Fishermen discovered dead fish in Saint-Michel sur Orge in Essonne. Analyzes have been launched to understand the reasons for this excess mortality.
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Many deaths due to recent floods? The mystery remains unsolved but scientists are looking for answers. Since the beginning of November, fishermen have found hundreds of dead fish along the Orge, a river in Essonne. “We saved as many as possible by reoxygenating them“, testifies Baptiste Arnaud, one of the sinners.
The floods of October are one of the hypotheses put forward by the union which manages the water body to explain this sudden excess mortality. “The basins were used to store water for the flood and to protect the populations furthest downstream.“, indicates Franck Boittin, deputy general director of the Barley union. He explains that the basins now contain wastewater. “They are rich in nutrients which can potentially cause a lack of oxygen in the water and encourage the growth of bacteria.”
Chemical samples have been taken from the water every day since these mysterious discoveries. They are then sent to the laboratory. The results will be known in the coming days. At the same time, the Barley Union carries out oxygen measurements twice a day. “In Barley, oxygen levels are measured between 3 and 4 milligrams per liter. This remains favorable for fish species in bodies of water.“, analyzes Martin Blessing, responsible for studies and evaluations of aquatic environments at the Barley Union.
He claims that these oxygen levels “allow the fish to live, but we remain vigilant and continue to supply the pond with oxygen.“The site remains closed to the public.
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