MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

By Meredith Ley, WSAV – “STATESBORO, GA — Just one year after the largest fish kill in Georgia history, more fish have been found dead along the Ogeechee River banks–prompting a swimming and fishing advisory in Bulloch and Effingham counties.

Nearly forty thousand fish died in the Ogeechee River last year. A textiles company — King America Finishing — was found to be at least partly to blame.

Here is the breakdown:

King America was fined one million dollars for illegal dumping of several chemicals not allowed in its permit.

Those include formaldehyde and ammonia.

The dumping had been going on for five years.

Just after our story aired this Monday on news three at six a viewer called and said he had seen more dead fish at 301 landing.

The Ogeechee Riverkeeper spent most of yesterday searching the river, and found more.

Then Thursday, the DNR was out at Oliver Bridge near Statesboro collecting even more dead fish.

So far at least four species of fish, plus some crawfish, are dying. They say this raises concern because, whatever is causing it, it’s affecting many different kinds of life in the river.

DNR says there are a few things that could be causing this.

First, water levels are even lower than they were this time last year.

Combine that with warmer water temperatures and the lack of rain — and it makes the perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

The Environmental Protection Division determined that the fish last year died of Columnaris, a bacterial disease caused by environmental stressors…

Regular testing by King America Finishing and the company’s contractor shows the river meets water quality standards, and there are no areas of concern.” Read more.