Downloads:

Delta Lake 2012 Survey Report media download(PDF 86.4 KB)

If you have difficulty accessing the information in this document, contact the TPWD Inland Fisheries Division for assistance.

 

Delta Lake - 2012 Survey Report

Prepared by John Findeisen and Greg Binion
Inland Fisheries Division
District 1-E, Mathis, Texas

This is the authors' summary from an 11-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Delta Lake were not surveyed in 2012 and 2013 due to low water level as a result of extreme drought conditions. This report summarizes the history of the reservoir and contains a management plan.

Reservoir Description

Delta Lake is a 2,261-acre reservoir located in Hidalgo County, 2.5 miles north of Monte Alto. The reservoir is divided into a public section (approximately 1,500 acres, east side) and a private section (approximately 761 acres, west side). The two sections of the reservoir are divided by State Highway 88 and are connected by concrete culverts. The reservoir is owned and operated by the Hidalgo-Willacy Counties Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 and used for irrigation and recreation. The lake is very shallow and turbid. Substrate is composed primarily of small rock, clay, sand and silt. Littoral habitat consists of periodically flooded terrestrial vegetation, large stands of bulrush and cattail, and standing timber.

Management History

Important sport fish species included Channel Catfish, White Bass, Largemouth Bass, and White Crappie. Exotic species present include Grass Carp and Suckermouth Catfish. The previous fisheries management plan focused on using winter drawdowns and subsequent spring rises to increase habitat for improving spawning and recruitment success; use of winter drawdowns to control exotic flora and fauna by exposing them to temperatures below their lower thermal tolerances; and writing and distributing press releases concerning Blue Catfish angling opportunities.

Fish Community

No fisheries surveys were conducted in 2012-2013.

Management Strategies

Sport Fish Restoration Logo

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-221-M-3 Inland Fisheries Division Monitoring and Management Program