Why are thousands of dead fish floating in Brush Creek beside the Country Club Plaza?

Natalie Wallington
·2 min read

A pungent stench blew through Kansas City’s high-end Country Club Plaza Monday morning as thousands of dead fish crowded the surface of Brush Creek.

The fish, which state biologists identified as mostly green sunfish, floated in murky, slow-moving water alongside large patches of rust-colored scum.

Dead fish float in the waters of Brush Creek near the Country Club Plaza on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Kansas City. The dead Green Sunfish range from three to ten inches in length and died from excessive heat and lack of oxygen.
Dead fish float in the waters of Brush Creek near the Country Club Plaza on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Kansas City. The dead Green Sunfish range from three to ten inches in length and died from excessive heat and lack of oxygen.

“The fish are dying due to low oxygen levels in the water,” said Bill Graham, a spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Conservation. “The low oxygen is caused by low to no water flowing in the concrete structure and warm water conditions.”

Graham added that the “fish kill” was concentrated between Roanoke Parkway and Jefferson Street. A precise count of dead fish was not available.

An oily sheen on the surface of the water accompanied the fish, which ranged in size from around three inches to around ten inches long. Small streams of bubbles were seen rising from the bottom of the creek Monday, although state biologists could not offer an explanation.

“Some fish are alive and appear to be stressed, so more fish could die unless significant rains arrive to refresh water flow,” Graham said. He noted that other animals in the creek, like turtles and snakes, won’t be affected by the poor water conditions because they breathe air.

Dead fish fill the waters of Brush Creek near the Country Club Plaza on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Kansas City. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the proliferation of dead fish is a result from excessive heat and lack of oxygen in the water.
Dead fish fill the waters of Brush Creek near the Country Club Plaza on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Kansas City. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the proliferation of dead fish is a result from excessive heat and lack of oxygen in the water.

The Star last reported on a similar “fish kill” in 2021, when 52,000 fish were found dead along a roughly four-mile stretch of the creek. In that case, state biologists determined that heavy rains had stranded fish from the Blue River in Brush Creek, where shallow waters and high temperatures led to their demise.

The vast majority of fish killed in 2021’s event were also sunfish. Monday’s fish kill also claimed a few bluegill, Graham said.

The Missouri Department of Conservation handles around 100 such “fish kills” every year, according to its website. Around half are caused by natural events like weather and drought, while the other half have human causes like pollution, chemical spills and runoff.

Dead fish fill the waters of Brush Creek near the Country Club Plaza on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Kansas City. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the dead fish are mostly Green Sunfish and died as a result of excessive heat and lack of oxygen in the water.
Dead fish fill the waters of Brush Creek near the Country Club Plaza on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Kansas City. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the dead fish are mostly Green Sunfish and died as a result of excessive heat and lack of oxygen in the water.

If you spot a potential fish kill in Missouri, you can report it to the state here. If you’re in Kansas, contact your regional KDWP office or call 620-672-5911.

Do you have more questions about wildlife in Kansas City? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.