Thousands of fish die on AR lake, creating smelly situation

HETH, Ark. — Some residents in eastern Arkansas are having a hard time spending any time outside after a fish kill caused by the remnants of Hurricane Francine.

David Stanley lives on Blackfish Bayou in St. Francis County. On Thursday, he and his wife began smelling the fish. He discovered thousands of dead fish blocking a channel a few hundred yards from his home.

“It’s dammed up. The fish can’t go on down like they are supposed to, and the smell. I don’t even know how to describe it. It makes you not want to think about food, for one thing,” said Stanley.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said fish die-offs usually happen during the summer in smaller bodies of water and arms of creeks.

Randy Zellers, assistant director of communications, said cold rain from Francine caused Blackfish Lake to flip, killing the fish.

“All the cold water hits it at the same time, and it actually flips. All the oxygenated water at the surface drops to the bottom, and all the water that doesn’t have much oxygen in it flips to the top, and the fish can get caught in that,” said Zellers.

Zellers said they wouldn’t be counting how many fish were killed but said the smell should dissipate in a few days. He said residents should not try to pick up or consume the dead or dying fish.

“The fish, after they’ve been exposed to air, are beginning to decompose, which can cause issues,” he said.

Zellers said scavengers will likely eat some of the fish, and what is left will sink to the bottom of the lake. However, Stanley said the fish near his home aren’t going anywhere.

He said the fish below Highway 357 are being blocked by vegetation that needs to be cleared by the Arkansas Department of Transportation.

“They can fix this situation. They can get it unblocked,” said Stanley. “Inhaling it is unhealthy. We aren’t the only ones affected. We’ve got neighbors.”

Stanley said ARDOT was looking into the matter. WREG could not reach anyone with ARDOT Friday afternoon.