Beginning the week of April 7th, you may have observed dead fish on Rice Lake/Elm Creek. This "winterkill" is a result of an extraordinary harsh winter, as we can all understand. A long period of ice on the lake, along with an above average snowpack, reduced the amount of light and oxygen into the water for the fish.

There may not have been any action which could have been taken to prevent this fish kill, unless we had the ability to aerate all of the shallow areas in the lake where these fish were trapped. Being a shallow lake in the first place left few areas where the fish could congregate and survive these conditions.

Below are a some photos taken by local residents of the aftermath of dead fish.
April 2014 Fish "Winterkill" on Rice Lake
These photos were taken on April 11 along the northern shoreline of Rice Lake.
Photos taken April 11 on north side of Rice Lake
Photos taken April 11 on west side of Rice Lake
On southwest side of Rice Lake
On southeast corner of Rice Lake
Taken April 9 on southeast corner of Rice Lake
Taken April 10 on the southwest corner of Rice Lake by the I-94 bridge (Fish Lake culvert entry)
More photos taken April 11 on north side of Rice Lake
Southeast corner by Weaver Lake Road entrance
Southwest corner by Fish Lake culvert entrance