Dead fish are common in southern Saskatchewan lakes, according to Patrick Boyle at the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency. He calls them "fish kills" and says the most common cause is oxygen depletion caused by algae blooms in the mid to late summer months. When fish become trapped in shallow areas of a lake, the oxygen depletion can kill them.

The cause of the algae is complicated. Boyle says the Qu'Appelle River system is naturally nutrient rich and has been for a very long time, but that treated wastewater effluent from the City of Regina has contributed nutrients and increased algae growth, as well as runoff from Saskatchewan's rich soils. But Boyle adds that the lakes in the Fort Qu'Appelle area experienced significant algae blooms before settlement and the expansion of agricultural practices.

When wind conditions develop, dead fish will wash up on the shorelines. That's where Saltzman found her next weird medium.