Southwest Missouri workers save tiny fish as water cut off

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Several hundred fish had their lives saved by workers from a southwest Missouri water plant.

Workers from the Southwest Treatment Plant near Springfield shepherded the fish into deeper pools of water while the plant was shut down for about four hours Wednesday for maintenance.

Ed Malter, interim assistant public works director, said the plant provides most of the water for a section of Wilson's Creek where the fish live.

Public works employees walked the creek, scooping some fish from shallow pools with nets and buckets and pushing others along with their boots.

Malter said bass, carp, suckers, creek chub minnows and other small fish live in the creek.