IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
August 5, 2004

1. Fish kill hits Bear Creek near Dyersville

FISH KILL HITS BEAR CREEK NEAR DYERSVILLE

DYERSVILLE - Another fish kill has hit the North Fork Maquoketa River
watershed near Dyersville.

The fish kill in Bear Creek, a tributary to the North Fork Maquoketa River,
killed a small number of creek chubs, suckers and minnows on Wednesday. This
fish kill was minor, as most fish in the creek were killed three weeks ago
in another manure-related fish kill. The kill is not expected to spread to
the river.

At least one source of the fish kill has been identified. A feedlot four
miles upstream, owned by Martin Kruse, had been draining manure-contaminated
water from a structure that holds manure and storm water runoff. The
contaminated water discharged from a pipe directly into Bear Creek. The
feedlot will be cited for a number of violations, including water quality
and manure handling violations, and for failure to have a manure management
plan.

There are likely more sources of manure that contributed to this fish kill,
and the DNR is working to identify potential problem areas in the watershed,
and to work with landowners to clean up these sites.

The DNR will continue to investigate the incident and will pursue
appropriate enforcement actions for responsible parties.

For more information, contact Mike Wade at (563) 927-2640.


IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
July 15 2004

MANURE SPILL CAUSES FISH KILL NEAR DYERSVILLE

DYERSVILLE - A manure release from a dairy farm Thursday morning caused a
complete fish kill along an unnamed tributary of the North Fork of the
Maquoketa River near Dyersville.

A plywood stop in a manure control structure blew out, releasing an
estimated several thousand gallons of manure into the small stream. The
owner of the farm worked quickly to address the spill, constructing an
earthen dam, keeping most of the manure contained in the stream and out of
the North Fork of the Maquoketa River. The collected manure is being applied
to cornfields.

The manure caused a complete fish kill in the tributary, killing a few
hundred creek chubs, stonerollers and minnows. DNR fisheries staff will be
conducting a fish count on Thursday.


**This is the third fish kill this week in the North Fork of the Maquoketa
River watershed.


The DNR will continue to investigate the incident and will later determine
if any enforcement actions will be taken.

For more information, contact Mike Wade at (563) 927-2640.

SOURCE IDENTIFIED IN WALKER FISH KILL

MANCHESTER - F.J. Krob and Company, of Walker, was identified as the source
of the ammonia that killed nearly 8,000 fish in the east branch of Blue
Creek last Friday. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources identified the
company during the investigation.

Susan Miller, with the DNR's Manchester office, said an employee with the
company mistakenly released an estimated 4,000 gallons of ammonia
contaminated water from a tank that was the source of the fish kill.

The investigation uncovered an opened valve that allowed ammonia into the
water tank.

Miller said the DNR would seek penalties beyond fish restitution. F.J. Krob
and Company was responsible for a fish kill in the same stream in June 2003.

For more information, contact Susan Miller at (563) 927-2640.


DNR ADVISES FARMERS TO INSPECT DRY MANURE STACKING AREAS TO PREVENT FISH
KILLS

DES MOINES - The DNR is advising dairy farmers to inspect "dry" manure
stacking areas on their property, as rainfall can cause the manure to flow
into streams and lakes.

Farmers must store manure in an area where runoff from the site can not
enter a stream, waterway or tile line. Rain water that runs through manure
stacking areas picks up high levels of ammonia, which is toxic to fish and
other aquatic life.

"With all the rain we've had this spring and summer, it's important to keep
manure away from streams and lakes," said Mike Wade, an environmental
specialist in the Manchester DNR field office. "The manure can flow over
long distances and still cause fish kills."

Producers should check dry manure stacking areas to make sure the area is
not wet or that any manure is leaking from the area. Manure stacked on the
ground must have a minimum separation distance of 200 feet from any
waterway, tile line or stream.

Runoff from a dry manure site is believed to have a caused a recent fish
kill in Delaware County that killed minnows, chubs, suckers and darters. A
fish kill a few years ago was caused by manure that flowed through a
cornfield for over 1,000 feet before entering a stream. Unless farmers take
action in protecting manure sites, more fish kills could occur with
additional rainfall, Wade said.

For more information, contact Mike Wade at (563) 927-2640.

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