Dead fish have been washing ashore on the banks of Evans Pond recently. (courtesy photo via Instagram)
Something fishy at Evans Pond
Visitors walking along the banks at Evans Pond in Scripps Ranch noticed an array of small, dead fish washing ashore in early August.
A spokesman for the City of San Diego stated that the City is aware of the issue and some tests were run by the Regional Water Quality Control Board. It appears the pond likely experienced a harmful algal bloom which killed the fish.
Signs will be posted to caution no swimming, fishing or allowing pets to drink the water.
Algal blooms are an unusually rapid growth of microscopic algae in water.
“Harmful algal blooms, or HABs, occur when colonies of algae — simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater — grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds. The human illnesses caused by HABs, though rare, can be debilitating or even fatal,” according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website.
This is not the first time fish have been seen dying in large numbers at the pond. For instance, the City was reportedly baffled by such an instance in April 2016 when there was no sign of an algal bloom nor a lack of proper oxygen levels in the water.
Evans Pond is located near Scripps Miramar Ranch Library, 10301 Scripps Lake Drive, just east of the parking lot. Visitors can normally view turtles and a small assortment of waterfowl when walking along its path.