:r diets. Pages 

;. Ariz. Game 

Ir. and Range 

SeleniumInduced Changes in Fish 

Populations of a Heated Reservoir 

Gary P. Garrett, Texas Parks and Wildlife Depart

Junction Star Route, Box 62, Ingram, TX 7802

Charles R. Inman, Texas Parks and Wildlife Depa

Route 10, Box 1043, Tyler, TX 75707 

Abstract: High selenium levels and changes in abundance and 

tion of fishes were discovered after reports of fish dying in M

Reservoir, Texas. The reservoir functions as a cooling source f

power plant owned by Texas Utilities Generating Co. Analyse

tissue by the Texas Department of Health showed selenium c

ranging from 2.0 to 9.1 mg/kg. Cove rotenone sampling by th

and Wildlife Department indicated biomass of fishes, except co

Cyprinus carpio, was reduced 72 %. Relative biomass of trop

altered with planktivores changing from the largest to the sm

carnivores were initially reduced by nearly half, and omnivor

doubled. Three years after the fish kills, planktivore biomass 

lowest, carnivores had recovered to approximately 90% of t

biomass, and omnivores continued to dominate the commun

their original abundance. 

Proc. Annu. Conf. Southeast. Assoc. Fish and Wil

Selenium is 1 of several potentially toxic element

more prevalent in aquatic environments during the last d

in selenium has been caused primarily by burning lignite c

electrical energy. This pollutant is significantly impacting 

that only recently have been fully realized. Toxic concen

for fishes have been found to range from 2 to 80 mg/lite

Weir and Hine 1970, Niimi and LaHam 1975, Cardwell e

0.3 to 42.4 mg/liter for other freshwater animals (Environ

1980). Toxicity will vary with chemical form of selenium, 

the organism and duration of exposure. Environmental 

(1980) criterion for protection of freshwater aquatic life 

centration of 0.035 mg/liter. This amount is a 24-hour a

selenite in water with concentration at no time exceeding 

1984 Proc. Annu. Coni. SEAFWA :oni. SEAFWA 
One of the best documented cases of effects of selenium po

aquatic environment occurred at Belews Lake, North Carolina. 

tions dramatically declined in number over a 4-year period (197

reproduction in all species except common carp, Cyprinus carpio

to near zero (Cumbie 1978, Cumbie and Van Horn 1978). This w

to high concentrations of selenium emanating from fiy ash sluic

Belews Creek Steam Station. While the amount of selenium in th

reached a lethal concentration, it was thought bioaccumulation 

food chain was responsible for elevated levels found in fishes. Sa

(1973) demonstrated selenium could accumulate in fishes via th

Bioaccumulation has been shown to be directly proportional to t

tion in water and sediment (Fowler and Benayoun 1976) with se

ing the food chain primarily through phytoplankton. Concentrati

muscles of those species examined ranged from 5 to 50 mg/kg. L

from an unaffected reservoir, Lake Norman, North Carolina, 

0.7 mg/kg.	 

This paper fo<?uses on fish community changes that occurre

fueled power plant released selenium-rich water into Martin Cre

Texas. This type of situation is likely to be a recurrent problem i

reservoirs and it is hoped this study will aid future efforts to do

and effect. 

The authors express appreciation to the Inland Fisheries pe

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department who assisted with the man

tions and editing this paper and to Bill L. Minson for his assistan

tion of the figures. 

Description of StUdy Area 

Martin Creek Reservoir covers 2,000 ha in Rusk Count

watershed 

is composed of rolling hills with mixed pine and hard

The reservoir was constructed in 1974 on Martin Creek, a tr

Sabine River, by Texas Utilities Generating Co. as a cooling re

steam-electric power plant. 

Methods 

An extensive investigation of a slow die-off of fishes at 

Reservoir began in July 1979. Possible causes for the die-off we

by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Departm

and the Texas Department of Water Resources. These includ

1984 Proc. Annu. 
poisoning in an 

a. Fish populan4-1977) and 

io, was reduced 

5 was attributed 

lice water from 

the water never 

on through the 

Sandholm et al. 

the food chain. 

