Possible South Elkhorn Fish Kill

[redneckshadrap]

http://www.kentucky.com/454/story/165670.html


JUst about uked when I read this....

Any thoughts?

Billy

[riverrat12]

Yes, very bad news...you would think there would be some sort of alarm that would indicate a spill of that amount...it's sad with all our technology we can't stop s#$@ like this from happening.Fishing on the Ohio river I get kinda used to hearing this sort of thing but it's still not easy to take...So much for one of the premier smallmouth fisheries in the state. SAD

[elkhornbronzeback]

Billy, that is bad news. By the way the article is in the city section of today's Herald-Leader.

I was wondering if anyone knows if there has been any fish-kill effect down the stream on the main stem of the Elkhorn? I was going to wade today and I'd like to go where there has been little effect. Billy are you on the North Fork? If not have you seen any effect yet or been out. Thanks to any and all who might keep us up to date on this treasue; The Elkhorn.

[MrSplitshot]

That *****.

Town Branch (aka Middle Fork of the Elkhorn as it was called a long time ago) runs from downtown Lexington out past a landfill and that sewer treatment plant...then dumps into South Elkhorn just over into Woodford County near Frankfort Pike. The North Fork of Elkhorn, thankfully, shouldn't be affected, but South Elkhorn from that point where Town Branch enters to the Forks of Elkhorn, then on to the river on the Main Stem is all "downstream" from the 3 million gallons of sewage influx. It'll take a little time for that water to push all the way down the South Fork, then the Main Stem, then to the river. The flow isn't all that fast right now, but it's better than it was a few days ago. I don't know if that's good or bad...I don't know if the bad water will get diluted more and more as it moves down through the system and not hurt things too badly...I just don't know enough about how it works.

*****.

We'll hopefully hear more from KDFWR about this in the coming days.

[elkhornbronzeback]

Called Canoe Kentucky to hear what they've been seeing and hearing. No sign of any problem down on the main stem. The guy there made a good point that the fish kill was due to lack of oxygen and way down the creek it should have little effect. As water tumbles over rocks in riffles and such it should pick up o2 right? I'm going out soon and plan on visiting several locations on the South Elkhorn as I head over towards Frankfort. I'll report back later.

[redneckshadrap]

Called Canoe Kentucky to hear what they've been seeing and hearing. No sign of any problem down on the main stem. The guy there made a good point that the fish kill was due to lack of oxygen and way down the creek it should have little effect. As water tumbles over rocks in riffles and such it should pick up o2 right? I'm going out soon and plan on visiting several locations on the South Elkhorn as I head over towards Frankfort. I'll report back later.

I was actually thinking of a wade over that way in the AM, but I think, I'll pass.

3 million gallons is a lot. Plus the fact they release that much treated water every so often. YOu can watch the Midway streamflow gauge go up and down every day ever so slighty.
Wisenberger Mill might be a good place to go check it out.
Billy

[MrSplitshot]

Called Canoe Kentucky to hear what they've been seeing and hearing. No sign of any problem down on the main stem. The guy there made a good point that the fish kill was due to lack of oxygen and way down the creek it should have little effect.

That may be true now from a lack of oxygen standpoint, but it's still 3 million gallons of sewage that didn't get treated fully. It sounds like the "larger organic particles" (aka Mookie Sticks) got filtered, but beyond that no more treatment. That's a lot of funky water coming down the pipe and maybe we could see effects down the road? Bacterial infections, diseases in wildlife, and unhealthy fish? Maybe not...hopefully not...maybe it's a bullet that'll be dodged...but I wouldn't count on it yet. Billy's sentiment about wanting to puke is shared by me!

[fishhunter]

Bet you boys will be wareing the ole hip waders now. Sorry to here this news I've been fishing the Elkhorn from the bank a lot this year. What with the heat this year it was just to hot to fish out of the boat. Is that pool at weisenberger mill going to be hit bad? .....Brian

[Knuckledragger]

I like to wade below weisenburger mill, I hope it's not too bad. I won't be able to check it out until the end of the month though.
If anyone fishes it please let us know how it is.

I think I might have to stick to stoner for a while.

[fishhunter]

I like to wade below weisenburger mill, I hope it's not too bad. I won't be able to check it out until the end of the month though.
If anyone fishes it please let us know how it is.

I think I might have to stick to stoner for a while.

Knuckledrager, you been fishing stoner latley. How bad is the duckweed?

[elkhornbronzeback]

Went over to Weisenburger and also near the KU post on Leestown Rd.. The water looked fine both places and there were no dead fish anywhere that I could see. Saw two guys fishing below the dam at the mill and the water looked very clear. I ended up fishing most of my time on the North fork. I was very surprised to see the water there very stained brown and I could not get anything decent to hit baits. Anyone else fish the Elkhorn today?

[PatientlyWading24]

I went to the main stem.

Water was crystal clear, real comfortable temp. of course it is still low. The fishing was S L O W. Did end up with about 30 total, but most of those came on a topwater, and most of those were pretty small.

very few would be considered NICE fish, i had 3 smallies- 13, 14.5, 15.5 " and a 12" LM. Partner had a 12" smallie also.

NO noticable smell, stain, or fish that seemed to be in bad shape due to the waste spill. BUt it sure got hot out there today and there was not 1 cloud in the sky.