With care and concern for public health and welfare, the City of Tempe, Aquatic Consulting and Arizona Game and Fish are working together to remove fish from the remaining water in Tempe Town Lake and to treat standing water to prevent mosquitoes.

 

Aquatic Consulting has the contract for water quality, mosquito prevention and fish removal for Tempe Town Lake. Vice-president Rick Amalfi has worked on this project for the last 12 years, starting the year before Town Lake opened.

 

Since Bladder #2 at Tempe Town Lake burst on Tuesday, the lake has been draining. Most fish washed downstream, according to Arizona Game and Fish, but those remaining are either already dead or unlikely to survive because of high temperatures and low oxygen levels in the pools of water.

 

Town Lake is close to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Tempe has worked with the airport for more than a decade to reduce the possibility of bird strikes to airplanes. Workers are removing the fish from the pools of water in order to remove that attraction and the scent.

 

While the loss of the fish is considerable and sad, the Phoenix Herpetological Society has asked to make use of some of the fish as food for their pets. While living and healthy fish in Town Lake are preferable, their loss is not completely wasted. 

 

Tempe is also working to prevent mosquitoes by treating standing pools of water and treating them with environmentally-friendly chemicals. Smaller pools that will evaporate quickly will be treated with short-lasting chemicals while larger pools will be treated with those that last up to a month. By selecting the best treatment for the water, Tempe will save money and keep the lake cleaner.

 

Some mosquitoes can carry West Nile virus and Tempe wants to ensure that residents and visitors are protected. West Nile virus was present in Arizona before the incidents at Tempe Town Lake. The danger remains as much in backyards as anywhere. If you want to learn more about how you can protect yourself and your community from West Nile virus or if you need to report any mosquito problems in your area, please visit www.maricopa.gov/wnv or call the West Nile virus hotline: (602) 506-0700.