Over 1,000 Fish and Frogs Found Dead in Columbia's Smith Branch Creek

When a concerned citizen reported that over 1,000 fish, frogs, and tadpoles were found dead in Columbia’s Smith Branch Creek, state agencies began an investigation into the cause.

An oily sheen, visible across the surface of the creek near Page Ellington Park, prompted a concerned citizen to alert the Congaree Riverkeeper. By the time investigators from the state departments of Environmental Services (DES) and Natural Resources (DNR) arrived after being called in on Oct. 30, they confirmed a grim tally: well over 1,000 fish, primarily sunfish species like bluegill and perch, had perished.

The discovery has left the local community grappling with a fundamental question: Is the water coming out of their taps safe to drink? For residents in Columbia, West Columbia, and Cayce, the anxiety is understandable, as Smith Branch Creek feeds into the Broad River above where the Columbia Canal starts—a primary source of drinking water for the region, according to Jill Martinez, Columbia’s water quality advocate.

“The drinking water is completely safe. There’s no threat there, said Benjamin Wildt, Columbia water communications manager.”

While city officials have moved quickly to reassure the public, the path to identifying the culprit behind the fish kill remains murky. Investigators documented a petroleum odor near the Central Energy venue in the city’s BullStreet District, downstream from underground storm drains.

DNR officials said that the dead aquatic life extended downstream to Earlewood Park, though the actual petroleum spill appeared contained to pockets covering about 100 feet of the creek.

What’s causing dead fish in Smith Branch Creek in Columbia? — News 19 WLTX

The investigation is now being led by the DNR, but pinning down a definitive cause has proven difficult. Bill Stangler, the Congaree Riverkeeper, said that while his organization investigates one or two fish kill incidents a year, this particular event lacks a clear smoking gun.

He pointed out that common environmental triggers—such as temperature swings, pollution, or low dissolved oxygen levels—have already been discounted as causes by investigators at Smith Branch Creek.

A potential complicating factor involves the city’s infrastructure. Stangler observed a spike in water levels in Smith Branch Creek tracked back to an Oct. 25 water main break. While it remains unclear if that break contributed to the toxicity, the presence of chlorine or chloramine in treated drinking water can be harmful to fish, because the chemicals burn their gills.

However, a DES spokesperson remained cautious, stating, “While petroleum-related conditions were observed during the inspection, the cause of the fish kill has not been confirmed, and we cannot say at this time whether the suspected spill contributed to the fish deaths.”

State inspectors found a light oil sheen and a petroleum odor in Smith Branch Creek, but say they haven’t confirmed what killed the fish. https://t.co/bWdLxyJGRH

— Post by @WLTX on X

For the residents of Columbia, the incident highlights a harsh reality of urban water systems: storm drains do not lead to sewer plants where the water gets treated. Instead, they act as direct conduits from city streets to local waterways. This design means that any chemical or pollutant dumped into a drain flows straight into the habitats of local wildlife, bypassing the filtration systems that protect human consumption.

The city and environmental advocates are now emphasizing the importance of reporting sightings of dead fish immediately to the Congaree Riverkeeper, the DES environmental emergency and spill response line, or the DNR hotline.

While the immediate threat to the municipal water supply appears to be non-existent, the ecological impact on the creek shows how fragile the local watershed is. Until the source of the petroleum is identified or the mystery of the water main break’s influence is resolved, the cause of the Smith Branch incident remains a lingering question.