USGS Home
Contact USGS
Search USGS

Distribution and Dispersal of Fishes in the Red River Basin

by

John J. Peterka and Todd M. Koel
Zoology Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105

October 1996

Abstract: Surveys of fishes conducted at 1026 sites from 1892-1994 identified 77 native and seven introduced species in the Red River of the North basin in the United States. Twenty-nine species were cyprinids; and 10, 9, 8, and 6 species were percids, centrarchids, catostomids, and ictalurids, respectively. The white sucker (Catostomus commersoni), fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), and common shiner (Luxilus cornutus) were the most common species, occurring at 60%, 53%, and 47% of the sites sampled, respectively. Species which were most rare included the largescale stoneroller (Campostoma oligolepis), pugnose shiner (Notropis anogenus), and mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi), all found at <1% of the sites. Sampling using seines, trap nets, and gill nets was conducted to determine the current status of the white bass (Morone chrysops) in the Sheyenne River and the gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) in the James River (Missouri River basin). The white bass was not found in the Sheyenne River in 1993 or 1994 in collections made at sites from near Valley City to its mouth. The gizzard shad was not found in the James River at Ludden or Larimore in 1993.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Results -- Fishes in The Red River of the North Basin
• The Distribution of Stream Fish Species
• Summary
• References

Tables

• Table 1 -- Sources of fish survey data used to produce distribution maps
• Table 2 -- A listing of fish species reported in the Red River Basin

Appendix A

• Table A1 -- Fish species caught from the James River Ludden, ND
• Table A2 -- Fish species caught from the James River at LaMoure, ND
• Table B1 -- Fish species caught from the Sheyenne River, near Valley City, Barnes Co.
• Table B2 -- Fish species caught from the Sheyenne River near Kathryn, Barnes Co.
• Table B3 -- Fish species caught from the Sheyenne River, north of Kathryn, Barnes Co.
• Table B4 -- Fish species caught from the Sheyenne River, downstream from Kathryn dam, Barnes Co.
• Table B5 -- Fish species caught from the Sheyenne River, at Little Yellowstone Park. Ransom Co.
• Table B6 -- Fish species caught from the Sheyenne River upstream from dam at Lisbon, Ransom Co.
• Table B7 -- Fish species caught from the Sheyenne River, Mirror Pool, Richland Co.
• Table B8 -- Fish species caught from the Sheyenne River at mouth, Cass Co.