Fish kill hits Magothy

By PAMELA WOOD, Staff Writer

Capital Gazette Communications

Published 08/22/08

Thousands of dead fish and crabs floated to the surface of the Magothy River this week, suffocated by low oxygen levels in the water.

Pamela Wood - The Capital A few fish littering the beach along Blackhole Creek in Pasadena are all that remain of a fish kill on the Magothy River that lead to more than 2,000 dead fish floating in the water. The Maryland Department of the Environment is investigating the case of the fish kill.

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Waterfront homeowners and boaters reported the dead fish - perch, bluegill, pickerel and carp as well as dead crabs - Wednesday and yesterday.

The Maryland Department of the Environment sent investigators to the site of the fish kill, centered around Blackhole Creek on the north shore of the river.

They're testing fish tissue and water samples for toxic algae or other culprits, but their working hypothesis is that weather conditions lead to an unexpected lack of oxygen in the water,...

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I wish I had time! - 2008-08-27 15:05:22

I wish I had time to devote to this and really fight it. Both my children are back in school, husband works from home with 2 businesses, and I am going to school 16 credits. I fear that if I start the process of standing up for what is right, government agencies only care about following policies, not what is right and I will be left with a hefty fine and way behind on my schooling. These "noxious weeds" (according to the letter I was sent) are not weeds but plants and vines that grow through the bog area. The people that owned this house before us, non-permit cut down trees and wiped the space to supposedly put a grassy area in. Since we purchased the house, the county came by and in some sort of retaliation to us (we didn't do it previous owners did), put in a curb down the road with openings for our driveway.... I totally don't understand this logic at all! A curb?! I asked the road worker why they were putting it in and he specifically said it was because there was non-permitted clearing that happened...
R. Black - I wish I had the time and option to go through a 1/2 acre of plants (some of is kudzu and poison ivy) to remove the "noxious ones". My options at this point are weed eat and wipe everything out so its ugly and baron while destroying a natural environment, or risk my families finances to the tune of $30,000 a month. By no means am I just not mowing and claiming this as a wild lawn. This area I was told to clear is soft mushy land. We had a UPS truck get stuck in it twice because it is so squishy. I have seen some unruly yards and homes, ours is NOT one of them so I don't understand why we were singled out, when others slide. Such BS.

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Amy S. - Crownsville, MD - Karma: Good

A note to Amy... - 2008-08-27 10:50:15

Amy...that is really crazy. Have you talked to the MRA about your situation? What are the "noxious" weeds that you have to remove? If they are non-native/invasive species, it might be better in the long run to remove them and let native plants grow there instead.

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R. Black - Churchton, MD - Karma: Neutral

Amy - 2008-08-27 09:08:23

that is very sad, and I feel for you. I think wetlands are beautiful, not sure why others don't see it ...... It's thinking like this that has gotten out bay into a state of poor health! Have you turned to DNR or the CBF for any advice or help?

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Kristina P. - Easton, MD - Karma: Neutral

Oh the irony. - 2008-08-26 20:29:32

We own about 1.5 acres of wetlands including a bog. We have had colleges as far as Florida researching on our land as well as it having many aquatic birds and animals. I just got a certified letter from our county to remove the "noxious weeds" within a week or face a 500 dollar fine per day. If I protest that is $30,000 a month for not mowing my wetlands! I am so angry and dumfounded as to the ignorance of our government agencies. If I weed eat this area that I am required to, I will kill animals, insects and ruin a wetlands marsh. I feel like if I do clear out the required "weeds", I will get a fine for clearing the area by DNR or some nature agency. When I say wetland, I mean you cant walk on it or you will sink 2 feet into mush. I feel totally hand tied and feel there are no options. I am getting fed up with Maryland and am within a year of moving out!

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Amy S. - Crownsville, MD - Karma: Good

Killing Ourselves! - 2008-08-24 22:55:12

Yes the fertilizer and the sewage again. It will not stop until strickter laws are instituted. Make it simple and institute the Critical Area Laws in the entire watershed. Reduce water use and invent new toilets operated with air over water for example. We can do all kinds of things like this. Lets get with it before its too late for the Chesapeake.
All the storm drains have to be redesigned. Yes, they are all wrong from 50yrs. ago. Our entire concept of getting rid of the water as fast as possible is totally wrong and has to be reversed. Support the Chesapeake Bay Foundation as people you can trust to do the right thing for the bay. I will continue to monitor them. Sincerely.

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B. White - Edgewater, MD - Karma: Neutral

the lack of - 2008-08-24 19:11:00

that critical zone is also a huge factor in this ...... there are no marshy bay grasses, no trees, no anything to filter these poisons from flowing freely into the rivers or the bay. It's very sad! When will people wake up??? My fear is the same as Amy's if we don't act soon it will be too late!

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Kristina P. - Easton, MD - Karma: Neutral

Fertilizers? - 2008-08-22 23:39:38

Maybe take a look at how many well manicured lawns and areas are around the fish kill area. The extra fertilizer runs off into drainage and into the bay. The nitrogen in the fertilizer causes an algae bloom. This algae uses the oxygen in the area leaving a dead zone, oxygenless for living creatures. Some creatures have enough "thought" to leave the area, but others don't and suffocate and die. This fish kill sounds likely to be from this occurrence or from deliberate actions. Either way its sad. Very sad.

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Amy S. - Crownsville, MD - Karma: Good

Pathetic.. - 2008-08-22 23:33:54

I quit eating fish from the bay years ago. I used to teach at a sailing school and have had to go on antibiotics after getting an infection from bay water getting on an open sore. I wont swim nor let my children swim in the bay. I feel bad for the fishermen whose lives have revolved around the bay and its past abundance. I was glad when the gas prices went up. It cut the amount of boaters down and potential oil and gas spillage in the bay down. I have pulled up many an anchor on my sailboat and found diesel muck that stains my boat deck and clothing. I hope something can be done to clear up water quality before its seriously too late. It feels like we are within 10 years of it being past the point of no return unless we are already past it. I get dirty looks for my ugly looking lawn, but I know what fertilizers, weed killers and pesticides do the bay. Sorry neighbors, but the bay is more important than my "natural" lawns care. We just got rid of our oil heating system too and converted to 100% electric. Everyone should do their part to improve the environment, one step at a time. Yes it costs more, but the payoff in the end is worth it.

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Amy S. - Crownsville, MD - Karma: Good