Winterkill Watch List (2023)

(Last Updated 06/08/2023)

Department staff compiled a list of lakes with low levels of dissolved oxygen during the winter.

While some of these lakes may not suffer any winterkill, many may suffer some level of winterkill. Winterkill severity may range from a partial kill, where significant numbers of fish died, to a total kill, where all fish died.

Some lakes have already been sampled to confirm winterkills. Unfortunately, the long list of lakes coupled with a late spring won’t allowed special winterkill assessments at all lakes on the list, and many won’t be fully evaluated until standard netting surveys are completed this summer.

Lakes that have experienced some level of winterkill are noted. Minor fish kills that should not affect fishing quality, as well as many community ponds that have been restocked with catchable fish, are not listed below.