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Michigan Lake Fish Kill Estimated At Less Than 200

Michigan officials estimate 168 fish died as a result of a drawdown of water levels on a lake along the Kalamazoo River.

The fish did not die because of the oil spilled into the river by an Enbridge Inc. pipeline. The spill of 820,000 gallons to more than 1 million gallons was reported July 26.

State officials said Monday the fish died when Lake Allegan, a six mile-long reservoir on the river, was drawn down in case it was needed as an emergency oil collection site.  Hundreds of freshwater mussels also died when the lake was drawn down for about 10 days.

Michigan officials estimated last week that fewer than 20 fish died in the Kalamazoo River as a result of the oil spill.

The leak came from a pipeline running from Griffith, Ind. to Sarnia, Ontario.
  
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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