Investigations of the cause of fishkills in fish-rearing facilities in Raven Fork watershed

Technical Report · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1983

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5920164· OSTI ID:5920164

Jones, H. C.; Noggle, J. C.; Young, R. C.; Kelly, J. M.; Olem, H.; Ruane, R. J.; Pasch, R. W.; Hyfantis, G. J.; Parkhurst, W. J.

An investigation was undertaken to determine the cause of fishkills in trout-rearing facilities located adjacent to Raven Fork Creek within the Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina. Approximately 50,000 rainbow trout were lost at the Blankenship trout farm-a commercial facility-following eight storm events between March 31 and December 2, 1981. In addition, 524 trophy-size trout died in three ponds operated by the Cherokee tribe for stocking reservation streams. It was found fishkills in the trout farm could be prevented by adding lime to water from the creek as it was pumped into the facility; this strengthened the assumption acidity (H/sup +/) was responsible for the fishkills. Mortality of trophy trout was stopped by routing water from nearby springs to the ponds during and following rain events. Because of concern that these fishkills might be caused by acid rain, TVA was requested by the Cherokee tribe to assist in determining the cause. Limited studies were conducted during March through August 1982 to test two hypotheses: (1) concentrations of H/sup +/ and soluble aluminum in Raven Fork following storm events were high enough to kill rainbow trout and (2) atmospheric deposition was a greater source of stream H/sup +/ than acid-producing geologic formations or the forest soils.

• Research Organization: Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville (USA). Div. of Air and Water Resources
• OSTI ID: 5920164
• Report Number(s): TVA/ONR/WR-83/9; ON: DE83902934
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALUMINIUM
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
NORTH CAROLINA
WATERSHEDS
PH VALUE
TROUT
MORTALITY
ACID RAIN
LEACHING
NATURE RESERVES
PLANTS
RUNOFF
SOILS
STORMS
STREAMS
TOXICITY
WATER CHEMISTRY
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHEMISTRY
DISASTERS
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION IV
FISHES
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
RAIN
RESOURCES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SURFACE WATERS
USA
VERTEBRATES
560305* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Vertebrates- (-1987)
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)