Hundreds of dead fish found floating in Youghiogheny River
CONNELLSVILLE, PA (KDKA) — It's a fishy situation along the Youghiogheny River as hundreds of dead fish were found floating in the water this week.
It comes around the same time the water tested positive for "high levels" of E. coli, and after a big weekend in Connellsville where many celebrated together at the Yough River Rally.
"I've never seen this many dead fish in the river," said Dan Sumey, a local fisherman.
In Adelaide, dozens of dead fish were seen Friday. KDKA-TV talked to a woman who lives near the riverbank and she said they've been popping up all week.
"Every morning when I come out my back door, I can see them floating down the river. They're getting stuck in the waters in front of our house and it smells," the woman said.
A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission said according to preliminary reports, hundreds of suckers and carp died naturally due to the combination of breeding stress and low water conditions. It said the high E. coli level in the water is unrelated.
The Mountain Watershed Association said the water is tested weekly and just days before the Yough River Rally in Connellsville, its levels were in the "red" but "just barely over the limit."
The MWA said it talked to the city of Connellsville ahead of the weekend festivities, so the public was aware of what was in the water. It also recommended swimmers stay out of the water.
The MWA said if there are high levels of E. coli in the water, 35 out of 1,000 people will suffer some kind of waterborne bacteria-related sickness like stomach cramps.
"Signs were posted at the entrance of the River Rally and there was somebody from the game commission trying to warn people, but people still went in," a local woman said.
She said she saw someone outside of her home in Adelaide a few days after the River Rally, testing the water again.
"He came out and tested our waters here in front of our house. He said that they were okay but then the next day, all the dead fish appeared. So we panicked," she said.
Sumey said he has his own theory as to why the fish are dying since sucker fish are currently spawning.
"When you add in no rain, low water flow, low oxygen, high temperatures and they're protecting their offspring. That's a really rough time and it's hard to get through that," Sumey said.
The MWA also echoed the Fish & Boat Commission and said the E.coli is unrelated to the fish dying. It tested the water again on Wednesday this week and said it passed.
It added that it's safe to be in the water and the public should not be concerned.
Mountain Watershed Association released an additional statement, saying:
"The high levels of E.coli itself should not cause a fish kill. Over the past week we have gotten several complaints along various sections of the Youghiogheny River. There was a fish kill, I believe, last week that was a result of water temperature. This week we got a report of a brown sedimentation plume flowing down the river between 4:00-4:30each day. That we are looking into along with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. I also believe the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection also received the complaint and are also investigating.
"Last week, the results at Yough Park had slightly elevated concentrations of E.coli that exceeded the recommended level for swimming. This week those levels were back within range; however, just downstream near the KOA Campground E.coli levels exceed the recommendations for safe swimming. In Pennsylvania, swim season for local creeks, streams, and rivers is from May 1-September 30. During this timeframe Mountain Watershed Association monitors about 14 sites within the Youghiogheny River each week. The results are posted online with the results so that people can make an educated decision about wear to safely recreate."