An eastern Arizona lake known for record-breaking catches is now off-limits after officials say virtually every fish in it has died. The San Carlos Recreation and Wildlife Department says drought and water releases from Coolidge Dam triggered "a major fish kill affecting approximately 100% of the fish population within the lake," the Guardian reports. Decomposing carcasses—seen in video blanketing the water's surface—pose health risks, prompting an indefinite shutdown of swimming, fishing, and fish harvesting "until further notice," the department said in a Facebook post.
The human-made reservoir, about 125 miles from Phoenix and located on San Carlos Apache tribal land, had been regularly stocked and holds state records for several species, including largemouth bass and catfish. Tribal officials had recently eased catch limits, anticipating falling water levels, according to a tribe member. The department said it will keep monitoring conditions and urged people to stay away for their own safety.
The mass die-off was caused by a convergence of several factors, the Gila Herald reports. As water levels dropped sharply, the remaining water became overheated. Fish crowded into small areas of water quickly consumed the remaining oxygen, which had already been severely depleted by decomposing algae. Similar devastation has occurred at the lake numerous times before, the Herald reports. After a drought in 1976 and 1977 killed off an estimated 5 million fish, it took around five years for the ecosystem to bounce back.
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