Fears are growing for the health of Carlingwark Loch at Castle Douglas after hundreds of fish were killed in a suspected pollution incident.
Jools Cox discovered piles of dead and dying dace around an inlet drain below a footpath near the garden of memories off Whitepark Road on Monday.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has been alerted – but Mrs Cox is worried pollution could impact other wildlife.
The Castle Douglas environmentalist told the News: “There were hundreds of fish lying dead below the outlet.
“If whatever pollutant responsible is killing the small fish it could kill the pike as well.
“Otters feed on the pike so this could affect the entire ecosystem of the loch.”
The huge fish kill is not the first incident of its kind to affect the same part of the shallow loch in recent weeks.
Mrs Cox said: “I was down at the garden on October 31 after all that heavy rain and could see all these dead fish floating about.
“I brought somebody back and photographed them.
“Then after I returned from COP26 I went down to have a look again on Monday.
“They were all piled up round the edge of the outlet pipe and were really stinking.
“I think somehow domestic waste water is getting into the surface drainage system.
“I have emailed SEPA photos of all the dead fish.
“They really need to keep testing the water there to find out what’s behind this.”
Mrs Cox, who has an MA Honours degree in environmental studies, claims pollution of Carlingwark Loch is a long-standing problem which unless sorted could threaten the entire habitat.
She said: “In the summer when the water was low the outflow from the drain was cloudy and smelt of washing machine liquid.
“You can’t keep polluting the loch because although the flow is very slow it goes into the Dee.
“I think it’s very concerning - this could kill all the wildlife.
“There’s tons of smaller species in there and the whole biodiversity of the loch will be affected.
“There are all sorts of nutrients from sewage feeding the water lilies choking the loch and people have been complaining about them.”
When the Galloway News visited the scene on Tuesday, the heaps of dead dace were beginning to rot.
Despite the presence of numerous seagulls and crows, none appeared to have been scavenged.
The foul smell of decaying fish is noticeable from a distance away.
The nearby garden of memories, which Mrs Cox founded, was created as a peaceful place to “sit, remember and renew”.
A spokesman for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said an officer had been to the site to investigate the situation and the outcome was not yet known.
