Deer Creek IA 02-CED-592

Assessment Comments

Fish kill in April 2000

Basis for Assessment

[Note:  For the 2002 report, the previous waterbody segment IA 02-CED-0540-0, which extended 12  miles from the mouth of Deer Creek to an unnamed tributary in Worth County, was split into two subsegments:  (1) mouth to the Mitchell-Worth county line.  (IA 02-CED-0540-1) and (2) Mitchell-Worth county line to confluence with an unnamed tributary at east line of S28, T100N, R19W, Worth Co.  (IA 02-CED-0540-2).   See assessment information listed for segment IA 02-CED-540-1 for previous Section 305(b) assessments for the original 12-mile stream segment.]  

A fish kill occurred on this stream segment on April 6, 2000.   The kill affected 6.5 miles of Deer Creek beginning at the Iowa/Minnesota state line and extending downstream at the west line, S35, T100N, R19W, Worth County; an estimated 59,000 fish were killed.   The kill was caused by a fertilzer spill at an ag-chemical dealer in Myrtle, MN.   According to DNR's assessment methodology for Section 305(b) reporting, occurrence of a single pollution-caused fish kill during the most recent three-year period (1998-2001) indicates "partial support" of the aquatic life uses.   Thus, the Class B(LR) aquatic life uses of this stream segment were assessed as "partially supported."