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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp