Iowa DNR
Fish Kill DatabaseDB

Fish Kill Event - Des Moines River

Fraser Dam to E57 Boat ramp

Event ID
1044
Date of Kill
8/25/2023
Waterbody Type
River/Stream
Cause Origin
Natural
Cause
Environmental
Mode
N/A
Magnitude
2 (101 - 1000 fish killed)
Kill Length
not enumerated
County
Boone
ESD Field Office
FO 5
Fisheries Office
Boone Research Station
LongDD
-93.96798
LatDD
42.12156
Created Date
9/8/2023 9:29:50 AM
Last Update
3/1/2024 9:05:11 AM
For more information about this fish kill event, contact the Field Office or Fisheries Office listed above.
Impacted Assessment Segments
Lat/Long uses WGS84 datum

Highlighted river segments indicate those impacted in part or whole by this fish kill event. It is not meant to represent the actual extent of the kill.

Onsite Comments

Walleye were floating (dead) in the Des Moines River (Boone County). The Boone Fisheries Management team investigated the fish kill 8/25/2023.

The crew counted 14 dead Walleye on the Des Moines River at access points, between Fraser Dam and the E57 Boat Ramp. No other species were observed dead. No obvious signs of a spill, contaminants, or harmful algal blooms were present. The surface water temperature was not recorded, but it was likely high (upper 80's) due to recent, extreme heat. Heat stress was the likely cause of this fish kill. The crew estimated that hundreds of Walleye perished throughout the impacted stretch during this event.