DYERSVILLE – Monday and Tuesday DNR staff from the Manchester field office looked for the source of a fish kill on Hickory and Hewitt Creeks in Dubuque County.
Starting at the Highway 136 bridge in Dyersville, DNR staff followed dead fish upstream for about 5 miles to an unnamed tributary of Hickory Creek. The likely source of the fish kill is manure washed into the stream from an animal feeding operation in the upper part of the watershed.
The fish kill was reported Monday, but the caller noticed dead fish on Sunday following rainfall over the weekend.
The investigation is ongoing as DNR awaits laboratory test results from water samples. DNR fisheries staff estimate thousands of fish were killed, including white suckers, stonerollers, minnows and creek chubs. An official count will be available later.
DNR will seek enforcement actions as appropriate.