, the concentraselenium entertions in skeletal 

Levels in fishes 

averaged only 

~ed after a coalreek Reservoir, 

I in power plant 

iocument cause 

)ersonnel of the 

my field collecmce in preparatty, Texas. The 

rdwood forests. 

:ributary of the 

reservoir for its 

t Martin Creek 

ere investigated 

nent of Health, 

ded monitoring 

I. Coni. SEAFWA 

retained by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department t

various facets of the investigation. 

To detect changes in the fish populations, cove ro

employed for 3 consecutive years. These collections 

July, 1979 to 1981, in the same areas and by the same p

as were employed during a previous management survey 

prior to initiation of the fish die-off. Three coves, totalin

in different sections of the reservoir within the main wat

block-off nets (16-mm mesh) were used to prevent fish 

ing the sampling area. The nets were installed after s

hours) and prior to application of rotenone the follow

rotenone (5 %) was applied at a rate of 3 mg/liter t

Fishes were collected for 2 days and separated into s

25-mm size groups. All fish species were counted and w

during the first day of collection. During the second day o

separated by species and size groups and counted; weigh

size groups of species not obtained during the first-da

were reported as number and kilogram per hectare by 

species. 

For some comparisons, fishes were grouped by trop

sisted of top carnivores, planktivores, and omnivores (T

Results and Discussion 

A slow die-off of fishes began in Martin Creek Re

Two months earlier, the utility company had begun un

from 2 fly-ash ponds into the reservoir. Fly-ash is a by-pr

and often has a high selenium content. In September 19

conducted by the Texas Department of Water Resources 

ponds showed selenium levels of 2.2 to 2.7 mg/liter. 

Shoreline counts of dead fishes were unreliable due 

the die-off and delay or failure in reporting fish kills to 

Wildlife Department. Autopsies conducted during the 

the presence of parasites or bacteria in epidemic proportio

examination revealed enlarged kidneys and hemorrhagin

Analyses of fish muscle tissue from the reservoir by t

of Health revealed selenium concentrations ranging fro

(Table 2). This is considerably greater than 0.2 mg/kg 

1979 for largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, in 

wood Reservoir in adjacent Smith County. Concentration

1984 Proe. Annu. Coni. SEAFWA 
spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) 

bowfin (Amia calva) 

blue catfish (lctalurus furcatus)1l 

channel catfish (I. punctatus) Il 

flathead catfish (Pylodictis otivaris)lI. 

green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus)b 

warmouth (L. gulosus)b 

largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)b 

white crappie (Pomoxis annularis)b 

black crappie (P. nigromaculatus)b 

Planktivores 

gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) 

threadfin shad (D. petenense) 

golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) 

red shiner (Notropis lutrensis) 

blacktail shiner (N. venustus) 

inland silversides (Menidia beryllina) 

common carp (Cyprinus 

spotted sucker (Minytre

lake chubsucker (Erimy

black bullhead (lctalura

yellow bullhead (I. nata

tadpole madtom (Notor

blue catfish (lctalurus fu

channel catfish (I. punct

flathead catfish (Pylodic

green sunfish (Lepomis 

warmouth (L. gulosus)d 

bluegill (L. macrochirus

longear sunfish (L. mega

redear sunfish (L. micro

spotted sunfish (L. punc

bantam sunfish (L. symm

largemouth bass (Microp

white crappie (Pomoxis 

black crappie (P. nigrom

• TL 2:: 368 mm. b TL 2: 114 mm.
 e TL 367 mm.
 dTL;;:a 113 nun.
 

zinc, manganese, and chromium were found to be similar in t

Selenium in muscle tissue of largemouth bass from 3 other co

plant reservoirs in Texas averaged only 0.8 mg/kg. 

