwater drum
accounted for another 34.5 percent of total weight. The bass and bream accounted
for 1. 48 percent, and gizzard and threaclfin shad accounted for only 0.6 percent
of total weight. It is interesting to note that largemouth bass, the most sought
after sport fish today, were not collected in either of these river samples.
The information in Table 22 on the composition of the fish population in
Dannelly Reservoir during 1972 and 1973, as determined by electrofishing, is
a reflection of the quieter, shallower water habitats that were created by Miller
Ferry Dam. Out of a total of 2,684 fish sighted in the electrode field, a total of
only 17 catfish and no freshwater drum were seen. On the other hand 172 bass
(mainly largemouth), 587 bream, and 68 crappie were sighted. Over 55 percent
(1,516 individuals) of the sighted fish were shad.
Thus, it is evident that these two sampling techniques, while carried out at
different times, were sampling two distinctly different fishery habitats. From
106
Table 23. Total sights, in given time period, of various groups of fish in the electrofishing field atselected sites on William "Bill" Dannelly Reservoir in 1972.
Year 1972 1972 1972Location Hammermill area Cahaba River mo. Ellis FerryMonth Jtme July Aug. Jtme Aug. Aug. Oct.Time, min. 45 60 60 150 120 90 60Bass 4 2 2 17 11 12 15
White bass - - - 2
Bream 3 21 10 9 41 3 42
Crappie - - - - 8 - 5
Pickerel - - - - 2 - 2
f-' Catfish 3 1 50 - --J
Carp 1 - - - 4 - 7
Buffalo
Suckers 1 4 0 15 1 4 3
Bowfin - - - - 2 - 1
Gar - 4
Shad 3 49 10 150 5 - 71
Drum
Mooneye - - 75
Needlefish - - 0 1
Total 12 80 22 271 76 24 146
Table 23, cont'd.
Year 1973 ,1973 1973 1973Location Bethel Branch & River Bluff B l'tt C Bouy 21 Bouy 18area oCJuec 11 0 r.Month Sept. June June JuneTime, min. 210 130 60 60 460
Bass 39 30 14 7 90
White bass 2
Bream 182 108 24 6 320
Crappie 21 6 17 6 50
Pickerel 17 1 6 7 31
Paddlefish - 3 - - 3,...0
'" Catfish 5 - 2 - 7
Carp 33 14 18 5 70
Buffalo - 1 - - 1
StIckers 21 4 - - 25
Bowfin 7 2 3 1 13
Gar - 1 16 2 19
Needlefish 1 - - - 1
Shad 226 265 88 519 1098
Total 554 435 188 553 1730
Table 23, cont'd.
Year 1972Location Wilcox Marina Behind Res. Mgr. OfficeMonth Oct. June Aug. TotalTime, min. 60 120 90 850
Bass 3 4 10 80
Bream 40 45 53 267
Crappie - 1 4 18
Pickerel - 2 2 8
Catfish - 1 - 10
Carp 3 3 3 21....000 Buffalo 1 29- -
Suckers 5 1 2 36
Bowfin - 1 1 5
Gar - - 1 5
Shad 22 64 46 418
Drum - - - 0
Mooneye - - - 75
Neecllefish - - 5 6
Total 74 122 127 954
Table 24. Average sights-per-minute of various groups of fish obtained by electrofishingat selected sites on Dannelly Reservoir, 1972-73.
Year 1972 1972 1972 1972Location Hammermill area Cahaba River mo. BigSwampCr Ellis FerryMonth Jnn Jul Aug Jun Aug Aug OctTime, min. 45 60 60 150 120 90 60
Bass .09 .03 .03 .11 .09 • 13 .25
White bass .01
Bream .07 .35 .17 .06 .34 .03 .70
Crappie .05 .08
Pickerel .01 .03
Catfish .02 <.01 .06
Carp .02 .03 .12
Buffalo
Snckers .02 .07 .10 <.01 .04 .05
Bowfin .01 .02
Gar .07
Shad .07 .82 .17 1. 00 .03 1. 18
Drwn
Mooneye .50
Needlefish < .01
Total .27 1. 33 .37
110
1. 81 .63 .27 2.43
Table 24, cont'd.
Year 1972 1972Location Wilcox Marina Behind Res. MgT. OfficeMonth Oct. June Aug.Time, inin. 60 120 90
Bass .05 .03 .11
Bream .67 .38 .59
Crappie <.01 .04
Pickerel .02 .02
Catfish <.01
Carp .05 .03 .03
Buffalo .02
Suckers .08 <.01 .02
Bowfin <.01 < .01
Gar <. 01
Shad .37 .53 .51
Drum
Mooneye
Needlefish .06
Total 1. 23 1. 02
1l0a
1. 41
Table 24, cont'd.
