What causes a lake to winterkill?
A. Winter loss of a fishery is most prevalent when extended periods of ice cover combine with heavy snow cover. When these conditions occur there is little sunlight that gets through to the underwater plant life, severely slowing the process of photosynthesis which produces oxygen. Organic decomposition of materials on the lake bottom consumes oxygen, and when combined with lack of photosynthesis, there may not be enough oxygen for fish and winterkill is the end result. Shallow waters are most susceptible to winter loss. The Game and Fish occasionally installs aerators to keep a supply of oxygen available to the fish, however aerators are costly, require winter maintenance and do not provide the desired result on every water. Because of these factors, the use of aerators is limited.
