Liquid nitrogen fertilizer spill kills almost 750K fish in Iowa river
An enormous fish kill in the East Nishnabotna River caused by a fertilizer spill earlier this month in Iowa resulted in an ecological disaster. Nearly 755,000 fish perished in the incident, which was reported by NEW Cooperative in Red Oak on March 11. The fish deaths occurred over a distance of approximately 50 miles, up to the Missouri border.
The reason behind this was an above-ground storage tank’s valve that was inadvertently left open, letting a sizable amount of liquid nitrogen fertilizer—roughly 1,500 tons, or 265,000 gallons—leak into a nearby drainage ditch. This then directly entered the East Nishnabotna River and devastated the aquatic environment.
State representatives, namely the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), attested to the fact that the fish kill affected the entire river system in question, which extends almost 50 miles downstream from the original spill site. The destruction continued into the Missouri portion of the river before coming to an end close to the Missouri River’s confluence.
Experts in DNR fisheries recorded an astounding number of fish losses—more than 749,000 in total. The fish that suffered the greatest losses were minnows, shiners, dace, and chubs, with a combined death toll exceeding 700,000. To determine the wider impact on other aquatic life forms in the river, investigations are still underway.
Pollution into waterways requires a permit, according to Iowa regulations. Together with its legal counsel, the DNR is currently considering possible enforcement actions and pursuing compensation for the significant loss of aquatic life.
The DNR advises the public to abstain from recreational activities on the river and to avoid collecting or eating any dead fish found in or near the water, even though recent field tests show declining ammonia levels.
