Fish kill confirmed at Lake Weatherford
Jul. 18—WEATHERFORD — Texas Parks and Wildlife have confirmed a fish kill at Lake Weatherford.
City of Weatherford Communications and Marketing Coordinator Oscar Diaz said city staff went out and investigated after reports from residents of dead fish near the upper end of the reservoir.
Diaz said the fish affected were isolated to the area under the Highway 730 bridge, and around the boardwalk.
A TPWD spokesperson said the cause appeared to be natural due to weather.
"These fish have been trapped by low water and are dying due to lack of oxygen and high-water temperatures," Kirk McDonnell said. "This is isolated to the upper end and does not appear to be affecting other areas of the lake.
"TPWD is not aware of any similar fish kills occurring in the area."
While human activities (the release of toxic chemicals, pesticides, sewage or oil for example), extreme hot or cold weather, parasitic infections and bacterial diseases can cause fish kills, low dissolved oxygen is the most common, according to TPWD. Often before a kill event occurs, fish can be seen trying to get oxygen by gulping at the surface of the water early in the morning. Some fish may also be lying on the bottom or at the edge of the water.
Highs for the week averaged around 103 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The city of Weatherford has also been under a Stage 1 drought restriction for quite some time, and TPWD reported the Weatherford Reservoir is currently about 8.5 feet low.
The lake is owned and operated by the city, but is under the jurisdiction of TPWD.
"Their recommendation was just to let nature take its course," Diaz said.
In June, beach crews along the Texas Gulf Coast spent a weekend clearing up thousands of dead fish that had washed up on the shore because of low dissolved oxygen.
A spokesperson with the TPWD Kills and Spills Team said these type of fish kills are common in the summer when temperatures increase.
For more information, including how to report fish kills, visit tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/environconcerns/kills_and_spills/kills.phtml.
