Dead ducks in Denver – 01/23/2007

Hundreds of dead ducks discovered
written by: Shawn Patrick , Reporter
posted by: Dan Boniface , Web Producer
created: 1/20/2007 2:29:31 PM
Last updated: 1/20/2007 6:22:03 PM

DENVER – Almost 200 dead ducks have been found in a chlorine basin
at a wastewater treatment facility.

An engineer first noticed several distressed ducks on site January
2nd, and then a week later, the staff discovered a pattern; hundreds of
ducks dead in the water.

The Division of Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife are
investigating, as lab tests are being performed in Fort Collins to find a cause to
the problem.

For the past 20 years, hundreds of ducks flock to the warm water at
this plant, but this is the first time the staff has noticed such an
ominous scene.

“It’s not unusual at all to have ducks here. The ducks come
every winter, but we just don’t see ducks die”, said Steve
Frank, spokesperson for Metro Wastewater Reclamation District.

Maintenance workers at the plant have a sound gun firing off blank
shots each half hour to keep the ducks away from the water, until the root
of the problem is confirmed.

Workers are also skimming the water to find any remaining ducks.
Several of the surviving birds sit in cages and towels, with their
feathers no longer waterproof, possibly suffering from hypothermia.

The plant increased the amount of chlorine in the water in December,
but the staff says there’s no connection.

“When we increased the chlorine dosage we didn’t notice any
additional ducks, dead or alive, when we decreased it, we didn’t
notice any change either,” said Frank.

The staff plans to put a net over the basin to keep birds out of the
water. Lab results are expected within the next few weeks.
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