FORT DODGE – Test results from water samples collected from Lizard Creek indicate that the creek no longer shows any byproducts from the spill that occurred on April 14, and that normal recreational activities can resume in the South Branch and Lizard Creek, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced today.
The DNR continues to work with the facility regarding clean-up at the site at Lizard Creek. State fisheries experts reported that the event impacted 71,933 fish. Information regarding enforcement actions and further updates will be provided upon the completion of the ongoing investigation. CJ Bio America in Fort Dodge reported a leak at their facility in April. A fertilizer byproduct created in the process of making lysine had emptied into a stormwater channel on the east side of the plant.
“The time of the year and conditions of the stream, with cooler water and higher flow, reduced the number of fish impacted,” said Ben Wallace, fisheries biologist with the Iowa DNR.
Wallace explained that higher water temperatures and slow-moving conditions can increase ammonia’s impact on fish populations. Additionally, since the spill occurred earlier in the year, many larger fish species, such as smallmouth bass, may have still been in the larger Des Moines River.