AUSTIN, Texas — People in North Austin noticed something fishy at Shoal Creek this week. They reported several dead fish and a change in the color of the water.
Matt Frank told KVUE's Kelsey Sanchez that he found at least 100 dead fish in the water.
"Nobody was saying anything about it. And then the next day, the water had stopped. The color was still there, but that's when all the dead fish started to appear," Frank said.
Austin's Watershed Protection Department (WPD) explained that a water main break that happened near the intersection of Shoal Creek and Bull Creek Boulevard on Tuesday led to the water discoloration.
On Friday, March 17, WPD released an update on the dead fish in Shoal Creek. They say staff found approximately 300 fish killed than what they initially reported which was 30. Staff state the storms from Thursday night allowed them to see the full impact of the spill as debris and fish were pushed toward an inlet.
WPD said Austin Water crews took the steps to try to de-chlorinate the water.
"I would say go stand next to a dumpster outside of a fish market in maybe like 80-degree heat, and that will give you a sense of what it's like to open the door to the backyard," Frank said. "The wind's not really taking care of it. It's not raining enough to get the fish downstream, so they're just going to sit here and rot, I guess, because it doesn't look like anybody's going to come and collect them."
A water main break near Shoal Creek resulted in cloudy water and dead fish.
KVUE asked WPD whether or not crews would end up picking up the dead fish, but we were told in order for removal, the number would have to be in the hundreds or thousands. In this case, the department said nature will take its course.
Officials ensured the water is safe for people to drink and touch, and the department will keep an eye out for conditions on the creek.
Luke Metzger is with the nonprofit organization, Environment Texas and explained that in his 25 years with the group, he had never heard of an incident like the one at Shoal Creek. But he pointed to a possibly bigger problem as to why this may have happened.
"The water main that broke may have been quite old, and so one of the most important things we can do to protect water quality is to make sure that we're upgrading our old pipes to prevent this kind of thing from happening," Metzger said.
Metzger also mentioned the city's aging infrastructure.
"I think the City's already doing a pretty good job but can do more to reach out to homeowners, particularly who have century-old properties, and helping identify potential leaks that could cause this water pollution," Metzger said.
Frank, who has lived on Shoal Creek for 10 years, only hopes he and other families don't have to experience another incident like this one and that the City finds other ways to minimize the impact of wildlife.
"We like to not have the dead animals everywhere as a result of potential mishap. I don't know how to describe it, but I don't want to see it happen again," Frank said.
WPD Crews are expected to be out there this weekend cleaning up the area.
The Shoal Creek Conservancy addressed the issue and gave praise to the residents who alerted the City. It encouraged anyone who sees any odd-colored water or strange smells to call the Pollution Hotline at 512-974-2550.
You can also call Austin's non-emergency line at 311.