Iowa Department of Natural ResourcesEnvironmental Services Division For Immediate Release August 13, 2007 1. DNR investigating fish kills in western Iowa2. Industrial wastewater enters Mississippi River DNR INVESTIGATING FISH KILLS IN WESTERN IOWA MEDIA CONTACTS: Ken Hessenius (Buena Vista, Mill Creek) at (712)262-4177; Kirk Mathis or Dan Stipe (Exira) at (712) 243-1934. DES MOINES — The DNR is investigating three fish kills in westernIowa on Monday. On Sunday, a citizen reported a red coloration in a Buena Vista Countystream to the DNR. The DNR observed at least a hundred dead suckersalong the unnamed tributary of the Raccoon River on Monday. The fishkill is located about three miles south and a mile east of Rembrandt. Because of the red and pink coloration in the stream, it is possiblethat an industrial wastewater lagoon is the source of the fish kill. TheDNR is taking water samples, conducting a fish count and will continueto investigate. DNR staff is also investigating a fish kill in a private farm pond eastof Exira in Audubon County. The DNR observed hundreds of dead fish,primarily small crappies and bluegill, which have likely been dead for afew days. The DNR has taken samples and will continue to investigate thecause of the fish kill. The DNR also investigated a fish kill in Mill Creek near Larrabee inCherokee County this weekend. DNR staff report that the fish kill wasmore than a week old and was likely related to rainfall. “It’s possible that some pools along the creek dried up during hotweather, killing the fish, and heavy rainfalls washed those fish backinto Mill Creek,” said Ken Hessenius of the DNR’s Spencer fieldoffice. Writer: Jessie Brown # # # INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER ENTERS MISSISSIPPI RIVER MEDIA CONTACT: Mark Heiderscheit at 319-653-2135 CLINTON – Failed pumps at a corn processing facility led to theplant’s collection tanks overflowing, resulting in the plant bypassingapproximately 90,000 gallons of process water Saturday morning. The Archer Daniels Midland plant in Clinton reported to DNR staff thedischarge started around 1:25 a.m. Saturday and lasted about 15 minutes.The collection tanks, located inside the plant, sent the untreated plantprocess water to a monitored storm sewer that discharges to theMississippi River. Process water is wastewater generated from manufacturing and industrialprocesses. Typically, the pumps send the process water to the plant’streatment center before release. According to plant officials, thedischarge did not contain sanitary waste. The DNR is requesting a written report from the plant detailing whatcaused the event and what actions the facility is planning to preventfuture untreated discharges entering Iowa waters. Archer Daniels Midland manufactures products such as fuel alcohol, cornoil, starch and sweeteners at the Clinton facility. Writer: Holly Williams -30- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp