The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a hog-manure release into an unnamed tributary of Roff Creek in Louisa County, according to a news release from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
On Thursday, the DNR Field Office in Washington was notified by Catnip Ridge, a certified manure applicator business, of a manure spill in a road ditch near the intersection of Q Avenue and 65th Street in rural Louisa County.
Staff from the DNR Field Office in Washington responded to the incident. Further investigation showed an iron fence post went unnoticed in the tall surrounding vegetation when applicators were deploying an “umbilical line.” During pumping, the line wore on the fence post, causing a tear which released an unknown amount of manure to the ditch before flowing into the tributary.
The applicator took immediate action once the tear was noticed. Crews ceased pumping, clamped the line, and placed dams in several locations to contain the manure. Catnip Ridge crews proceeded downstream to a nearby creek crossing and plugged the culvert.
Fresh water was added to the tributary because of low flow to assist in flushing the creek and pumping out the spilled manure. Initial water quality testing showed ammonia levels of 2.0 parts-per-million (ppm).
No dead fish were observed and cleanup efforts continued late into the evening.
DNR field staff revisited the site Friday morning, and found manure still moving through the affected section of the tributary. A small number of dead fish were observed. However, the plugged culvert has prevented manure from further migration downstream.
Clean-up efforts continue, and field staff will continue to monitor the creek throughout the day. The incident remains under investigation. The department will determine if further enforcement action is warranted, the release says.
To report a release after hours, call the DNR’s emergency spill line at 515-725-8694. Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of an incident. The DNR website has more information about spill reporting requirements.