U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Map 3350

Sheet 5 of 7

Prepared in cooperation with the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque District, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Lemitar Sampling Site

13,547 square meters

August 6, 2012

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

68

N/O

64,555 square meters

December 1, 2011

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

16

N/O

N/O

N/O

N/O

F

A

Measuring depths and velocities in a 

run (mesohabitat ID 10). Photograph 

by Daniel K. Pearson, U.S. Geological 

Survey, December 2, 2011.

Facing northward from the Chaparral 

Loop Bridge approximately 4.6 miles 

downstream from the Lemitar site. 

Photograph by Daniel K. Pearson, U.S. 

Geological Survey, August 6, 2012.

3

9

8

7

2 1

6

16

10

4

12

5

14

11

34 ̊11’15”

106 ̊53’7.5” 106 ̊53’ 106 ̊52’52.5”

34 ̊11’

34 ̊10’45”

F

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

*Habitat parameters were not measured at 

this location, but fish were collected.

15*

1

57

42

16

54

8

35

4

62

9

3

48

29

36

52

44

18

25

45

21

5

68

14

41

66

67

23

106 ̊53’7.5” 106 ̊53’ 106 ̊52’52.5”

34 ̊11’15”

34 ̊11’

34 ̊10’45”

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

Abeytas Sampling Site

106,058 square meters

November 28, 2011

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

49

N/O

N/O

45,744 square meters

June 7, 2012

10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

61

0

Looking west toward a burn-scarred area from a submerged channel bar in the upstream end of the 

Abeytas sampling site. U.S. Geological Survey personnel delineating mesohabitats and editing the 

map product output. Photograph by Michael D. Porter, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, June 7, 2012.

38

14

36

10

8

29

2

20

48

41

22

9

25

44

28

15

23

11

106 ̊48'15" 106 ̊48'

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

34 ̊27'15"

34 ̊27'

34 ̊26'45"

25

2

3

28

51

56

32

38

52

41

6

34

42

8

9

25

21

24

10

16

53

23

17

12

22

11

20

19

14

106 ̊48'

34 ̊27'15"

34 ̊27'

34 ̊26'45"

106 ̊48'15"

A

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

Winter 2011–12

November 28, 2011

Winter 2011–12

December 1, 2011

Summer 2012

June 7, 2012

Summer 2012

August 6, 2012

La Joya Sampling Site

5

9

15

8

10

14 11

17

18

6

12

3

4

16

34 ̊19’15”

106 ̊51’15”

34 ̊19’

34 ̊18’45”

106 ̊51’22.5” 106 ̊51’7.5”

B

0 40 80 120 160 METERS

0 100 200 300 400 FEET

1

9

39

31

60

45 55

57

26

19

22

51

47

11

23

36

17

24

7

12

62

54

68

30

10

70

0 40 80 120 160 METERS

0 100 200 300 400 FEET

106 ̊51’22.5“ 106 ̊51’15“ 106 ̊51’7.5“

34 ̊19’15“

34 ̊19’

34 ̊18’45”

C

55,712 square meters

November 29, 2011

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

18

N/O

N/O

N/O

24,921 square meters

August 8, 2012

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

70

N/O

N/O

N/O

Looking southwest at isolated pool near 

the upstream end of the La Joya sampling 

site. Photograph by Daniel K. Pearson, U.S. 

Geological Survey, November 29, 2011.

Looking west toward an isolated pool that U.S. Geological 

Survey hydrologist is delineating in the upper half of the La 

Joya sampling site. Photograph by Daniel K. Pearson, U.S. 

Geological Survey, August 8, 2012.

Winter 2011–12

November 29, 2011

Summer 2012

August 8, 2012

Rio Salado Sampling Site

56,374 square meters

November 30, 2011

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

24

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

N/O

N/O

N/O

N/O

N/O

27,088 square meters

August 7, 2012

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

40

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

N/O

N/O

Looking southwest toward point bar with 

loose livestock in the Rio Salado sampling 

site. Photograph by Daniel K. Pearson, U.S. 

Geological Survey, November 30, 2011.

