A Sound Rivers team was out on the water last week, investigating the ongoing fish kill on the Neuse River.
Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop, Water-quality Specialist Taylor Register and Volunteer Coordinator Emily Fritz launched at Lawson Park in New Bern looking for locations where fish kills have been reported an recent weeks.
They found dead and dying juvenile menhaden at Fairfield Harbor and oddly colored water in areas of Northwest Creek.
Testing found extremely high dissolved oxygen and pH levels at the surface, and very low dissolved oxygen levels on the bottom — and say that indicates an algal bloom.
Register said they are hoping that the upcoming cooler weather will help keep the algae at bay.
The findings are being sent to the state DEQ for further investigation.
There has been just one fish kill reported this summer on the Pamlico River, at Core Point on the south side between Blounts Creek and Durham Creek.