For immediate release May 9, 2007

Council Bluffs waste water flows stop
Discharges from open feedlots in Carroll and Harrison counties

COUNCIL BLUFFS HAS WASTE WATER FLOWS STOPPED

MEDIA CONTACT: Dan Stipe at (712) 243-1934.

COUNCIL BLUFFS – The City of Council Bluffs reports that waste water overflows to the Missouri River due to a broken force main ended on Wednesday morning.

The city made temporary repairs to the 36-inch waste water force main Tuesday afternoon by welding steel patches to the pipe. The city crew slowly brought the pipe back into service, reducing waste water discharges overnight.

As of Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. all incoming waste water was being treated at the treatment plant.

The city estimates that 44.3 million gallons of waste water were routed to the Missouri River since the discharge began at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday due to heavy rains. The force main broke later Sunday morning, but was repaired. However it broke again early Monday morning.

Permanent repairs will be made after a replacement pipe is delivered on May 18.

# # #

OPEN FEEDLOTS IN CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES DISCHARGED

MEDIA CONTACT: Dan Olson at (712) 243-1934.

ATLANTIC – Three open feedlots have reported discharges to streams after heavy rains over the weekend.

The discharges contained manure-contaminated storm water, a mix of liquid manure and runoff from rainfall.

All three feedlots had runoff control basins that were newly constructed or under construction. The DNR worked with the feedlots to prevent the basins from being overtopped and eroding away.

The Wendl Feedlot near Carroll discharged from a runoff control basin on Monday afternoon. The discharge was sent to a crop field and then ran to a tributary of the Willey branch of the Middle Raccoon River.

The Craig Wiederin Feedlot, also near Carroll, began discharging from the runoff control basin Sunday morning about 11 a.m. The discharge was pumped to a crop field and then flowed to Storm Creek which flows into the Upper Middle Raccoon River.

Crossroads Cattle Company near Woodbine in Harrison County also discharged from its runoff control basin after heavy rainfall and tornadoes over the weekend. The discharge began about 4:30 p.m. Sunday and continued until Monday morning. The discharge went to Willow Creek.

Manure releases must be reported to the DNR as soon as possible, but no later than six hours after they began or were discovered. Anyone discovering a release should call the 24-hour spill line at (515) 281-8694.

- 30 -