blake
Life Member
NEWS!
From the Iowa DNR:
DNR Investigates Fish Kill Near Dunkerton
Posted: August 13, 2009
DUNKERTON -Liquid nitrogen fertilizer mixed with rainwater was inadvertently pumped from a secondary containment area at Dunkerton Coop resulting in a fish kill along approximately one mile of an unnamed tributary of Crane Creek. The incident was reported to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday evening.
Most of the fish killed were smaller minnow species, but at least one largemouth bass and one northern pike was also found during the investigation. The coop was working Thursday to block the tributary and pump the contaminated water from the stream.
A man hole on an above ground tank with the 32 percent liquid nitrogen fertilizer had leaked, but a containment system designed to prevent any run-off from leaks contained the material. However, a sump pump normally used to remove rainwater from the containment system somehow got activated resulting in the contaminated water flowing into a tile which eventually runs to a city storm sewer that empties into the tributary. It is still unclear as to who may have started the pump.
The initial fish count by the DNR conducted Thursday estimated that between 100 and 200 fish were killed, but analysis of the final numbers have not yet been completed.
The incident remains under investigation.
From the Iowa DNR:
DNR Investigates Fish Kill Near Dunkerton
Posted: August 13, 2009
DUNKERTON -Liquid nitrogen fertilizer mixed with rainwater was inadvertently pumped from a secondary containment area at Dunkerton Coop resulting in a fish kill along approximately one mile of an unnamed tributary of Crane Creek. The incident was reported to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday evening.
Most of the fish killed were smaller minnow species, but at least one largemouth bass and one northern pike was also found during the investigation. The coop was working Thursday to block the tributary and pump the contaminated water from the stream.
A man hole on an above ground tank with the 32 percent liquid nitrogen fertilizer had leaked, but a containment system designed to prevent any run-off from leaks contained the material. However, a sump pump normally used to remove rainwater from the containment system somehow got activated resulting in the contaminated water flowing into a tile which eventually runs to a city storm sewer that empties into the tributary. It is still unclear as to who may have started the pump.
The initial fish count by the DNR conducted Thursday estimated that between 100 and 200 fish were killed, but analysis of the final numbers have not yet been completed.
The incident remains under investigation.