A spill of pesticide rinsate at the Chem Gro cooperative in Houghton, Iowa, has led to a fish kill in a nearby creek. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is investigating the incident.
According to the DNR, the pesticide rinsate, a diluted mixture of pesticide created when storage tanks or spray equipment are washed, spilled on the ground and flowed into a storm drain, which then flowed into the creek. DNR staff observed white-colored water with an ammonia smell in the creek, which eventually flows into Sugar Creek.
Staff at the co-op pumped water from the contaminated drainage way and flushed it, per the DNR’s instructions. However, when the DNR returned to the creek the day after the spill, they observed dead minnows and bullheads in the creek. The DNR did not have a finalized fish kill count as of Monday afternoon.
Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.
