From the DNR press releases--a manure release, a diesel spill and wastewater
bypasses.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Services Division

For Immediate Release
March 31, 2006

1. Plugged line leads to Sioux Center manure release
2. Train spills diesel fuel in northeast Iowa
3. Heavy rains lead to wastewater bypasses

PLUGGED LINE LEADS TO SIOUX CENTER MANURE RELEASE
SIOUX CENTER * A plugged manure transfer pipe led to a manure overflow at a
Sioux Center cattle confinement early Friday morning.

Farmers Cooperative's wastewater facility was running properly when
employees checked it at midnight. When employees reported for work at 5:30
a.m. Friday, they found manure overflowing from a manhole.

It is unknown how much manure overflowed between midnight and 5:30 a.m.,
when the pumps were shut off. However, it's likely that thousands of gallons
of manure were released.

The manure affected a one-mile stretch of an unnamed tributary of Six Mile
Creek. Six Mile Creek flows into the Big Sioux River. In the tributary,
ammonia readings reached 15 milligrams per liter. Levels of three milligrams
and above can be toxic to fish and aquatic life. It is unknown if there were
any fish in the stream.

The DNR will continue to investigate the incident, take samples downstream,
and will consider possible legal action.

For more information, contact Ken Hessenius at (712) 262-4177.

# # #

TRAIN SPILLS DIESEL FUEL IN NORTHEAST IOWA

CLAYTON COUNTY * A rock punctured a train's diesel tank early this morning,
leaking an estimated 2,500 gallons of diesel fuel in northeast Iowa.

The Iowa Chicago and Eastern Railroad train hit a rock west of Marquette at
about 6 a.m. Friday, creating a hole in the tank. The train engineers did
not realize they had hit the rock until the tank was completely emptied,
stopping the train near Guttenberg. The tank slowly emptied over a 28 mile
stretch of track.

The DNR has observed a diesel sheen at some train crossings. A small amount
of the diesel created a sheen on Bloody Run Creek, a coldwater trout stream,
which had dissipated by early afternoon.

The DNR will ask the railroad to use absorbent materials to clean up any
pooled product.

For more information, contact Sue Miller at (563) 920-1588 or Don Chase at
(563) 920-1737.

# # #

HEAVY RAINS LEAD TO WASTEWATER BYPASSES

SPENCER * Heavy rains Thursday led to a number of wastewater bypasses across
the state.

When wastewater systems could not keep up with the rainfall, many
communities bypassed untreated wastewater to streams or rivers to prevent
untreated sewage from backing up into residential homes.

When basements and streets are inundated with intense storms, a sewer system
can fill rapidly, mixing stormwater with sewage and exceeding the sewer
capacity. The system will overflow at low points or be manually pumped to
avoid health concerns of flooded basements.

While bypassing wastewater does not remove all health risks, bypassing to
prevent backup into homes presents less of a human health risk. Bypassing to
a stream can help dilute the wastewater, while sewage in basements would be
undiluted.

"While bypassing needs to be avoided, and some systems do need to be
updated, designing waste treatment facilities able to handle these types of
extreme events would cost a tremendous amount," said Barb Lynch, supervisor
of the DNR's field services.

Communities are not required to report precipitation-related bypasses.
Bypasses not caused by precipitation must be reported to the DNR within 12
hours of discovery.

The following bypasses have been reported to the DNR:


Burlington: Bypassed 251,500 gallons to the Mississippi River due to
overflows from heavy rain and debris in a flow regulator.

Fort Dodge: Despite pumping at capacity to stormwater bypass basins,
bypassed an estimated 900,000 gallons of diluted wastewater to the Des
Moines River Thursday night.

Holstein: Bypassed no more than 1,000 gallons of wastewater from the north
lift station to Battle Creek Thursday night.

Royal: Has been bypassing since 7 p.m. Thursday. About an estimated 900,000
gallons have bypassed into a road ditch and into Prairie Creek.

Storm Lake: About 300 gallons of wastewater bypassed from a manhole, into a
storm sewer and into Storm Lake.  The city jetted the gravity line last
night to ensure there would be no further problems.

For more information, contact:
Ken Hessenius at (712) 262-4177 (Holstein, Royal, Storm Lake)
Curt Krieger at (641) 424-4073 (Fort Dodge)
Brent Earley at (319) 653-2135 (Burlington)

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