Triple-Digit Temps Spark Fish Kills...Pond Aeration Is The Solution!
Posted by Jeff Kennedy on Mon, Aug 01, 2011 @ 02:38 PM
Higher Water Temperatures Killing North Texas Fish
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Humans aren’t the only ones languishing in the North Texas heat.
“Everything is suffering… anything that depends on water and unfortunately that includes every single, living thing,” said Larry Hodge with Texas Parks and Wildlife.
The hot North Texas weather is killing fish.
The 30+ days of extreme heat and drought conditions have led to higher water temperatures and lower lake levels. That combination depletes oxygen in the water, which the fish need to breath.
“It can get to the point where the fish actually do not have enough oxygen in the water and they will suffer,” explained Hodge. “You’ll first see them at the surface trying to gulp air and then eventually, if it becomes severe enough, they may die.”
Farm ponds and other small bodies of water are especially vulnerable. According to Hodge, there have been some fish kills on Lake Ray Hubbard and on some North Texas ponds.
“Because they have less ability to withstand the temperature changes, because there’s less water in them, so their temperature tends to go up and down faster than a big body of water,” Hodge said.
Temperatures on area ponds are reaching the mid-90s and there are few things that can be done to cool the water. “If it’s a small pond the pond owner can actually aerate the water by agitating the water. Anything to mix air with the water will help,” suggested Hodge.
Hodge says the only thing that will really help is rain and cooler temperatures.