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Important Community Update - Lake 3 Fish Incident

Published: July 09, 2025

As many of you are aware, an incident occurred at Lake 3 on Wednesday, July 3rd, involving a significant number of deceased fish. We understand the concern this has generated throughout the community, and we want to provide a complete and transparent update, including findings from our lake management vendor, Lake Management Services (LMS).

Incident Overview & Response Timeline

• July 3: Our office received multiple resident reports. A police officer also responded and confirmed that management and LMS were already aware and taking action.
• Same Day: LMS responded onsite, investigated the situation, and began removing affected fish.
• July 4: LMS returned to collect additional fish.
• July 8: A final visit was conducted to complete the cleanup and assess lake conditions.

Cause of the Fish Kill

According to LMS, the cause of the fish kill was not due to chemicals, human error, or negligence, but rather a natural turnover event caused by a sudden cold rainstorm the night prior. 

“Cold rain can cause a turnover effect in the lake where colder water sinks and forces low-oxygen water from the bottom to rise and mix throughout the lake. This rapid shift drastically reduces the average dissolved oxygen level—sometimes from about 7 mg/L to below 4 mg/L, the minimum required to sustain fish. Because the change occurs within a short window, the fish cannot acclimate and unfortunately die from the stress.” 

Live fish were observed gasping in shallow water, classic signs of oxygen stress.

Fish removed:

• 250–300 Bluegill/Sunfish
• ~150 Largemouth Bass
• 30–50 Channel Catfish

What About Chemicals?

While online speculation has pointed to chemical treatment, LMS has confirmed that their actions were within safe, regulated limits:

• LMS applied only 2 gallons of a liquid chelated copper algaecide to the very edges of the lake for algae control.
• For a lake of this size (approx. 4.38 acres, avg. 4 ft depth), the maximum safe amount of this product is 26.28 gallons.
• LMS used less than 10% of the safe threshold, well below any harmful level.

Fountain Operation & Aeration Limits

• The fountain typically runs from 6 or 7 AM to midnight daily, both to extend motor life and to provide quiet hours for nearby residents.
• Upon being notified of the fish kill, LMS immediately switched the fountain to run 24/7 to aid in oxygen recovery though by then the event was already irreversible.

Why wasn’t it enough:

• The current fountain moves approx. 400 gallons per minute, which can aerate about 1.5 acre-feet of water in a full day.
• With over 20 acre-feet of water in the lake, full aeration would require 10–11 fountains, which is not feasible.

Looking Ahead: Long-Term Solutions

To improve conditions moving forward, LMS has offered to:

• Split the cost 50/50 with the Association to install a diffused aeration system, a more efficient and sustainable solution for a lake of this size.
• Assist with restocking fish this fall, once the lake's health has stabilized.

Diffused aeration systems are more energy-efficient than fountains and are far better at oxygenating water throughout deeper layers of a lake.

A Final Note

We understand this incident was upsetting. We have concluded that this was a natural environmental event, not the result of neglect or wrongdoing. All parties responded quickly and have worked together to address the issue responsibly and thoroughly.

This message is being shared to ensure all residents have access to the full facts and technical explanation.

If residents have additional questions or concerns, please submit a web submission through the HOA website under the “Contact Us” tab at:Sutton Fields HOA Contact Us

Sutton Fields HOA