Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Services Division

For Immediate Release August
15, 2007

1. DNR lifts boil order for Wiota
2. Two separate fish kills investigated Wednesday
3. DNR investigates fish kill caused by liquid fertilizer
4. Bypasses reported in Ottumwa, Waukon

DNR LIFTS BOIL ORDER FOR WIOTA

MEDIA CONTACT: Keith Wilkens at (712) 243-1934.

ATLANTIC – The DNR lifted the boil order for the City of Wiota at
2:20 p.m. Wednesday after laboratory test results came back clean for
bacteria.

“The water is safe to drink,” said Keith Wilkens, an environmental
specialist with the Atlantic DNR field office.

The DNR collected four more water samples Monday and all four came back
negative for coliform bacteria.

The boil order has been in effect since Aug. 2.

Writer: Karen Grimes

# # #


TWO SEPARATE FISH KILLS INVESTIGATED WEDNESDAY

MEDIA CONTACT: Amber Sauser (Decorah) at 563-927-2640 or Alison Manz
(Harlan) at 712-243-1934

DES MOINES – The DNR is investigating two separate fish kills in the
northeast and southwest regions of Iowa Wednesday.

Reported Tuesday evening, manure from a dairy operation led to a fish
kill in Winneshiek County. The spill occurred after a slat broke from a
large concrete basin containing manure, releasing the contents to a
tributary of Ten Mile Creek. When attempting to fix the outlet
Wednesday, additional manure flowed to the tributary.

The owner of the dairy operation, Steve Elsbrend of Ridgeway,
constructed a dike to prevent more manure from being released Tuesday.
Additional rain on Wednesday overcame the dike he built, causing a
second spill.

Located west of Decorah, DNR officials observed mainly dead minnows in
the tributary, with darters and smallmouth bass also reported dead.

Elsbrend is currently pumping the affected half-mile stretch of stream
to contain the spill and prevent further aquatic losses.  

“It’s important for producers to call the DNR as soon as they know
a spill has entered a stream so we can quickly assist them in preventing
further damage,” said Amber Sauser of the DNR Manchester field office.


A separate fish kill is being investigated Wednesday at Little Lake
George in Harlan. While a fish kill totals remain unknown, DNR field
office staff observed hundreds of dead black crappie and bluegills. The
source remains under investigation, however it is believed a substance
from Harlan’s storm sewer triggered the fish kill.

“Many people don’t realize that the storm sewer on their street
flows directly into a stream in their neighborhood,” said Alison Manz
of the Atlantic DNR field office. “It’s extremely important to
dispose of paint, oil and other chemicals properly and not put those
into a storm sewer where they can cause pollution or even a fish
kill.”

A storm sewer outfall from the City of Harlan feeds into Little Lake
George. While high water temperatures can stress fish during summer
months, samples collected at the lake by DNR staff showed high levels of
dissolved oxygen indicating the fish kill was likely caused by a
pollutant.

Fish kills should be reported to the DNR’s 24-hour spill hotline at
(515) 281-8694.
Both investigations are ongoing. Possible enforcement action including
restitution for dead fish is being considered in the Decorah case, and
will be sought if a responsible party is found in the Harlan fish kill.

Writer: Holly Williams

# # #

DNR INVESTIGATES FISH KILL CAUSED BY LIQUID FERTILIZER

MEDIA CONTACT: Glenn Carper or Al Tompkins at (6410 424-4073.

WILLIAMS – The DNR investigated a spill report of liquid phosphate
fertilizer Wednesday and discovered a potential fish kill.

Up to 27,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer spilled when a storage
structure owned by Agriculture Liquid Fertilizer of Williams failed. The
company recovered some of the fertilizer, but estimates about 9,000
gallons leaked through a secondary containment around the storage tank.


The DNR found the liquid fertilizer had entered an underground tile
system that flows into the Big 4 drainage ditch about 1.5 miles west of
Williams.

Although the investigation is hampered by heavy vegetation, the DNR
found 10 dead fish and very high ammonia levels where the tile line
discharges into the ditch.

Low flow conditions have helped Agriculture Liquid Fertilizer contain
the spill in a one-third to one-half mile segment of the ditch. The DNR
has required the company to dam the ditch and pump the contaminated
water to prevent it from flowing 2.5 miles east into the South Fork of
the Iowa River.

Recovery efforts will continue tomorrow, but downstream livestock
producers and other water users should be aware of the situation in case
the spill is not completely contained.

The DNR will consider appropriate legal action or fish restitution. 

Writer: Karen Grimes

# # #


BYPASSES REPORTED IN OTTUMWA, WAUKON

MEDIA CONTACTS: Ottumwa -- Russell Royce at (319) 653-2135; Waukon –
Mike Wade at (563) 927-2640.

DES MOINES – Discharges of untreated wastewater were ongoing in
Ottumwa and Waukon and were reported to the DNR Wednesday afternoon.

In Ottumwa, about 100 gallons per minute of untreated wastewater began
discharging along the Des Moines River wall on the north end of the
Market Street Bridge about noon. River flows are relatively low.

The discharge may be related to a problem with the city’s sanitary
sewer since there has been little rain in the area. The city is looking
for the cause of the discharge and plans to fix the problem.

Waukon’s partially-filled equalization basin filled and began
overflowing in Allamakee County about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The basin is designed to catch and hold excess wastewater during
storms, preventing bypasses.

“Although there’s been significant rainfall in the last three days,
the basin was partly full to begin with,” said Mike Wade an
environmental specialist with the Manchester DNR field office.

He said that cities can help prevent bypasses if they empty their
basins during low flow periods so they have full capacity during high
rainfall events.

The bypass is expected to continue until wastewater flowing into the
treatment plant slows down

The DNR is requiring each city to collect and test water samples.

Writer: Karen Grimes

-30-

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubsribe 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