What's with the dead fish near the Lincoln Street dam?

Wichitans near the Lincoln Street dam on the Arkansas River say the area smells fishy lately. The reason: Thousands of dead minnows caught in the fish ladder that runs next to the dam and under the Lincoln Street bridge.

Jim Harpel, who lives near the dam, said he first noticed the dead fish and lower water level on Sunday. He said he wasn't sure how many fish were in the fish ladder.

"I can't count by thousands," Harpel said.

The city had to lower the river's water level Sunday as part of maintenance on a 78-inch pipe. Interim stormwater division manager Jim Hardesty said workers lowered the water slowly to try to let the fish leave the fish ladder, but some were caught in it. Hardesty said the city typically expects a small percentage of the fish in the river to die during projects such as this one.

Fish ladders like the one at the Lincoln Dam help fish move around obstacles in waterways, especially when there's a difference in water levels, by creating small steps of slow-flowing water. Hardesty said fish ladders are commonly associated with salmon in the Pacific Northwest and that in this region, it's a unique asset that allows the fish to extend their habitats and breeding grounds.

On Monday afternoon, much of the fish ladder was either dry or had shallow pools. In higher sections of the ladder, thousands of dead minnows — each a few inches in length — floated in puddles in the ladder's chambers. Others tried to survive by swimming sideways in the water that remained. A strong odor of fish permeated the air around the riverfront but wasn't as strong near the houses along the river.

The maintenance work should wrap up in a few days, Hardesty said, after which the dead fish will float away.

This story was originally published July 9, 2018 at 6:05 PM.