Fish Kill Event - Little Wapsipinicon River

Kill was likely caused by a brief weather event involving a narrow band of hail, straight-line wind, and rain occurring Thursday evening, 19 September 2024. Low flows from extreme drought conditions and high air temperatures prior to the event followed by dramatic cooling, flashy stream conditions, and a large deposition of leaf debris caused a significant drop in water temperature and dissolved oxygen to kill a large variety of fish. At the time of investigation, water was relatively clear but stained brown. Because the investigation did not take place until 23 September 2024, fish exhibited poor body condition. Many were fuzzy, some fused together, and lacked color.