A GREAT Reservoir Gone Bad!

[rrw4258]

I know that almost all of you have not herard of Bellevue, OH but i thought i would share what happened here in the past 24 hours...

I went fishing at Res. 4 last night during some mist and drizzle, and the bass fishing was at its best. I was fishing spinnerbaits and picked up 23 bass in an hour and a half....

I come back up there less than 24 hours later and there are 1000's of dead bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish, and northerns everywhere. I saw bass from 6" all the way up over 6 pounds, and some big 16 -18" crappie, along with a few small 15 - 20" northerns everywhere. So i decided to make a few casts and see what happened. Nothing, notta, zip hitting spinnerbaits, cranks, plastics, etc. anywhere.

So when i get home I call the ODNR in Huron County, and the officer told me they were out there this morning with the cops and sheriffs, and the mayor and there were dead fish floating up right and left. He also explained to me that it was probably low oxygen levels in the water, and that was killing them off.

Here's the thing with the lox oxygen level though... the past few years the city has drawn the level of this reservoir down about 40 feeet to about 3 to 4 feet of water in the bottom, and very few fish were killed off those years at all. This year it was only 2 -3 feet down from normal levels and many fish died.

The thing that got me was that it happened so quickly, literally overnight. I personally think that someone tampered with the water. The ODNR said they would run water tests. They also said theres nothing they can do becasue it is city owned water, not state owned. He said he told the mayor to start pumping oxygenated water back in, and the mayor replied with "that's probably not going to happen. The reservoir is only about 15-20 acres.

Ryan

[pignjig]

I'm sorry to hear about that. Do think the reservoir was poisoned? Low oxygen sounds like a pretty weak excuse considering the history of the last few drawdowns you mentioned. That whole situation is just messed up.

[Tryinhard]

that really sucks, sorry to hear that.

[Jim80]

thats pretty bad man it just shows how little care some people have for whats happening around them .

Jim

[BigBassin144]

No way that was low oxygen level. First off, it wouldn't kill them over night like that, and second, why would a perfectly good reservior just all of a sudden develop oxygen level problems. We've had reservoirs around us put animal safe chemical weed killers. It messes up the fishing, but we've never seen more than the very occasional dead fish.

Were there a lot of weeds in there? If so, maybe they put too much chemicals in there and it killed the fish. IMO, they're hiding something.

BB

[JB]

Sorry to hear that, I know you've referred to that res. many times.
We live a few hours due south of you, and my buddies pond had the exact same thing happen to him to about 10 years ago.
He swore it had to be a chemical spill, and had his water tested, it came up clean.. the dnr said the same thing about the oxygen level. After that he ran a aerator pump and no problems since, except after about 7 years the pump burned out and he never has had the money to replace it..but the fish still are ok..the ones that did die were huge, lots of bass n gills on the show just over night.
Some fisheries are never the same after that happens, no matter how many years afterwards with restocking IMO

[rrw4258]

BB, there were only a few shoreline weeds, and some sparse moss, along with some bushes in the water.

Ryan

[bamabassman]

sory bout that pal. that is what happens when we let the politicians run our water supplies. they care only for themselves, not the enviroment. and i believe there was something else, not oxigen drop that caused it as well. take a sample and have it tested yourself ifn you are able.

[Jim80]

PS do not drink that water

[bamabassman]

I AGREE JIM!!! great point there pal.

[rrw4258]

Originally Posted by Jim80

PS do not drink that water

Ha... and that's some of the city's drinking water...
Lucky for me... we have well water.

Ryan

[rrw4258]

Ok guys, i went back tonight to check the situation, and i could SMELL dead fish from a quarter mile down the road. I have some pics of the fish and of the reservoir...

As you can see the reservoir is not very low with almost no algee/moss present.


