HOUSTON – If you’ve been seeing what seems like an unusual amount of dead fish in Houston-area waterways, Texas wildlife officials say the #1 suspect in this case is Mother Nature.
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Why are there dead fish in Houston bayous?
What they’re saying:
FOX 26 contacted the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) after being told about a noticeable amount of dead fish in Houston’s Brays Bayou.
According to the department, this is believed to be a natural event that happens every year. The recent rainfall brought a lot of stormwater to the waterways, which can disrupt the “distinct layers of dissolved oxygen” and affect the fish in the “safe layers.”
The TPWD calls incidents like this “low dissolved oxygen kills.” They’re common during the summer due to higher temps and less wind and rain, but storms can make them happen year-round.
The TPWD isn’t completely ruling out the fish kills being from pollution or disease-causing pathogens, but they don’t believe it’s happening in Brays Bayou at this time.
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There is one fish kill in Brays Bayou that’s under investigation. The TWPD says it’s visiting the area to test the water quality, but they currently believe that this kill is also from stormwater.
Dead fish in Houston’s Brays Bayou on Sept. 5, 2026.
Is Brays Bayou safe?
Why you should care:
The TWPD says Brays Bayou is part of the Buffalo Bayou Tidal watershed, which is currently said to as “impaired.”
The Houston-Galveston Area Council also says the surface water shows “elevated levels of fecal bacteria and nutrients.”
Anyone who plans to fish in areas like Brays Bayou should check the TPWD’s Fish Consumption Bans and Advisories ahead of time.
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