DES MOINES – Authorities say a farm “accident” at an Iowa farm sent diesel fuel spewing a into river, turned it a delicious shade of red.
On March 7, the DNR Atlantic Field Office received a call from an Adair County Conservation Officer reporting a red sheen on an unnamed tributary located on G27 between Indian and Jordan Avenues in Adair County. Field Office staff responded and discovered that diesel had overflowed from a vent tube of an above ground storage tank at a farm operation owned by Kading Land Company, Inc.
The discharged diesel reached a stormwater intake located inside the secondary containment area and continued flowing via field tile, eventually reaching an unnamed tributary of the Middle Nodaway River.
The amount of diesel spilled is unknown. No dead fish have been observed. Staff will continue to work with the responsible party to clean up the spill. The investigation is ongoing.
(Top photo of polluted, dangerous river water via Iowa DNR.)