(Area) Hot and dry weather is increasing the likelihood of fish becoming victim of a summer kill event.
Declining water levels have been reported anywhere from six inches low at Lake Anita to about a foot and a half down at Viking Lake. “Dry conditions, heat causing a lot of evaporation has our water levels dropping. That puts some fish populations at risk, especially if you are dealing with marginal water volumes or depths. The next couple of weeks will be critical to avoid summer kill situations.”
Fisheries Biologist Bryan Hayes explains a summer kill can occur when the water bodies have a void of oxygen. “Caused by algae blooms or excessive aquatic vegetation that causes fluctuation in dissolved oxygen. Then you hit that tipping point where that oxygen level gets below what the fish can survive in and you’ll see summer kill conditions.”
Hayes says a few summer kill events have already been reported including at Dunlap City Pond.
