Red Bluff Reservoir - 2021 Survey Report

Prepared by Mandy K. Scott
Inland Fisheries Division
District 1-C, San Angelo, Texas

This is the authors' summary from a 23-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

This document is a summary of fisheries data collected from Red Bluff Reservoir from 2022. The purpose of the document is to provide fisheries information and make management recommendations to protect and improve the sport fishery. While information on other fishes was collected, this report deals primarily with major sport fishes and important prey species. Historical data are presented with the 2022 data for comparison.

Reservoir Description

Red Bluff Reservoir is a 7,495-acre reservoir at conservation pool elevation (2827.4 feet above mean sea level, MSL) impounded on the Pecos River 45 miles north of Pecos on the Loving and Reeves County line; the upper end of the reservoir reaches into New Mexico. The surface area at the top of the spillway gates (2841.4 feet above MSL) is 11,700 acres, however the reservoir has not reached this water level since 1987. It was constructed in 1936 for hydroelectric and irrigation water supply. Red Bluff Reservoir was eutrophic with a mean TSI chl-a of 59.48 (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality 2020). It has a history of severe water level fluctuations reaching nearly 33 feet below conservation pool in 2001 and 2011. The reservoir has also suffered from toxic golden alga (P. parvum) blooms since the mid-1980s. From 2001 through 2009 the golden algal blooms significantly suppressed fish populations and prevented the recovery of the fisheries. The reservoir filled to conservation pool in September 2014 and since then no severe golden algae blooms or fish kills have been documented. The long-term average conductivity in Red Bluff is over 7,000 µmhos/cm and frequently exceeds 10,000 µmhos/cm. Due to the high conductivity, electrofishing is ineffective in Red Bluff Reservoir. Habitat consists mainly of rock or gravel shoreline interspersed with flooded terrestrial vegetation. Other descriptive characteristics for Red Bluff Reservoir are in Table 1.

Management History

Important sport fish species is primarily limited to White Bass and important prey species is limited to Gizzard Shad. Palmetto Bass have been present when stocked. Due to continuous golden algae blooms throughout the 2000’s, fish populations were absent from 2004-2009 and all management efforts were suspended from 2010-2015. Due to improved conditions and the return of fish populations, sampling efforts resumed in 2016.

Fish Community, All Species

• Prey species: Gizzard Shad were present during spring gill netting and ranged from 6 to 15 inches. No sunfish species were observed during sampling.  
• Catfishes: Channel Catfish have historically been present at low abundance, but none were collected in 2022. In 2018, Headwater Catfish were collected in the uppermost portion of the reservoir. Headwater Catfish are known to be present in the Pecos River basin.
• Temperate basses: White Bass were present in good abundance. No Palmetto Bass were collected in 2022.
• Largemouth Bass: Largemouth Bass were not observed in 2022 and have not been observed since 2016.
• Crappie: Crappie species have never been collected and are believed to be absent from the reservoir.

Management Strategies

Conduct additional gill net survey in 2024, and general monitoring surveys with gill nets survey in 2026. Access survey will be conducted in 2026.

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