8/15/2005
LOUP CANAL IN PLATTE COUNTY EXPERIENCES FISH KILL - Tom Keith

LINCOLN, Neb. – Low dissolved oxygen levels caused by warm cloudy days and a reduced flow of water combined on August 11 and 12 to cause a significant fish kill in the Loup Canal in Platte County, according to Jeff Schuckman, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s District III fisheries supervisor in Norfolk.

Schuckman said the 10,000 - 20,000 fish killed were mostly river carpsuckers, drum, gizzard shad and young-of-the-year channel catfish, however, smaller numbers of largemouth bass and crappie also died.

The area of the canal most effected was from above the Monroe Power Plant, to and including, Lake Babcock.

Schuckman said. “By midmorning on Saturday, the conditions improved and levels of dissolved oxygen in the water returned to near-normal. There’s no reason for anglers to hesitate to fish in the canal as usual.” The incident was investigated by personnel from the Commission and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality.

 

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