BELLEVILLE (WWJ) – Thousands of fish have washed ashore on Belleville Lake, causing some residents to question what caused it.
Many residents have had questions about the fish kill, which comes just weeks after hundreds of thousands gallons of toxic chemicals were shipped to two sites in Wayne County for disposal, including a landfill in Belleville.
But Van Buren Township officials say the more than 10,000 dead fish that have washed ashore have nothing to do with the chemicals.
“The DNR did go out, they took a look at it. They verified that the fish kill is in no way related to any outside environmental concerns such as that. It’s due to the hydroelectric dam,” said Ron Akers, Director of Municipal Services for the township.
The Huron River Watershed Council, which oversees Belleville lake and nearby Ford Lake, says the dam between the two lakes is the culprit.
Dan Brown with the council tells WWJ's Alexis Ware it’s common for this time of year.
“The Ford Lake Dam basically sucks water through its turbines and when it does that, it often takes in schools of fish at a time,” Brown said. “It can result in large fish kills. This one, for whatever reason, seemed to be particularly large.”
Stay tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 for the latest details on this developing story. >>> LISTEN LIVE!
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