Photo: WPEC
Hundreds of dead fish are to blame for the fishy smell in a Boca Raton neighborhood.
Last Thursday night, a bunch of dead fish started accumulating near the lake, according to neighbors in the Boca Square community. By Saturday, hundreds of dead fish were piled up near the shoreline.
Residents were forced to stay inside and close all windows as the stench reached every corner of the community.
The City of Boca Raton sent staff members to the lake to assist with the dead fish, but residents say they want the water to be tested further.
Thomas Warner, stormwater Operations Manager with the City of Boca Raton, sent out a response to the concerned neighbors that read:
The City with the expertise of Allstate Resource Management has made the conclusion that the low oxygen levels in the lake (2 ppm) is the root cause of the fish kill. The City is looking into long-term solutions. We have scheduled Allstate Resource Management to clean up the existing dead fish in the lake on Monday, 6/21. We are sorry for the great inconvenience and will keep you updated on the future progress of our long-term mitigation assessment.
As of Sunday, dead fish were still floating atop the water but nearby birds and other animals have helped clean up the area.