The state Department of Environmental Protection says about 40 small fish, along with six crayfish and two frogs were recently found dead in Pine Creek, a tributary to Penns Creek, near Woodward.
The DEP along with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission investigated the complaint and did not find a cause. According to the DEP, the specimens had already decayed significantly.
John Zaktansky, the riverkeeper and executive director of the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, said acting quickly is key when it comes to identifying whether a pollutant may be involved.
“Time is so incredibly important, especially in the moving waterway or any kind of a situation," he said. "Any ecosystem, but especially an aquatic ecosystem, can be drastically impacted by a small change — from a change in pH to a change in certain other contaminants and that can cause a trigger effect towards other species as well."
Zaktanksky said naturally occurring situations — like rapidly changing temperatures — can cause fish kills. He said the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association website has information on identifying natural versus pollution events and can assist with filing reports.
“If you see something that's odd, it's always good to take some pictures, some photos and video, whatever the case may be just because again everything that's collected can be evidence towards filling in the dots in this bigger connect-the-dot picture of what might be going on," he said.
The DEP also recently looked into another complaint on Pine Creek near the Coburn area. In that case, the DEP did not find an observable aquatic kill or readily identifiable source of contamination.