Year 1973 1973 1973 1973Location Bethel Br. & River Bluff Boguechitto Cr. Bouy 21 Bouy 18areasMonth Sept. June June JuneTime, min. 210 130 60 60
Bass .19 .23 .23 . 12
White bass <.01
Bream .87 .83 .40 .10
Crappie .10 .05 .28 .10
Pickerel .08 ( .01 .10 .12
Paddlefish .03
Catfish .02 .03
Carp • 16 .11 .30 .08
Buffalo <.01
Suckers .10 .03
Bowfin .03 .02 .05 .02
Gar <.01 .27 .03
Neec1lefish <.01
Shad 1. 08 2.04 1. 47 8.65
Total 2.64 3.35
110b
3.13 9.22
KnLargemouth bass Spotted bass Bream Channel Common Suckers, Pickerel
Largemouth bass are efficient predators upon small fishes. This
species spawns in shallow water in the spring and the young fry migrate into
shallow water and feed upon zooplankton, for which they must compete with all
other small fish in the same environment. From the size of I-inch on, they
may feed upon mi:htures of zooplankton, insects, and small fish, depending upon
their relative availability.
Examination of rotenone samples indicated that growth of largemouth bass was
relatively slow during its first summer, and that there may be from 0 to more
than 100 individuals per acre in various impoundments. Since these small bass
remain largely in marginal waters it is the relative abundance of small fishes in
these areas that regulates their gTowth and affects survival. Small gizzard shad
are seldom found abundantly in these areas making the bass principally dependent
upon fry and small fingerlings of minnows and the periodically spawning sunfishes
during their first growing season. By the time they are sufficiently large to
migrate toward deeper waters, few gizzard shad-of-the-year are small enougb to
serve them as food. Those surviving over \vinter are able to feed upon newly
hatched shad by following schools over pelagic areas only at the e:h']Jense of exposing
themselves to gTeater dangers of predation by larger predators. 1f the shad
species is gizzard shad, by mid-summer to late summer again few are small
enough to serve as food for the I-year bass. In both ponds and large reservoirs,
the presence of gizzard shad as the principal forage fish results in two groups of
bass: (1) the young O-to-II-year groups which must grow slowly, with correspond-
124
ingly high losses from predation and other types of natural mortality; and (2) the
rapidly-growing bass which have become large enough to follow schools of shad
over pelagic areas. These latter bass have mouth widths large enough to allow
them to feed year-round upon larger shad.
Unfortunately, no adequate detailed studies have not been made in impoundments
upon the food-chains of small bass and factors affecting their growth and survival
to larger inch-groups. Until more is known of the importance of many of the
supposedly minor species to bass growth and survival, it is impossible to develop
plans for improving conditions ane solving the problems in converting a reasonable
percentage of the shad crop into bass.
The two species of crappies appear to present similar problem s in ponds and
large reservoirs. Their principal characteristic is ti,e cyclic nature of their
abundance. A strong year-class recurs periodically, at intervals of every 3 to
5 years. Age groups I and II of a strong year-class are typically crowded and
slow growing. During this period, few young-of-the-year crappies survive, or
there may be no reproduction. This is not because of the size of the crappie, as
even well-fed 2-ounce crappie are capable of spawning, but is due to crowding
within the species. Crowding may prevent egg formation or the fry-eating habits
may prevent survi"al of a year-class.
As the strong year-class passes to III or lV, gradual reduction in numbers
from fishing and natural mortality results in gradual increases in size, and
heavy reproduction again occurs.
125
Investigations in ponds have indicated that tendencies to periodic overcrowding
were due to the fact that crappie normally spawn earlier (680 F) than, or approxi
mately at the same time as largemouth bass, wbich typically spawn at 70 0 F.
Young crappie after hatching, spend a few days or weeks in shallow waters and
then migrate into deeper waters. Early spawning by crappie and migration into
deep waters combine to make young-of-the-year bass poor predators upon O-age
crappie. In bluegill-bass-crappie ponds, the numerous age class I bass are the
principle predators upon O-age crappies. These basses are the gauntlet through
which the O-age crappies must successfully pass to establish a strong I age-class.
Consequently, it was found in ponds that despite heavy crappie reproduction, a
cyclic pattern of crappie abundance did not occur in populations in years where
strong I age-class occurred.
Strong I age-class of crappie deve loped the following year after heavy re
production by crappie during a year when few or no I age-class bass were
present. Larger bass fed upon larger fishes and allowed survi val of too many
small crappie. Once the strong I age-class of crappie developed, numbers
of young-of-the-year bass declined, probably because of predation by crappie
on bass fry. In state-owned public fishing lakes, once this cycle started, it
was repeated within 4 to 5 years. It was always evident from seining samples
taken in June when another cycle was starting. This was evidenced by averages
of 10 to 30 or more crappie fingerlings per 15-foot seine haul, with no age I bass
by the 50-foot seine and very few caught by the fishermen.
126
In balanced populations, low numbers of age I bass generally follow
years with abnormally high numbers of age I bass. Seining records on
experimental ponds have demonstrated that in such years older bass repro-
duced, but age I bass allowed very few or none to survive beyond the schooling stage.
