Lake Greenwood fish kill involved multiple species
State and local authorities are working together to investigate a recent fish kill in an area of Lake Greenwood in Greenwood County. Greenwood County officials, the S.C. Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) and S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) were notified of several dead fish in the Cross Hill area of Lake Greenwood on April 13 after receiving reports from the public. The agencies have been investigating, and at this time, the cause(s) of the fish kill has not been determined. Greenwood County’s Lake Inspector and Lake Manager responded promptly to assess the situation and reported their findings to SCDNR, the state agency responsible for managing fish populations on the lake, and SCDES, the state agency responsible for monitoring ambient water quality.
SCDNR has collected fish samples for analysis, and SCDES has conducted assessments and collected water samples in the affected area. Additionally, as part of ongoing investigations, SCDES is contacting facilities located upstream of the fish kill to determine whether any operational issues have occurred and to request their latest monitoring results.
SCDNR reports the fish kill has impacted mixed species, including crappie, yellow perch, flathead catfish, striped bass and bluegill. The majority of reports related to the fish kill have been localized to the lower portion of the lake, below the lower train trestle. Isolated reports of single dead fish in other areas of the lake are likely not related to this incident.
Fish kills, which are instances when large numbers of fish die suddenly within a body of water, are relatively common and can be caused by various environmental, biological and human-related factors. Some of the most frequent causes of fish kills are oxygen depletion, excessive algal blooms and high water temperatures. None of these common causes have been observed at this time with this particular fish kill.
Greenwood County Lake Management, SCDES and SCDNR will continue to investigate and provide additional updates as new information becomes available.
To report information related to this fish kill or any fish kill, contact SCDNR’s 24-hour reporting line at 1 800 922 5431.
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