MUNCIE, Ind. – The White River was on the road to good ecological health, but a recent contamination is a step backward, says a Ball State University aquatic biology expert.

The river was polluted by discharges of toxic wastewater twice in December, killing millions of fish and alarming local residents.

The mishap is a reminder of what can happen if an accident spoils a major waterway, said Tom Lauer, associate director of the Aquatic Biology and Fisheries Center.

"The river has suffered greatly because of all the fish species that were wiped out," Lauer said. "Every time you have something like this happen, you have to reset the biological clock three to four years. You’ve wiped out a generation of aquatic life that takes time to recover.

"Twenty-five years ago you didn’t have a major fish kill like this," he said. "There were few fish to kill because the White River was so contaminated."

Discharge of contaminated water from the Anderson wastewater treatment plant in December is being blamed for a massive fish kill that spread along 50 miles of the river from the city’s outskirts through Indianapolis.

Cleanup crews have removed 62 tons of dead fish from the White River in the last 12 days. State and local officials are attempting to determine which company sent the contaminated waste to the city plant.

Indiana has about 6,000 fishable streams but only a few major waterways such as the White and Wabash rivers. It is remarkable that the White River has made such a dramatic comeback, Lauer said.

"It was just a few years ago that the river was little more than a waste basin," Lauer said. "Today, we have a variety of fish such as smallmouth bass and catfish that thrive in clean water. We also have seen the return of beaver to the river, which is another good sign that the river is returning to good health."

By Marc Ransford, Communications Manager

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Lauer by e-mail at tlauer@bsu.edu or by phone at (765) 285-8728.)