Fishkill fouls Apalachicola River and Dead Lake in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael
A hurricane and a sewage spill are the prime suspects as the state and environmentalists seek answers
James CallDead fish washed up along the banks of the Apalachicola River and the shore of Dead Lake north and east of Wewahitchka in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael.
State officials and environmentalists say it is unclear whether the kill is confined to Gulf County and whether it is caused by a sewage spill or a hurricane-related phenomenon.
More than 80,000 gallons of partially chlorinated effluent, enough to fill three residential swimming pools, was released in the Apalachicola watershed in Gulf County the day Michael made landfall.
The waste-water treatment plant lost electrical power after being battered by the approaching storm.
Earlier this week, residents phoned the Fish and Wildlife Commission hotline to report the fish kill at Dead Lake and along the Bloody Bluff in the lower river basin.
The Apalachicola Riverkeeper was out along the river west of Tate’s Hell National Forest Thursday morning to see how far upstream the kill extends.
“Citizen scientists are needed – if you see something, report it,” said Riverkeeper Georgia Ackerman. “It is important to understand the ongoing ecological impact from the storm.”
Sewage entered the Apalachicola River around 11 a.m. Oct. 10, shortly before the storm made landfall. The sewage plant lost electricity and when the pumps were unable to function, wind and rain overwhelmed the system, said a Department of Environmental Protection spokesperson.
Michael's catastrophic winds could be a factor in the Dead Lake kill. Hurricane-force wind can push a lake’s water to one side and the debris kicked up from the lake bottom depletes the oxygen in the lake. Flood waters create the same risk to river life.
The FWC said low levels of dissolved oxygen is by far the most common cause of post-storm fish kills.
Once the flood waters recede and lake debris settles, plants and algae in the waters will be able to produce enough oxygen to bring the oxygen levels up to a life-sustaining level for fish, according to the FWC’s website.
"Ongoing water quality monitoring is needed to understand the storm’s impacts on the entire Apalachicola River and Bay system," said Ackerman, speaking by phone from the riverbank.
“The FWC can’t be everywhere. So, if you see something take photos and get the information to the FWC."
The FWC’s Fishkill hotline is 1-800-636-0511. Reports can also be filed at the FWC website.
Reporter James Call can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com.
