By Associated Press

LOVELOCK — A drought-fueled algae explosion may have killed off all the fish at Rye Patch Reservoir and state wildlife officials say it could take years to rebuild the popular northern Nevada fishery known for its trophy-sized walleye and giant catfish.

Nevada Department of Wildlife biologist Brad Bauman says he won’t know for sure until spring whether any of the fish are still alive in frozen lake about 100 miles northeast of Reno.

He told the Lovelock Review-Miner the area’s first known golden algae bloom apparently occurred primarily because the reservoir between Lovelock and Winnemucca has been largely stagnant for three years with no fresh water flowing in from the Humboldt River.

He says the lack of inflow combined with elevated minerals, low nutrients and cold temperatures apparently trigged the bloom.