Dairy Manure Kills 60,000 Fish in Iowa

Iowa-based dairy farm New Vienna was implicated this week in causing the deaths of 60,000 in two local creeks. The fish—comprised of several different species, including creek chubs, white suckers, stonerollers, and minnows—were found dead last month sparking an investigation by the Department of Natural Resources that traced the origin of the pollution five miles upstream to New Vienna—which is considered a small operation and holds approximately 300 cows. DNR senior environmental specialist Brian Jergenson said that penalties will likely be imposed against New Vienna. Earlier this year, another Iowa farm named Meadowvale Dairy was ordered to pay $160,000 in fines after violating the Clean Water Act on 12 occasions by allowing waste from 10,000 cows to enter tributaries of the Big Sioux River.