Sarca River “Panic” Day Avoids Fish Kill After Flow Drop

A “panic” day for the trout of the Sarca River. A misunderstanding between the managers of the Irrigation Consortium and the technicians of Enel at the Fies power plant almost caused a mass fish kill in the river waters.

Flow reduction and rescue efforts

On Wednesday, the flow of the Sarca significantly dropped below normal in the section immediately upstream of the Arco bridge. Little more than a trickle of water remained in the riverbed.

An unexpected maneuver, likely unintended, intended to enable the Consorzio to carry out some maintenance on its irrigation network. The Sarca’s trout species faced a serious threat.

Comments and responses from officials

“Luckily,” says Stefano Trenti, president of the fishers’ association, “the water level gradually decreased, and the trout took refuge in the deeper crevices.”

The damage to the fish fauna is thus limited, at least according to the inspection carried out by Trenti himself, together with fish warden Fabio Comai and volunteer Roberto Rossi.

Restoring the river’s course

As soon as the situation was understood, Enel technicians proceeded to release two cubic meters per second of water, restoring the river to its normal flow.

It would have been a disastrous start for the already underway fishing season.