U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Map 3350

Sheet 4 of 7

Prepared in cooperation with the

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

Los Lunas II Sampling Site

Los Lunas I Sampling Site

2

4

37

31

3

9

5

46

32

41

11

19

24

15

6

34 ̊45’15”

106 ̊44’30”

34 ̊45’

106 ̊44’15”

E

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

97,840 square meters

November 14, 2011

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

50

N/O

N/O

N/O

66,331 square meters

June 6, 2012

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

89

N/O 97,840 square meters

November 14, 2011

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

50

N/O

N/O

N/O

66,331 square meters

June 6, 2012

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

89

N/O

102,784 square meters

November 12, 2011

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

59

N/O

N/O

N/O

N/O

N/O

0 10 20 

Number of w

N/O

73,866 square meters 102,784 square meters

November 12, 2011

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

59

N/O

N/O

N/O

N/O

N/O

June 5, 2012

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

145

N/O

D

Looking downstream from a channel bar near 

the upstream end of the Los Lunas I sampling 

site. Photograph by Daniel K. Pearson,

U.S. Geological Survey, June 5, 2012.

E

Looking downstream towards narrow run between two channel 

bars; U.S. Geological Survey geographer processing mapped 

data in the foreground. Photograph by Christopher L. Braun, U.S. 

Geological Survey, November 14, 2011.

F

Looking upstream from a run near mid-reach at Los Lunas II 

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

Survey, June 6, 2012.

Winter 2011–12

November 14, 2011

34 ̊45’15”

34 ̊45’

48

1

80

85

72

40

60

13

90

70

84

86

49

82

50

57

73

25 10

28

68 64

88

54

21

53

30

106 ̊44’30” 106 ̊44’15”

F

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

62*

*Habitat parameters were not measured at 

this location, but fish collection was attempted.

Summer 2012

June 6, 2012

Barelas Sampling Site

Los Padillas Sampling Site

November 9, 2011 August 10, 2012

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

35 114

N/O

N/O

113,199 square meters N/O 103,094 square meters

November 9, 2011 August 10, 2012

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

35 114

N/O

N/O

113,199 square meters N/O 103,094 square meters

35 ̊4’45”

35 ̊4’30”

112

29

47

54

3

63

48

42

59

99

18

20

55

54

106 ̊40’30” 106 ̊40’15”

112

29

39

80

103

76

83

74

31

84

92

89

36

33

72

109

42

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

89,210 square meters

November 15, 2011

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

52

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

N/O

N/O

N/O

67,327 square meters

August 9, 2012

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

57

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

N/O

89,210 square meters

November 15, 2011

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

52

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

N/O

N/O

N/O

67,327 square meters

August 9, 2012

Number of wetted mapped mesohabitats

57

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

N/O

Oblique aerial photograph showing lower half of Los Padillas sampling site with approximate extents of readily identifiable 

mesohabitats delineated. Photograph by Daniel K. Pearson, U.S. Geological Survey, June 4, 2012.

run

point bar

channel bar

channel bar

5

14

32

24

15

16

2

4

26

29

19

9

23

27

20

8

35

7

106 ̊40’15”

35 ̊4’45”

35 ̊4’30”

106 ̊40’30”

A B

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

Oblique aerial photograph showing downstream 

end of Los Padillas sampling site with 

approximate extents of readily identifiable 

mesohabitats delineated. Delineated 

mesohabitats do not correspond to mapped 

mesohabitats from either November 15, 2011, 

or August 9, 2012. Photograph by Daniel K. 

Pearson, U.S. Geological Survey, June 4, 2012.

Looking downstream along secondary channel at Los Padillas 

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

Survey, November 15, 2011.

C

U.S. Geological Survey hydrologist delineates a channel bar using GPS at the 

Barelas sampling site. Photograph by Daniel K. Pearson, U.S. Geological Survey, 

November 9, 2011.

A B

Downstream end of Barelas sampling site. Photograph by Daniel K. Pearson,

U.S. Geological Survey, November 9, 2011.

Winter 2011–12

November 9, 2011

3

1

47

8

20

18

17

23

13

52

6

44 45

14

5

3 35

39

37 36

29

34 ̊58’

34 ̊57’45”

34 ̊57’30”

106 ̊41’22.5” 106 ̊41’15” 106 ̊41’7.5”

C

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

Winter 2011–12

November 15, 2011

1

23

7

10

59

31

30

35

13

21

22

32

46

25

37

40

8

16 17

34 ̊2’30”

34 ̊2’15”

106 ̊42’52.5” 106 ̊42’45” 106 ̊42’37.5”

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

Winter 2011–12

November 12, 2011

Summer 2012

August 10, 2012

34 ̊58'

34 ̊57’45”

34 ̊57’30”

6

26

1

3

20

21

5

15

17

7

11

10

27

6

26

20

21

40

1 5

1 7

47

57

49

38

53

39

1 1

1 0

48

37

27

52

30

31

46

35

55

51

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

106 ̊41’22.5” 106 ̊41’15” 106 ̊41’7.5”

Summer 2012

August 9, 2012

34 ̊2’30”

34 ̊2’15”

2

95

88

216

61

171

134

45

36

93

40

69

209

144

211

213

58

234

53

9

23

163

159

16

164

162

19

17 39

161

0 50 100 150 200 METERS

0 125 250 375 500 FEET

106 ̊42’52.5” 106 ̊42’45” 106 ̊42’37.5”

D

Summer 2012

June 5, 2012

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.