Considerable number of Wascana Lake fish dead in apparent case of winterkill

A considerable number of dead fish are popping up on Wascana Lake in Regina.

The Wascana Centre announced on April 3 it is witnessing fish winterkill.

Wascana Centre officials said that due to the cold winter and increased ice cover, there’s less oxygen accessible to the fish.

One of the main species in the man-made lake is the common carp. This invasive fish species can endure dissolved oxygen levels even below two milligrams per litre.

However, officials said the levels of dissolved oxygen dropped really low this winter and could possibly have led to a winterkill.

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The Wascana Centre said it will continue to monitor the water quality and assess the severity of the impact on fish populations.

Maintenance staff will collect and dispose of the deceased animals along the shoreline. Dead fish in the middle of the lake will not be retrieved as it poses a safety risk to staff.