State probes St. Clair fish kills - 2nd Mar 2011

Investigators don't know what caused massive shad die-offs.

Harrison Township— Residents along the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair could be in for a nasty — and funky — shock when the canals and beaches fully thaw, unleashing thousands and thousands of dead shad fish that have been clogging the waterways for months.

The cause of the massive fish die-offs, which began in mid-December, remains a mystery to state investigators. But it's clear that once the ice and snow are gone, many homeowners along the waters will likely face mounds of rotting shad carcasses

The Venetian Drive neighborhood in Harrison Township could wind up with those problems. After seeing clouds of dead 5- to 6-inch silver shad piling up in the canal behind his home, Garrett Baitinger called longtime friend Lloyd Kimmen to take a look. Read More