Thousands of dead fish wash ashore in Butts County - Dallas News | myFOXdfw.com

Thousands of dead fish have washed up on the shores of a lake in Butts County.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources officials estimate around 2,300 carp, bass and catfish have died in South River in Butts County.

Sean Ledford, who owns a house in a cove of Lake Jackson, says the smell of the fish is so bad that he can't even use his dock.

"We're out here trying to celebrate and you just got rotten smell being blown in your face," Ledford said.

DNR officials say low water levels and high temperatures caused the fish to suffocate.

 "I wouldn't be surprised if it was in the 90s in this very small, shallow area, and the fish are stressed out," said Keith Weather of the DNR. "They can't take it and they die."

Officials say that because the water is so low, they can't get a boat in the water. Because the ground is so soft, they can't access it by land. They say the only thing anyone can do is let Mother Nature step in.

"Waterbirds…raccoons, other animals that eat fish are much more efficient at it than we are at cleaning this up," said Weaver.

Homeowners aren't pleased with situation.

"They can't leave this right in front of my house. It already stinks, and when they go to really rotten, you got houses, you got people who have to live here with this….that's inhumane really," said Ledford.

DNR says this isn't an isolated incident. They say rivers and reservoirs statewide are reporting low levels. With the high temperatures, they've been getting reports of fishkills throughout the state.