Iowa DNR News
Environmental Services Division

For immediate release Feb. 5, 2007

For more information, contact Jeff Vansteenburg at (641) 424-4073.

DNR INVESTIGATES MANURE RELEASE IN HAMILTON COUNTY

WILLIAMS * The DNR investigated a manure release at the Prestage Farms P205 facility about seven miles southeast of Williams on Monday.

The release happened Monday morning when an employee began to flush liquid manure from the building to a manure storage lagoon. The pipe going into the lagoon was frozen, causing manure to flow out onto the ground, then down into an underground road culvert.

"The good news is that we are not finding any sign that manure reached a nearby branch of Tipton Creek," said Jeff Vansteenburg, supervisor of the Mason City DNR field office.

He added that the producer and DNR efforts are aimed at reclaiming manure from the culvert and road ditch, and from overflow that pooled on the ground. "Once they've recovered the manure, it will be placed in the lagoon or land applied," Vansteenburg said.

"With this cold weather, producers should check the outlets before trying to flush lines from the building," Vansteenburg said.

The DNR will continue to check that no manure reaches the stream and clean-up continues.

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Karen Grimes
515-281-5135
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