Temperature swing kills fish in southeast Nebraska lake

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Numerous fish have died at the Big Indian Recreation Area in Gage County.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission said in a press release Tuesday that a “substantial fish kill” is affecting all species in the lake, which is south of Wymore.

Game and Parks biologists went to the lake on Monday after receiving reports from anglers.

They determined that extremely low oxygen levels killed the fish.

“Unfortunately, many water bodies are susceptible to summertime fish kills given the right sequence of events,” Tony Barada, assistant administrator of Game and Parks’ fisheries division, said in the release.

Officials think extreme heat contributed to a large algal bloom in the lake, which receded when the temperature cooled.

The bacteria that consume dead algae also consume oxygen, causing fish die-offs, Game and Parks said.