Unfortunately, the rotenone samples taken in large impoundments were
useless in studying this young bass-crappie problem. Most rotenone samples
were taken from July to September and by this time practically all sizes of crappie
had migrated to deeper waters. If rotenone samples were taken also during the
spawning period of crappie, while most were in shal10w water, a more useful
census could result. Possibly periodic seining during spring to mid-summer
would provide a census of the O-class and its survival. Trapping, creel census,
and relative condition data can yield information on frequency and length of cycles.
Crappies are not undesirable species in either ponds or large reservoirs; biolo
gists just do not yet have techniques for their management.
6-B. Risumeof factors affecting fish production in reservoirs.
1. The latitude and altitude of both the drainage area and the reservoir
determine the temperature of its water and the species of fish
it may support.
2. The shape, size, and geographic location of its drainage area
determines in large part the quantity of inflowing waters into
a reservoir.
127
3. The type of soil, and its management, on the drainage area
determines the sediment load borne by inflowing waters.
4. The types of soils and agricultural practices employed on the
watershed determine the natural nutrient concentrations in
inflowing waters.
5. The quantities of domestic and industrial effluents released into
tributaries to the reservoir augment the flow of nutrients into
the reservoir environment.
6. The inflow - storage - output ratios of nUh'ients in a reservoir
determine the h'ophic levels that are maintained.
7. The storage of nutrients in bottom soils of reservoirs is depen
dent upon water depth, flooding, and level of release of discharge
waters.
8. The conversion of nutrients into phytoplankton will retard develop
ment of macrophytes in shallow water areas of reservoirs, whereas
the conversion of nutrients into macrophytes will inhibit the develop
ment of phytoplankton in a reservoir.
9. The presence of macrophytes will act as precipitators of silt
resulting in more rapid clearing of water, but this process may
result in elimination of shallow marginal areas in the reservoir.
10. The maximum food production in a reservoir is attained when a
moderate quantity of the available nutrients are converted into
128
phytoplankton. Excessive conversion of nutrients into phytoplankton
will produce unfavorable habitat conditions.
11. The type of bottom in the euphotic zone of a reservoir may deter
mine in large measure the percentage of conversion of phytoplank
ton into macro-invertebrates that serve as food for fish.
12. The presence of other substrate materials, such as brush and
rooted aquatic plants, increases attachment sites for macro
invertebrate production.
13. To efficiently utilize all forms of food available within a reser
voir, the population of fish must include species whose feeding
habits are adapted to utilize these varied food sources.
14. The population of fish within the reservoir is composed of those
species present within the impounded portion of the stream at
the time the dam was closed. If other species are considered
desirable or necessary in the reservoir fish population they
should have been stocked when the dam was closed and allowed to
expand with the native fish.
15. There must be an adequacy of spawning areas in the reservoir to
provide for annual reCTIlitment to the fish population.
16. A predator-prey relationship must be established and maintained
that is capable of reducing the total numbers of fishes to a level
of maximum sustained harvestable-sized sport and commercial
species.
129
17. An excessive quantity of macrophytes can provide too much
protection for small fishes from predators and result in an
overcrowded and stunted fish population.
18. There must be an adequate annual harvest by fishermen to remove
a high percentage of the harvestable-sized sport and commercial
species. This will permit adequate reproduction and the maxi
mum rate of growth among the recruitments to the population.
19. An abundance of large, trophy-sized bass or other species taxes
the available food supply and results in a decreased total standing
crop and fewer harvestable sized fish.
20. Inadequate removal of harvestable-sized fish results in an
abundance of older individuals that are more susceptible to
parasite and disease attacks.
21. Parasite and disease infections are higher among species with
schooling habits. Also, incidences of infection are greater during
spawning periods when many individuals are crowded into smaller
areas than at other periods of the year and antibody production is
at its lowest level.
6-C. Information vs. action. It is evident from the preceeding discussions
that all prior data gathered on Dannelly Reservoir may be classified as informa
tion, and that practically no use has been made of this information for either
the promotion or man~gement of the fishery for a greater sustained
130
yield of harvestable sized fishes. There is one notable exception to the above
statement. During the early post-impoundment period au agreemeut was reached
betweeu fisheries biologists and the Corps of Engineers on water level control
during the major spawning period. This procedure has been followed for the past
3 springs, and has apparently been largely beneficial to bass and crappie repro
duction.
The time has long since passed for utilization of the available information
on water quality, aquatic weed control, and fish populatiou data that applies to
Dannelly Reservoir and to collect the needed data to completely evaluate and
manage this fishery.
The most pressing need for information at present is a reliable estimate of
the quantities (numbers and weights) of fishes harvested by fishermen from this
lake. This information can only be obtained by an organized creel census con
ducted for a sufficient period (at least 2 years) to provide reliable information.
It is suggested that this creel census be conducted in accordance with the pro
cedures described by the Southern Division of American Fisheries Society, and
that it be initiated as rapidly as the plans, funds, and personnel can be obtained.
