Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Services Division
For Immediate Release
August 31, 2007
DNR INVESTIGATING MONONA COUNTY FISH KILL; NEARBY RESIDENTS SHOULD
AVOID PRIVATE WELL WATER
MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Rhodes at (712) 250-0217 or Dan Stipe at (712)
243-1934.
WHITING — The DNR issued a drinking water warning to some residents
east of Whiting in Monona County on Friday.
The warning comes as DNR officials are investigating a fish kill in
Garretson Outlet Ditch, a tributary of the West Branch of the Little
Sioux River. The kill, first reported to the DNR Thursday evening,
occurred at the same time chemical spraying was taking place in the
ditch. A contractor hired by Monona County was applying an aquatic
herbicide used to kill undesirable plants in the water. The DNR is
taking water samples to determine if the spraying played a role in the
fish kill.
The spraying may have seeped through the streambanks into groundwater,
potentially contaminating private drinking water wells in the area. As a
precaution, the DNR is advising residents within 500 feet of Garretson
Outlet Ditch that use private wells to not drink the water or use it for
food preparation, brushing teeth or other consumptive uses. In this
situation, boiling the water will not make it safe. The DNR estimates
this warning affects about six homes.
Private well water and stream water should not be used for livestock or
pets. Producers should also keep livestock out of the stream from the
fish kill site to where the stream meets the West Fork Little Sioux
River.
The DNR is gathering water samples from both the stream and private
wells in the affected area and expects test results within 48 hours.
Monona County Emergency Management is working on providing drinking
water to the affected homes.
The DNR stopped the spraying until it can determine a cause of the fish
kill. As fish were still dying on Friday afternoon, the DNR plans to
conduct an official fish count on Saturday. On Friday, DNR fisheries
staff observed thousands of dead carp, bullheads, green sunfish and
shiners. It is not known at this time if the spraying led to the fish
kill.
As of Thursday night, the kill stretched along five miles of the
stream. According to DNR fisheries staff, the fish kill will likely
continue for several days. People should avoid the area until the fish
kill ends.
Writer: Jessie Brown
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