A stench of uncertainty hangs over Stockton's Brookside Lake, as hundreds of dead fish have begun surfacing over the past week, causing distress among residents along March Lane and Saint Andrews Drive.On Friday, local inhabitants and passersby were alarmed to find a multitude of dead fish floating in the lake and around their homes. Resident Kate Post described the disturbing scene: “It’s something that you just kind of go around the corner and go ‘Oh my God!’"
The smell was so powerful that some residents, like Earlene, reported feeling physically ill, with some having to leave their homes due to the nauseating odor. "I know for a fact that there was a couple of people that they did throw up from smelling that," said Earlene.
Questions are now swirling as to the cause of the fish deaths and the responsible authority for cleaning the lake. Several residents voiced fears over potential water contamination and possible fish poisoning, with many families who regularly enjoy swimming or boating in the lake now concerned for their health and safety.
However, John Huebel, a board member with the Brookside Lake Homeowners Association, has attributed the mass fish death to natural factors, namely the heat, dead algae, and runoff from nearby homes potentially containing fertilizer and lawn products. "This year, everything hit at the same time with the hot weather and spring fertilizing and the algae. So, it depleted the oxygen more than normal, and as a result, we have a lot of fish that suffocated," Huebel explained.
While Huebel assured residents that the situation, though unusual, doesn't pose a threat, not all are convinced. "Hundreds of fish is not a normal thing. During the whole drought, the peak of the heat that we had before, this never happened," Earlene countered.
The community is now calling for further testing and analysis of the water's conditions and for swift action to clear the lake of the dead fish. In response, Huebel confirmed that maintenance teams are currently monitoring the lake and working to remove the deceased fish. He further advised residents to be mindful of their use of fertilizers and lawn products, and to continue voicing their concerns to their local management or homeowners associations.