Dubuque, Iowa-Notices of Violation (NOVs) will be served in the near future by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to two parties in connection with the deaths of more than 2,700 fish found to be caused by surface-applying manure on a partially frozen 40-acre field west of Bernard. The department identified those to be notified as Gansen Pumping Inc. of Swingle, Iowa, and Bernard County Dairy of Bernard. DNR Environmental Specialist Rick Martens told Green Markets the documented violations, along with penalty notifications, are still being processed in DNR, and that restitution will be included for the value of the fish. He said an unnamed tributary of Prairie Creek was involved in Dubuque County, and the deaths included minnows, shiners, chubs, suckers, dace, and a few sunfish. No game fish were included. Martens’ investigation revealed that factors contributing to the manure runoff were heavy rains, minimal corn stock residue, field slope, inadequate separation distances, limited manure incorporation, and failure to check the area for recent drainage improvements.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain