MT PLEASANT—The Iowa DNR is investigating a fertilizer spill on the east side of Mt. Pleasant near the interchange of U.S. Highways 34 and 218 .
The spill occurred about noon Monday after a Mt. Pleasant Liqui-Grow truck rolled over, spilling most of its 2,400-gallon load and some diesel fuel into the road ditch.
Liqui-Grow staff were able to recover about 400 gallons of fertilizer yesterday, but approximately 2,000 gallons reached an unnamed tributary of Heather Branch.
The company’s staff dammed the creek with sandbags and has been pumping up the high nitrogen fertilizer, trying to prevent downstream contamination.
DNR is on site, offering technical advice and testing water samples yesterday and today. Field tests show ammonia levels are high at the spill site, but so far there has been no sign of a fish kill.
DNR will continue checking water samples and monitoring the cleanup. The DNR will consider appropriate enforcement action.