Nebraska Game and Parks says weather contributed to two recent fish kills

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Officials on Tuesday announced two recent fish kills in Nebraska.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission said it’s investigated die-offs at Benson Park Pond in Omaha and Pioneer Trails Lake near Aurora.

Game and Parks said this is a natural phenomenon during the summer that is often caused by low oxygen levels in the water.

These fish kills happened after a stretch of cloudy weather, which came after several hot days.

“Under normal conditions, aquatic plants and algae produce oxygen through photosynthesis using sunlight; however, when sunlight is blocked by clouds, oxygen production can drop quickly,” Aaron Blake, a fisheries biologist with the commission, said in a press release. “Algal blooms can further complicate things as algae can die off much quicker than rooted aquatic vegetation and once they die their decomposition consumes oxygen.”

Game and Parks said fish kills happen more often in smaller bodies of water. Because of their lower volume, the oxygen can be depleted sooner.

Anyone who sees dead or dying fish should call the closest Game and Parks office.