Fish Kill Event - Floyd River

Discharge of liquid nitrogen from coop facility in Sheldon. Ice conditions prevented the use of usual methods to estimate fish loss. The numbers of fish killed from Sheldon to Alton ere estimated based on a previous fish kill evaluation on this same river reach in 1998. The stream reach from Alton to Merrill was evaluated using block nets and previous research work on standing stocks of fish in western Iowa streams. Species composition was limited to the fish species actually observed on both river reaches.The kill was reported Jan 7. Ammonia readings were above 250 ppm and decreased to less than 10 ppm 55.6 miles downstream of Sheldon, 14th Jan.

Settlement Reached April 2002

A settlement of $150,000 for damages and an agreement to implement a number of environmental projects has been reached between Midwest Farmer’s Cooperative in Sheldon and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The final agreement met the goal of both Midwest Farmers Cooperative and the DNR in creating local projects to improve and protect the environment.

The agreement, signed Friday by DNR Director Jeff Vonk, specifies a damage payment of $150,000 for the estimated value of fish killed and other natural resources damages that occurred on the Floyd River in January as a result of a nitrogen fertilizer spill. The final count of dead fish was estimated at 1,034,843 fish along a 55.6-mile stretch of the Floyd River. Money collected for damages will be used for projects in Sioux and Plymouth counties involving improvements on streams. Preference will be given to projects on the Floyd River or its watershed.

The liquid nitrogen fertilizer spilled onto the ground when a transfer pipe leading to a bulk storage tank froze and then split at Midwest Farmer's Co-op on Jan. 7. Up to 7,896 gallons of the nitrogen used for fertilizer was lost in the spill. The nitrogen landed outside of a containment dike designed to prevent accidents, then flowed to a storm drain that eventually empties into the river.

Midwest Farmers Co-op was also responsible for a fish kill in September of 1998 along the same stretch of the Floyd River when fertilizer-contaminated water was cleaned out from a containment basin and flushed downstream. That incident resulted in more than 400,000 fish being killed along 14.7 miles of stream. The company eventually paid $55,000 in fish restitution and a $10,000 penalty.

In addition to the payment for damages, the cooperative has agreed to implement a number of environmentally beneficial projects in northwest Iowa, particularly in O’Brien, Sioux and Plymouth counties near the Floyd River in lieu of paying penalties. The cost of implementing the required environmental projects is estimated at more than $30,000.