Update: Pond Filled With Dead Fish Refilled

That parched pond ABC-7 first reported about on Thursday got some much needed water Friday.

The sound of gushing water flowing through an irrigation canal is another change at life for the few fish still alive in the once shallow pond.

The water levels in the Los Nogales Acres retention pond dipped dangerously low for the wildlife in the area, too low for some fish to even survive. We spotted several batches of dead fish floating on top of the water.

“there’s a whole bunch, like 20 in one spot,” AJ Avila said. He passes the pond everyday and said the pond is not usually in such bad shape. “There were some fish, I thought they were rocks until I actually walked over there.”

The Los Nogales Homeowners Association paid for the water that was pumped in on Friday. None of the fish were discarded before the water started flowing back into the pond, but city health officials said that shouldn’t concern residents.

“It’s certainly not pretty to look at, it’s probably not going to smell very nice for awhile,” said Michael Hill, El Paso’s Public Health Director. “It’s unpleasant, but not necessarily unhealthy.

Hill said there is bacteria growing on the fish as its decaying, but as long as they are not touched, they shouldn’t harm anyone or the environment. We spotted birds circling the pond and some skimming the surface of the water, all in search of their next meal.

“They’ll go away eventually,” Hill said. “There should be turtles around and the birds will keep eating the fish.”

Hill said it is even safe for residents to take out the tackle box and grab some dinner themselves.

“If it was safe to fish before, it still should be,” Hill said. “Certainly you’re going to cook the fish and that’s going to kill whatever bacteria might have gotten on them.”