Today, numerous video clips have shown that millions of decaying fish are being removed from a stream in the Australian Outback due to an unexpected mass death caused by flooding and scorching hot temperatures. [ii]
The fish mortality began in the Darling River near Menindee, New South Wales, on Friday and continues to spread to other areas along the river. Local authorities have been working around the clock to collect the dead fish, believed to have been killed by the sudden influx of water and the rapid rise in temperatures. [ii]
This is the second mass fish death in the Darling River this year, and conservationists are worried that more deaths could happen if the conditions are not improved. With the help of local volunteers and environmental agencies, authorities are doing everything possible to prevent further damage to the river's ecosystem. [ii]
The authorities suspect that the scorching temperatures and low oxygen levels in the water caused the mass mortality of fish. The recent floods made this situation worse, which further reduced the amount of oxygen available to the fish. [i] [ii]
The high temperatures caused the water to become warmer and less able to hold oxygen. At the same time, the flood, further reducing that further reduced the amount of oxygen by blocking the sunlight needed to produce it. [ii]
The high water temperature and the lack of oxygen caused a drastic shift in the lake's environment. This shift was so severe that the fish could not survive and quickly died off in large numbers. The high water temperature and lack of oxygen caused the lake to become uninhabitable for the fish, leading to their mass mortality.
Read the full Investigation Report from a similar 2018/2019 fish death event.
References
[i] Naval History and Heritage Command, Barron, James Commodore, USN, (1769-1851) (2023)
[ii] National Museum of the United States Navy, Frigate Philadelphia ran aground near Tripoli (2023)
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