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Manure spill in Adams County IA

July 31, 2015, Nodaway, IA – The Iowa DNR is checking on a recent manure spill from a hog farrowing operation that occurred in Adams County.

About 3:45 p.m., manure backed up and ran out a pipe at the facility near Nodaway. The spill occurred during a routine transfer of manure from a barn to a storage lagoon.

Staff immediately shut off flow, but estimate 15,000 gallons may have been released. The manure flowed under a county road and across a pasture with some reaching a ditch that flows to the Middle Nodaway River.

Farm staff built a temporary dam with hay bales and dirt, quickly stopping the manure flow at the edge of the pasture by 5:20 p.m. when DNR staff arrived. The DNR collected water samples. Field tests in the ditch and a tributary to the river showed slightly elevated levels of ammonia and no signs of dead fish.

A contractor was working to excavate manure and saturated soil from the pasture, expecting to complete cleanup soon.

The DNR will monitor cleanup and consider appropriate enforcement action.