June 2, 2006
 
State, Federal Agencies Probe Fish Kill on Potomac South Branch
 
By HNN Staff
 
Romney, WV (HNN) – A fish kill on the South Branch of the Potomac River is being investigated by state and federal agencies.
 
Distressed and dead fish were reported late last week by river users near Romney in Hampshire County. West Virginia Division of Natural Resources fisheries biologists, along with scientists from the United States Geological Survey’s Leetown National Fish Health Laboratory and inspectors from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection are investigating the incident.
 
Bret Preston, assistant chief of the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Section, said most of dead or dying fish were redhorse suckers and hogsuckers and were spotted primarily in the lower reach of the South Branch.
 
A much lesser number of game fish including smallmouth bass and rock bass also have been affected. Biologists collected fish for a health assessment and water quality experts took water and sediment samples the same day the fish were collected.
 
A timely response by agencies was possible because of a cooperative research partnership established by the DNR, the DEP and the USGS to study the intersex condition found in smallmouth bass following a similar fish kill in the South Branch in 2002. Dead suckers were also found in the Shenandoah River in Virginia and in the Potomac River last week.
 
Patrick Campbell, assistant director of the DEP’s Division of Water and Waste Management, explained the project.
 
“We are continuing to examine and better understand intersex rates in smallmouth bass,” Campbell said. “We are also looking for trace levels of pollutants, including pharmaceutical compounds and a variety of other possible endocrine disrupting compounds.”
 
The involved agencies are monitoring the situation and await results of the fish health assessment and water quality tests, which may take several weeks. Fish kills should be reported by calling DEP’s toll free emergency spill line at (800) 642-3074.