6-C-1. Public relations. TWs phase of the Fishery Management Plan
might be considered as the equivalent of customer service in a large corporation.
It's purpose is to provide fishermen with such information as the kinds and habits
of fish inhabiting Dannelly Reservoir; the most successful method to employ to
catch these fish; the (current) areas where fishing for various species has been
131
most successful; bottom contour maps to indicate depth to fish; and weekly dis solved
oxygen concentration profiles that indicate depths where concentration is 4 ppm 02 or less.
The information on fishery biology is an integral part of the training of any Fisheries
Biologist. The dissemination of this information to civic groups, conservation and
wildlife gToupS, and school children could be most helpful to the public to better under
stand problems of fish production as well as in their harvest of fish. These presen
tations could be timely and include fishing techniques for those species currently being
harvested.
The information on current "hot fishing holes" could be disseminated weekly along
with water temperature and dissol ved oxygen concentration data. This type informa
tion cou ld be displayed on bottom contour maps along with the best depth at which to
place the bait.
6-C-2. Fishing access. The various points of access for boat fishermen on
the lower portion of Dannelly Reservoir are presently adequate to allow most areas to
be within a 20 minute nm from a concrete ramp. In a limited number of places one
may have to drive many miles and cross the lake to reach an access point. It is felt
that the present number of access points for boat fishermen are sufficient for present
fishing pressure.
Bank fishermen, on the other hand, have had no special facility consideration to
date. They have simply had to be content with e}cisting bank conditions regardless of
their proximity to favorable fishing grounds. From observations on this reservoir
and from surveys conducted on fishing habits of Alabama fishermen, it is estimated
that 50 percent or more of the fishing pressure on this reservoir is exerted by bank
132
fishermen. It is suggested that this aspect of reservoir fishing could be improved in
a number of areas by construction of fishing piers or dikes into favorable shallow
water areas. Such embanl=ents use borrowed soil from lake bottoms, thus deepening
the waters immediately adjacent to them. This provides added fishing access plus
serving as attractants for fish. These structures might lend themselves as barriers
that would permit the fertilization or baiting of embayments for special groups such
as handicapped or underpriviledged children.
In the tailwater areas immediately below Millers Ferry Dam the construction of a
fishing walkway on the east bank would permit a greater number of people a safer
access to this fast water fishing area. Such a walkway could allow access to an area
which is currently closed to boat fishing by a chained bouy line. This is a minor cost
item that could gTeatly increase tailwater fishing access from a relatively safe platform.
It has already been pointed out that a concerted effort is made during spawning
season to maintain a relatively stable water level of Dannelly Reservoir. After the pool
reaches its summer level of 80 feet msl the lower portion fluctuates one or more feet
daily throughout the year. These changes in water level result from peak generation
needs both upstream as well as downstream. Such needs are real, based upon power
production demands. It is urged that generation schedules be carefully established to
minimize the degree of full pool fluctuation, and reduce the loss of productive marginal
bottom areas to a minimum during the period from June 1 through Labor Day. A
slight winter drawdown no doubt would concentrate small fish from protected areas into
open water and makes them more vulnerable to predation. This procedure tends to
decrease the possibility of overcrowding. On the other hand, drawdown at any period
would interfere with access to many areas on Dannelly Reservoir.
133
6-C-3. Fishing intensity. It was stated in the introduction that the pri
mary purpose of this fishery management plan was to provide the greatest sustained
yield of harvestable sized fish based upon its basic fertility. To attain this yield
requires a sustained fishing pressure particularly during those periods when
certain species are iu the shallow water areas or are on their beds. The publicity
of this information is one approach to acquiring intense fishing pressure. However
to sustain this fishing pressure requires that a majority of these fishermen catch
fish.
6-0-4. Creel limits. It is contended that the present high creel limit
is a factor that determines the relative fishing success of a majority of fisher
men. It is well Imown that the consistent fisherman knows where and when to fish,
and when he locates a bed or area where fish have congregated that he will remove
one or more full limits on several consecutive days. This procedure does remove
large numbers of fish, but it does not provide catches for a vast majority of fisher
men. A lowering of limits could tend to promote a greater spread of catches to
more fishermen. This should result in a greater stimulus to a wider fishing
clientele which should be the philosophy for any public waters that are operated from
general public funds.
The harvest of adequate numbers of commercial species, especially the cat
fishes and carp, from Dannelly Reservoir has been rather sporadic and in a large
sense restricted. Unfortunately, no data are available on harvest of either com
mercial or game species to indicate how adequately the present fish crop of all
catchable groups is being harvested. Since it requires approximately as much
134
food to maintain a pound of fish as is required to produce a pound of fish, the
harvest of commercial species should be encouraged to release some of the pres
sure upon the food supply of the game species. By proper selection of fishing
gear, the probability of catching game fish by commercial techniques is consider
ably lessened. However, if our assumptions on game fish harvest are reliable,
then the removal of a limited number of game species by commercial gear could
only result in an improvement of the entire fish population.
