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Published - Thursday, March 10, 2005
Manure at root of Vernon County fish kill
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Afternoonedition Section Sponsors |
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Manure
spread on farm fields appears to be the cause of a fish kill in Jersey
Valley Lake, which is between Cashton and Westby in Vernon County,
according to a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources official.
DNR
Fisheries Supervisor Dave Vetrano said today an initial investigation
indicates that warm weekend weather caused rapid runoff from fields
that farmers had spread manure on numerous times. The runoff caused the
oxygen level in the lake to drop below the amount needed by fish to
survive, he said.
Vetrano said a local angler reported the fish kill.
Tests
today by DNR fisheries staff showed the highest recorded level of
dissolved oxygen in the water was one part per million. Trout generally
need 5 parts per million of oxygen in water to survive and warm water
species usually need at least 3 parts per million oxygen, he said.
Vetrano
said the lake is fed by runoff from a watershed covering about 12
square miles. It is located at the head waters of the West Fork of the
Kickapoo River which is a trout stream. No fish kill has been located
in the trout stream, he said.
The Vernon County Land
Conservation Department is working with the DNR to investigate the fish
kill. No single source of the manure has been located, he said. "I
think it was just excessive runoff on a system that's got runoff on a
lot of fields."
Jersey Valley Lake has been producing nice
bluegills and some bass for anglers, he said. During inspections today
Vetrano discovered dead fish and said the water was extremely dirty.
DNR crews are checking Sidie Hollow Lake and Rung Hollow Lake to see if there are problems in those locations.
For more see the Friday edition of the La Crosse Tribune |
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