In an unpublished report, Lind stated that the high c

selenium in surficial sediments (up to 14 mg/kg in 1982) was 

recent addition and that this pollutant should continue to im

Creek Reservoir ecosystem for years to come. The latter assess

upon the low flushing rate for the reservoir and the presence of 

Corbicula sp., whose deep-burrowing actions could delay re

mentary processes. 

Three years after the die-off, Sorensen et al. (l982a) 

concentrations as high as 6 mg/kg in skeletal muscle of redear s

microlophus, at Martin Creek Reservoir. This is well above th

recommended by the National Health and Medical Resea

Australia as a maximum in seafoods consumed by humans (B

1977). Sorensen has published extensively on physiological ma

and green sunfish, L. cyanellus, exposed to selenium in Martin C

These include reduced hematocrits, lower hemoglobin concentr

in leukocyte distribution, small, irregularly shaped erythrocytes

corpuscular volume, reduced mean corpuscular hemoglobin 

1984 Proc. Annu
I 

lrpio) 

I melanops) 

'l sucetta) 

'lelas) 

gyrinus) 

atus)c 

IS)C 

olivaris)c 

mellus) d 

p

9 

Spotted gar 2.0 

Gizzard shad 7.0 5.6 7.3 5.3 (2

Common carp 9.1 (2) 4.6 4.6 

Channel catfish 3.2 2.7 (7) 4.6 (3 ) 2.8 (8

Largemouth bass 7.1 8.3 (3) 6.2 (8

Redear sunfish 5.6 (8

Bluegill 6.8 (5) 5.8 (8

Longear sunfish 5.1 (6

Black crappie 6.8 (2

tis)
 

7hus)
 

us)
 

tricus)
 

?rus salmoides)d
 

nularis)d
 

;ulatus)d
 

2 reservoirs. 

-fueled power 

lcentration of 

ndicative of a 

lct the Martin 

ent was based 

le Asian clam, 

lOVal by sedilund selenium 

lfish, Lepomis 

2-mg/kg level 

h Council of 

lbington et al. 

ldies of redear 

;:ek Reservoir. 

tions, changes 

reduced mean 

concentration 

Conf.SEAFWA 

(Sorensen and Bauer 1983), kidneys with proliferativ

hematuria and necrosis of convoluted tubule cells (S

1982b, 1983), central necrosis and increased numbers o

loendothelial cells in hepatic tissue (Sorensen et al. 1

hepatopancreas-weight-to-body-weight ratio (Sorensen 

hypertrophy of exocrine pancreas tissue (Sorensen et 

and thickened gill lamellae and ovaries with an increa

follicles (Sorensen et al. 1982a). 

Following the die-off in 1978, fish community stru

siderably. Total fish biomass was reduced by 11 % in 

percentage is understated since 154 common carp acco

total weight recovered. Common carp have been show

sistant to selenium poisoning (Huckabee and Griffith 

mon carp in either the 1977 or 1979 samples, the stand

72 %. The greatest declines in biomass were sustained 

carnivorous fishes while omnivores increased (Fig. 1). 

from the largest to the smallest group, carnivores were r

and omnivores became the largest group at 4 times their 

planktivore biomass remained the lowest, carnivores 

proximately 90% of their original biomass, and om

dominate the community at 3 times their original abun

Two of the more prominent planktivores in Ma

were gizzard shad, Dorosoma cepedianum, and threadf

Gizzard shad density was reduced from 889.7/ha in 197

and had recovered to only 263.8/ha by 1981. Threadf

also reduced (l30/ha to 6.4/ha), but greatly recovered 

The deleterious effects of selenium may have 

specific competition in the above instance. It is conc

could actually realize a net benefit from selenium cont

affected a competitor to an equal or greater degree and 

tion were more detrimental to this species than the eff

1984 Proc. Annu. Coni. SEAFWA 
160 

140 

IlJ 

a: 

« 120

I0
 

IlJ
 

I \00 

a: 

w 

D80 

(/) 

:: 

« -\0 a: 60 00 (!) 

