Public will have to wait for answers on wildlife die-off at Brick Pond Park

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Test results aren’t being released yet to the public on what’s killing off wildlife at Brick Pond Park in North Augusta.

Park visitors this week started noticing dead fish, frogs, turtles and other animals.

City officials and the Savannah Riverkeeper took some samples to see if they could learn what’s killing the creatures.

But the city won’t be sharing that information just yet.

“When all test results are in, we will prepare a full report to City Council,” Tom Zeaser, director of engineering and public works for the city, said Wednesday. “The results will be made public at that time.”

He said that “based on our observations” and in consultation with the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, “we do not believe there is any public health threat to park visitors” or any ongoing environmental emergency.

Tonya Bonitatibus, executive director for Savannah Riverkeeper, apparently will be sharing the results of her tests.

She expects to have some of those results Friday.

She offered a few observations.

She said waterfall pumps help keep algae and other harmful things out of the water, but the pumps have been broken.

Zeaser said Wednesday that the waterfalls, which provide mechanical aeration, have been restored to operation.

The park has a “pretty bad algae problem,” she said earlier this week.

“If you look right now, you can see it’s bubbling,” said Bonitatibus. “It is creating oxygen. The problem is that at night, it’s sucking out the oxygen, so algae breathe oxygen and fish are starving at night.“

Bonitatibus believes Hurricane Helene may have played a role, too, with damaged sewage lines that could be nurturing algae growth.

City staff addressed the issue at a meeting Monday.

“We have reached out to South Carolina DES, their harmful algae division, and just made them aware,” said Tom Zeaser, director of engineering and public works. “Based on the information that we’ve provided, they don’t see any need for them to take any action at this time.”

Testing for nutrient and E. coli problems began Tuesday.

“With an E. coli sample, we’ll know within 24 hours if that’s a concern, and then the nutrient sampling could take up to three weeks to get those,” said Zeaser.

When all test results are in, they will prepare a full report for the City Council, according to Zeaser.

Zeaser said he doesn’t believe there are any public health threats to park visitors or environmental emergencies right now.

As of Wednesday, Zeaser said the waterfalls are operational, which provide aeration to the system.

The Savannah Riverkeeper is testing, too.

Bonitatibus said her group will test for dangerous algae, hoping to have everything finished Friday.

“We’re going to train these guys and get them stream-certified so that we have a community group that’s regularly out collecting samples on these streams,” said Bonitatibus.

Zeaser says the pumps will be replaced this week, but for neighbors who walk this path every day, action can’t come soon enough.

The dead wildlife is creating a stench.

Sandy Zanko is one of the people who noticed the smell.

She said it started with a large dead turtle and then came the fish.

“It didn’t look like there was any harm to them. All of a sudden, you know, they’re just turning upside down,” said Zanko.

Christopher Roberts has walked these paths since he was little, as often as he can.

“I actually commented to her about the water quality just a minute ago. It’s not too surprising to me that the wildlife is starting to die from it, and it’s starting to affect it a lot,” he said.

Neighbors say they’ve raised concerns before, and they hope someone’s listening this time.

“If we don’t do something to preserve and protect it now and welcome all the people that are coming and help educate, I don’t know what this will end up being,” said Zanko.

North Augusta resident Christopher Roberts said: “I’m going to keep an eye on this place for sure because I don’t want anything to happen to it, and I know that I can’t do much as one person, but I can do what I can.”