California's severe drought has dried up the Guadalupe River in the South Bay.
Water officials said the river that runs through downtown San Jose has now recorded its lowest water levels in history. Dozens of fish were stranded when the water stopped flowing and their carcasses now cover the river bed.
"Obviously a negative impact on wildlife," said Terry Austen with the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy. "Negative impact on use of the river."
Austen said clean up efforts lead to a healthy population of trout, salmon and beavers. He is confident the wildlife will return if the water returns.
"And we're looking forward to our El Nino," Austen said.
The Santa Clara Valley Water District said in 2011 the river flowed at 6 cubic feet per second.
Meanwhile, the drought has allowed volunteers to get rid of years of trash the river has collected.
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"To clean it up -- perhaps take care of structural things that need to be done," Austen said. "So we'll be more ready when the rain comes."
Several reservoirs supply the Guadalupe River. The water district said some water is being released from those reservoirs to creeks and rivers, but added there is not enough to flow to this spot.
