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Mystery on The Shenandoah

Mystery on The Shenandoah. Early Spring 2004 It all started with a phone call…. North Fork Shenandoah. Low numbers: 2-3 months - spring Smallmouth bass, redbreast sunfish adults Other species - mostly unaffected Many fish with skin lesions.

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Mystery on The Shenandoah

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  1. Mystery on The Shenandoah

  2. Early Spring 2004It all started with a phone call…. North Fork Shenandoah

  3. Low numbers: 2-3 months - spring • Smallmouth bass, redbreast sunfish adults • Other species - mostly unaffected • Many fish with skin lesions

  4. Up to 80% loss of the adult smallmouth bass and redbreast sunfish • 75 miles of NF Shenandoah (2004) • 100+ miles of SF Shenandoah (2005).

  5. Fish Kill Events – The Facts • Spring 2002: South Branch Potomac, WV - Large fish kill observed • Spring 2004: N. Fork Shenandoah – 75 miles -smallmouth bass and redbreast sunfish – 3 months • Spring 2005: S. Fork Shenandoah - 100 miles - Fish w/ lesions in March, then dead fish –– 3 months • Spring 2006: N. Fork Shenandoah – again – 30 mi. – and lower South River near Grottoes

  6. Fish Kill Events - continued… Spring 2007 • North and South Forks Shenandoah – again! • Lower Cowpasture River – Our “control” Stream – downstream of Route 39 • Upper James River

  7. 2007 2004 2005 2006 2007

  8. So, what’s wrong with this picture?

  9. Our Approach: Partnerships Public / Private • Government Agencies • University Researchers • Non-Profit Organizations • “Friends” Groups • Individuals

  10. 2005Shenandoah River Fish Kill Task Force • State - DEQ, DGIF, DCR, WV DEP and WV DNR • Federal - USGS, USFWS, EPA • Chesapeake Bay Foundation • Shenandoah Pure Water Forum • Canaan Valley Institute • Potomac Conservancy • Shenandoah RiverKeeper • University Researchers (VA Tech, JMU, VCU, VIMS) • Agriculture Reps • Citizens - Riparian Landowners - Citizen Water Monitoring Groups - Anglers / Fishing Guides

  11. Processes • Fish Kill Task Force & Subgroups • Fisheries Networking • University Researchers • Government Scientists • AFS Network • EPA C.A.D.D.I.S. Process • 2 multi-day workshops w/ WV • CBF 2007 Fish Health Conference

  12. What We Know - The Evidence: • No obvious or specific causes • Shenandoah fish kills since 2004 • Smallmouth bass and sunfish adults decreased up to 80% • Similar fish kills in upper James River in 2007 – movement from the Shenandoah? • Patterns: • Springtime events • limited to large streams • primarily affect adult centrarchid fishes that support important recreational fisheries.

  13. What We Know – continued… • No clear links to other events in the region or North America, now or at other times • Regional stressors, not point-source inputs. • Unique characteristics of the region • Karst geology • concentrated agricultural production • unique chemistry of affected streams (nutrients and pH) • Pathology results • skin lesions • gill erosion • liver and kidney damage • multiple opportunistic pathogens (bacteria and internal parasites) • But - no primary pathological agent isolated

  14. What We Don’t Know (yet)Data Gaps • Are the Shenandoah (2004-2007) and James river (2007) fish kills linked? • Unique characteristics of the affected watersheds that might allow further refinement of working hypotheses? • Why are the events limited… • in time • in space • by taxonomy • by life history stage?

  15. What We Don’t KnowData Gaps - continued… • What specific contaminants should be examined? • What is the relative importance of: • Point sources • Nonpoint sources • Groundwater • Ecological transfer • Atmospheric pathways For nutrients, contaminants, and pathogens?

  16. Plan for 2007-2008 • Identify and characterize potential contaminants associated with nonpoint waste-streams in the Shenandoah and upper James river basins. • Expand existing monitoring efforts to identify and characterize potential contaminants in ecological sinks (e.g. stream sediment and surface waters) and endpoints (e.g. target fishes) in the Shenandoah and upper James river basins. • Expand fish pathology studies to investigate the entire suite of potential biological pathogens, including bacterial, viral, protozoan, and fungal agents.

  17. Questions?

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