DNR Investigates Fish Kill in Lyon County
DOON – On Labor Day, the Iowa DNR investigated a fish kill on the Little Rock River east of Doon in Lyon County.
A concerned citizen reported the fish kill to DNR Monday morning. When environmental specialists arrived at the river, they found high levels of ammonia, odor and color indicating manure-laden water killed the fish.
They traced the runoff to two open feedlots north and east of Doon belonging to Jim Koedam and Marvin VanMaanen. Both producers raise beef cattle.
The area received about two inches of rain Saturday night. The preliminary investigation indicates manure-laden runoff ran overland and then into draws that flow to the river.
DNR staff found dead fish along a two-mile section of stream starting about 1.5 miles north of the Highway 75 bridge. The dead fish included many smallmouth bass and channel catfish, along with carp, suckers, largemouth bass, gar, chubs and minnows.
DNR fisheries specialists are on site Tuesday conducting a fish count. The DNR will continue to monitor the clean up and consider appropriate enforcement action.
Prompt reporting of the fish kill allowed the DNR to trace the source of pollution and stop it quickly. It’s important to report fish kills and spills to the state’s 24-hour spill line at 515-281-8694 as quickly as possible.
And how about this lovely incident of “improper manure release” in Steve King’s District last Thursday:
INWOOD, Iowa | An improper release of thousands of gallons of manure Thursday into an unnamed tributary of the Rock River has led to high levels of ammonia in the water.
An Iowa Department of Natural Resources news release said the manure came from a solids settling basin at a 4,000-head open cattle lot owned by John Fluit Jr.
Fluit improperly unloaded 12 loads of manure, ranging from 2,500 to 4,000 gallons, onto a cornfield. From the cornfield the manure ran into a creek, where it was carried about a mile down to a neighbor’s pond. The manure then flowed out the pond’s outlet and back into the creek, the release said.
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