0 

..J 

f> 40

:s

5­

F 20 

g

:s 

!"'" 

tI.l 0 

1981 

Figure 1. Fish biomass by trophic groups from cove rotenone sampling, Martin Creek Reservoir, 

Texas, July, 1977, 1979, 1980, and 1981. 

1977 1979 1980 

'7"'1'1 Kit OGRAMS PF'R l-4F'r.TAD~ -
1979 1980 

BLUEGILL (~15

OTHER SUNFISHES (~152

CHANNEL CATFISH (~254.0 m

Figure 2. Biomass of harvestable-size sport fishes from cove 

Martin Creek Reservoir, Texas, July, 1977, 1979, 1980, and 

1984 Proc. Annu. Coni. SEAFWA 

14 

12 

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>I-< 

Q) 

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cJ IJJ 

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CD 

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(J) 

Coni. SEAFWA 
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:r 

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... II) iii ;;; on N on ... '"

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LENGTH GROUP ( mm TL) 

Figure 3. Length-frequency distribution of largemouth bass from c

sampling, Martin Creek Reservoir, Texas, July, 1977, 1979, 1980, a

1984 Proc. Annu. C
gg

Total shad density in 1981, however, remained below the 197

level (1,019.7/hain 1977 and 352.2/ha in 1981). 

One of the more important carnivores in Martin Creek R

channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus. Biomass of adult channe

increasing in 1979, fell below the 1977 level in 1980 and 1981 

I-year delay in biomass reduction suggests that adults may hav

tolerance to selenium than some of the other species in this 

and Van Horn (1978) reported that adult channel catfish appe

sensitive to selenium than are centrarchids. 

Adult largemouth bass biomass was reduced in 1979, bega

1980, and by 1981, biomass of harvestable-size largemouth ba

passed the 1977 pre-selenium level (Fig. 2). Length-frequen

indicated these fish were probably spawned in 1979 (Fig. 3) 

the majority of the yearlings (178-229 mm TL) in 1980 and a

Several factors may have contributed to enhanced survival of 

The die-off in 1978 probably reduced inter- and intraspecific 

well as predation at a critical time in their life. Additionally, hu

(angler harvest) was certainly reduced due to publicity concer

contamination in the reservoir. 

While conditions for harvestable largemouth bass may h

by 1981, reproductive success remained detrimentally affected a

the low numbers of young-of-the-year in 1979 and 1980 (Fig. 

surprising in light of evidence that selenium accumulates in o

time (Kaiser et al. 1979) and has a detrimental effect on fish 

(Cumbie 1978, Cumbie and Van Horn 1978). 

Biomass of sunfishes, Lepomis spp., was reduced followin

discharge with fewer quality (~152 mm TL) sunfishes in the 19

1981 collections (Fig. 2). Population density, however, increa

1979 spawning season and continued the following year with a 

in number over the 1977 level (4,038/ha in 1977 and 6,511

Reduced predation, due to a lower number of carnivores, prob

substantial survival of young sunfishes resulting in an increase 

density and an undesirable population balance. 

If no additional selenium were added to Martin Creek Re

years might still be required before the existing contaminatio

system is reduced to natural levels. So far, the contamination 

drastically altered the fish community structure. The relative 

planktivores versus omnivores remains reversed from the pre-

e rotenone relationship. The increase in available forage (e.g., small sun

1981. tainly beneficial to piscivores, but since this increase was pr

.SEAFWA 1984 Proc. Annu. Con£. SEAFWA 
py 

necessarily return to pre-contamination proportions. 

Cooperation between state agencies and private consultants e

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to observe selenium levels in 

voir and effect a management program to reduce selenium release

prove conditions in the lake. The department is now involved in a 

program of monitoring selenium in sediments and fish tissue, mon

fish community, and restocking certain fish species in an attempt 

this system. 