6-0-5. Evaluation of fishery management changes. The operation of a
concurrent creel census on game and commercial fishing would be the only way
to accurately evaluate any proposed changes in management practices in regards
to their influence upon the total fish harvest of Dannelly Reservoir. Since little is
known of the fishing pressure or harvest in this Reservoir, it is advisable that
this creel census be initiated as soon as possible.
6-0-6. Fishing tournaments and rodeos. Another factor in adequately
harvesting the game fish population of this lake to sustain a maximum harvestable
crop is the operation of bass tournamenst and fishing rodeos. As mentioned
previously it requires about the same amount of fish food to maintain a pound of
fish as to produce a pound of fish. For example, it requires about 4 pounds of
fish to produce one pound of bass within one year. It will require an addi
tional 4 pounds of fish to maintain this one pound of bass through its second
year of life, and if he gaines another pound in weight he will consume
135
an additional 4 pounds of fish. Thus hy the time a fish is 2 years old and weighs
2 pounds he will have consumed 12 pounds of fish (enough food to have grown three
one-pound hass in one year). If a bass lives to be 6 years old and weighs 6 pounds
at the end of that period, he will have consumed 80 plus pounds of fish during that
period (enough to have produced 20 one-pound bass during these six years).
Fisheries management technology has not advanced to a stage to prOVide
means for producing these greater numbers of smaller basses in preference to the
one larger fish in larger impoundments, and it is not lmown that if such a technique
were available if it would result in a balanced fish population in such impoundments.
These facts were pointed out to indicate that the removal of trophy sized basses by
tournaments and rodeos can have a beneficial effect upon a reservoir's overall
fish population in the release of pressure upon the available food supply. This
results in a brief stimulation of growth anlOng basses and possibly crappies.
In any impoundment inhabited hy gizzard shad, it is necessary that the
population of basses consists of individuals of all sizes from young-of-the-year to
old grandads. As mentioned earlier, larger basses seemingly prefer near maxi
mum sized forage fishes that they are capable of swallowing; thus these lunker
sized basses are a necessity to control the numbers of gizzard shad and other
forage fishes. Their occasional removal only allows a slightly smaller bass a
more abundant food supply and an opportunity to reach the "lunker" sized category.
Tournaments and rodeos have thus far only encouraged the growing-up of smaller
basses. If tournaments are too large or too frequent they cou ld eventually
result in a gradual decrease in size of larger basses, but it is doubtful
136
that this point has been approached in this lake. Thus, from the fish manager's
standpoint, a limited number of moderate-sized tournaments and rodeos would be
considered a desirable means of harvesting a segment of the fish population that
is taxing the available food supply.
6-D. Creel census evaluations. In conclusion, it cannot be over emphasized
that the workability of any of the proposed practices or changes in management of
the fishery in Dannelly Reservoir can only be evaluated by a creel census that is
properly designed and conducted in such a manner as to provide a reliable estimate
of the trend in total fish harvest. The results of this census must be constantly
examined to follow the catch trends, and to check its sensitivity in evaluating the
practices under study. In those cases where it is indicated that a particular prac
tice is not increasing the total yield, this practice should be discontinued, or
modified, and if modified its effects should be closely evaluated.
137
7. Coordination with Other Agencies
The establishment of a fishery habitat by the impoundment of Dannelly Reservoir
created a problem of managing this public resource.. By custom, it has been assumed
that the fishes living in this body of water belong to the state until they are caught
and removed at which time they become the property of the fishermen. States have
been resistant to assume the management of these federally financed projects on
the grounds that no State revenues are derived from such installations whereas pri
vate utilities do pay taxes on their impoundment holdings. There is no likelihood that
this attitude wi II change in the immediate future. States do ins ist however, that the
fishery created by these federal impoundments is still their responsibility. This
Plan assures the State of the continued role as principal participant in the manage
ment of fisheries within its jurisdiction.
7 -A. Personnel and funding. In light of the above situation, it mU st be assumed
that the Corps of Engineers has a responsibility to the public, who financed these
projects, to provide the financial means for their management. The procedures for
sol ving all management problems are details beyond the scope of this Plan. However,
it is felt that the Plan can include some suggested methods for their initial enactment.
The Corps of Engineers should employ a skeleton staff of professional fisheries
management personnel to act as liaison between themselves and the Stale fisheries
biologists. These Biologists should be provided with adequate funding for each
reservoir under their jurisdiction to provide for collection of essential data and
conduction of public relation and other managerial aspects of each reservoir's fishery.
138
Dannelly Reservoir could share a fisheries biologist with Jones Bluff Lake
and Claiborn Lake. This biologist would coordinate the fisheries management
activities between the Corps of Engineers and the fisheries biologists of Alabama.
