Fish kill being investigated in northern Iowa stream

Fort Dodge, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a fish kill at the South Branch of Lizard Creek in Fort Dodge in Cerro Gordo County, one county south of the Minnesota border.

On April 14, the DNR field office in Mason City received a call from CJ Bio America in Fort Dodge regarding a leak at their facility. A fertilizer byproduct created in the process of making lysine had emptied into a stormwater channel on the east side of the plant.

MORE COVERAGE FROM OUTDOOR NEWS:

Details emerge in wolf case from southeast Minnesota

New York culvert project expands Adirondack brook trout habitat

Commentary: No season needed on sandhill cranes in Wisconsin

Plant staff believed the byproduct was contained, but later discovered a breach in the berm of the stormwater channel. An unknown amount of the byproduct flowed from the breach into surface intakes in an adjacent field, which outlets to the South Branch of Lizard Creek.

Iowa DNR field staff responded to the incident, and upon arrival observed the byproduct in the South Branch of Lizard Creek several miles downstream from the plant. Dead fish were also observed in the creek for several miles.

The leak has been stopped.

However, due to flow and access restrictions, placing berms in the creek is not an option at this time. Water samples have been collected, and the investigation is ongoing. Downstream users are advised to stay out of the creek at this time.