DELAND, Fla. -- The heavy rain is causing more than flooding problems in Volusia County. Some residents in DeLand are stumbling upon dead fish in their neighborhoods.

Many dead fish have been found near the Riviera Resort and Marina on Botts Landing Road in DeLand (see map). The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is getting numerous reports of fish kills from all over the state due to low dissolved oxygen levels in rivers and lakes.

The heavy rains have washed plants, animal material and other debris into the waterways that is absorbing the oxygen in the water faster than it can be replenished. Also, the muddy waters reduce sunlight and algae needs sunlight to produce oxygen.

Eyewitness News spoke with one Volusia County man who, for the past several days, has been using 55-gallon drums to get rid of all the dead fish. He would also like to get rid of the stench they leave behind.

"I have no understanding for what it is and I can't get an answer from anybody exactly whether the fish are good to eat that are being netted out of here or if we have a health hazard because of the dead fish that are in here," said DeLand resident Bill Nelms.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, some of the fish kills are due to sewage flowing in the waterways. Eyewitness News has not heard back from the Health Department on whether it's safe to eat fish netted out of the St. Johns River.

In the meantime, officials said they expect fish kills to increase during the next several weeks.