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Manure runoff impacting fish in WI

October 10, 2017, Madison, WI – Manure runoff from a dairy operation in Vernon County has impacted a trout stream in west central Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources staff continue to monitor the stream quality of Otter Creek, located north of the village of La Farge. Department fisheries biologists report a kill of more than 1,100 fish, including brook and brown trout, in the headwaters of the stream. The rest of the stream, known for its large fish population, does not currently appear to be impacted by the runoff. Otter Creek is a tributary of the Kickapoo River, but fish in the Kickapoo have not been affected.

The spill was reported to the DNR in early October and the source of the spill has been controlled.