The Iowa Department of Natural Resources continues to investigate a hog manure spill that reached a tributary of Roff Creek in Louisa County.
On October 16, Catnip Ridge, a certified manure applicator, reported the spill near Q Avenue and 65th Street after an iron fencepost punctured an umbilical line during application, releasing manure into a roadside ditch.
The company stopped pumping, clamped the line, and built dams to contain the spill. Cleanup crews flushed the area and plugged a nearby culvert to prevent further spread.
Initial testing showed ammonia levels of 2.0 ppm, with no fish kill at first. However, by Friday morning, DNR staff found manure still moving through the tributary and noted a small number of dead fish.
Cleanup and monitoring continue as the DNR determines whether enforcement action is warranted. Spills can be reported to the DNR’s 24-hour line at (515) 725-8694.