Five miles of a canal that runs through Logan, North Logan and Hyde Park became contaminated by oil that leaked from a chip and seal project Saturday, according to the Bear River Health Department.

Hazmat crews were called out to Hyde Park at about 7 p.m. Saturday, the BRHD confirmed.

BRHD spokeswoman Jill Parker said teams isolated the source of the oil to 1800 North in North Logan, where it had washed into the canal following rain Saturday afternoon.

A chip and seal road project in that area has been ongoing, said North Logan Mayor Lloyd Berentzen, who confirmed the oil entered the canal at about 450 East. A private contractor was doing the work, he said.

“I think the rain helped wash that product right into the irrigation canal,” Berentzen said.

Berentzen said the Utah Department of Environmental Quality has been notified and that further investigation into the incident will start at daylight Sunday.

Canal shareholders are being warned to not use the water, and multiple locations have been shut off in an attempt to minimize contamination. Officials were especially concerned with those who have livestock that drink the water.

“If the water is brown or residents are noticing an unusual odor in their irrigation system in the North Logan/Hyde Park irrigation system, they should not water,” Parker said late Saturday evening.

Berentzen said road-base products tend to separate and emulsify with water, which is why people are seeing a brownish canal.

The canal, often called the “lower canal,” runs through downtown Logan, north through Innovation Campus, past the Cache Valley Hospital and along 800 East in North Logan and Hyde Park. It then runs through central Hyde Park.

Officials diverted the water into a field near the highway for cleanup.

At about 10 p.m. Saturday, officials were still trying to determine how far the oil had spread, but those near the Logan-Cache Airport reported that the canal there was clear.

Officials from the health department, public works departments in both North Logan and Hyde Park, firefighters and police officers from multiple agencies were on the scene.

Berentzen said he believes the wetland areas west of U.S. Highway 91 won’t suffer any problems.

Hyde Park city issued an emergency message on its Facebook page, urging residents to discontinue all water use.

“Please do not allow your animals to drink the irrigation water. You will be notified when it is safe to turn your water back on,” the message read.

Berentzen said the chip seal was laid between 200 East and 600 East along 1800 North on Saturday.