MORGAN COUNTY, Utah — Biologists with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources say recent warm temperatures have killed dozens of fish.
At Lost Creek Reservoir, more than 80 kokanee salmon did not survive the heat wave. The DWR has also recorded catfish deaths in Jensen Nature Park Pond in Syracuse and Farmington Pond.
A spokesperson told FOX 13 News that low water levels and high temperatures create a deadly combination for fish. When warm weather raises the temperature of the water, it then lowers the oxygen levels of the water.
Paddleboarders and anglers have noticed a dramatic drop in levels at Lost Creek Reservoir over the past two to three weeks.
“There’s an island on the other side – you can’t see it from here, but it’s now a peninsula because the water has gone down so much,” Steven Randall said. “It was shocking. It was shocking to see him so low.
“We haven’t spent a lot of time in this lake so we don’t really know it, but less fish is always a bad thing, isn’t it?” said Tom Thomson.
DWR is working to develop a strategy to store water bodies based on drought. Fish that were to be stored in drought-affected areas will be moved and stored elsewhere. Biologists continue to monitor conditions and make adjustments as needed.