Looking northwest toward the downstream end 

of the Rio Salado sampling site. Suspended 

sediment (visible in the run shown in the 

foreground) is caused by reduced channel 

velocity associated with local hydraulics 

caused by San Acacia Diversion Dam. 

Photograph by Daniel K. Pearson, U.S. 

Geological Survey, August 7, 2012.

23

24

8

7 5

9

4

2

34 ̊15’45”

34 ̊15’30”

22

11

10

21 17

20

16

19

18

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

*Habitat parameters were not measured at 

this location, but fish collection was attempted.

106 ̊52’ 106 ̊51’45”

D

12*

Winter 2011–12

November 30, 2011

28

4

23

1

9

2

5

29

27

15

35

25

10 38

13

26

12

33

24

34 ̊15’45”

34 ̊15’30”

E

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

106 ̊52’ 106 ̊51’45”

Summer 2012

August 7, 2012

B

D

E

C

Fish Assemblage Composition and Mapped Mesohabitat Features Over a Range of Streamflows

in the Middle Rio Grande, New Mexico, Winter 2011–12, Summer 2012

By

Daniel K. Pearson, Christopher L. Braun, and J. Bruce Moring

2015 Printed on recycled paper

ISBN 978-1-4113-4010-7

9 7 8141 1 3401 0 7

ISSN 2329-1311 (print)

ISSN 2329-132X (online)

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sim3350

ABBREVIATIONS and EXPLANATION

pools

riffles

forewaters

backwaters

flats

isolated pools

channel bar*

point bar*

*Not included in wetted mesohabitat area 

donut graphs or bar graphs showing 

number of wetted mesohabitats mapped

flat

riffle

run

pool

isolated pool

backwater

forewater

embayment

runs

Base from Middle Rio Grande Conservation District,

March–May 2012, 0.5-foot resolution compressed mosaic,

New Mexico State Plane Central Zone,

North American Datum of 1983

Base from Bureau of Reclamation,

February 2012, 1.5-foot resolution compressed mosaic,

New Mexico State Plane Central Zone,

North American Datum of 1983

Base credit in maps for Peña Blanca, Bernalillo, La Orilla,

Barelas, Los Padillas, Los Lunas I, and Los Lunas II (sheets 3 and 4) 

Base credit in maps for Abeytas, La Joya, Rio Salado, Lemitar, Arroyo del Tajo, San Pedro,

Bosque del Apache I, and Bosque del Apache II (sheets 5, 6, and 7)

U.S. Geological Survey sampling

sites short names and map identifier

Peña Blanca, PNB

Bernalillo, BRN

La Orilla, LOR

Barelas, BAR

Los Padillas, PAD

Los Lunas I, LL1

Los Lunas II, LL2

Abeytas, ABY

La Joya, LJY

Rio Salado, RSL

Lemitar, LEM

Arroyo del Tajo, ATJ

San Pedro, SPD

Bosque del Apache I, BA1

Bosque del Apache II, BA2

45,744 square meters**

Wetted mesohabitat area

NOTE: Mesohabitat area donut plots are scaled relative to one another as a function of area.

NOTE: Numbered mesohabitats labeled in yellow correspond to the subset of mesohabitats where Rio Grande silvery minnows were caught.

NOTE: Numbered mesohabitats that are outlined in black on maps correspond to the subset of mesohabitats where physical habitat measurements

 (and water-quality properties were measured in summer 2012) and fish collection was attempted. 

August 11, 2012

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

93

N/O (not observed)

Total number

of wetted 

mesohabitats 

mapped

Date site was mapped

**Total areal extent of wetted

mesohabitat mapped 

Photo identifier and direction facing when

photograph was taken

A

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and 

does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services, Box 25286, Federal Center, 

Denver, CO 80225, 1–888–ASK–USGS

Digital files available at http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sim3350

Suggested citation: Pearson, D.K., Braun, C.L., and Moring, J.B., 2015, Fish assemblage 

composition and mapped mesohabitat features over a range of streamflows in the Middle 

Rio Grande, New Mexico, winter 2011–12, summer 2012: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

Investigations Map 3350, 7 sheets, http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sim3350.