3/2/09: A dead fish, possibly killed by heavy metals in the water. Soon after the spill, TVA authorities insisted that the water could not be referred to as "toxic" until water quality tests were taken. When asked about themassive fish kill that followed the spill, authorities speculated that it could have been due to the sub-freezing temeratures that broke the retaining wall to the sludge pond. This area gets sub-freezing temperatures annually, but no annual fish die-off.