The various aspects of the program that are to be accomplished could then be
contracted to the Fisheries Divisions of Alabama's Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources, to State Universities, or they could be conducted in-house.
Such an arrangement should be designed to encourage State participation in the
plan, and in-house implementation would be used as a last resort. The role of
State Universities in this management plan would be restricted to research activ
ities in relation to specific biological or management problems.
This fisheries biologist should be adequately trained in fisheries biology and
management, and have an M. S. degree. The pay scale should be a G. S. 9 or
higher in order to attract qualified persons. The funding for implementation and
continuing the management plan on Dannelly Reservoir could be based upon fisher
man usage estimates, and could be as high as $.05 per fisherman visit. This
figure would provide adequate monies to conduct a good creel census and to start
some of the other activities set forth in this plan.
7-B. Cost-benefit projections. It is impossible to palce a value upon the
benefit derived by an individual for one fisherman visit to Dannelly Reservoir.
Certainly the value would be several times the $.05 cost per fisherman visit
indicted above. In addition, for each fisherman visit , it is estimated that he
placed into the local economy (spent)well in excess of $1. 00 to make this visit.
Thus, the cost-benefit ratio could conceivably range from 1:25 to more than 1:1,000.
139
7-C. Equipment for biologist. The fishery management biolgoist must be
provided with certain specialized equipment if he is to be efficient and effective in
providing technical assistance that will result in a higher sustained yield of fish on
the stringer. The following items are basic to this biologist being self-sufficient
over the \vide territory that he must keep under continuous surveilance.
1. Pick-up truck equipped \vith a lockable body cover.
2. 16' fiberglass boat (Boston Whaler type).
3. 65 or 85 h. p. outboard motor with at least an 18 gallon gas tank.
4. Heavy duty boat trailer.
5. Corps communication radios in both truck and boat.
6. State communication radio in trnck.
7. Water sampling equipment to include:
a. Dissolved oxygen-temperature meter \vith at least 50-foot lead on
probe.
b. Water sampling bottle capable of collecting water sample at any
depth.
c. Ice chest with quart size Nalgene plastic sample bottles.
d. Secchi disc.
8. Fish sampling equipment including:
a. 25' x 4' one-fourth inch mesh seine.
b. Dip net with one-fourth inch mesh bag.
c. Ice chest with plastic sample bags.
9. 35 = camera.
a. Color film for slides.
b. Black and white film for news releases.
140
7-D. Job description - Fisheries Management Biologist. The qualifications
and duties listed below are minimum requirements for a Corps of Engineers Fisheries
Management Biologist.
Degree: M. S. in Fisheries Management
Training to include:
1. Warm-water fisheries biology.
2. Management of large impoundment warm-water fisheries.
3. Fish disease and parasites.
4. Water quality in relation to fish production.
5. Aquatic plant identification and control.
6. Fish identification.
7. Statistics.
8. Public speaking.
9. Journalism.
Duties:
1. Thorough knowledge of the fishery habitats within each Lake for
which he is responsible.
2. Knowledge of the surrounding drainage area, especially the sources
of domestic, industrial, and agricultural pollution.
3. Knowledge of current sport fishing success on each lake including
most productive areas. Share information with public through news
releases, radio, T. V. and Lake bnlletins.
4. Knowledge of co=ercial fishing on each lake including number of
fishermen, type of gear used, and kinds and amounts of fish harvested.
141
5. Maintain surveilance for fish kills and determine cause (s). Report
to appropriate State agency.
6. Current Imowledge (at all times) of water quality conditions through-
out each lake. Share information with public through news releases
radis, T. V., and posted information on Lake.
7. Maintain surveilance on aquatic plant (including phytoplanJ..:ton)
populations and determine when and where control measures
should be employed.
8. Cooperate with State fisheries biologists on all above-mentioned
duties so that both may better inform the public about the fishery
within each lake.
9. Promote fishing interest through news releases, public appearances
at clubs and civic groups, and by personal contact on lakes.
10. Identify, help develop, coordinate and participate (to be informed)
in any contractnral management or research plan that may be in
effect on each lake.
11. Actively participate in local, state, and regional fisheries organi-
zations to inform and be informed on current management practices.
12. Coordinate and encourage participation of each Resource Manager
and other Corps personnel on each lake project in collecting and
disseminating information relative to that lake's fishery.
Note - This biologist could be most effective if he did not have citation authority.In this way he can contact persons with valuable information, but who arenon-communicative with law enforcement personnel.
142
7-E. Budget. The personnel required to implement this Fisheries Management
Plan consists of a District Fisheries Biologist and a Project Fisheries Biologist.
This Project Fisheries Biologist would be shared by Claiborne Lake (30 percent),
William "Bill" Dannelly Reservoir (40 percent), and Jones Bluff Lake (30 percent).
The work basis for William "Bill" Dannelly Reservoir will be as follows:
Project Fisheries Biologist, GS-9, 40 percent, 104 days
Estimated annual cost is as follows:
a. Personnel
b.
c.
d.
