ADDIS, La. (BRPROUD) – Fish were found dead in a neighborhood pond after hail recently made its way through West Baton Rouge Parish.
On Tuesday, June 20, around 5:25 p.m. Charlotte Broussard was filming the hail coming down in her backyard. Toward the end of the video, you can see a flash of lightning Broussard guesses happened behind the home. Broussard, along with her neighbor, was left with electrical damage.
On Wednesday morning, dead fish appeared to show up in the retention pond off Stonewall Drive. Pictures of the fish kill were taken on Thursday morning. Broussard said she can smell the rotten, dead fish from her back patio. She estimates that there are between 150 to 200 little fish, four or five large carp and more floating in the pond.
What could have caused these fish kills?
According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, hot temperatures or extended cloudy weather and storms could have led to fish kills.
LDWF Inland Fisheries Biologist Robby Maxwell said shallow ponds can be an unstable environment because of the hot, stagnant water. Other factors that could play a part in a fish kill are heavy rainfall, decaying debris or vegetation in waterways and turbid runoff or nutrient-laden runoff.
In the fish kill in West Baton Rouge Parish, Maxwell said hail could have turned over the water, causing low-oxygen conditions. He said lightning strikes likely had little effect, adding, “If it was going to kill any fish, only the fish near the surface of the water or vicinity of the lighting strike would have been affected.”
Maxwell said the fish in the retention pond should decompose in a matter of days.
If you spot a fish kill, contact the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries at 800-442-2511.
Leave a Reply