BROWNS VALLEY, M.N.(KWAT)–The Minnesota Department of Natural Rescources (DNR) is investigating a significant fish kill on Lake Traverse on the South Dakota-Minnesota border.

Fisheries Supervisor Chris Domeier says the fish kill was reported March 14th.

He says the DNR fish health lab concluded the likely cause of the kill was from what’s called gas bubble disease.

The mild winter, sunny days and thin, clear ice provided good conditions for algae to grow. Heavy algae growth can lead to high amounts of oxygen and other gases in the lake.

Under those conditions, the dissolved gases enter the blood and tissues of the fish, causing them to die.