Fisheries Biologist (GS-9) ($13,791 + 32%) x .40 $
Contingencies (15 percent)
Supervision and Administration (15 percent)
Equipment ($12,500 x .06)*
Operating expenses
Subtotal
Management Practices
Fishing piers, creel census, weedcontrol, population studies, etc.
7,282
1,092
1,092
750
1,800
12,016
30,984
Total Cost (860,000** x $0.05 per user day)
Total Benefits (860,000 x $1. 00 per user day)
* Equipment costs prorated over 5 year period.
** This is estimated fishermen days based upon totalvisitations to the Project.
143
43,000
860,000
8. Research Needs for River and Impoundment Management.
Improved techniques for evaluating the present and future fish populations
in rivers and impoundments are urgently needed by State and Federal regulatory
agencies and by industries that are required to biologically monitor the effects
of their wastes. Equally important, we need to utilize, at the optimum level,
the productive capacity of our natural surface waters.
Title: Improvement and Evaluation of Fish Sampling Techniques for Use on
Rivers and Impoundments.
Situation: One of the major problems confronting management of fisheries in
rivers and impoundments is the inadequacy of available techniques to sample
all facets of the resident fish population. This is a distinct handicap to
. fisheries biologists who are attempting to improve sport and commercial
fish production. Equally important is the fact that it is virtually impossible
for biologists to evaluate either detrimental or beneficial effects of waste or
heated-water effluents upon fish production in rivers and impoundments.
Objective:
1. To devise a sampling system that provides total recovery of the standing
crop of fishes in a given area.
2. To develop new sampling techniques that will permit the attainment of the
first objective.
144
3. To evaluate the efficiency of individual sampling techniques to estimate a
portion or all of the standing crop under various types of habitats.
Title: Factors Affecting Food Chain Development in Rivers and Impoundments.
Situation: The availability of food is the chief factor involved in fish production in
rivers and impoundments. Since the majority of fish foods are produced within
an aquatic environment, their degree of abundance is not nearly so obvious as
it is with terrestrial forms. In addition, the characteristics of the aquatic
habitats are not so obvious as they generally are on land. Most life history
studies of aquatic forms have been conducted singly and little effort has been
devoted to integrated food chain production studies. Thus, the various factors
which may have the greatest influence upon the food chain for various species
of game and commercial fish are little known or understood. Only through a
better understanding of food chain relationships can fish production in many
waters be managed or improved.
Objective:
1. To devise sampling techniques capable of collecting representative forms
of all major food groups for fresh water fishes.
2. To more fully understand the general life-cycle of each group of organisms
that are components of the food chain for fish.
3. To identify the physical and chemical factors that are beneficial and harm
ful to all component organisms in the food chain.
145
,
4. Evaluate the gain or loss in efficiency of conversion for food chains of
varying complexity.
Title: Optimum Nutrient Loading for Maximum Fish Production in Rivers and
Impoundments.
Situation: Plant nutrients, mainly N, P, and C, are generally the limiting factors
in the production of adequate food to attain the maximum natural production of
fish in rivers and impoundments. Several other chemical and physical factors
seemingly influence the quantity of plant nutrient necessary for optimum fish
production in a given aquatic habitat. Experience in farm fish ponds has
shown that the combination of factors are almost as variable as the number of
ponds that have been studied, but there appeared to be average values for the
components of the combinations that tend to optimize fish production. It is'
.believed that similar sets of combinations exists to optimize fish production
in rivers and impoundments.
Objective:
1. Correlate rate of nutrient flow with standing crop of fish in rivers and
impoundments.
2. Compare fish production in impoundments resulting from agricultural
and non-agricultural nutrient sources.
Title: Optimum Harvest Rate for Various Trophic Levels in Rivers and Impoundments.
146
Situation: It has been shown in pond research that individuals comprising a fish
population do not grow unless a sufficient number of the larger individuals
are harvested and the pressure on the food supply relieved to allow smaller
individuals to attain harvestable size. This rate of harvest was found to be
proportional to the available food supply. In rivers and impoundments the
rates of harvest of sport and commercial species are generally unknown. TIle
same can be stated concerning the trophic levels of these same environments.
The urgent need is to accumulate sufficient information to correlate optimum
harvest rates with nutrient input on the various streams and impoundments
throughout the Southeast.
Objective:
1. To determine the optimum rate of harvest of fish from rivers and impound
ments with different rates of nutrient flow.
147
Synopsis
William "Bill"Dannelly Reservoir, with a surface area of 17,200 acres, a
length of 105 river miles, an average depth of 19.3 feet, and a drainage area of
20,700 square miles, is largely a run-of-the-river impoundment that over-spilled
its channel banks to flood bottomlands in the lower quarter of its length. This
lake is subject to excessive floodwaters one or more times each winter and early
spring. The degree of turbidity attained in this lake results largely from the
rate of runoff and e,,;tent of stream flow regulation on the Coosa and Tallapoosa
Rivel's. The flooding and turbidity contributions from the Cahaba River can
exert varying degTees of influence upon the mainstream portion of Dannelly
Reservoir. The Cahaba River is an unregulated stream that originates northeast
of Birmingham and drains an area of rather extensive mining operations.
