Another Fish Kill, a Different Source and Location

In a span of just 2 days, the Iowa DNR has been called out to investigate 2 fish kills in Northeast Iowa waterways.

The first incident happened Monday (July 20) in Allamakee County near Waukon.  In this latest incident, which occurred Tuesday (July 21),  an agricultural cooperative in Clayton County was apparently the source of another fish kill near Elkader.

The dead fish were discovered by a private citizen Tuesday (July 21), reporting to the Department of Natural Resources that numerous fish were found on Roberts Creek, a mile northeast of Elkader.

The DNR fisheries staff responded to the report, where they found dead minnows, carp, suckers, and other types of fish, along three miles of the creek, before it links with the Turkey River.

During the investigation, the DNR discovered elevated ammonia levels in a drainage ditch, just below Three Rivers F.S.. The staff at the agricultural cooperative had emptied a secondary containment structure around a fertilizer tank on Monday, the day before the dead fish were found. Tests showed that water emptied from that structure had high ammonia levels.

Three Rivers' staff cleaned up the area, upgraded water testing equipment, and will be training workers on how to test and monitor the area.