- The Iowa Department of Natural Resources received a report on March 11 about the spill of liquid nitrogen fertilizer into the East Nishnabotna River
- The department indicated that 1,500 tons of the fertilizer was released
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has received a shocking report from local authorities that a toxic waste has been spilled into a river.
According to KMTV 3the report revealed that liquid nitrogen fertilizer from NEW Cooperative in Red Oak has seeped into the East Nishnabotna River.
The fertilizer leak was caused by the valve of a storage tank being left open during the weekend of March 11.
The DNR also indicated that 1,500 tons, or 265,000 gallons, of liquid nitrogen fertilizer were released – leading to the deaths of 749,000 fish within 50 miles of the river.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources received a shocking report from local authorities on March 11 that toxic waste had entered the East Nishnabotna River.
The DNR indicated that 1,500 tons or 265,000 gallons of liquid nitrogen fertilizer were released – leading to the deaths of 749,000 fish within 50 miles of the river
Liquid nitrogen fertilizer is effective for outdoor plants, vegetables and fruit trees and is also a common chemical that kills fish.
The fertilizer spill is one of the most ecologically devastating chemical spills affecting aquatic life in the region.
“Areas of collected fertilizer have been pumped into a vacuum truck and will be applied to the land later,” the DNR wrote in their press release.
Scientific supervisor Matt Combes from Missouri analyzed the damage and calls this fertilizer disaster ‘the big one’.
“To call something a near-total fish kill for 60 miles of a river is astonishing and disheartening,” he said. The New York Times.
Environmental specialist Brent Martens told KMTV that the fertilizer had weakened by the end of this week, but the damage had already been done.
The DNR is now encouraging Iowa residents with private wells near the river to contact local public health offices to have those wells tested for chemicals.
According to the DNR’s recent press release, 9,255 carp fish have been killed due to the liquid nitrogen fertilizer spill
Other fish killed as a result of the fertilizer spill included 69 silver carp. More than 700,000 Minnow Shiner Dace Chub fish were killed, according to DNR data
Even though the incident took place over two weeks ago, the investigation is still ongoing.
“Field test results indicate that ammonia levels in the river are decreasing,” the DNR confirmed via KMTV 3.
“The DNR continues to advise people to avoid recreating on the river and collecting and/or eating dead fish found on or near the river.”
Iowa Environmental Council Water Program Director Alicia Vasto told The New York Times she hopes this “awakens some people” to the situation involving Iowa’s waterways.