Understanding the causes and the magnitudes of widespread die-offs is important for management of fish and wildlife populations.
Contaminants often end up in one of Texas' many creeks, streams, rivers, lakes, or bays .
The Kills and Spills Team often works with other state agencies which have jurisdiction over water and air quality and pollution, such as the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, General Land Office, and Texas Railroad Commission. Investigators from the other agencies contact Texas Parks and Wildlife Department about pollution which has killed or may affect fish and wildlife. Normally the amount of oxygen dissolved in surface waters, such as bays, lakes, and rivers, is fairly close to the requirements for gill-breathing aquatic life. Anything that reduces the dissolved oxygen content of the water significantly could result in a kill of the animals there which get their oxygen from the water. These are canals constructed for residential or industrial purposes, usually along the coast, especially around Houston, Corpus Christi, and South Padre Island.