Literature Cited 

Bebbington, G. M., N. J. Mackay, R. Chvojka, R. J. Williams, A. Dunn

Auty. 1977. Heavy metals, selenium and arsenic in nine species of 

commercial fish. Australian J. Mar. and Freshwater Res. 28:277-2

Cardwell, R. D., D. G. Foreman, T. R. Payne, and D. J. Wilbur. 1976. Ac

of selenium dioxide to freshwater fishes. Arch. Environ. Contam. a

4: 129-144. 

Cumbie, P. M. 1978. Belews Lake environmental study reports: sel

arsenic accumulation. Duke Power Co., Tech. Rep. Series No. 78

lotte, N.C. 

and S. L. Van Horn. 1978. Selenium accumulation associate

mortality and reproductive failure. Proc. Annu. Conf. Southeast. A

and WildI. Agencies. 32:612-624. 

Ellis, M. M., H. L. Motley, M. D. Ellis, and R. O. Jones. 1937. Selenium 

in fishes. Proc. Soc. for Exp. BioI. and Med. 36:519-522. 

Environmental Protection Agency. 1980. Ambient water quality criter

nium. Environ. Protection Agency, 440, 5-80-0/0. Washington, D

Fowler, S. W. and G. Benayoun. 1976. Influence of environmental 

selenium flux in two marine invertebrates. Mar. BioI. 37: 59-68. 

Huckabee, J. W. and N. A. Griffith. 1974. Toxicity of mercury and selen

eggs of carp (Cy prinus carpio). Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 103: 822-8

Kaiser, I. I., P. A. Young, and J. D. Johnson. 1979. Chronic exposure 

waters with naturally high selenium levels: effects on transfer RN

tion. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 36:689-694. 

Niimi, A. J. and Q. M. LaHam. 1975. Selenium to~icity on the early lif

zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio). J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 32: 803-806. 

Sandholm, M., H. E. Oksanen, and L. Pesonen. 1973. Uptake of se

aquatic organisms. Limnol. and Oceanogr. 18:496-499. 

Sorensen,	 E. M. B. and T. L. Bauer. 1983. Hematological dyscrasia 

chronically exposed to selenium-laden effluent. Arch. Environ. Co

Toxicol. 12: 135-141. 

1984 Proc. Annu. Con
'ations eventually rehis reservoir may not 

lsultants enabled the 

m levels in the reser­

.um releases and im­

'olved in a long-term 

issue, monitoring the 

m attempt to restore 

s, A. Dunn, and E. H. 

e species of Australian 

s. 28:277-286. 

lr~	 1976. Acute toxicity 

Contam. and ToxicoI. 

:eports: selenium and 

ries No. 78-04, Charn associated with fish 

Southeast. Assoc. Fish 

17. Selenium poisoning
 

22.
 

lality criteria for sele­


lshington, D.C.
 

ironmental factors on
 

7:59-68.
 

ry and selenium to the
 

103: 822-824. 

c exposure of trout to 

ransfer RNA methylathe early life stages of 

---. ---., J. S. Bell, and C. W. Harlan. 1982a. S

cytotoxicity in teleosts following chronic environ

viron. Contam. and Toxicol. 29: 688-696. 

---, J. S. Bell, and C. W. Harlan. 1983. Histopathol

exposed fish. The Am. J. Forensic Med. and Patho

---, C. W. Harlan, and J. S. Bell. 1982b. Renal ch

fish. The Am. J. Forensic Med. and Pathol. 3:123

Stadtman, T. C. 1974. Selenium biochemistry. Science. 

Weir, P. A. and C. H. Hine. 1970. Effects of various m

tioned goldfish. Arch. Environ. Health. 20:45-51. 

2:803-806. 

ptake of selenium by 

I dyscrasia in teleosts 

Environ. Contam. and 

. Annu. Conf. SEAFWA 1984 Proc. Annu. Conf. SEAFWA