Various dead fish pictures from tonight (Sunday)... the whole reservoir is over 1 mile around the top, and these are pictures of about fifty yards of the reservoir... (all different pictures) Also, the kinds of fish i saw include: bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish, bullhead, yellow perch, and some small northern pike (not pictured)





















Ryan

[Bender]

That whole thing with the DNR smells fishy. That is a lot of dead fish! Sorry to hear a great sounding place has been ruined. I will ask some local guys around here that might have some ideas from their experience with water quality, etc.

[bamabassman]

soo very sorry pal. i too think it was something fishy going on there. there is NO way fish hurt a water source. some folks think that a water source shouldn't have fish in it...CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!? some people who have all these degrees and such (SOME NOT ALL NOW ) really don't have a clue do they? stupid is as stupid does, right? lot of good fish there, gone but not forgotten. take your photos to the press, maybe they can get the truth out for ya'll.

[Jim80]

That is just a sad sad sight man , As a fellow fisherman I feel your pain and as a cynic there is no way I can think that happened naturally from a little water being let out . Unfortunately I don't think there is anything you will be able to do about it the people at the top of those situations usually care little for human life let alone the habitat of our beloved bass . Also you can tell from some of the photos that the bass looked to be feeding and there are fish sticking out of some of their mouths i can't see that being a natural happening .

[doc]

I have to say, I would probably take those to the local paper also. It's funny how much politicians/ city officials will start caring once the word gets out and they see that voters would like to see their drinking water resiviors managed a little better.

[Fishnngolfn]

I am calling BS on the oxygen level excuse. No way that happens that quickly. It looks like someone addded too much chemical when trying to control the weeds or algae. I would suggest taking a sample yourself and asking a local testing company to perform some tests on the water. Find out what chemicals the city uses to control weed and algae and have the testing company test for those chemicals.

[BigBassin144]

Hey man, I don't know if you guys get Toledo or Cleveland new station, but one of them here in Toledo has a thing (I think it is called Call for Action) where you can sen din pics and stuff like that and they will get word out and see what can be done. Most of the things they do are government related (surprise surprise). My grandma had a water leak in her front yard and the county came out to fix it. If killed two of her tree's which is their responsibility to replace. They didn't. We sent it to the call for action thing and they got county to plant two new trees. I'd also, like strated above send them to the local newspaper. I know the Toledo Blade has a fishing section every sunday, and they may put somthing like that in it. I'd give it a try. Spread the word as much as you can.

Also, I know you belong to the OGF forum. PUT THESE ON THERE (that is if you didn't already.) They can probably help spread the word too. Man, seeing all those pictures really pisses me off. If you need me to do something to help figure this out, let me know.

BB

[Fishnngolfn]

We have 6 On Your Side in Birmingham and the surrounding areas. It is the channel 6 news station that will call out those that they believe are in the wrong and put it it on TV. They present a person's story and then try to get the other's input. Once a camera is in their face, they either fix the problem or run and hide. The run and hide option usually causes them to lose face or business so most usually fix the problem and come up with some lame excuse as to why it took so long.

The news media would have a field day with those pictures and your story. Tell the local media.

[tnfisherman]

theres something more going on here ,,, if it was the oxyen levels it would have kill them soon not all at once,,, are there any mines or plant near by

[Tryinhard]

Those pictures are heart breakin, I would definatly bring in some media and lots of it ASAP, as it was said before officals don't like people digging up the truth, may fire and brimstone rain down on the @#%holes who did this... Good luck finding answers

[Bender]

I talked to a guy today who said he thought that when fish die due to low oxygen levels that they normally sink, not float.

[BigBassin144]

rrw, email those pics to me as well as the reservoir's name (which town?). BigBassin144@aim.com I'll emial them to the Toledo Blade. Also, can I give them your email address to contact you if they need to?

BB

[BigBassin144]

Oh, I forgot to mention, find out who runs the water treatment at the reservoir and make sure they know what's going on, including the BS the DNR told you.

BB

[rrw4258]

BB, i have sent an email to the Sandusky Register this evening, and i am going to copy the same information and send it to the Blade and the Plain Dealer... as well as our local paper the Bellevue Gazette. If i need something i'll be sure to give you a hollar...

Ryan