Deep Creek residents concerned about pesticides killing fish, washing up in their backyards

Neighbors living in the Deep Creek area say they’re concerned about chemicals seeping into the water, and the growing stench they are having to live with. And now, a layer of green slime and dead fish line the lake.

“It’s just a wall of thousands of dead tiny fish, large fish here. The birds are eating them all. It just looks like carnage,” said neighbor Sherry Fee.

For the past two days, neighbors say dozens of dead fish have washed up in their backyards.

“You never really want to see, you know, dead fish. It’s kind of just a freaky thing to see,” said neighbor Mary Busher.

And many who live around the lake have their own theories on what may have caused the fish kill.

“Some of us are wondering if it was the spraying of the weeds that was just done,” Fee said.

They believe the recent heavy rains have washed those chemicals into the lake, killing the fish. Now they’re worried other wildlife may be affected too.

“The birds are all eating it so if it’s something that came from chemicals, then that could be very bad,” Fee said.

The Deep Creek Homeowners Association says they’ve contacted the company that maintains the lake to find out the cause of the dying fish. They have not yet heard back.

It’s also unclear if they knew when or if workers would come out and clean up the dead fish.