Updated 9/1/17 3:25pm
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the source of Thursday’s fish kill in a small stream on the west side of Le Mars originated from a Wells ice cream plant.
Julie Sievers of the D-N-R says they sent an investigator to determine the source:
OC……..north plant. :15
Normally the storm water discharge would not have ammonia in it, but DNR found elevated levels of ammonia below their discharge pipe.
OC…part of the process. :15
Sievers says Wells is working with them to determine how the ammonia leak occurred:
OC……into the discharge. :21
There were several hundred dead minnows and chubs in the unnamed creek, but no obvious issues in the nearby Floyd River.
D-N-R officials recommend that children and pets stay away from the creek near the ball park south of Highway 3 for at least 24 hours.
Radio Iowa contributed to this story
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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the source of Thursday’s fish kill in a small stream on the west side of Le Mars likely originated from a Wells ice cream plant.
The D-N-R says the spill appears to be ammonia in a cooling water discharge from Wells Blue Bunny’s north plant.
Normally the storm water discharge would not have ammonia in it, but DNR found elevated levels of ammonia below their discharge pipe.
There were several hundred dead minnows and chubs in the unnamed creek, but no obvious issues in the nearby Floyd River.
D-N-R officials recommend that children and pets stay away from the creek near the ball park south of Highway 3 for at least 24 hours.
Investigators are continuing to verify the specific spill source, and send water samples for laboratory analysis.
D-N-R fisheries staff are also doing a fish kill count.
