What killed thousands of fish in Atlanta?

Thousands of dead fish in the Chattahoochee River are now at the center of a growing investigation in metro Atlanta. After heavy, localized storms overwhelmed the city’s underground sewer tunnels, polluted, low-oxygen water spilled into the river — contributing to what experts say could be one of the worst fish kills in decades. Witnesses described dark, foul-smelling water as conditions quickly turned deadly for aquatic life. The incident is now under investigation, with scrutiny on Atlanta’s infrastructure and how climate-driven storms are stressing the system. The AJC’s Drew Kann reports from the river as officials work to determine what went wrong. Credits: AJC | Chattahoochee Riverkeeper | Getty Images | City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management