Surveys indicate mixed bag on fish winterkill

Surveys by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission show many Sandhills lakes fared better than expected after a harsh winter led to fish kills.

Deep snow over thick ice this winter caused oxygen depletion in many of the region’s most shallow and vegetated lakes, causing fish and the plants they rely upon for survival to die.

As surveys are completed, Game and Parks is developing a stocking plan to replenish the fish populations where needed.

Anglers looking for the most recent information about winterkill surveys may follow the Nebraska Fishing Facebook page. They also can contact Game and Parks fisheries biologists at the Alliance, Valentine and Norfolk offices.

Surveyed lakes with severe winterkill:

Brown County: Cozad Lake at South Pine Wildlife Management Area, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Tower Lake on Yellowthroat WMA.

Cherry County: Watts, Duck and West Long lakes on Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, Cottonwood Lake State Recreation Area

Garden County: Smith Lake and Island lakes on Crescent Lake NWR

Rock County: Bassett City Lakes

Sheridan County: Smith Lake WMA

Surveyed lakes with partial winterkill:

Cherry County: Pelican and Hackberry lakes on Valentine NWR

Dawes County: *Whitney Lake Wildlife Management Area

Sheridan County: Walgren Lake SRA

Surveyed lakes with minor or no winterkill:

Box Butte County: Laing Lake

Brown County: Willow Lake WMA

Cherry County: Cottonwood-Steverson and Shell Lake WMAs, Clear, Dewey and Rice lakes on Valentine NWR.

Garden County: Crane Lake on Crescent Lake NWR, Crescent Lake WMA

Grant County: Avocet Lake WMA

Rock County: Twin Lakes WMA

Lakes not surveyed with probable significant winterkill:

Garden County: Island Lake on Crescent Lake NWR

Rock County: Peterson Lake WMA

Sioux County: Agate and Boardgate reservoirs on the Oglala National Grassland

Lakes not surveyed with probable high survival:

Cherry County: Big Alkali WMA, Home Valley Lake

Grant County: Frye Lake WMA

*Losses attributed to 2022 summerkill

Updated May 19, 9 and 2, 2023, to reflect updated survey results. Updated May 3, 2023, to add Facebook page where immediate updates will be posted.