‘Fish kill’ leaves 1,000 fish dead near Emporia with cause unknown

EMPORIA, Kan. ( KSNT ) – Health officials are investigating a “fish kill” near the City of Emporia which has left hundreds of fish dead in a local river.

KSNT News reached out to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment ( KDHE ) for information on a reported large number of fish deaths in Lyon County’s Cottonwood River. A KDHE spokeswoman sent back a report dated July 18 of the fish kill investigation.

This report shows the area investigated was a section of the Cottonwood River about three miles east of Emporia following initial observations by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks ( KDWP ). The fish appeared to have been dead for several days but displayed no outward signs of deformities or illness.

No cause for the fish kill was found by investigators at the scene though an oily sheen on the water was noted in the KDHE report. No signs of any contaminants to the river or any signs of potential dumping or herbicide use were noted by investigators.

Fish species impacted by this event include carp, buffalo, drum and channel cat with the majority of the dead fish being smallmouth buffalo or bigmouth buffalo, according to the release. Other species, like shortnose gar, were seen in the water swimming freely.

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