DNR studies

dead fish in

SE Lake

Cause has not yet been determined

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- The recent northern pike fish kill in Sleepy Eye Lake has the attention of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Huon Newburg of the fisheries division in New Ulm's regional DNR office said his office took samples of the dead fish and is examining them determine what caused the fish to die.

Warm water that created lots of vegetative growth may have taken too much oxygen out of the water, according to Newburg.

"We've had lots of warm nights lately," Newburg said. "The vegetation growth may have taken too much oxygen out of the water, suffocating the fish."

Parasites and diseases are other possible fish kill causes, Newburg said. He added that a similar situation happened in the lake a couple years ago.

Sleepy Eye Lake Improvement Association President Wayne Pelzel said the situation is just another reason why the lake dredging project is needed. He agreed that high water temperature may be the cause.

"Somebody told me that the surface water temperature of the lake was in the high 80s," Pelzel said. "I would hope that a dredging project would have a positive impact on the situation. We're pretty optimistic about dredging creating a better situation with cooler water."

Sleepy Eye City Manager Mark Kober said he saw a similar situation at Pelican Lake near Brainerd where he and his family visited over Labor Day weekend.

The Sleepy Eye Lake dredging project is moving ahead, according to Kober. A 50-page Environmental Assessment Worksheet will be published in the Minnesota Register and governmental agencies will provide their comments over a 30- to 45-day period.

"We hope to move some dirt to build dredging dikes this fall," Kober said. "It seems the DNR is less concerned about how much material is dredging and more concerned about the footprint (area where the lake would be dredged). We hope to be dredging the lake next spring."