News Release 312

FISH LOSSES EXPECTED IN TAUM SAUK LOWER RESERVOIR DRAINAGE

Volume 34-312

Contact: Kerry Cordray

(For immediate release)

573-526-4220

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, AUG. 1, 2006 -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources expects losses of fish in the Taum Sauk Plant's Lower Reservoir as water is removed to restore water quality in the Lower Black River. While a fish kill is unavoidable, measures are being taken to rescue and relocate live fish, remove dead fish to provide food for wildlife and prevent dead fish from impacting water quality downstream from the reservoir.

As part of its plan for dealing with this issue, for the last two weeks AmerenUE's contractor, MACTEC, has been rescuing fish from the lower reservoir as the water level is lowered. So far, more than 2,500 game fish have been rescued, including largemouth bass, channel catfish, redear sunfish and other species.

The water level of the lower reservoir now stands at 724 feet in elevation and is being lowered about one foot per day. At that rate the reservoir will be almost empty by later this week. As the water level decreases, remaining fish will begin to die of lack of oxygen and warm temperatures. These fish will be salvaged, with some fish being taken to the World Bird Sanctuary in St. Louis to be used as a food source for eagles, hawks, and owls. Other fish will be removed from the water and placed on the mud flats to dry and to be utilized by scavengers. Two bald eagles, many herons and cormorants and kingfishers, as well as raccoons, skunks, mink and other opportunistic scavengers will take advantage of the easy access to a meal. Estimates of scavenger efficiency indicate that these animals may remove as much as 80 percent of the fish.

Any remaining fish will be buried on site in a manner that will prevent water pollution. Removal of dead and dying fish from the water is critical in trying to reduce water quality impacts to the East Fork downstream from the lower reservoir dam. Once the lower reservoir is drained, sediment removal will commence and is expected to last from 12 to 15 weeks. An agreement between the departments of Conservation and Natural Resources and AmerenUE allows AmerenUE to temporarily lower water levels and remove exposed sediments in the reservoir, in continued efforts to restore water quality in the Lower Black River, following the Dec. 14 failure of AmerenUE's Taum Sauk Hydroelectric Plant Upper Reservoir.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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