Assessment Comments

Assessment is based on results of an IDNR investigatio of a fish kill in April 2004.

Basis for Assessment

SUMMARY:  The general uses of this stream are assessed (monitored) as “partially supported” due to a fish kill in April 2004.   The kill was caused by animal waste.   Although the party responsible for the kill was identified, IDNR records do not indicate that IDNR sought restitution for the value of the fish killed or for the costs incurred by DNR during the investigation of the kill.   Thus, this impairment is appropriate for Category 5b of Iowa’s 2006 Integrated Report (=Section 303(d) list).  

EXPLANATION:  This kill occurred on April 19, 2004; the cause of the kill was attributed to animal waste.   An estimated 15 fish (“minnows”) were killed; no estimate of the value of the fish killed was provided.   No estimate of the length of stream was provided.   The party responsible for the kill was identified.   According to the IDNR investigation, a commercial applicator dumped approximately 3,000 gallons of manure after he became stuck while land-applying the manure in a farm field roughly three miles northeast of Randall.   Although dumping the manure allowed the applicator to free his equipment, the manure reached a broken tile line at the end of the field.   An unknown amount of manure reached Long Dick Creek through this tile line.   The applicator acted quickly to place dams (1) in front of the tile line break and (2) below the tile line to block manure coming out of the line from reaching the creek.   The applicator pumped manure from behind the dams into a honey wagon.   He also flushed contamination out of the tile line with about 1600 gallons of clean water.  

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 (2002-2005) 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.