12-21-2006, 06:10 AM
The Shenandoah River Fish Kill Task Force, with the assistance of river enthusiasts from throughout the watershed, is investigating new reports of fish kills on the North and South Fork Shenandoah, as well as a kill on the mainstem Shenandoah early this month.
On Dec 11, dead sunfish were found on the North Fork near Passage Creek and dead sunfish and a smallmouth bass were found on the South Fork in Front Royal.
Shenandoah River between Route 50 and the Lockes Landing access in Clarke County reported seeing numerous dead fish on the bottom of the river. Biologists with the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries identified the fish as northern hogsuckers and indicated that some had been dead for several days.
Also that week, the Shenandoah Riverkeeper, members of the Potomac Smallmouth Club, local fishing guides, DGIF and Department of Environmental Quality personnel, riparian landowners and members of the Shenandoah River Fish Kill Task Force canvassed the South Fork, North Fork and mainstem Shenandoah River to determine the extent of the fish kill. Though observers did find one dead northern hogsucker at one location on the North Fork Shenandoah, the kill appeared to be centered on the mainstem Shenandoah downstream of Morgan's Ford.
"It was great to see all the collaboration among river enthusiasts who assisted the state agencies in determining the extent of this latest fish kill," says Steve Reeser, DGIF biologist and co-chair of the task force.
The task force contacted West Virginia authorities, who have received no reports of dead fish in the West Virginia portion of the Shenandoah River. At the time, no dead fish were observed on the South Fork Shenandoah.
Biologists will not be able to fully assess the impact to the sucker population until sampling the river next spring. This is the same area of the river where a similar fish kill involving northern hogsuckers occurred in late May 2006. Investigators were not able to determine the cause of that kill.
"We do not know whether these recent fish kills are related to fish kills that have occurred throughout the Shenandoah watershed in the past three years," says Don Kain, DEQ biologist and co-chair of the task force. "Information collected from these incidents will be included in our complex investigation of the chronic fish kills that have been plaguing the Shenandoah."
An estimated 80 percent of the adult smallmouth bass and redbreast sunfish perished in the North Fork during spring 2004, and the South Fork and mainstem in spring 2005. Kills persisted in the lower North Fork again in spring 2006. The investigation into the cause of those fish kills is ongoing.
DEQ urges anyone observing dead fish or unusual water quality conditions to contact DEQ immediately at (540) 574-7800. For more information contact Don Kain, (540) 574-7815, dgkain@deq.virginia.gov, or Steve Reeser, (540) 248-9360, steve.reeser@dgif.virginia.gov.
On Dec 11, dead sunfish were found on the North Fork near Passage Creek and dead sunfish and a smallmouth bass were found on the South Fork in Front Royal.
Shenandoah River between Route 50 and the Lockes Landing access in Clarke County reported seeing numerous dead fish on the bottom of the river. Biologists with the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries identified the fish as northern hogsuckers and indicated that some had been dead for several days.
Also that week, the Shenandoah Riverkeeper, members of the Potomac Smallmouth Club, local fishing guides, DGIF and Department of Environmental Quality personnel, riparian landowners and members of the Shenandoah River Fish Kill Task Force canvassed the South Fork, North Fork and mainstem Shenandoah River to determine the extent of the fish kill. Though observers did find one dead northern hogsucker at one location on the North Fork Shenandoah, the kill appeared to be centered on the mainstem Shenandoah downstream of Morgan's Ford.
"It was great to see all the collaboration among river enthusiasts who assisted the state agencies in determining the extent of this latest fish kill," says Steve Reeser, DGIF biologist and co-chair of the task force.
The task force contacted West Virginia authorities, who have received no reports of dead fish in the West Virginia portion of the Shenandoah River. At the time, no dead fish were observed on the South Fork Shenandoah.
Biologists will not be able to fully assess the impact to the sucker population until sampling the river next spring. This is the same area of the river where a similar fish kill involving northern hogsuckers occurred in late May 2006. Investigators were not able to determine the cause of that kill.
"We do not know whether these recent fish kills are related to fish kills that have occurred throughout the Shenandoah watershed in the past three years," says Don Kain, DEQ biologist and co-chair of the task force. "Information collected from these incidents will be included in our complex investigation of the chronic fish kills that have been plaguing the Shenandoah."
An estimated 80 percent of the adult smallmouth bass and redbreast sunfish perished in the North Fork during spring 2004, and the South Fork and mainstem in spring 2005. Kills persisted in the lower North Fork again in spring 2006. The investigation into the cause of those fish kills is ongoing.
DEQ urges anyone observing dead fish or unusual water quality conditions to contact DEQ immediately at (540) 574-7800. For more information contact Don Kain, (540) 574-7815, dgkain@deq.virginia.gov, or Steve Reeser, (540) 248-9360, steve.reeser@dgif.virginia.gov.