An evaluation of Goldeye life history characteristics in two Kansas reservoirs

Goldeye Hiodon alosoides are native through much of Canada and the Mississippi River drainage in the United States. Life history characteristics have been described for several commercially important populations in northern portions of their range, but there is a paucity of information available for more southernly populations. Milford and Lovewell Reservoirs are in the Kansas River basin and harbor the only two lentic Goldeye populations in Kansas. Further, anecdotal observations suggest declining population abundance. The objectives of this study were to examine temporal trends in relative abundance and describe current size structure, body condition, and population dynamics of these two remnant populations. Both populations were characterized by decreasing relative abundance over the previous 24-year period although decreases in the Lovewell population were most profound. In Milford Reservoir, median total length of sampled Goldeye was 268 mm (minimum = 235 mm, maximum = 431 mm). The estimated maximum observed age for Goldeye was 8; however, age-1 Goldeye were the most abundant year-class collected accounting for 80% of sampled fish. A von Bertalanffy growth model was fit to back-calculated length at annulus formation with parameter estimates: L∞ = 402 mm, K = 0.93, and t0 = 0.29. Two individuals were collected at Lovewell Reservoir; therefore, no analyses were conducted. Overall, this study provides cursory knowledge of two remnant Goldeye populations in Kansas. These results can be applied to promote better understanding of their ecological role in these reservoirs, and other midwestern impoundments with remnant populations.