Fishing has taken another hit with the heat lately: fish kills. ABC 5's reporter Phil Prazan talked to the DNR and until we break into a cooler/rainier pattern our extreme summer will continue to take its toll on more fishing areas across the state.
The main problem is water temps are extremely hot in the 90s and oxygen levels are dwindling, especially in shallow bodies of water like farm ponds or shallow lakes. As I understand it, Algae and aquatic plants boom in the warming water, giving off oxygen and providing cover and shade. But once the temps reach extreme levels, the plants and algae die. Dying plants and fish are consumed by bacteria which operate anaerobically which depletes the water's dissolved oxygen levels.
The fish are stressed by the heat and then succumb to slow suffocation. And the drought death toll sounds again. Click here for drought info. I wish there was a change in the weather patterns, but the long range predictions support a dry pattern with above average temps. So enjoy the refreshing cool down this weekend, we'll be back in the heat next week!
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