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IVostPa Platte River Fish Survey Mase&n 1999 <br />Pa--e 20 10 <br />FitzgeraldAccess to Wagon Hound Creek -Raft. Permission was obtained from the landowner <br />to take out at the confluence of Wagon Hound Creek enabling us to sample this 1.4 -km section <br />of river (Figure 12). One ofthe most unusual observations we made of the entire sampling effort <br />was the p resence of extremely noxious sediment in this section. Areas of silt deposits stank of <br />what we believed to be sewage sludge. We also noted several abnormal individuals in our catch: <br />a 415 -mm TL common carp with a sore at the pectoral fin insert; a 3 90 -mm TL white sucker with <br />a deformed upper caudal lobe, a 400 -mm TL white sucker with malformed scales over its entire <br />body, two adult carp with massive amounts of fungus, and the only rainbow trout that we <br />captured (3 10 mm) in this section had bulging eyes and red, inflamed fins. We speculate this may <br />indicate a bacterial kidney disease (BKD) infection. We also captured a 390 -mm TL longnose <br />sucker with deep wounds (probably from an eagle or osprey encounter). Figure 13 shows typical <br />edge habitat in this section. <br />The catch consisted of 145 fish of 10 species. As with all of the sample sites above Glendo <br />Reservoir, this catch was dominated by common carp (59 percent). Other species included white <br />sucker (10 percent), red shiners (8 percent), shorthead redhorse (7 percent), longnose sucker <br />(7 percent), and stonecat (3.5 percent). We also captured an adult rainbow trout (0.7 percent) <br />and a gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) (0.7 percent). <br />Wagon Hound Creek Confluence with North Platte River - Backpack. - -Silt deposits at this site <br />were also ve ry noxious. We noted some individual longnose dace and sand shiners had <br />poppyseed -sized black spots scattered throughout their body surface. Microscope examination <br />indicated these black spots consisted of a round sac containing spores. We did not identify this <br />organism. <br />Figure 12 is a map of the sample site, and Figure 14 shows the habitat and sampling crew. The <br />primary habitat at this site is 100 percent main channel with the secondary habitat consisting of <br />50 percent riffles, 40 percent run, and 10 percent pool. Substrate consisted mostly of boulders <br />and cobbles. Compared to similar backpack sample sites upstream, this was a depauperate site. <br />This site consisted of a sample area of 300 in by 3 in and had a much greater number of seconds <br />of electrofishing than upstream sites (2,947 seconds). Yet only 33 individuals of 4 species were <br />captured. Most of the catch consisted of sand shiners (79 percent). We also captured stonecats <br />(9 percent), fathead minnows (3 percent), and longnose dace Cl percent). <br />Orin Access to Byron Wilson/County Line Access - Raft. — Whatever habitat problems existed <br />upstream at the Fitzgerald and Wagon Hound Creek sites have disappeared at this site. Substrate <br />appeared to be clean, and we observed no incidences of disease in individuals captured. This <br />7.2 -km -long is characterized as 100 percent main channel, with secondary habitat characterized <br />as 80 percent run, 10 percent riffle, and 10 percent pool. Substrate consists of 50 percent sand, <br />and a mix of large and small cobbles and coarse and fine gravels. There are some fallen trees and <br />rootwads in this reach. The most significant feature is the pumping station diversion dam <br />downstream of the Highway 319 bridge. We were able to float across one side of the dam <br />Results <br />