ROBBINSVILLE (AP) — State environmental officials are investigating how thousands of gallons of sludge wound up in a ditch in far western North Carolina and contaminated portions of a creek.
The Division of Water Quality said Thursday initial estimates show about 4,000 gallons were deposited in a ditch that goes into Long Creek in Graham County. Long Creek flows into Lake Santeetlah.
Division spokeswoman Susan Massengale said it’s unclear how much sludge entered the creek but that a mile of the creek has been affected. Massengale said a fish kill occurred but live fish were still found in the area.
Massengale said the sludge was being removed from the ditch and the creek.
The source of the sludge wasn’t immediately clear.