Movement of Tagged Gizzard Shad in a Large Missouri River Reservoir

Flooding on the Missouri River during 2011 altered the connection between Hipple Lake, a backwater habitat, and Lake Sharpe, a main-stem Missouri River reservoir.  South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) biologists believe Hipple Lake is an important component in Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) over-winter survival.  However, SDGFP only has anecdotal evidence of Gizzard Shad use of Hipple Lake.  The objectives of this study are to 1.) describe winter habitat use and 2.) describe seasonal movements of adult Gizzard Shad in Lake Sharpe.  We captured and implanted 20 adult shad with ultrasonic telemetry tags (Vemco V13 tag; 69 kHz, 13 mm, 1135 day tag-life). Twelve stationary receivers were deployed year-round in Lake Sharpe to record movements/habitat use of tagged Gizzard Shad.  Nine tagged Gizzard Shad used Hipple Lake during the winter of 2014, and remained in Hipple Lake for an average of 150 days (range: 48-203).  Hipple Lake appears to be an important over-winter habitat for adult Gizzard Shad in Lake Sharpe.  Average minimum daily movement rates were highest during September (10.1 rkm/d ± 0.9 SE).   Data collected to date indicate that maintaining the connection between Hipple Lake and Lake Sharpe may be important for over-winter survival of Gizzard Shad.