DNR claims no health risk exists at Woodland Lake
 

A pile of dead fish washed up on the lawn of her Woodland Lake home was not a sight Brighton Township resident Anita Grapentien was expecting to see when she came home from vacation several weeks ago.

"There was about 10 out there the first night and another 10 came in the next night," she said. "At first, I thought maybe someone snagged the fish in their line and then threw them back and they didn't make it, but by the second night I called my board members and found out it was happening all over the lake."

Grapentien, president of the Organization of Woodland Lake association, wasn't sure what to make of it, but preliminary tests by the fisheries staff at the Livonia office of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) indicate that the deaths of largemouth bass and bluegills on Woodland Lake is due to the presence of a virus. Further tests are expected to be completed this week.

"We called the DNR on Thursday (July 26) and they were right out here on Friday," Grapentien said. "Then they came back out on Wednesday."

On each visit, DNR officers patrolled the lake to count the dead fish. According to Grapentien, the count went over 90 the first day and peaked around 70 on the subsequent patrol.

Although the virus took out a good number of the lake's stock, there is good news. According to an advisory released from the Livingston County Department of Public Health, the Largemouth Bass Virus on Woodland Lake is not a public health threat to swimmers, nor is it a health threat to eat the fish caught in the lake. The virus is not transmittable to humans or other mammals.

"That was my first concern," Grapentien said. "Not being a fisherman, I was worried about the health and safety of people swimming in the water."

According the county health department, the Largemouth Bass Virus is generally connected with natural stress conditions that are encountered in mid- to late summer. Warm water temperatures combined with depressed dissolved oxygen levels are thought to be the triggers for occurrence of the virus, which generally affects older fish. The disease is allowed the run its course through the lake.

"I'm definitely glad it's nothing serious," Grapentien said. "I was told by the DNR that it generally takes about two weeks to run its course and then it usually doesn't come back because the younger fish develop an immunity. There's only been two or three cases where it's come back more than once."

Although the virus is not dangerous to humans, all boaters are being asked to prevent its spread to other area lakes by draining all live bait buckets prior to leaving the boat ramp, in order to stop the transference of bait from lake to lake, as well as clean all plant material from the propellers and hull of the boat.

Residents living on Woodland Lake are encouraged to keep beach areas clean of any dead fish to prevent development of nuisance conditions involving decomposition odors, insects and rodent attraction. Lakeside residents should dispose of any dead fish found by either burial or their normal garbage service.