Fish Kill Event - Mud Creek
Near Terrace Hills Golf Course, East of Altoona
- Event ID
- 839
- Date of Kill
- 10/8/2011
- Waterbody Type
- River/Stream
- Cause Origin
- Anthropogenic
- Cause
- Wastewater
- Mode
- Discharge
- Magnitude
- 3 (1001 - 5000 fish killed)
- Estimated Fish Killed
- 1,011
- Kill Length
- 0.87 miles
- Valuation
- $6,292.94
- Investigation Expenses
- $361.78
- County
- Polk
- ESD Field Office
- FO 5
- Fisheries Office
- Boone Research Station
- LongDD
- -93.43804
- LatDD
- 41.64357
- Created Date
- 3/2/2012 7:56:00 AM
- Last Update
- 2/8/2024 2:50:08 PM
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.
Wastewater release at a pumping station in the 1300 block of Eighth St. in Altoona. An estimated 170,000 gallons of untreated wastewater was released. DNR staff found dead and struggling fish along a 0.75 mile stretch of Mud Creek Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. The fish were mostly minnows, chubs and suckers with a few game fish. They also found elevated levels of ammonia in the same areas as the dead fish and for about two miles downstream. The creek runs southeast through Terrace Hills Golf Course on the east side of town. Updated for fish counts and valuation.
SPECIES | NUMBER KILLED | MONETARY VALUE |
Carp, minnows, shiners | 241 | $21.69 |
Stonerollers, chubs, dace | 66 | $7.74 |
Suckers and Redhorse | 36 | $82.72 |
River carpsucker | 41 | $3.00 |
Bullheads & Madtoms | 126 | $54.50 |
Sunfish spp. | 53 | $27.73 |
Largemouth Bass | 20 | $300.00 |
Gizzard Shad | 41 | $4.92 |
Freshwater Drum | 24 | $360.00 |
Crappie spp. | 1 | $15.00 |
Darter spp. | 1 | $0.64 |
Walleye | 2 | $30.00 |
Bluegill | 281 | $4,215.00 |
Smallmouth Bass | 78 | $1,170.00 |
Total | 1,011 | $6,292.94 |