Overview
An estimated 30,000 fish were killed in a "die-off" at Sandpiper Pond in St. Vrain State Park over the weekend, according to reports from the Boulder Daily Camera and The Denver Post.
The fish, in the pond on the northeast side of the park, likely died from a lack of oxygen in the water, according to Nick Julian, a park administrator.
Cause and Context
Julian said the pond is already pretty shallow, and this year's low water levels and heat have made fish kills like this one more likely. Fish kills have happened before under similar conditions, especially in the park's shallower ponds.
Fish kills can happen every summer, but drought conditions make them more likely. The reports note that in July, thousands of dead fish ended up in Loveland's Boyd Lake channel after they died in a privately owned lake upstream.
Cleanup and Response
According to a post to the park's Facebook page, rangers cleaned up about a quarter of the fish, and birds feasted on the rest.
Future Stocking Plans
Park officials have decided not to stock ponds on the north side of the park this fall. Fish will instead be placed in the park's more full, healthy waters, including the Coot and Pintail ponds and Blue Heron Reservoir.