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IA fish kill linked to egg washwater


July 21, 2015  by Press release

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.

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

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