May 2002 -   A fish kill, predominately smallmouth bass, was reported in the South Branch of the Potomac River. Fish from the South Branch were collected by the DNR in June 2002 and sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Fishery Center in Lamar, Pa. The report from the Northeast Fishery Center indicated the presence of a common bacterium affecting the gills and skin of the fish, but the cause of death was not determined.  

 

       August 2002 - Fish collected by WVDNR in August 2002 were analyzed by the United States Geologic Survey Leetown Fish Health Center and the Auburn University Fish Health Laboratory. The Leetown Fish Health Center reported the presence of a common opportunistic bacterium, external parasites, and the relatively unhealthy appearance of internal organs. According to the Leetown Fish Health Center, the condition of the fish indicated that they may have experienced environmental stress, but there was not enough evidence to determine a specific cause. Auburn University analyzed the fish for black bass virus and reported it was not present.

 

        Spring Summer and Fall 2002 - WVDNR and USGS-BRD collected smallmouth bass during spring pre-spawn, summer post-spawn, and fall recrudescence periods.  Water samples collected during these site visits are being analyzed by Dr. Martha Wells of Tennessee Tech University under a contract with WVDNR., began an integrated sampling project examining traditional water samples and extracts from passive sampling devices. These devices, semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and polar organic

 

      January 2003 - This month an interagency group met to discuss the problem of reported fish kills and the decline of the smallmouth bass fishery in the South Branch.  The WV Division of Natural Resources, WV Department of Environmental Protection, WV Department of Agriculture, US Geological Survey, US Environmental Protection Agency developed a study plan for 2003 with USEPA/WVDEP responsible for temperature monitors, WVDNR/USGS responsible for biological surveys, and the WVDA responsible for water chemistries.

 

        July 2003 - WVDNR collected smallmouth bass from 7 sites in the South Branch of the Potomac, 1 site in the Lost River drainage, 1 site in the North River and 1 site on the Cacapon.  South Branch sites included Indian Rock and Blue Beach Bridge above Romney, Wapacoma Campground below Romney, Old Field Bridge above Moorefield, Fisher Bridge below Moorefield, Petersburg Gap above Petersburg and Petersburg below Petersburg. Fish collections were made by Divison of Natural Resources and fishtissue analyses were conducted by Dr. Vicki Blazer, fish histopatholgist with the USGS-BRD Leetown Fish Health Center.  Water quality sampling was conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, West Virginia Department of Agriculture and WVDEP.

 

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Fish Kill and
Fish Health Timeline
   The monitoring results determined that fish populations were generally in good condition in all the streams sampled. Fish growth was considered good in the analysis of smallmouth bass ranging inagefrom one to nine years.  The percentage of smallmouth bass showing external lesions collected from multiple sites along the four rivers ranged from zero to 57 percent.  Fish collected from the Lost and North rivers did not have lesions. The external lesions could be attributed to an inflammatory reaction to bacteria, viruses, parasites, or a reaction to degraded water quality conditions. Some fish had external parasites, others had internal parasites on their organs.  A number of smallmouth bass were found to have eggs in male testes, a condition called intersex. Forty two percent of smallmouth bass males in the South Branch were found with this condition, but not every location had fish that exhibited the condition; rates of intersex in smallmouth bass ranged from 0 to 80%.  Fish collected from the Lost and North rivers did not have intersex, while 14% of those collected from the middle Cacapon River did.These findings prompted WVDNR and WVDEP to expand investigations to include multiple fish sampling rounds, additional sites upstream of the Petersburg area and water-quality sampling.
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