Cleghorn, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a manure discharge from an open feedlot in north-central Cherokee County.
On Friday morning, the DNR Spencer Field Office received a report of manure in Bear Creek, a tributary to Mill Creek. DNR field staff responded to the site and identified an open feedlot with an overflowing settled open feedlot effluent basin.
The producer has taken measures to mitigate the impact of the discharge. DNR staff have collected water samples. No dead fish have been observed at this time. Although the area received two to three inches of rain, downstream water users should avoid using water from Bear and Mill Creek at this time. The DNR will evaluate enforcement action following the conclusion of the investigation.
If you see dead or stressed fish at a lake or river, call the DNR’s 24-hour spill line at 515-725-8694 as soon as possible. Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of a fish kill and potentially stop a fish kill in progress.