Hollywood Canal Turns Murky Brown, Residents Alarmed by Dead Fish

Residents of a Hollywood neighborhood are expressing deep concern over a canal behind their homes that has unexpectedly turned a murky brown, accompanied by a significant number of dead fish floating on the surface.

 

Homeowner Joanne Chinelly shared her distress, stating, "It's just horrible. It breaks my heart to see them dead. I used to feed them. We feed the tarpon, and I have not seen any tarpon. It upsets me because there is a little ecosystem that has been here since the 1950s. It smells now like dead fish."

 

Another resident, Vanesa Dabul, provided photos illustrating the stark contrast between the canal's previous clear state and its current condition. "It's awful," she remarked. "It's our backyard. This happens once or twice a year. After a while, it goes away."

 

Neighbors suspect that sediment runoff from nearby construction sites and recent plumbing projects may be contributing factors. Dabul noted, "There's a water facility not too far away, and so when the city does any type of plumbing project, all the canals are connected. This canal is connected to the ocean through canals. We know the solution. There needs to be some sort of system to get more oxygen for the fish."

 

The Broward County Public Works and Environmental Services Department is currently investigating the situation. A spokesperson indicated that potential causes include the recent drop in temperatures and sediment runoff from construction activities. An employee from the department was on-site Friday morning to assess the conditions.

 

A spokesperson for the City of Hollywood clarified that the affected canal is within a private development and not under the city's jurisdiction. The city conducted an investigation and found no leaks within its infrastructure that could be causing the problem.

 

Residents are hopeful for a swift resolution to restore the canal's health and the well-being of its aquatic life.