Lightning strike derails steelhead fish restocking at Little Manistee River Weir
A lightning strike on Monday damaged critical equipment on the Little Manistee River Weir, the Michigan DNR said.
Watch CBS News
A lightning strike on Monday damaged critical equipment on the Little Manistee River Weir, the Michigan DNR said.
The Department of Natural Resources says winterkill is a natural phenomenon caused by low oxygen levels under ice and snow, and it typically does not affect overall fish populations.
According to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, summer kills occur during extremely hot days, leading to low dissolved oxygen and stress to fish such as pike, perch, suckers, bass and bluegill.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is reminding residents that people may be more likely to see dead fish as lakes begin to thaw this spring.
Officials originally said they believed 3,500 aquatic animals had been killed. With the toll estimated to be more than 12 times that amount, officials say they're unsure how long recovery will take.
"Everything points to a manmade catastrophe," one environmental expert tells CBS News, as 100 tons of dead fish are removed from the Oder River.
