About 70 fish were found dead in Huff Creek in South Carolina near Lockheed-Martin. State health officials are investigating the fish deaths and are unsure what is to blame. Adam Myrick, spokesman for the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, said water samples were taken to check the pH as well as the dissolved oxygen level, which is important to fish. Everything has come back in normal range, according to Myrick.
DHEC and Lockheed are conducting additional tests to determine the cause, he said.
“We are not aware of any spills that might be causing this,” he said, “but we’re still looking, and Lockheed-Martin is doing the same.” Myrick also said Lockheed-Martin has closed off its retention pond to prevent any spill, if indeed one has occurred, from going off site.
In Louisiana, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is trying to determine what killed about 200 birds in south Lake Charles. Local news stations are reporting that approximately 100 birds were found dead in two separate locations about a mile apart. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologist Kori Legleu says the birds are tree swallows – birds that are common in southwest Louisiana, and travel in tight flocks. She believes they probably were flying erratically and may have hit passing vehicles. Some of the birds are being dissected and tested to figure out what caused their deaths. Preliminary results are expected in about a week.