The water quality in both the Alabama and Cahaba Rivers was rather poor,
for at least a portion of each year, prior to the time Millers Ferry Dam was
closed. Since the formation of Dannelly Reservoir varying degTees of pollution
ahatement have been affected on many point sources on both streams. At the
present time water quality conditions on the Alabama River would meet the water
quality standards of Alabama for a majority of the time. On the other hand, some
of the industrial effluents on the Cahaba Ri vel' are insufficiently contained and
offer limited assurance that unexpected deterioration of water quality and possible
damage to the aquatic habitat in Dannelly Reservoir might not occur. Tailwaters
below Millers Ferry Dam would be expected to meet Alabama's minimum water
quality standards except under the most adverse conditions.
148
Due to the large eJo,.'panses of shallow waters over rich bottomlands in the
lower quarter of the lake, this portion of Dannelly Reservoir provides an excel
lent habitat for the growth of rooted aquatic plants. It was estimated that in
1973 as much as 800 surface acres were infested with aquatic weeds. Of this
total, 200 acres of shoreline area were infested with alligatorweed, another 200
acres were infested with primrose, and 400 acres of shallow waters were infested
with coontail.
The growth of alligatorweed has now attained adequate density to sustain an
introduction of the Argentine flea beetle as a biological control agent. It is
recommended that a stocking of this beetle be attempted eluring the early summer
of 1974, and that restocking of the beetles be made at intervals until a successful
breeding population is established.
There are an estimated 5,000 surface acres of Dannelly Reservoir that would
be a suitable habitat for the growth of coontail and other submersed weeds. The
use of a 3-foot drawdown during the colder months of the year could reduce and
possibly retard the spreading of many suhmersed weeds.
The fish population in Dannelly Reservoir consists of those species present
in the ri vel' at the time Millers Ferry Dam was closed. Since that time the state
of Alabama has added (in 1973) 10,800 fingerling striped bass. It should be
pointed out that flood waters can reach such levels above and below Millers Ferry
Dam as to allow fish access to upstream passage. Thus, this reservoir is not
entirely blocked from upstream migTant fishes.
149
During the few years this reservoir has existed the catches of bass and
crappie have been good to excellent. To date, the growth of the bass has been
disappointing, but this could possibly be due to a slightly overcrowded bass
condition. The numbers of bream that have been caught have been high, but the
size of the bream has been small. This condition probably indicates that the
available cover in the form of brush, logs, and aquatic plants has protected
too many bream from predators. This situation has taxed the available food
supply to a point where the bream cannot reach harvestable sizes.
Data on the condition of game fishes, mainly largemouth bass, crappie, and
bream, collected in 1972 and 1973 indicated that bass and bream were both in
less - than - average condition. This limited information indicates that much
more research effort is needed to analyze this fish population and the condition
of the aquatic habitat to develop a workable management plan.
A major factor influencing the production of fish-food organisms in Dannelly
Reservoir is the daily fluctuation of water level due to power generation. These
drawdowns expose as much as 1, 000 acres of the more producti ve bottom areas
during the hotter and drier periods of the summer. 'Illis largely eliminates this
zone as a food source. It is suggested that every effort be made to hold these
drawdowns to a minimum throughout the warmer months.
In addition to the studies of fish populations and habitat conditions, it is
necessary that a Imowledge of the total catch of both game and commercial species
be available before a management plan is finalized. This catch data could be
150
initiated as quickly as funds are available so that a management plan that can
better improve this fishery resource be established.
It is recommended that a fisheries biologist be assig"ned to Dannelly Reservoir
(to be shared with Jones Bluff Lake and Claiborne Lake). This biologist's first
order of business would be to initiate and coordinate the population-habitat studies
and creel census surveys.
l51
References Cited
Swingle, H. S. 1950. Relationships and dynamics of balanced and unbalanced fish
populations. Auburn Univ. Agr. E,,1'. Sta. Bull. 274. 74 pp.
Swingle, H. S. (1953), Fish populations in Alabama rivers and impoundments.
Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 83:47-57.
Swingle, H. S., and W. E. Swingle. (1967), Problems in dynamics of fish popula
tions in reservoirs. Reservoir Fish. Resources Sym. pp. 229-243, 1968.
Swingle, W. E., and E. W. Shell, 1971. Tables for computing relative conditions
of some common freshwater fishes. Auburn Univ. Agr. Exp. Sta. Circular
183. 55 pp.
This Plan has been submitted to the Fisheries
Di vision, Alabama Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources for review and comments. After review,
all comments from the State of Alabama were favorable
and agreed with the management needs for this Lake
as set forth in this Plan. Particular interest was ex-
pressed by the State on the establishment of fishing piers.