Up to 4,000 dead fish at Olathe's Frisco Lake from natural fish kill, officials say

OLATHE, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers Johnson County. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of healthcare, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.

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Thousands of dead fish at Frisco Lake in Olathe are drawing concern from people who live in the area.

One nearby resident reached out to KSHB 41 Johnson County reporter Elyse Schoenig after seeing — and smelling — these fish.

The resident asked Schoenig to find out what happened.

Schoenig confirmed the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the city of Olathe, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment are working together to test and resolve the fish kill.

"It looks like 3,000-4,000 total fish have died, with approximately 80% bluegill," said a spokesperson with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. "At this point, we believe this to be a relatively routine summer fish kill event due to low oxygen levels in the water. This lake has an average depth of 3-4 feet, and the recent hot temperatures have likely played a role."

The spokesperson also said they usually see this happen at Frisco Lake around this time every year, and they expect normal oxygen levels in the coming days as the weather cools down.

"We'll know more when the lab tests come in, but at this time, we believe the water is safe and poses no threat to humans or pets," the spokesperson said.

An Olathe city spokesperson also pointed to the metro's extreme heat, saying a shallow lake and high temperatures can impact how much oxygen is in the water. The spokesperson said the water is being tested for harmful algae to ensure water safety, too.

Elyse Schoenig / KSHB

Brianna Sawyer, who was walking at Frisco Lake Park when the fishy smell became apparent, said the scene was hard to miss.

"All the dead fish that are in the pond, it's very pungent," Sawyer said. "First I saw all the big fish, and then I saw all the tiny dead fish."

She said the weather doesn't exactly make things better.

"When the winds really whiffs it in, the heat does not help at all," Sawyer said.

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