For immediate release: Oct. 26, 2012

 

 

DNR INVESTIGATES FISH KILL NEAR BLAIRSTOWN

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Tom McCarthy at 563-927-2640 or [log in to unmask].

 

BLAIRSTOWN – The DNR is investigating a fish kill in Prairie Creek just west of Blairstown in Benton County.

 

A local resident reported the fish kill to The DNR late Wednesday.

 

DNR environmental specialists traced the fish kill to a discharge from the Rieck Feedlot of Luzerne. Approximately one inch of rainfall in the last week washed cattle manure off the feedlot and into the stream. The stream was already low due to the dry weather.

 

The DNR’s fisheries staff was on site Thursday and found many dead minnows, madtoms, and a few smallmouth bass and channel catfish. The final count is not yet available.

 

The producer has been cooperative. The DNR will continue to monitor the fish kill and work with the producer to correct the problem.

 

Enforcement action is being considered.

 

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UPDATE ON MCLOUD RUN FISH KILL

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Tom McCarthy at 563-927-2640 or [log in to unmask].

 

CEDAR RAPIDS – The DNR found nearly 400 dead trout Thursday after chlorinated water entered McLoud Run in Cedar Rapids.

 

The city reported a break in a drinking water main occurred Tuesday night. The first checks on the stream showed no dead fish, but by Wednesday afternoon, the city was finding small dead trout.

 

DNR fisheries staff checked the stream from the large pool on Glass Road to the J Avenue Park Thursday. They found 389 dead brown, rainbow and brook trout; along with a dead channel catfish and a white sucker.

 

“The positive news is that we saw many live fish throughout the stream and no lingering levels of chlorine were detected on Thursday,” said Paul Sleeper, DNR fisheries biologist at Solon. “Most of the trout that were killed were 6 to 8 inches and were from the 6,000 fingerlings stocked in June.”

 

Enforcement is being considered.

 

 

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