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IA fish kill linked to egg washwater

July 21, 2015, Hampton, IA – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has identified the source of a fish kill reported July 15 along an estimated 1.5 miles of Maynes Creek three miles southwest of Hampton.

The DNR traced the fish kill to a discharge of egg washwater from a layer operation. DNR investigators found high levels of ammonia in the stream near the S41 county road west of Mallory Memorial County Park Friday, after searching for a pollutant source on Thursday.

The egg washwater reached the stream when a tank at the facility overflowed into an underground drain tile. The tile flowed into a ditch leading to the Maynes Creek tributary known as drainage ditch 6.

The fish killed were mostly minnows and shiners, but included some smallmouth bass.

The DNR is calculating the number of fish killed and will monitor the cleanup, taking appropriate enforcement action.