A Mistreated Lake

Fifteen years ago, thousands of fish made their home in a small Connecticut lake. The fish belonged to dozens of different species, and they colored the lake in spectacular hues of yellow, silver, pink, white and red. Some were plump and some were thin, some swam in schools and others went solo. But the population was united in its sheer liveliness. The lake was at capacity, but what a joyous capacity it was. When motorboats became increasingly popular, nearby residents enjoyed much of their days cruising on the lake. The gasoline and oil inevitably poisoned the fish, leaving many belly-up within weeks. The colors of the fish were replaced by the colors of the gasoline films that clung to the surface. The once animated waters quickly turned into a pool of chemicals.