Garrett County officials have restricted swimming and fishing at Deep Creek Lake, a popular vacation destination, after about 36,000 gallons of sewage spilled into a stream that feeds into the lake.
On Friday, county officials notified the public that an overflow of sewage from the McHenry Sewage Holding Tank had affected the state-owned lake, which is Maryland's largest. The overflow, which occurred at the corner of Deep Creek Drive and Town Center Drive, caused about 36,000 gallons to enter a nearby steam that flows into the lake, near the northwestern end of Marsh Run Cove, officials said.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources placed warning buoys in the area, as officials conduct water sampling tests.
On Saturday, the county's department of public utilities issued a statement that said the tests indicate "the restriction on swimming and fishing in the area must continue." Officials said they were collecting additional water samples, and would release their results on Sunday.
Officials did not immediately disclose a cause for the overflow.
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