Hundreds of fish reported dead at Monastery Lake amid heat, drought
Wildlife officials documented about 120 dead rainbow trout. They say elevated water temperatures and low oxygen are driving the fish to die off near Pecos
PECOS, N.M. —
A longtime angler and local resident says hundreds of fish have died at Monastery Lake in northern New Mexico, where state wildlife officials have linked the deaths to elevated water temperatures and low oxygen during an extended period of heat and drought.
“The fish are dying. They’re dying,” said Maria Armijo, 69. “Every morning, we get there at 6, and we walk that whole lake with a wagon and a bucket and nets and are pulling out dead fish.”
Armijo has spent years fishing at the lake with her sisters and other family members. Now, she said, they spend hours walking the shoreline and removing buckets of dead fish.
“Please, help us save our lake,” Armijo said. “It needs water.”
The New Mexico Department of Wildlife investigated reports of dead fish at Monastery Lake on July 27. Staff documented about 120 dead rainbow trout and a few fathead minnows during that initial investigation.
Department officials said the number is not a total count of all fish that may have died. Armijo said she and her sisters continue to find dead fish after the state’s investigation.
“Based on our observations, the deaths of these fish were likely caused by temperatures exceeding rainbow trout temperature tolerances and low dissolved oxygen,” communications director Darren Vaughan said.
Rainbow trout are especially sensitive to elevated water temperatures. Warmer water also holds less dissolved oxygen, making it harder for fish to survive.
Officials said surviving trout showed signs of stress, including external fungus and anchorworm. Many gathered near the lake’s inlet; officials say the water flowing in from the Pecos River is cooler and more oxygenated.
Armijo said she and her sisters noticed the fish swimming unusually close to shore about two weeks before the deaths increased.
“As time’s gone by, it’s gotten worse and worse,” she said. “Now, instead of just swimming at the edge of the waters, they’re dead at the edge of the waters.”
Department staff removed the dead trout they found during the July 27 investigation. However, Vaughan said more fish could die if the hot weather continues.
“Because this hot weather is showing really no signs of relenting, we are anticipating that there will be further fish mortality in Monastery Lake,” he said.
Officials said the deaths do not necessarily indicate contamination or another problem beyond elevated water temperatures and low oxygen. The department described the event as a symptom of the region’s prolonged drought and above-normal air temperatures.
The department has not stocked Monastery Lake since July 16 because of the elevated water temperatures. Stocking will remain suspended until conditions improve enough for newly introduced trout to survive.
For Armijo, the lake is more than a fishing destination. It holds generations of family memories, including the first fish caught by her grandson and young niece.
“One of the happiest moments is I got to take my autistic grandson fishing there, and he caught his first fish all by himself,” Armijo said.
She also recalled taking her 4-year-old niece fishing at the lake about two months ago. Using a Barbie fishing rod, the girl caught a 13 1/2-inch fish by herself.
Armijo, who has fished at the lake since childhood, said it is also a place where she goes to find peace. Now, she fears the continued loss of fish could threaten a place that has long served as a gathering spot for families and anglers in the Pecos community.
“We have fished that lake since we were children. I’m now 69 years old, and I still fish there. And now we’re over there taking dead fish out of the water.” Armijo said.
Visitors who find additional dead fish can report their observations to the New Mexico Department of Wildlife’s Information Center at 888-248-6866.
