Purgatory Creek IA 04-RAC-1159

The Class B(WW2) aquatic life uses are assessed as “partially supported” due to a fish kill that  occurred on or before August 2, 2015, southwest of Lohrville in Calhoun and Carroll counties.  Investigators attributed the kill to aerial spraying of fungicide.  An estimated 3,000 fish were killed.  The kill affected approximately 2.8 miles of stream.  No estimate of the value of the value of the fish killed or the cost of the Iowa DNR investigation was provided.  The following is from the Iowa DNR report of the investigation of the fish kill:

It was reported that there were thousands of dead fish including catfish, bull heads, minnows, and etc.  I met with the landowner this morning at the fish kill site.  I observed dead fish in a small segment of Purgatory Creek ranging from T86N R33W Section 36 in Calhoun County to T85N R33W Section 2 in Carroll County.  Through communication with two property owners, it was learned that aerial spraying (fungicide) had been performed in the watershed 5-7 days ago.  It was reported that the application occurred in cornfields on both sides of Purgatory Creek near the area with the dead fish.  It was reported that the applicators originated out of the Rockwell City airport.

According to IDNR’s assessment/listing methodology, the occurrence of a single pollutant-caused fish kill, or a fish kill of unknown origin, on a waterbody or waterbody reach during the most recent assessment period indicates a severe stress to the aquatic community and suggests that the aquatic life uses should be assessed as “impaired.”  If a cause of the kill is identified, and the cause is either known, or suspected, to be a “pollutant”, the assessment type is considered “monitored” and the affected waterbody is a candidate for Section 303(d) listing.  Fish kills attributed to a pollutant, but where a source of the pollutant was not identified and/or where enforcement actions were not taken against the responsible party, will be placed into Integrated Report subcategory 5b.  The intent of placing these waterbodies into Category 5 is not to necessarily require a TMDL but to keep the impairment highlighted due to the potential for similar future kills from the unaddressed causes and/or sources. 

If, however, a consent order has been issued to the party responsible for the kill and monetary restitution has been sought for the value of the fish killed, the affected waterbody will be placed in IR Category 4d (impaired but TMDL not required).  As of April 2016, there is no evidence that Iowa DNR sought or received restitution for the value of the fish killed and the costs of the Iowa DNR investigation of the fish kill.  Thus, this segment is placed in IR Category 5b for Iowa’s 2016 Integrated Report and is added to Iowa’s Section 303(d) list of impaired waters.