People look at dead and dying fish at the Arduini boat ramp in Rock Falls, Ill. Sunday June 21, 2009. Illinois investigators are trying to figure out what caused a fish kill on the Rock River in northwestern Illinois, between Grand Detour and Sterling. (AP Photo/Dixon Telegraph, Alex T. Paschal)
Massive fish kill on the Rock River
Rock River closed
Due to rising water, swift currents and floating debris, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is restricting boating on the Rock River in Lee, Ogle and Whiteside Counties. This restricted area is off limits to all recreational watercraft until further notice. IDNR has authorization to designate restricted boating areas when navigation is deemed significantly hazardous.
STERLING (AP)—Illinois investigators are trying to figure out what caused a fish kill on the Rock River in northwestern Illinois——between Grand Detour and Sterling.
Sgt. Carl Lewis of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources says they’re trying to determine if the run off from a train derailment in the Rockford area got into the Kishaukee River, which flows into the Rock River. That train was carrying ethanol, and Friday’s derailment caused an explosion that killed one person.
The Department of Natural Resources is working with the state Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.
The state is advising the public not to eat fish from the Rock River in Ogle, Lee and Whiteside counties until the cause of the fish kill is determined.
More than 1,000 dead fish have been found in the Rock River as a result of this week’s fish kill, and federal officials are expecting answers this week on the cause.
Tom Cook, an on-scene coordinator with the Environmental Protection Agency, said test results are expected this week of water samples taken following Friday night’s train derailment and ethanol-fueled fire.
Water from a creek near the crash site, plus the Kishwaukee and Rock rivers, is being tested, along with samples of dead fish. Cook said he couldn’t say yet if the train wreck caused the fish kill, however.
Among the species affected are carp, catfish and walleye, as well as some turtles, Cook said. Dead fish are washing up along the Rock River from Grand Detour all the way to the Mississippi River.
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maybe we could have a spill in peoria and kill off the big head carp.
There are a lot more, and I mean alot more than 1000 fish dead. PLEASE!!! Let’s not “sugar coat” this.
Leave it to Associated Press to write an article without actually doing any research!!!!
Numbers I had heard were 2,000 - 6,000 PER MINUTE!!!
This is a MAJOR fish kill that will disrupt the Rock River ecosystem for years and years.
Sorry, in my above post I meant to say 2,000 - 6,000 PER HOUR!!! I wish there was a way we could edit our posts.
Tony
This is a perfect example of why we do not have the luxury of having crooked politicians in charge of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Does anyone really believe that they will track down and find who’s really to blame for this tragic disaster? Will the politicians hold their feet to the fire and make the one’s responsible for this pay for the restoration costs? What are the long term effects on the eco-system of the Rock River or on the public’s health of a disaster like this?
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