Dead fish floated on the water at the Sawgrass Lakes community in Port St. Lucie on Thursday following an algae treatment conducted earlier in the week. Neighbors discovered dead fish in their backyards Thursday morning and shared videos with WPTV. Resident Jim Herbert said there were hundreds and hundreds of fish and thousands of smaller ones gulping air. The city hired vendor SOLitude to treat the water for algae on Tuesday and Wednesday. According to experts, high heat combined with algae treatment can make water uninhabitable for aquatic life. On Thursday, crews removed dead fish and tested oxygen levels in the water. Herbert noted this was at least the second fish die-off since living in the neighborhood.
Scott Samples with the city of Port St. Lucie said the city has been working with neighbors and other cities and counties to find solutions and hopes there might be a couple of options soon, though those are dependent on several factors. Jim Moir, executive director of the Indian Riverkeeper, suggested the city look at more natural solutions including planting aquatic vegetation, reducing fertilizer use, and removing sediment that fuels algae growth. Moir said the city will end up in a cycle it cannot break unless it goes back to square one and starts with natural remediation.