Test reveals cause of fish kill in suburban Fort Worth lake
A spike in chlorine levels from an unknown source killed the fish at the Boys Ranch Lake in Bedford on July 25, according to information from the city.
Official test results from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and a private fishery indicated that the chlorine levels increased during the afternoon or evening on July 25. The city said in an emailed statement, “Staff believe that most, if not all, fish did not survive the higher chlorine levels.”
City staff is trying to determine where the chlorine came from and how it entered the lake.
While the outdoor pools at the nearby Bedford Ceter YMCA appear to be a likely source, there is no evidence to support that theory.
The Boys Ranch lake is a natural watershed, which means that runoff from properties flows in to the lake, according to information from the city.
A fishery biologist from the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife was walking along the canals at the lake Friday morning and didn’t report seeing any water discoloration, dead fish or fish that were in distress.
“Because of this timing, the City believes the chlorine likely entered the lake sometime Friday afternoon or evening,” the city said. “City staff have already checked the irrigation system in the park and investigated the outdoor pool area at The Bedford Center YMCA for leaks or other issues that may have led to chlorine reaching the lake.”
Bedford checked maintenance logs and security footage but didn’t find anything.
Bedford is not going to restock the lake with fish until the investigation into where the chlorine came from is complete.
“Protecting the long-term health of the lake’s ecosystem is a top priority, the city said in its statement.
Bedford officials first became aware of the dead fish when a resident sent an instant message to Bedford’s Instagram account describing seeing several dead fish near the edge of the lake.
Bedford did not have an exact number of how many fish died, but said they believe it was a “total loss.”