Videos showing fish kills in Houston-area bayous are due to recent rainfall, TPWD confirms
Videos on social media show dozens of dead fish floating in Brays Bayou.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Videos circulating on social media show dead fish floating in bayous and are generating buzz, leaving Houstonians to wonder why.
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the unfortunate incident is normal and not a cause for concern to the general public.
Officials said that recent rainfall affecting Southeast Texas has brought an influx of stormwater into bayous, increasing nutrients in the water that can cause algal blooms.
"Algae produce oxygen during the day via photosynthesis but use dissolved oxygen in the water for respiration overnight," a TPWD official told ABC13. "Because of this, typically fish kills are seen early in the morning and then dissolved oxygen readings in the water rebound and continue to climb throughout the day."
TPWD added that rainfall can disrupt dissolved oxygen levels in bayous, temporarily depleting oxygen in areas where fish are "safely" congregating.
With all that being said, TPWD assures this is simply a natural occurrence that is typically resolved quickly.
A large fish kill could also be caused by pathogens or pollution, but TPWD said there is no reason to believe either of those happened in any of Houston's bayous at this moment.
A fish kill reported in Brays Bayou near the University of Houston Medical Branch is under investigation, according to TPWD, but it appears to be a natural event caused by stormwater.
When ABC13 asked TPWD about any potential health or safety concerns for those near Houston's bayous, TPWD replied with a statement that reads in part:
"Brays Bayou is part of the Buffalo Bayou Tidal watershed and is monitored by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's Surface Water Quality Program. Buffalo Bayou is listed as "impaired" due to the presence in dioxins, PCBS and bacteria in the water. The Houston-Galveston Area Council lists elevated levels of fecal bacteria and nutrients as a water quality concern for Brays Bayou. Erring on the side of caution is always important in any waterway. The public should always check fish consumption advisories when considering fishing in a particular area such as Brays Bayou."
