"Summer Fish Kill" at Lake Harriet

MINNEAPOLIS - Hundreds of dead fish are turning up on the shore at Lake Harriet.  Now, lake-goers are complaining about the mess and the awful stench. 

Said one woman who walking around the lake on Saturday, “It’s horrible, horrible. You know a fishy smell. Everybody knows what a fishy smell is about.”

Crews spent part of the day scooping up dead crappies from the popular Minneapolis lake.  It's not clear what killed the fish, but it may have something to do with  a lack of oxygen during the warm summer months.

Matthew Henkelman, who fishes several metro lakes including Harriet stated, "With water temperatures at 80 degrees on top, I assume more will die off."

Henkelman first noticed the dead fish on Monday.  An expert with the Department of Natural Resources, who hadn't studied this specific case, also cited the July heat as a potential cause.

He calls it a likely "summer kill," where oxygen is naturally depleted from the water through excess decay of plants and animals.

"I'm assuming these crappies need a little higher oxygen and a little cooler water,” says Henkelman.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board also reoprted that its crews were out harvesting weeds and aquatic vegetation in various parts of the lake this week.  A spokesperson concedes that the work can disrupt fish habitats and even kill them.

As for those who use Lake Harriet for recreation, they just want assurances that despite the dead fish, the water remains safe.

"I kayak in this lake, “ said Jana Freiband, who lives just a block off Lake Harriet. “It's just a matter of this lake being clean. I worry about the people who are swimming -- the people and the dogs. It worries me."

There have also been several recent reports of "summer kills" involving dead pan fish outside the Metro.  Those were blamed on a lack of oxygen in the water.

It may be Monday before there is a definitive answer if lack of oxygen led to the dead fish in Lake Harriet.