Hundreds of fish killed in a creek that empties into the Arkansas River
By Brett Rains
Click here for updates on this story
FORT SMITH, Arkansas (KHBS) — Hundreds of dead fish have been found dead in Mill Creek, which empties into the Arkansas River. After receiving calls to the newsroom, 40/29 News began conducting their own investigation.
The section of Mill Creek where the fish were found is at Riverfront Drive and P Street. It’s also where the sewer treatment plant empties into the creek before it flows into the Arkansas River.
People we talked to say at one point, the creek was covered with dead fish.
40/29 News made calls to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, which prompted them to launch their own investigation.
Ethan Angel with the AGFC says anytime this many fish die off, “especially in a public waterway, [they] have to do something about it.”
Angel says sometimes ponds turn over and get algae blooms, which causes the water to lose oxygen. But since the creek is flowing and it’s connected to the Arkansas River, he doesn’t believe the lack of oxygen to be the cause of the death of these hundreds of fish.
The AGFC and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality will test the water. Angel said their “biologists will come, down they’ll do a fish kill count” and investigate from there.
The city of Fort Smith says there have been no recent issues with the sewer treatment facility. Water testing should begin on Wednesday.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
